Grocery shopping can be an overwhelming, time consuming, and exhausting task. Figuring out what to buy, and how to keep it budget friendly, can be a tricky task. Whether you buy too much and your food expires, or you don’t get enough and have to make multiple trips, eating healthy can feel like an impossible task. If you’ve ever been in a position where you accept defeat and just opt for the drive thru, you aren’t alone!
Grocery shopping and meal planning don’t have to be daunting tasks—you just need to have a strategy. What are some helpful tips that will not only help you save money, but will also make it easier to meal plan and follow a nutritious diet? We asked Carrie Bonfitto, founder of Two Hearts Nutrition, how to be a smart grocery shopper, and what common mistakes could be setting you up for failure.
According to Bonfitto, there is one big mistake that she sees people make that is almost always going to prevent you from reaching your fitness goals. “Shopping without a list or not sticking to a grocery list makes it easier to reach for those impulse buys and just grab whatever catches your eye,” Bonfitto says, “Shopping without a list means that you probably don’t have your meals planned for the week, so your more likely to overbuy which can lead to overeating.”
Thinking of what meals you want to make ahead of time and making a list accordingly is helpful for being strategic and organized when you’re actually at the grocery store. Another helpful tip is picking meals that have common ingredients so you can save time while meal prepping, and don’t have to worry about having too much food that spoils before you can cook it.
While not making a list is the biggest mistake you can make, what are some things that should go on that list that can be helpful when preparing meals that are nutritious and filling? “I’m a big fan of having healthy pantry staples on my shelf at all times—jars of beets, artichokes, pickles, roasted red bell peppers, olives, and anchovies; cans of tuna, beans, clams; and bags of nuts and seeds,” Bonfitto explains, “These items are often overlooked when we talk about shopping the outside ring and not the aisles of the grocery store. But these foods can pack a nutritious punch with minimal effort. Toss a few with a bit of lettuce and you’ve got a really satisfying and healthy salad in a flash.”
Cooking healthy meals that are not only delicious, but cost effective, doesn’t have to be impossible. The biggest mistake you can make is not thinking ahead of time what you want to cook for the week—planning is key, so just taking a few minutes to make a list can help you save time and stay organized. Besides this, making a point to have healthy staples on deck, like jarred veggies, canned protein, and bags of nuts, can help you stay on track when you’re pressed for time. The key to a healthy lifestyle is making sure it’s maintainable for you—tweaking your habits so that they align with your schedule is crucial for making consistent healthy choices.
