Making a grocery list lets the shopper ‘focus on foods that are healthier.’

There’s nothing worse than walking into your kitchen after a long day at work or running around with the kids only to realize there is nothing to eat! Opening an empty refrigerator on an empty stomach is a lethal combination. In no time at all, focus shifts to a quick fix. Kung Pao Chicken delivered right to your door is just a phone call away. If you’re strong enough to do a little grocery shopping instead of caving to unhealthier quick fixes, good for you! Here are a few tips to help you determine which foods should make it to the bottom of your shopping cart and which foods should stay on the shelf.

Drink Up

Before you even head out on your grocery-getting expedition, drink a glass of water. Thirst often mimics hunger. Water will help keep the hunger pangs away long enough for you to make it home and indulge in something quick and nutritious. If water just won’t cut it, grab something light, like a piece of fruit, a small piece of cheese or a handful of baby carrots.

Make a List

Write down what you’d like to eat for the next few days. Making a list helps you get though the store quicker, keeps you from buying things you don’t need and allows you to focus on foods that are healthier for you. Not giving any thought to your meals is a fast trip to the prepared frozen meals section. Packaged meals and all convenience foods will wreak havoc on your body!

Start your list with at least two types of fruits, four types of vegetables, one or two types of meat and a couple dairy products (such as yogurt and milk) first. Your list should always have space devoted to “dinner tonight.” This can be a challenge, but healthier foods are readily available. Most stores have rotisserie chickens, freshly prepared salads or sushi. Try to stay away from foods you can pop in your microwave. Many of those foods have very little nutritional value.

Get In, Get Out

After walking into the store, pull out that list and go to work. Walk the perimeter of the store and start filling your cart. Most grocery stores keep healthier foods around the outside of the store because they’re perishable and need to be refrigerated. You’ll probably start with the produce and end with the dairy. Another valuable area for the time-constrained is the frozen vegetable aisle. While not as perfect as their fresh counterparts, you can’t go wrong with a bag of broccoli and cauliflower that can be steamed in five minutes. Pair this with a chicken breast and a slice of good cheese… and voila! Dinner is served.

After you’ve shopped the perimeter, it’s time to meander through the endless aisles of packaged foods. Jackie Mosure, a Chicago-based registered dietician with the Lincoln Park Athletic Club suggests: “Read the ingredients. I always advise my clients that the sugar grams in prepared foods shouldn’t be more than half of the total carbohydrate grams. These products simply have too much added sugar.” Watch out for cereals, granola bars and single-serving packages. Despite how low in calories, if it’s processed and sitting on a shelf, it’s probably loaded with sugar.

“High fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose are a few ingredients I have my clients avoid,” says Mosure. Healthier options generally don’t contain these ingredients.”

Prettier Packaging is Not Necessarily Better

Women beware. Food advertisers play on our emotions. It’s what they do to get us to buy their products. In fact, according to the Food Market Institute, women make up 70% percent of grocery store consumers. Within that segment, 96% of us say that nutrition is important. Food companies use this information to tell us what’s good for our bodies, rather than letting us decide. Packages with words like “healthy,” “low-fat” or “natural” fill every aisle.

Think of it like this: you wouldn’t buy a pair of uncomfortable shoes just because the salesperson said they looked good. So why would you buy a food product loaded with questionable ingredients just because the package says it’s good for you? Remember, common sense is always on your side when shopping.