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Healthy food for heart healthy dietsSmart grocery shopping tips - here's how to shop
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But where do you start? And who has time anyway!
There's no doubt that grabbing groceries on the way home from work when you're tired can be daunting. And even when you have lots of time, superstore food markets are so large it can feel overwhelming and you might wonder where on earth to start. And being creatures of habit, it's easy just to pick up the same foods you've bought for years. Right?
Well, small changes can make a big difference so here are some simple but effective strategies to help you shop for healthy food for your smart heart eating.
Plan your food, make a list
Not only will a grocery shopping list help you remember everything you need and want to get, but it will help you focus on purchasing the healthy food you want in your house and avoid impulse buying or falling back into old habits.Some people find it quite helpful to plan their menu for the week so they know what ingredients to buy.
Become label conscious
The list of ingredients presents the contents in order of quantity - largest first, smallest last.
Look for minimal ingredients - and as Michael Pollan suggests in In Defense of Food
Look for trans fats - if it contains trans fat you don't want it!
Check out the sodium. Many processed foods are extremely high in sodium.
Shop the periphery of the store
Why? Think about the way most grocery stores are laid out. The healthy food - the fresh produce, bakery, meat and fish, dairy and eggs, are all on the outer edges of the store. The inside is primarily processed and packaged goods. The less time you spend in the middle of the store, the less processed food you'll take home!Bakery
Buy whole grain bakery products - the largely unprocessed grains that your great grandma would have used. In white flour the husk, nutrient rich wheat germ, and high fiber bran are all processed out of the flour. In "enriched" flour, the goodness is "added back in" but its not as nutritious as the original unprocessed whole wheat grain. The nutrients found naturally in the whole grain - magnesium, zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin E, chromium and fiber - are lost in white bread.
Watch out for commercial muffins. They're loaded with calories and sugar and often contain trans fats. Instead consider making your own!
Meat and fish counter
You may not eat meat and/or fish due to religious or ethical reasons. If you do enjoy meat and fish here are some tips:
- If you are watching your sodium, go for "whole" meat as opposed to processed meats. Check the packaging dates to be sure it's fresh.
- Buy the right amounts. A serving of meat should be approximately the size of a deck of cards per person.
- Fish contains Omega 3 fatty acids, beneficial to your heart healthy diet. Try to eat fish two to three times a week.
- Buy unprocessed, unbattered fish - fish fillets, steaks, or whole fish.
Eggs and Dairy
We buy organic eggs fresh from the farm. The difference is remarkable. You can often buy organic eggs at the supermarket too. Brown or white eggs? It makes no difference. We get both and we often have an extra treat - a "green egg" or two in our carton. The farm we buy our eggs from has Ameraucana hens who lay green eggs (they're really more of a robin's egg blue) and we love them.
Egg substitutes - some people swear by them - personally I'd rather eat an unfettered real egg.
Milk in bottles, plastic bags, or cartons? Your choice. It makes no difference to the nutritional value. Be sure to check the expiry date.
Non dairy creamers - read the label. Do you really want to put all those chemicals in your body?
Yogurt - watch the sugar in commercial varieties. Read the label and you'll be surprised. Better to buy plain yogurt and add fruit.
Choose "real" cheese as opposed to processed cheese.
Butter or margarine? The typical heart healthy diet will recommend a non saturated fat margarine. After reading In Defense of Food and learning more about how margarine is made and the ingredients in it, I no longer by margarine - instead I buy organic butter and use it in moderation.
Fruits and vegetables
You're aiming for 5 - 10 servings a day.
Fill your cart with as many different colors as you can. Not only will you be getting a wide range of nutrients and healthy food, but your meals will look delightfully appealing.
Green - lettuce, broccoli, peas, green beans, zucchini, spinach, avocados, green peppers, kale, swiss chard, celery, brussell sprouts, cucumber, cabbage, asparagus, kiwi
Yellow - squash, grapefruit, bananas, yellow peppers, corn, grapefruit, pineapple, pears
Red - tomatoes, red peppers, apples, beets, red cabbage, cherries
Orange - carrots, yams, squash, pumpkin, apricots, oranges, turnips, papaya, peaches
Buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Stay away from canned. They're convenient but when they are processed damage may occur to the vitamins and minerals. As well, canned vegetables are often heavily salted and fruits may be packed in sugar syrup.
For convenience, dried fruits are handy. Look for sulfate free varieties.
The bulk food section
Buy unpackaged "bulk" foods - the advantage is you can buy the healthy food you need, with less wasted food and no wasteful packaging - it's better for the environment.
Beans, peas, and lentils are inexpensive and natural sources of fiber, protein, calcium, iron, and potassium. Canned legumes have added salt - buy dried instead. If you have the time to cook them, you can freeze them to use later.
Nuts and seeds - unsalted! At first you may miss the salt but once you get used to it, you'll love the taste of nuts without salt.
Stay away from processed foods
Nut butters - peanut, almond, cashew. Avoid heavily processed, heavily sugared, and salted types. Go for the natural.
Instant noodles - high in sodium and highly processed - avoid them! Not a healthy food - sorry!
Avoid instant rice - the goodness is gone! Brown rice contains more fiber and minerals than white rice. It is also a good source of vitamin E.
Steer clear of instant potatoes. Buy some real ones instead.
Stay away from anything with trans fats
Cookies are generally made from refined flour and lots of sugar. "Fat free" cookies may still be loaded with sugar. Beware of cookie mixes too. I bought a tub from a school fundraiser only to find it contained trans fats. I threw it out. Better to make your own or skip them. Eat a piece of fruit instead!
Cereals - most cereals, even the so-called "healthy" ones, contain high quantities of sugar plus they often contain ingredients that you really don't want to ingest such as hydrochloride, hydrogenated vegetable oils, artificial flavors, etc. Buy unprocessed, organic oatmeal or make your own granola.
Watch out for impulse buying
How many times have you seen someone at the checkout counter reach for a chocolate bar or bag of chips at the last minute? How often have you done that?
Be aware of the store's merchandising - things are arranged to be enticing. If you shop with a list, and avoid shopping when you are hungry, you can resist the temptations.
Hope these healthy food shopping tips help you! One final tip - buy local when you can. Consider buying your food from farmers in your area. Bon appetit!
Sources: HeartSmart shopper, In Defense of Food
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