When trying to eat healthy, your diet actually begins at the grocery store. You set yourself up for failure if you are constantly buying food that you shouldn't eat. This is a bit more complicated if you are eating different than the rest of your family. Even as a single person, it took me awhile to grasp this concept. I would buy the sweets and the chips and tell myself that I would just eat a few. Next thing I knew, the whole bag would be gone. Am I telling you never to buy those treats? No of course not. But work out a system that works for you and gives you more of a chance for success.
Grocery Tip #1: Have a base shopping list that you shop from.
I keep a list of foods on my phone that I can eat as part of a healthy diet. I make it a checklist, so when I have bought an item, I can mark it off. Then when I am meal planning, I know what foods I have to work with. This also gives me a blueprint for things that I can eat that are better for me. In my case, I stick to whole grains, high protein, low carb, and no added sugar. Pinterest has loads of suggestions for a base list that you can use for any diet imaginable.
Grocery Tip #2: Meal plan.
Meal planning can take all type of forms and level of detail. Personally, I don't plan down to the day what I am having on that day. I make a list of meals I would like to make over a couple weeks so I know what ingredients I will need. This works for me because my mood changes and I may not want tacos on Tuesday. Or I may have made some Chili and am eating leftovers. I like the flexibility of this type of meal planning. But if you are someone who likes to plan to the day your meals then by all means, buy yourself a planner and do that. If you do plan that way, I would suggest not being super strict with it. Plan for some days where you will eat out and plan for some leftovers (if you eat them) and plan some flexibility into your plan. I don't use a calendar or anything I just start working on my grocery list a few days ahead and thinking about what I want to eat. When I work on my grocery list, I write down what I plan to eat for the week.
Grocery Tip #3: Shop your pantry first.
Before I think about what I need to get at the store, I check my base grocery list (see tip #1) and check my pantry for what items I already have in stock. This includes the fridge and freezer. This is a double check yes, but I may have forgotten to mark something on the list. This also will prevent you from overspending when you already have an item in the pantry. You also will save on food waste if you already have an item in the fridge. Tip: Make sure the product in the fridge has not gone bad while you are checking. Also, don't forget to check your backstock if you have a backstock area.
Grocery Tip #4: Make your grocery list.
Now that you have figured out what you need and what you have in stock you can make your list. For me this is a little more in depth than just a simple list. I like to shop around to make sure I am getting the best prices. There are certain places I like to get meat. Certain places that have items that no one else carries. So, my process takes more research and time, but I also get the best prices. Do I do this each time? No, I don't, and it depends on what I need. The best way for me to check prices is to use the store's apps that I like. I use Target, Hy-Vee, Meijer, Aldi, Sams, Walmart, Schnucks, and Harvest Market for my stores. Now, if I find most of what I need at the best price at one store I will usually just get it all there. However, I have found some of the brands and items I want are not available at all stores so I may make a special trip for those items. Honestly, it depends on my mood.
Grocery Tip #5: Be prepared and use curbside.
What do I mean by being prepared? Well, if you price check your items ahead of time you have a pretty good idea on how much you are spending. You won't be surprised when you get to the checkout lane. If you have shopped your list, you won't have any extra's. If you are someone who is tempted to buy off list when you shop in the store, use curbside. Most stores now offer curbside pick-up, and you pay online so you don't have to go into the store at all. I buy most of my groceries this way and that way I am not tempted to buy the junk. There are one or two stores that do not offer curbside so though I need to go in the store and stay strong!
Grocery Tip #6: Treat yourself.
Don't forget that life needs a little sweetness, and this includes in our diets as well. Even if you have diet restrictions there are options out there that you can treat yourself with. Not everyone has a sweet tooth like me. Maybe your treat of choice is a special meal, or a savory snack. Don't deny yourself a special treat on occasion. Plan for these special treats or cheat meals, that way you set yourself up for success instead of falling into a rabbit hole of bad eating.
These are not necessarily tips that will work for everyone. This is just what works for me. Maybe one or two of these tips will work for you. I decided when I needed to eat better and get my sugar under control that I needed to be more mindful about food from the grocery store to when I cook. It has made me look at the grocery shopping experience differently.
Coming soon will be a new series, the Grocer's Kitchen. In this series I plan on featuring different products that I like, what I like about the item, where you can find them, and the nutritional information.
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