Basics for a Healthy Grocery Basket
African american woman grocery shopping and looking at a shopping list on a digital tablet.
The foods we eat affect our well-being.
Healthy nutritional choices can help you:
reduce your risk of heart disease;
improve your cholesterol levels;
lower your blood pressure;
maintain a healthy weight;
control your glucose level (blood sugar).
With a little planning, you can choose the healthiest foods in the supermarket, in your kitchen, and on the go.
The importance of planning meals
Meal planning is important whether you are cooking for yourself or for your family. With planning, you eat healthier, save time and spend less money.
Make it a habit.
Try to set aside time each week to write down your meal ideas and make a grocery list.
If you relax with a coffee every Saturday morning, you might want to take the opportunity to plan meals for the week.
To have a healthy plate at all meals, be sure to stock up on vegetables, fruits, whole grain foods as well as a variety of protein foods, especially from plant sources.
Remember to pack healthy snacks.
After you've written down your meal ideas, check your refrigerator and cupboards to determine what to buy.
Update your shopping list.
Always have paper and a pen in the kitchen. When you run out of some ingredients, write them down. Then add them to your grocery list.
Use these nine best ways to think about things differently when planning meals.
The best way to eat healthy is to prepare meals at home using fresh, whole foods. To avoid buying prepared food, consider what you would like to eat over the next few days.
1. Variety adds spice to life.
Make sure you eat vegetables and fruit with every meal and snack.
Eat beans, lentils, and other legumes several times a week.
Always have whole grains in your pantry, like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, bulgur or farro
2. Include quick, healthy meals when there are after school or evening activities.
Prepare extra amounts so you have leftovers.
When making soup or lasagna, make extra amounts of it for meals that are easy to reheat and serve.
Use your leftovers to make completely new meals. Leftover meat sauce can be turned into minestrone soup, meatloaf, or sauce for a pizza.
3. Take inspiration from the season.
If salmon, tomatoes, or rhubarb are in season, find recipes with those ingredients.
4. If possible, try to buy local produce.
These foods are often fresher than food that comes from afar. And you support local families and producers.
5. Foods that are less processed are often more nutritious.
Prepared or prepackaged food can be handy. But it often has a lot of fat, salt, sugar and calories. If you must eat packaged foods, check the Nutrition Facts table and watch your portions.
6. If you are on a special diet, try to focus on what you can eat, not what you cannot.
If you're on a gluten-free diet, for example, there are many grains that are naturally wheat-free, not including beans, lentils, vegetables, and fruits. Likewise, you can enjoy modified bread and pasta.
7. Include snacks on your list to reduce temptations when you are in a grocery store.
Healthy snacks can be nuts, baby carrots, hummus, grilled chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs, whole-grain tuna and crackers, natural popcorn, or whole-grain crackers and cheese with low in fat and reduced in salt.
8. If you have a family, include them in meal planning.
Keep a list of meals your family enjoys and have your children help you choose some of the weekly meals.
9. Have you run out of ideas? It’s easy to find inspiration.
Discover the foods
Receipts
Tips for buying healthy food
Buying groceries is an important part of a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle. The key is to be ready before you go and know how to navigate a grocery store once you are there.
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