Smart Supermarket Shopping

Buying groceries is one of those chores in life that we have to do. We have to eat. Somehow, this basic task has become a daunting chore that can be very overwhelming and stressful.
Food is big business in our country. Lots of companies are fighting to have each of us buy their products. Alot of money is spent on making the perfect logo or the prettiest package that will lure us in and lead us to the check out counter. Grocery stores are designed to keep you in the store as long as possible. They want you to buy, buy, buy! Believe me, they know what they are doing. For example, all “essential” items (milk, bread, produce) are located on the extreme corners of the store, so you have to pass by lots of other tempting packaged foods even if you’re just running in for a loaf of bread.
Below are my first 3 steps to changing your relationship with the grocery store:
1. Go naked. I’m not talking about what you are wearing. I am referring to what your food is wearing. Food advertising is big business. Before I started this journey of improving my diet, my cart was full of packaged foods: Diet Coke, Lean Cuisines, baked chips, sugar-free candy, etc. Now, my cart is pretty naked. Very few packaged foods.
2. Identify “food-like substances”. Not all the items in the store are food. Michael Pollen calls these items “food-like substances.” I had one of these on Super Bowl Sunday. Someone at our party brought cheeseburger flavored Doritos. Now, this is DEFINITELY not read food. I admit I had a few. Sure, have these items every once in awhile but don’t make them a daily or even weekly part of your diet.
3. Put blinders on. Have a plan. Don’t listen to what the front of packaged food items tell you. They promise you the world. You know what I mean. I go right to the ingredients. What is in that product? Think about it.
The other night CNBC did a TV special called “Supermarkets Inc: Inside a $500 Billion Money Machine.” Did you see it? Fascinating. Click here to check out some highlights from the show.
Don’t let grocery shopping stress you out. You have enough on your plate. I would love to help you decode your grocery store and help you to shop effectively. Get in touch with me to discuss. You don’t have to drastically change your food shopping. Small changes will go a long way.

Remember: life is a journey not a destination. Enjoy the process. 🙂
So, do you get overwhelmed in a grocery store? I would love to hear from you. Post a comment below or on .