Grocery shopping is just one of those weekly chores that has to be done. For my family, this is typically done on the weekends and as quickly as possible. Grocery shopping is definitely not one of my things to do. It can be time consuming, crowded, and nerve wracking to try to stay within a budget.
In my opinion, the way we shop for groceries is changing so much and I think it will continue to change. Now you have groceries delivered or picked up curb side. You can order them off Amazon and have them delivered in two hours! I am now hearing about services that do all your errands for you, including grocery shopping. I know you can also just order prepped means instead of grocery shopping or cooking at all!
Now, I don’t know how much the shopping services will pick up in the future, but I know for sure that people will always need groceries. When someone is trying to make a switch to healthier living, the grocery store can be incredibly intimidating. There are so many options and so many different marketing techniques telling you their product is the best. Here are my go to shopping tips and how I try to stick to healthier foods!
Make A List
The grocery store is hectic enough and the pressure is real when you are trying to get all the things without a list. I cannot go to the store without a list. I just can’t do it! I’ll forget half the things and just become frustrated with myself. Besides, having a list will keep you on track for the things you need! It can also help keep you on track with your budget!
Shop The Outsides Of The Store
The middle of the grocery store is filled with the processed crap that most people are trying to avoid when eating healthy. Is it realistic that you won’t shop for anything in the middle aisles of the grocery store? No. Is everything in the middle of the grocery store unhealthy? No. Just limit the amount of items you are purchasing from the middle. I always try to spend the most time and get the most items from the produce section, move to whatever meats I need, hit the dairy section, and then quickly move through the middle aisles. And yes, I do bring home processed crap because well, balance!
Use Grocery Pick Up
I am the biggest supporter of grocery pick up! I try to use it as often as possible. Not only does it save me so much time, but it helps me with my budget. Once I put everything in my online cart, it’s so much easier to remove items and switch things around to meet my budget. If I’m in the grocery store, it’s hard to tell the cashier to remove items and it can also be embarrassing to do that too! I know a lot of people say they don’t get quality produce when they use grocery pick up, but I haven’t found that to be a problem. I occasionally get a bad vegetable but not enough for me to totally disregard this service!
Change One Thing At A Time
This is my anthem for life! One baby step at a time will get you way further ahead than if you try to make ten million changes at once. If you are on a path to eat healthier, just start changing one or two items on your grocery list every time you go. Swap out a processed snack you routinely eat for a healthier version. Swap out your eggs for organic cage free eggs one week. With one change a week, you’ll be surprised at how fast a healthier lifestyle will come!
Be Realistic
I can’t even tell you how many times I declared I was going to start eating healthy and change almost everything in my diet at once! I would plan every single meal as healthy as possible and all of them needing time to prepare. When you are trying to change everything at once, you get burnt out and discouraged with the process. Yes, it is a process! If you are someone who runs out the door every morning, don’t pretend that all of a sudden you are going to start making breakfast. It’s just no realistic. Instead, find something you can make ahead and grab and go. If you know every Friday night you end up eating take out because you are too tired from the week to cook, have a couple frozen pizzas in your freezers for easy meals.
Do Not Shop During Peak Hours
One of the things I hate about the grocery store is trying to get around everyone. I am already not a fan of crowds and I find it really irritating when I have to fight my way up to the tomatoes. It frustrates me and makes me want to just hurry up, get whatever is easiest, and leave. I would suggest shopping during uncrowded times so you can actually take your time, get what you need, and have space to check labels and what not. I have found the most crowded times in the grocery store are Sunday mornings, right after most people get off work (around five), and any freaking time on Saturday! I have found the best times to go to the grocery store is during foot ball games and I assume during the day. My grocery store seems to almost always be crowded unless there is a foot ball game going on. This is another reason I skip the store altogether and just use grocery pick up!
Choose Items with No Ingredients
A good rule of thumb is that items with more ingredients are more processed. If you try to stick to foods that have little to no ingredients, changes are you are eating less crap! Fruits, veggies, and meats (some meats!) all have no ingredients; they just are what they are. When you come to a label that has ten million items and you can’t pronounce them, you are probably holding something very processed. The fewer the ingredients, the healthier it typically is!
I hope these tips help with your next grocery store trip! If you are trying to create a healthier lifestyle and eat healthier, please do not be afraid of the grocery store or choosing the wrong products! It’s a process and you’ll get there!
I’m a big fan of grocery pick up also – I started using it last Spring when I broke my wrist – I can order from the comfort of my recliner and my husband can pick up on way home from work. I’m trying to switch over to clean eating by following recipes online and it has evolved into meal planning and ordering specific items for recipes I want to try. I am not tempted to purchase impulse items while waiting in line to check out if I order groceries and go to pick them up. Another plus is during the height of cold and flu season, I’m not touching dirty carts or being exposed to someone coughing and hacking in the store
It is seriously so much easier to stay on track with healthy foods when using store pick up in my opinion. Like you said, I don’t get tempted to purchase things off my list! I didn’t even think about how cold and flu season lurks in the grocery store!! Definitely a good thing to avoid!