Grocery Shopping 101

Before you even think of setting foot in a grocery store, plan your menu for the week.  And as you see it unfolding before you, remember to keep your menu balanced.  If you eat meat, vary your meats.  Have lean turkey one night, boneless, skinless chicken breasts another, then fish, and maybe a pork tenderloin.  It is a good idea to have a couple of days per week that are meat-free as well.  When planning your sides, remember to eat different colored vegetables throughout the week - orange carrots, red tomatoes, green beans, etc.  Then make your shopping list off of your menu, remembering snacks for those in-between times of the day when most people need a pick-me-up.   

#1 Shopping Rule: Never shop when you are hungry.  You will end up  buying a lot of extraneous items.  Cookies, crackers, gourmet cheeses, and fresh rolls will call to you as you walk past them.  Try as much as possible to stick to your menu plan and to only buy the items on your list. 

# 2 Shopping Rule: Utilize the store layout efficiently and wisely.  I like to start with the produce section of the store.  This is the area where I spend the most time, since I search for Organics when necessary, and carefully select the items I buy.  I then move to the non-perishables (making sure to read labels to avoid harmful additives, food colorings, and trans fats), and finally end up in the refrigerated and frozen sections, always ending with the dairy and meats since they are the most sensitive items to temperature changes.  Of course, it helps to choose a one-stop-has-everything market, one with a lot of Organic options and the freshest meats and fish. 

Before they brought Wegmans to our area, I used to do half my shopping each week at Giant and the other half at Whole Foods.  Wegmans may be a further drive from here, but it was worth it to be able to do all my shopping for the week at one place.  The CSA I joined has helped me in being able to shop more locally without the necessity of hitting Wegmans as often as I once did.  If you do not live near a Wegmans or do not have anything like it near you, supplementing your weekly shopping with a trip to a Farmer's Market or other fresh produce stand will help you to find the freshest and safest produce to add to your balanced diet.  

For those of you who do not enjoy grocery shopping, when you go with a well-layed-out plan, it is much more fulfilling and enjoyable.  Not to mention healthier....

I hope you are enjoying the beginning of what I pray will be a wonderful and relaxing summer!  Until next time, healthy and happy eating!