Tips For Healthy Grocery Shopping
Posted by Natalie on
Shopping for groceries...love it or hate it, it’s a fact of life! 🛒Takeaways can drain your wallet QUICK and make you pack on the kilos almost overnight 🥴Your best bet is coming up with a solid plan to help you save money AND eat healthy…but HOW? Easier said than done, right? The good news is that there’s LOADS of things you can do to help you get in the habit of meal prepping and become an EXPERT at healthy grocery shopping! 💪
First things first, you have to change your mindset. Most people have a complicated relationship with food, so nutrition is often a source of stress instead of enjoyment. If you’re not ready to come up with your own plan, a pre-made one may be just what you need...BUT if you KNOW you can do this, we encourage you to have fun along the way!
Now that we’ve got THAT out of the way, it’s time to SHOP! Here are our TOP tips for healthy grocery shopping and meal planning👇
1. Don’t shop hungry: If there is one thing you remember from this blog post, let it be this. Going to the grocery store while hungry is DANGEROUS ⚠️Not only will you buy ALL the naughty foods (which will then be a HUGE temptation all week long), but you may also end up going over budget. If you’re taking Boombod shots, we definitely recommend taking your shot 30 minutes before a healthy high-fibre meal and eating immediately before heading to the store. We repeat, do not shop hungry!
2. Plan your meals ahead of time: We’re a big fan of this one! There’s no one way to create a meal plan. The possibilities are truly endless, and that’s why it can be very overwhelming. The trick is to have a list of go-to balanced meals you enjoy eating and sprinkling them all over your weekly schedule as you see fit, or depending on your workout routine. As a rule of thumb, we recommend as many whole foods as possible, but don’t fall into the trap of being overzealous about healthy ingredients. If you make your meals as appetizing as a cardboard box, you won’t eat them. Give yourself something to look forward to...and remember, balance is key! 🔑
3.Make a list: Listen, don’t judge us for what we’re about to say, but making a list and clipping coupons is a tried and true way to make yourself feel like you’re a badass, savvy and in CONTROL! Saving money AND eating well? Sign us up! But in all seriousness, making a list and sticking to it is SUPER important to make this whole thing work. Have a look at your meal plan and account for portion sizes to make sure you’re buying the right amount of food. Don’t skip this part! 📝
4. Stay in the safe zone: AKA the outer isles of the grocery store! Aim to get most of your food from the perimeter of the shop, where most fresh fruits, veggies, meat and fish live. The rest of the isles are not necessarily off limits, but you have to be strategic about it (more on that below)! 🧐
5. Shop REAL food: This one is a no brainer. While we support flexible dieting, we believe the focus should rest on healthy, high-fibre and nutritious REAL foods. Keep processed foods to a minimum and eat the rainbow every single day instead!
6. Shop for convenience: After shopping comes meal prepping. This is the part that will define how likely you are to stick to your goals, so you have to be realistic about time constraints, especially if you’re always on the run. Meal prepping on weekends is the way to go, but leaving room for SOME pre-packaged foods will help take the pressure off meal prepping. We definitely recommend frozen fruits and veggies for any quick smoothies, protein shakes or stir fries on your meal plan. However, healthier versions (or brands) of your favourite pre-packaged foods are not a terrible idea as long as you read the labels. Just steer clear of the ones that have an insane amount of sugar or more than 5 ingredients that you can’t pronounce 👀
7. Keep naughty foods on the shelf: As long as they don’t make it to YOUR pantry shelves, it’s all good! If you KNOW you’re prone to overindulging on chocolate chip cookies and tortilla chips, don’t buy them! Trust us, you will forego that healthy meal you diligently cooked for lunch if naughty foods are within reach. You can also set yourself up for success with Boombod shots to help banish cravings!
8. Pay a visit to the Farmer’s Market: Sure, big supermarket chains are ubiquitous and convenient, but if you REALLY want to enjoy your weekly fridge stocking trips, go to the Farmer’s Market! It’s a fun experience that even kids will enjoy and you’ll get a chance to shop local while getting fresh, delicious and in-season produce!
And that’s really all there is to it! We know LOTS of people prefer having a ready made meal plan to simplify their lives, but this information can also come in really handy when you’re at the store! It’s all about doing what you can to MAXIMIZE your results 🙌
If you’re having trouble sticking to your weight loss plan, Boombod has your back! All 7, 14 and 28 Day Achievers are on Buy One Get One FREE right NOW! Or better yet, the Best Seller Bundle is 25% OFF and it comes with TASTY Fat Metaboliser Gummies to satisfy your sweet tooth 💪 Hurry up and get your hands on the ORIGINAL Weight Loss Shot Drink TODAY 💥
