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6 Steps To Prepare For The Supermarket
The new guidelines that have been established in the Rate Your Plate initiative through the Federal government gives us a better understanding of what our plates should look like next time we sit down and eat. Supermarkets are the best places to get most of the foods that we need to live, but sometimes stepping into the store can create a lot of anxiety with all those fancy signs and, sometimes, dim lighting. Supermarkets are designed to give the everyday shopper the greatest shopping experience ever. Deals are found around every corner, and so are the common pitfalls that face every dieter or person looking to shed a few pounds.
Deceptive labeling techniques have made it hard for shoppers to really know the difference between healthy and unhealthy. Most shoppers go into a store with no set agenda but what they think they want for food for the next week. This can create a cart full of products that you do not need and that are more than likely not good for you. If it is in your cart, then it is in your house. If it is in your house, then it WILL be in your mouth.
Here are six ways to make your shopping experience better, and help you trim your waistline by watching what is going into your cart.
Have a menu planned for the week
Having planned meals that you can cook and freeze ahead of time takes the pressure off of you by knowing exactly what you are going to have for meals throughout the week. Buy extra ingredients for your favorite healthy meals and cook in bulk. This way you can save those healthy meals for the next day’s leftovers. Making a menu also enables you to shop for the ingredients that you need and leave those high-calorie snacks on the shelf where they belong.
Start smart: Create a list from your menu
Knowing what you are going to have for meals ahead of time makes the shopping experience easier. Having your list, you are armed with the information you need to go through the store without falling into the pitfalls of high-calorie, nutrient-lacking foods. Not only will this help you shop with ease knowing that you are putting only the necessities in your cart, but also it helps to cut down on your budget by buying ingredients in bulk, and not putting extra snacks or treats in your cart that sometimes come with an out-of-the-world price tag.
Shop around the perimeter and avoid the inner aisles of stores
Produce, bakery, seafood, meat, dairy, and the frozen section are usually areas that you find along the perimeter of the store. Shopping around the perimeter of the store provides you with the opportunity to shop for fresh or frozen fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat that are leaner and will provide you with the best selection of foods available. You get to choose from the leaner cuts of meat to skim or lower fat milk that have fresh expiration dates on them. This can help you plan meals better by choosing fresh chicken, meat, or fish, giving you more whole food options and sometimes better deals from the person behind the counter.
Learning to read the labels can be a far better use of your time then walking around aimlessly looking for healthy products. Pay close attention to the serving size, amount of fats (in particular, saturated fats), and if there are trans fats on the label. Also look for sodium content, fiber, sugars, and calories per serving. The most important aspect of label reading is making sure that you look at the ingredients. If you are looking for a whole wheat product, for example, the first ingredient should be stone ground or whole wheat flour. If the first ingredient happens to be unbleached, enriched whole wheat flour, then the product has been stripped of the natural fiber that comes from whole wheat. If whole wheat is found somewhere besides the first ingredient, then there is a lesser amount of that in the product.
Name brand products do only one thing to you: they kill your wallet. Buying name brand products not only provide you with the same fresh, quality ingredients, but they are also just as nutritious as the name brand products at half the price. Shop smarter by buying store name brands, and you will find that not only are you lighter around the waist, but also a little heavier in the wallet.
The produce that you find in the stores is packed full of nutrients and sometimes something else: pesticides. Pesticides are typically used to keep bugs and rodents away from the plants in order for us to enjoy them when they get to the supermarket. On most weekends throughout the year, you can find Farmers' markets someplace in your town. This is where local farmers come and sell their goods. The markets are usually packed with fresh produce, organic meat and fish packed full of Heart Healthy Omega's and has not been treated with heavy pesticides so you can enjoy the nutrient-packed food right away. Also, farmers that grow this great produce are willing to answer any questions you might have about pesticides, preparation, and other things you might find useful. It might be more money, but rest assured you are buying products that are good for you without pesticides, and you are helping your local economy grow.
These steps will help make your shopping experience more enjoyable by eliminating the high pressure of walking around all the processed food found in the supermarket.
By preparing a list and menu, you know what you need which allows you to get in and out of the store quickly, all while saving money. Your waist and wallet will thank you.