Often a question that patients will ask me is what do you eat, where do you shop at and what sorts of foods do you have in your shopping trolley? Grocery shopping can be a minefield of choices, but healthy eating definitely starts there. So I give you my top 3 tips for grocery shopping like a dietitian.
Top grocery shopping tips from a dietitian
1. Start on the outside
My first tip is to shop around the outside of the supermarket. You will find fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins & dairy products.
2. Fresh is best
Considering there is a ‘Health Food’ aisle in the supermarket, does that mean all the other aisles contain unhealthy items? Definitely not, but they may display some items that you don’t need on a daily basis. Or items that if they end up in your trolley, may not be helping you reach your health and nutrition goals.
As you can see in the picture above, its from a grocery shop of one of our Dietitian’s Kate. There’s plenty of fresh fruit & vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, dairy and some easy snack options – roasted chickpeas & natural almonds.
3. Shop on a full stomach!
Go to the grocery store with a full belly so you’re not hungry. Go with a list of what you want to buy, stick to the list and keep an eye on what you’re putting in your trolley. Before you pick it up have a think about whether it will provide you with a great range of nutrients or not.
