What’s it like to walk into the grocery store for the first time after declaring that you will clean up your meal plan? It can be a bit of a whirlwind.  Your new set of eyes glance past all the tempting foods you once placed into the shopping cart. With your new grocery list in hand, here are a few tips to get you through your positively healthy shopping trip:

1. Grocery Shop Along The Perimeter Of The Store

Have you ever noticed that most of the healthier foods are stocked on the perimeter of the store? Produce, meat, etc. are all along the perimeter. It’s only when we creep into the middle aisles where we find all the goodies, so stay clear!

2. Read The Ingredients; Stay Healthy

Rule of thumb, if you can’t pronounce the words in the ingredients, don’t buy it. But I won’t be that hard on you and just say, make sure you understand what the product contains and making yourself aware of what is going into your body. Simple, whole ingredients are key to leading a healthy eating lifestyle.

3. Read The Nutritional Value

This is a BIG one! A lot of anything is too much, I always say, but if you want to cut back on something, choose one. For example, if you want a low-carb diet, then you would only consume 50 grams of carbohydrates a day. Focus on that and just maintain healthy caloric intake. Every person is different when it comes to how much protein you need in your diet, so I suggest researching what your intake should be to find this value.

4. Shop Often, But In Smaller Quantities

You will notice that the foods you love are eaten faster, while other foods go bad quicker, such as produce. I suggest you buy just enough to get you through 3 days at a time. It’s much easier to plan for 3 days of a healthy menu/meal prep than adjusting for being tired of your food choices or accounting for an unexpected meal out. If you focus on those 3-day meals there is less chance of wasting money because your food went bad. So, shop smaller and SAVE MONEY!

5. Try A Healthy Swap

The ideal life would be to eat healthily and also love what we eat. Try out a few healthy swaps to satisfy your cravings! For example, cauliflower products are often praised for being a great healthy swap for everything from wings to gnocchi. Or, prep a nutrient-packed chia seed pudding when you’re craving something sweet. Do some research and test out healthy alternatives for your favorite dishes, the taste might just surprise you!