Mindful nutrition
tips for Grocery store shopping
In the next edition of my mindful nutrition series I’m focusing on grocery store shopping. I’m sure you’re all aware, or maybe you’re not (which is okay too!), that supermarkets are one big marketing playground. The layout of every shop is uniquely designed to position highly processed, addictive, sugary, and expensive foods up and down the aisles, leaving healthier, whole foods and produce on the outer rim of the store. Of course, this makes it difficult and overwhelming to look out for our health and nutrition while shopping. Not to mention that it also puts the responsibility on us, as the consumer, to make certain choices— a fundamentally flawed system, in my opinion, but that is a story for another day. Today, I just want to provide a few top tips that helped me navigate the grocery store when I embarked on my mindful nutrition journey:
Make a list! There is nothing more frustrating than the overwhelm that possesses my brain when I walk into a chaotic grocery store and instantly forget my meal/recipe plan for the week. Yes, I have to carve out time to make the list, but I absolutely gain minutes back in my day not wandering around the grocery store aimlessly. This tip also really helps me keep a strict budget when shopping. If you have grocery delivery available to you, then that is another great option if you’re looking for budgeting tactics. I have found that making a list and sticking to that list also leaves me with a sense of self-accomplishment when I leave the store.
Stick to the outside of the shop. I avoid going up and down the aisles when possible because they tend to be filled with the most enticing, but highly processed, foods.
Start in the produce section. I always fill my cart with healthy, whole foods that I know I can use to cook every day recipes before adding anything else. It is truly amazing what I can do with a bag of potatoes rather than a bag of chips!
Don’t ignore confusing labels. Labels list loads of ingredient information (as discussed in last month’s newsletter). When I can’t understand the items on the label, then I use indicator as a sign that I probably don’t want to put that food in my body. This is not always the case, but I’ve found it to be mostly true and, at least, helpful guidance. I’m definitely not suggesting we cut out our most loved foods.
These tips simply helped me become a more mindful consumer and led to a lot of hidden benefits in my mindful nutrition journey. Next month, I plan to discuss ultra process processed foods; what they are, what they mean for our short and long term health, and how to find balance between the pleasures of eating and protecting your body. Stay tuned :)