Grocery Shopping Tips for Healthy Eating
Make the most of your grocery shop with these handy tips on how to eat healthfully on a budget.
Don’t shop on an empty stomach
Always eat before you go shopping. If you shop when you are hungry, you may be tempted to buy more than you need, which means you’ll spend more money. You’re also more likely to buy on impulse, and snack on junk food while you peruse the aisles.
Compare prices before you buy
Grocery stores make it easy to compare different sizes of the same product to see which is the best deal. Check the price tag at the shelf — they will list the product price by gram, so you can compare apples to apples. Always check prices before buying bulk items. They are not always cheaper.
Cheap doesn’t equal healthy
An inexpensive product is not a good deal if it’s bad for your health! Don’t fall for sale prices on items that are high in salt, sugar or trans fat. Instead, learn to read food labels and look at ingredient lists. Choose items with 15% Daily Value or more for fibre, vitamins and minerals, and 5% Daily Value or less for salt and saturated and trans fat.
Resist candy at the checkout aisle
If you are watching your waistline and your wallet, be on high alert at check-out. Candy and chocolate bars tend to be widely available near the cashiers, and can be hard to avoid. Make the decision to skip these temptations before you even enter the store, and you will have a better chance of success.
Ask other grocery shoppers for cooking tips
If the lady beside you is buying a vegetable that you’re curious to try, ask her how she cooks it. You can learn so much from real-life cooks with their chosen ingredients.
Crispy kale chips
These crunchy chips are addictive. And what a great way to get a serving of green, leafy vegetables!
See Crispy Kale Chips for the full recipe.
Flavoured kale chips
Once you get the basic recipe down, add some more flavours. Try a sprinkling of garlic and onion powder or add a pinch cayenne for some spice.
Bitter tasting?
If you find that your kale chips taste bitter, they may be overcooked. Once the kale turns from green to brown, the flavour changes from mild to bitter. Don’t bake them for longer than 10-15 minutes, and don’t turn up the heat!