Smart
shopping tips for healthy eating
Any
healthy eating plan begins at the grocery store. Learning to make
smart choices when shopping for food is the key to the success of any
healthy diet plan. Learning to recognize the healthiest, freshest
foods is a skill every grocery shopper must learn.
Of
course, the logical place to start the healthy shopping trip to the
grocery store is at the produce section. Most large modern
supermarkets have huge produce sections, often taking up a large
portion of the store. It is not unusual for the produce section
alone to contain hundreds of choices, so it can be difficult to know
the best foods to choose.
When
it comes to the produce section of the supermarket, however, it is
difficult to make a bad choice. That is because almost all fruits
and vegetables are healthy, low in calories and delicious. While
there are some high fat fruits and vegetables, such as avocados, they
are the exception rather than the rule.
The
most important thing to remember when shopping for fruits and
vegetables is the old saw that variety is the spice of life. Trying
a variety of different fruits and vegetables, including some you may
never have heard of before.
Eating
a wide variety of fruits and vegetables is a great way to enjoy a
healthier diet without becoming bored. Many new diets fail due to
boredom, but eating a large number of different fruits and vegetables
every day can virtually eliminate that problem.
One
way to introduce this variety into a healthy diet is to seek out
fresh, in season produce on every trip to the grocery store. Not
only are fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables usually less
expensive, but the changing variety will help guarantee fresh new
recipes week after week.
Of
course the produce section is not the only place to find healthy,
nutritious foods. The other parts of the supermarket are also full
of both good and bad choices. For instance, when choosing bread, it
is best to buy whole grain breads and avoid the more processed
varieties. The same is true of baked goods. Whole grain products
contain large amounts of fiber and other nutrients that the more
refined baked goods may lack.
Important
healthy eating decisions need to be made in the meat section of the
grocery store as well. This means buying the leanest cuts of meat
you can find. In addition, extra fat should be trimmed from the
edges of steaks, roasts and chops. You can do this trimming at home,
or, better yet, have the butcher do it at the store. After all, why
pay extra for what you won’t use?
Even
though poultry is generally low fat, not all poultry is created
equal. Some varieties, like duck and goose, contain significant
amounts of fat. A roast goose or duck can be great for Christmas or
other special occasions, but these meats are generally too greasy to
be used for everyday meals.
Even
low fat poultry like chicken breasts can benefit from some additional
trimming. Removing the skin from chicken significantly cuts the
amount of fat and calories it contains. In addition, using low fat
white meat chicken instead of fattier dark meat is a smart move.
When
buying ground meats, always try to buy the leanest varieties you can
afford. Ground beef that is 97% lean is a good choice. In addition,
ground turkey or ground chicken makes a good, lower fat substitute
for ground beef, and it can be used in all recipes that call for
ground beef, including tacos, burritos, barbeque, burgers, etc.
One
important note about ground turkey and ground chicken, however.
Processed ground poultry products can often contain surprisingly high
levels of fat. That is because manufacturers often grind up unwanted
skin and fat in addition to the lean turkey or chicken. This is a
particular problem with lower priced varieties of ground chicken and
turkey, so it pays to read the labels and monitor fat content
carefully.
Learning
to be a smart shopper is a vital part of enjoying a healthy
lifestyle.. No matter what your reason for eating healthy, learning
to shop smart and buy healthy foods is an essential first step.
No comments:
Post a Comment