The Ultimate Guide to Healthy Grocery Shopping​

Kate Brenia • June 29, 2023

Grocery shopping is a weekly task for all of us. For the most part, you walk into a grocery store like a robot and grab your weekly staples and check out. But when it comes to starting a new health journey, we can feel lost on how exactly to navigate a grocery store.

Did you know that there is a way to shop correctly in a grocery store, so you are not tempted to buy the not-so-healthy items that will derail your goals? It’s by shopping the PERIMETER of the store! You heard that correctly, shopping on the outer side of the store and only going into the middle aisles for certain items can help you reach your weight loss goals.

Why is this? Well, think about it. What is on the outskirts of a grocery store? Fresh vegetables, fruit, lean meats, dairy. All the items you should have in a healthy diet! Most of the foods packed in the middle isles are processed, high-fat, sugar-filled products that only derail our health goals.

The coaches at Awaken180° work with clients on a weekly basis educating them on how to create healthier shopping habits, ways to stay on track during their weight loss journey, and what foods to pick and avoid during their weight loss faze to help them reach their goals. Here are 5 tips to have a successful grocery shopping experience!

1. Go With a Plan

Make a list! Before you go to the store, think about the meals you are going to prepare over the next week and make a LIST of all the ingredients. I personally like to group my items together by department (produce, dairy, frozen, etc.), so I’m not going back and forth, wasting time, or leaving the store without the item because I missed it on my list. Studies have shown that using a list while shopping can lead to healthier food choices and even weight loss.

2. Have a Snack Before You Go

Sounds weird right? But it works! How many times have you gone into a store ravished and grabbed junk food because at that point nothing looked good? Having a protein-packed snack before you go will help you avoid the temptation of buying junk food.

3. Shop the Perimeter

As I stated earlier, the outer aisles are where you will find the fresher, least processed foods-fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and dairy. You should aim to have most of the items in your cart from that area.

4. Choose Seasonal Produce

Fruits and vegetables that are in season are usually more nutritious and tastier. Chose a variety of colors and types of fruits (when on maintenance), green leafy vegetables (lettuce, kale), as well as cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower) that are nutrient-packed.

5. Read Your Labels

I love reading ingredient labels because I like to know what is in my food! I have a rule of thumb, if there are more than 10 ingredients (that I can pronounce) it goes back on the shelf. But key things to stay away from when looking at ingredients are high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, sugar or artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners. These processed foods tend to be higher in calories, fat and have little to know vitamins and minerals.

We’re Here to Guide You

Our Awaken180° coaches are here to support, motivate, educate, and encourage you every week. We love helping clients game plan to make sure they are on the road to success. Awaken180° has an amazing recipe portal where you can find 100s of delicious recipes to keep you from getting bored while on your weight loss journey! Ask your coach how to access it at your next meeting or send you some awesome recipes via e-mail to try.