Navigating Your “Weigh” Through The Grocery Store

Navigating Your “Weigh” Through The Grocery Store Health Education Department Anuli Umeojiako, RD Registered Dietitian Health Education

Grocery Shopping 101 • 2/3 of what we buy we had nointention of buying • Supermarkets encourage this behavior • Most markets are designed to get you to buy, and therefore, eat more food, not less

Grocery Shopping 101Store Layout The grocery store is designed to stimulate shopping • Candy and magazines at the checkout aisle • Grab and go items at checkout • Bakery items at the front • Flowers at the front

Grocery Shopping 101Store Layout (continued) • Bank • Deli and Coffee Bar (ie. Starbucks and Subway) • Pharmacy

Grocery Shopping 101Store Layout (continued) • Produce near the front • Dairy, Eggs, Meat and other staples in the back of the store • Packaged popular brand items in the middle aisles

Grocery Shopping 101Shelf Arrangement • Top Shelf- smaller brands, regional brands, gourmet items • Shelf 2-3- BULLS-EYE ZONE, best sellers and leading brands • Shelf 4- kid’s eye level • Shelf 4 Bottom- store and private label brands, oversize and bulk items

Grocery Shopping 101Organic vs non-organic • Main issue is pesticide residue and bacteria • 100% organic- may contain only organic ingredients, produced without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, genetic engineering, irradiation or growth hormones • USDA seal of certification

Grocery Shopping 101Organic vs non-organic (con’t) Second category of organic: • Made with at least 70% organic ingredients • No ionizing radiation • USDA seal cannot appear on package

Grocery Shopping 101Organic vs non-organic (con’t) F&V with highest pesticide residue: • Apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach, strawberries, lettuce Low pesticide residue: • Asparagus, avocado, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papaya, pineapple, sweet peas

Avoid Grocery Store Confusion

Grocery Shopping List

Plan Ahead for Success • Process starts before you head to the grocery store • Before you head out, plan you meals for the week • Save money and use coupons • Don’t shop hungry!!!

Plan Ahead for Success • When planning consult guidelines of MyPyramid.gov to make sure you are including all the foods you need for good health • Fill your carts with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, diary, lean meat, fish, poultry, beans and nuts • Think “Variety” (instead of white potatoes, choose sweet potatoes; baby spinach instead of iceburg lettuce

Tips to make you supermarket savvy • Produce-choose the rainbow! • Breads, Cereals, and Pasta-choose the least processed foods that are made with whole grains (whole wheat bread and pastas, brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, barley) • Meat, Fish and Poultry-AHA recommends 2 svgs fish/week (salmon). Choose lean cuts of meat (round, top sirloin, and tenderloin)

Tips to make you supermarket savvy (con’t) • Dairy-excellent source of bone building calcium and vitamin D (yogurt, milk, cheese) • Frozen foods- buy frozen fruits and vegetables (without sauce) • Canned foods- keep a variety on hand to toss into soups, salads, pasta, or rice dishes • Olive oil and Canola oil as part of healthy pantry

4 Simple Shopping Rules • Shop the perimeter of the grocery store where fresh foods like fruits, veggies, dairy, meat and fish are located. Avoid the center aisle where junk food lurk. • Choose “real” foods, such as 100% fruit juice or 100% whole-grain • Stay clear of foods with cartoons on the label • Avoid foods that contain more than five ingredients, artificial ingredients you can’t pronounce

Navigating Your “Weigh” Through The Grocery Store