Are you one of those people who LOVE the grocery store or feel like it’s your enemy? The chore you absolutely dread each week and interferes with your nutrition goals every year? While grocery shopping may never be the highlight of your week, it doesn’t have to be a major source of stress. If you want to be as efficient as possible in the grocery store while shopping to support your nutrition goals, keep reading! We put together 5 tips to help you grocery shop like a dietitian!
Plan your meals ahead of time
Your days of wandering the aisles of the grocery store aimlessly trying to plan your meals for the week are over! Going to the grocery store with a plan is your key to success. You don’t have to meticulously plan out every morsel of food you will eat in a week, but having a general plan is helpful.
You can plan to make a big batch of 1-2 meals to eat for lunch and dinner. Another option is to plan 4-5 new dinners to make on different nights during the week and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. You can also batch different ingredients that you can mix and match throughout the week so you don’t get bored of having the same meals. If you want more help with meal prep, check out our meal prep guide!
Organize your list
Rather than recreating a new list every week, keep a running list of things you usually buy. That way you can go through it each week and uncheck the things you need to buy. Here is an easy way to organize your list:
- Produce: Aim to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. If you are nowhere near this number, start small and then work your way up. Shopping seasonally can help you stick to your budget.
- Meats/fish/dairy/eggs: It is helpful to have a variety of protein options on hand. Pick 2-3 for your meals during the week and maybe have a couple high protein options stocked up if you need a meal on the fly.
- Dry goods: Keeping rice, whole wheat bread, oats, canned beans, crackers, whole wheat pasta, etc stocked in your pantry will make meal prep easier throughout the week. These products are also easy to buy in bulk which can help save money!
- Frozen: Frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutrient dense as fresh ones! This can help make your meals more convenient, which will increase the likelihood of you to maintain your healthy eating habits. There are also many healthier frozen meal options that you can choose from.
- Miscellaneous: Don’t forget about flavor! Think about what seasonings, sauces, and dressings you want to add to your meals to make them more enjoyable.
Avoid shopping when hungry
How many times have you walked out of the grocery store with 10 extra items you didn’t plan on getting? Sometimes when we let ourselves get too hungry and then go grocery shopping, our hunger takes control. We grab every package of food that sounds good. This can cause problems with your budget as well as your nutrition goals!
Going into the grocery store with a plan and a satisfied stomach will help cut down excess spending so you can focus on getting the things that you truly want and need.
Don’t follow the rule to “only shop the perimeter”
Have you ever been told to only shop the perimeter of the grocery store to help avoid the unhealthy options? You’d be missing out on so many nutritious foods if you followed this rule! Dry goods like whole grains and canned beans are located in the middle of the store. You also don’t want to miss out on frozen fruits and vegetables!
Don’t skip your favorite treats
When trying to eat healthy, you may be tempted to try to eat 100% clean. No added sugar, no ultra processed foods, etc. However, to foster a healthy relationship with food, it is important to allow yourself to eat the foods you crave. There is nothing wrong with keeping a pint of ice cream or a bag of chips in your house to enjoy mindfully when the craving strikes. Shop for it now so you don’t feel out of control later!
When you start implementing these tips, you will become a grocery shopping pro. Shopping on a budget to support your health goals in amidst of your busy schedule will be a breeze! We hope this article will give you the confidence to grocery shop like a dietitian!