Supermarket Success

Grocery stores are designed so that in an ideal world, we would only have to circle the outskirts of the store. Think about it; the outer walls contain the dairy, meat, vegetables and fruit- everything you need for a well balanced diet. The inner aisles are comprised mostly of processed foots, such as cereals, chips, and candy. Obviously for no one to ever go in the middle aisles is unrealistic, and I hope from today's blog you can learn how to navigate those center aisles effectively :)

The key to discerning the smart choices from the unhealthy ones is in the nutrition facts label. Knowing how to read a label is essential to making informed decisions for what to feed yourself and your family. Below is a common example of what a nutrition facts label will contain:

It is so important to start with the serving size because that is what determines the calorie quantity and nutrient levels listed below. One package of a food can be entirely one serving, or can be made up of many smaller servings. Your levels of consumption are all relative to the serving size. Another important tool is calories. If a serving contains less than 40 calories, it is considered low, around 100 moderate, and 400 and above calories is high. Another important tool is the %DV (percent daily value). These values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet per day, serving as a frame of reference for any diet.

There is also a financial component to supermarket success. By devising a well-considered list of necesseties, it avoids frequent returns and impulse buying. In addition, take note of the significant difference in pricing between fresh and canned vegetables. If, for example, a vegetable is a small component in a dish you are planning, I advise you to consider the canned, and thereby cheaper, version.

Here are some more helpful tips on successful shopping:

• Avoid the displays at the end which encourage impulse shopping
• Shop while full
• When choosing from a variety, whether it be meat, veggies, or fruit, take note of each option and choose for meat the leanest or for veggies/ fruit the ripest