Month: March 2013

We love Stop & Shop! (especially the prepared foods)  Stop & Shop’s full-time nutritionist, Julie Menounos had some great tips on ways to get the most out of your grocery shopping experience. She provides some very useful advice that will help you on the path to better nutrition.  See my comments in bold as it is true, we know what we need to do as moms to shop smartly but it’s always nice to remind ourselves with these great tips.

With health eating in mind, Stop & Shop sent us a $20 gift card and armed with Julie’s tips I was ready to go shop.

Julie Menounos’ Simple Tips:

Before You Leave:

• Don’t shop hungry. Be sure to have a light meal or snack with fiber and protein before shopping to avoid impulse buys.
  • I KNOW THIS All too well. When you are hungry you tend to lean toward the not so good food too.
  • Make a grocery list. Plan out your week of meals, snacks and beverages and those you need to restock. Organize the list by the departments of the grocery store to save you time shopping.
    • How many times have you not done this and it takes twice as long?? It does become a nightmare if you wander aimlessly and without vision

During Your Shopping Trip:

• Shop the perimeter of the store. This is where the freshest, most natural food lies. So fill most of your cart with fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and dairy items then venture down the center aisles to stock up on staple goods like whole grains, beans, vegetable-based soups, canned tuna and wild salmon.
  • Sometimes I do get lost in the chip aisle…
  • Pay attention to symbols to help you shop. For example, at Stop & Shop, you can look for the Healthy Ideas® symbol next to the price to find products that are better for you and your family.
  • Now I will chose and look for this symbol over another alternative
  • Read the ingredient list. If you are not sure how to accurately interpret the Nutrition Facts label, the ingredients list can provide you with enough information to make a healthy decision. Ingredients are listed in order of weight from high to low. In general, the less ingredients the better. If sugar is listed in the first or second ingredient of your breakfast cereal, look to swap it.
    • I do this more often now, it can slow you down a bit if you are on a mission but worth it for your health.

When You Get Home:

• Focus on filling half your plate with fruit and non-starchy vegetables. Fill the other half with whole grains (bread, rice, pasta and starchy vegetables like corn, peas, potatoes) and lean protein (chicken, turkey, beef seafood, beans).
• Don’t forget a serving of dairy (milk, yogurt or cheese) either incorporated into the meal, on the side or as dessert!
  • Think about adding fruits and veggies to your families’ favorite foods. Add strawberries in cereal, blueberries in yogurt, sliced pears in a grill cheese sandwich, shredded carrots and zucchini to pasta sauce and broccoli on pizza.
    • I do try to look for ways to sneak in fruits and veggies and try to balance out the meals

 

Thanks to Julie for those great tips!

Disclosure: Stop & Shop sent me a $20 gift card for this blog post; all opinions are my own.