Grocery shopping when trying to create a healthy change can be daunting. Stores are designed to entice you to buy more, and when you’re working on changing your bad habits, you’ll notice that the grocery store is out there dangling those foods that will knock you off track, right in front of your face. But don’t be discouraged, we’ve got the tips to navigate you through the grocery store that will help keep you striving for success. With Deflate Your Weight you’ll learn even more tips on our grocery store shopping tour, so e-mail us to join by January 29^th!

1. Have a plan in place. If you need enough food for the whole week, plan your meals ahead of time so you know exactly what you need to buy, and how much of it you need. Meal prepping will help you succeed in your weight loss journey, but it also saves you time and money at the grocery store. With all of the grocery store apps that exist now, you can make your list on your phone and include any coupons they might have. If you’re extremely busy you can create the list and pick up your groceries or have them delivered.

2. One of the most important and underrated tips for going grocery shopping is to not go hungry! This tip has been around since the beginning of grocery store time, yet, how many times have you found yourself unpacking your groceries and noticing all the things you bought that you really don’t need? The cookies, chips, sodas, etc. all sound so good when you’re hungry, so you just throw them into the cart! This is why having a plan in place is a good first step. You shouldn’t just plan what you’re going to buy, but you should also plan when you’re going to buy. A great time to shop is after you’ve eaten a nutritious breakfast, and you’re ready to start your day.

3. Spend most of your time in the outer parameters of the store.  The outside aisles are where you should be getting most of your shopping done. They’re usually the produce, meat, fish, and dairy aisles. The inside aisles contain most of the processed packaged food that we should avoid.

4. Reading labels. If you do end up in the middle aisles, make sure to check the labels. Some simple advice to follow is, if it has more than 5 ingredients, or has things you can’t pronounce, put it back on the shelf. Understanding what’s fueling your body is just as important as fueling it. 

5. Variety is the spice of life.  We tend to stick with what we know and continue to make the same meals day after day, week after week, but now is the best time to mix it up. Every fruit and vegetable has a season and buying the freshest and most in season produce is a great way to not only get the nutrients you need, but also to get the best tasting, and usually cheapest, produce.

The internet has so many purposes, and one of the purposes you can utilize time and time again is finding new recipes to add to your repertoire. When you’re making your lists, introduce some new foods to your line up. If you’ve never used an artichoke before, find a recipe that works with your meal. Then plan and challenge yourself to buy it and make it!