Tackling the Grocery: Tips for Saving Time, Money, and Making Healthy Choices
January 8, 2019
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By:
Barbara Lattin MS, RD, LD
Is eating healthier one of your family’s New Year’s resolutions? Making meals at home is a great way to achieve that goal. However, more cooking at your house means that you’ll have to make more trips to the grocery store—and the grocery can be overwhelming. So many aisles, choices, and labels!
That’s why we’ve compiled this checklist to help you make the most of your grocery shopping trip. Here are a few practical ideas for saving time, money, and making healthy choices:
Tips for Saving Time, Money, and Making Healthy Choices at the Grocery Store
Keep a running shopping list in your kitchen (or phone!) to avoid extra shopping trips
Organize your list to match store categories
Check supermarket specials and plan menus around them
Clip coupons for items you need
Avoid doing your shopping while you are hungry
Shop the perimeter; the healthiest food sections (produce, fresh meat, seafood, dairy) are usually found there
Shop from a list; it reduces extra shopping trips and helps with impulse buying
Read food labels as you shop
Buy in the quantities you can use
Pay attention at checkout
Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season
Stock up on non-perishable foods when they are on sale
Compare prices using the unit price on the shelf, as well as national, store, and generic brands
Match food quality to the recipe
Consider using a pick-up or delivery service; it can help you save time and money
Repackage into ‘meal-sized’ portions before freezing or storing
Rotate your food supply – ‘first in, first out’
Clean fresh produce so it’s ready to use
Store perishable items in a visible location
Post your menus for the week
Start a new shopping list
To learn more about the Center for Better Health and Nutrition, please visit our website or call 513-636-4305.
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