Where Should I Shop?

Article by Amy Bragagnini, MS, RD, CSO
Posted on March 03, 2010

People wanting to eat healthier and improve their diet should begin by making smart choices in the grocery store. A great place to start is to determine where to go when you get into the grocery store. A common mistake that people make is that they spend the majority of their time in the middle aisles of the store. There lies foods that are generally higher in sodium, trans fats, and calories and many contain few essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins and minerals, and phytochemicals. Although some healthy items can be found in the store’s center (certain spices, brown rice, whole wheat breads and pasta), in order to achieve a healthy and “successful” grocery shopping experience, I urge you to spend limited time in the middle of the store…and more time at the perimeter.

One can find many healthy options around the edges of the grocery establishment. Spend more time in the produce section and choose vibrantly colored fruits and vegetables. Try to choose a new fruit or vegetable to try each week and get your kids involved in the process. Let them pick out one that looks interesting or one that they would like to try. Plan meals ahead of time and try to choose a few vegetarian options including many different colors of fruits and vegetables. For example, choose dark green kale or spinach for an entrée salad base. Top with fresh strawberries or dried cranberries, cherry tomatoes, carrots, red/yellow pepper etc. Select a variety of vegetables for a black bean salad (black beans, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, etc). Next travel to the dairy section and be sure to select low fat products such as milk, 2% cheese and low fat yogurt. Plan for a healthy snack by mixing a smoothie in the blender and include ice, low fat yogurt, and fresh strawberries. Now stop by the meat section and choose the leanest selections that you can find. Focus on fresh fish like salmon, albacore tuna and herring for the omega-three fatty acids. Choose boneless skinless chicken and lean turkey. Try to limit intake of red meat and it is a good idea to plan for having meat dishes a few days during the week but also include a few days of vegetarian dishes.