Last week I had to pop into a random grocery store to pick a few things up. This quick errand was quite telling as to how far my awareness towards food has become.
It was depressing walking around this store. The produce was wilted. The air was stagnant. The tiny organic section was super expensive and very far from fresh. I had no idea where any of the produce came from… New York? Mexico? Maybe Chile? Who knows!
I continued my journey throughout the store to see the typical suspects displayed front and center: the sugary cereals, Oreos, and Ritz crackers since they pay top dollar to be put there. Right by the checkouts there were stacks of soda, so convenient to simply add to the groceries.
Trying to make healthy choices in a store like that can just be down right confusing and seem impossible at times. I was so thankful I am able to shop at a coop (even though I HATE working my shift). I am there for the fresh & organic produce at an affordable rate. I appreciate how they inform the shoppers as to where the produce has come from, so you know how long it has been traveling for. And as far as packaged items go – there are only the best versions (mostly) of crackers, cereals, granola bars, pastas, and so on.
So you may not be able to shop at a place like this – but here are three things you CAN do to ensure a healthy shopping trip:
- Shop the Perimeter – this is the stuff you want to load into your shopping cart. This is where your fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, and seeds are going to be. Do your majority of your shopping there – and then scoot into the aisles to get the specific things you may need.
- Write a List – I only recently discovered this phenomenon and it cut my wandering time consuming trips to the market into laser brief ones. Plus I was less likely to load up on things I really didn’t need.
- Frequent Your Farmer’s Market – This is one of the best times of the year to shop locally and get fresh often organic produce. Plus you may discover some delightful seasonal delights.
Pay attention. It’s all a marketing strategy. It’s all about making money – forget about health. So keep on doing your best to make healthy choices in this unhealthy world.