Grocery Shopping Tips and Tricks

Woman in supermarket shopping groceries

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or lost in the grocery store. If you’re new to cooking, meal planning or are just trying to stick to your paleo diet, a few helpful tips can make grocery shopping a breeze.

Plan Ahead

Have a plan for what meals you want to make and take a grocery list with you to the store. This will help you only buy the ingredients you need, and keep you from wasting money bybuying items you won’t eat. Stick to your list to help you avoid buying foods that you shouldn’t eat. It is easy to throw a few ‘extras’ into your cart that may not align with your paleo meal plan.  Plan out your weekly meal prepping session with all of the ingredients you will need and stick to your list to ensure a week of healthy eating.

Stay Around The Perimeter

This is a tried and true trick to keeping your cart full of fresh fruit, veggies and protein. All of the junk food is down thegrocery store aisles and all of the fresh things are around the perimeter.  This is why stores put those catchy-looking boxes on the ends of aisle–to lure you away from the perimeter where all of the health goods are.

Go For Seasonal Fruits and Veggies

Buy seasonal fruit and vegetables, which will help you buy the freshest items in the store and also keep your grocery bill low. The less distance your groceries have to travel to get to your plate the less money it will cost you and the fresher, more vibrant your food will be.  Check the stands at the front of the produce section. Also ask your grocer if they have a section that highlights local or seasonal selections.

Buy in Bulk

Stock up on organic or grass-fed protein in bulk , which will help you save money. By preparing protein in batches or freezing some of your favorite cuts of meat you can always have protein on hand. Also, stockup on organic raw nuts in bulk. Making nut butters and nut milk at home instead of buying the pre-made varieties can be a huge money saver at the grocery store.

Don’t Forget The Freezer

When people think of frozen foods, usually those pre-made, plastic-tray meals come to mind.  However, if you have a hard time finding fresh or seasonal vegetables (especially in colder months) don’t forget that frozen vegetables are a healthy and affordable option. Usually frozen vegetables are picked when ripe and flash frozen to seal in freshness.  You can find organic vegetables with no added preservatives or salt (unlike the canned variety) and quickly sauté for a fresh side dish in minutes.

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