When it comes to grocery shopping, just the thought can be daunting. Do you prepare when you go? Do you have a list? Do you have recipes that you already know you want to try? If you don’t, I highly recommend subscribing to the 2BEpic recipe packs I created years ago for my nutrition coaching clients. They have a grocery list and sample meal plan and tell you precisely the nutrient value for each recipe. They are healthy and tasty options for vegans and non-vegans to help us all get and stay on track. Every month, there's a new pack to access inside the ‘Documents” tab. All you do is choose if you would rather have vegan options or non-vegan options. You have access for only $9.99/month. click the link below to access the free overhead group. Click “subgroups” and purchase the one you desire. I do all the rest of the work for you. Here is a video to help you navigate to the packs:

Get Access to Tons of Recipes!

If you are interested in nutrition coaching (starting with mindset and finding time in the day to implement a new habit), feel free to reach out and book a FREE 20-minute discovery call.

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Now, let’s look at some ways you can be successful at the grocery store, with or without the recipes at your fingertips.

1. Never go to the grocery store hungry!

Going to the grocery store on an empty stomach can lead to impulsive buying and poor food choices, as hunger can cause us to reach for unhealthy, processed snacks or items we don't need. When we’re hungry, our bodies crave quick energy, often leading us to grab sugary, salty, or calorie-dense foods that don’t serve our long-term health goals. By being mindful and ensuring we’re not hungry before shopping, we set ourselves up for more intentional choices that nourish our bodies and align with our wellness goals.

Keeping wholesome, quick snacks on hand is helpful to avoid this trap, especially if you're out and about and need to refuel before entering the store. Here are some simple, nutritious snacks you can keep in the car:

• Mixed nuts: A small handful provides an outstanding balance of protein, healthy fats, and fiber to satisfy hunger and stabilize blood sugar.

• Fruit: Apples, bananas, and oranges are easy to carry and rich in vitamins and minerals, which give you sustained energy without processing sugars.

• Nut butter packs: Single-serving almond or peanut butter packets can be paired with fruit or enjoyed alone for a quick, nourishing snack.

• Whole grain crackers: Low in processed ingredients, these can be a simple option to avoid hunger.

• Greek yogurt or protein bars (if you have a small cooler bag) offer a significant protein boost, helping you feel fuller longer.

Taking these small steps helps you stay focused and prevents unnecessary spending or buying items harmful to your health.

2. Try to stay on the OUTSIDE of the store

I didn’t learn the importance of shopping the outer aisles of the grocery store until I took my first nutrition course in 2008. My instructor, a seasoned registered dietitian, shared how the freshest, most wholesome foods are found on the store's perimeter—where the produce, dairy, and meats reside. The next time I went shopping, I was amazed at her accuracy! From that moment on, I consciously tried to stay on the outer edges, focusing on fresh ingredients and lessening my desire for processed foods that wouldn’t serve my body.

There are two key reasons why fresh foods are better for us than processed options:

1. Nutrient Density: Fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that fuel our bodies and boost our immune systems. Processed foods, on the other hand, often strip away those nutrients during manufacturing, leaving us with empty calories.

2. Natural Ingredients: Whole foods are free from artificial additives, preservatives, and unhealthy fats commonly found in processed products. These extra ingredients can contribute to long-term health issues, including inflammation and chronic diseases.

If you want to learn more, the Harvard School of Public Health provides an excellent resource on the benefits of whole foods vs. processed foods: Healthy Eating Plate.

3. Have a good list

When we walk into the grocery store without a list, it's easy to get sidetracked by colorful displays, enticing sales, and cravings. This often leads to buying items that strain our budget and don’t align with our health or wellness goals. A well-thought-out list keeps us focused, ensures we only buy what serves our needs, and prevents impulsive purchases that can throw off our nutrition and financial plans. By sticking to a list, we maintain control, avoid unnecessary temptations, and make mindful choices that efficiently fuel our bodies and our lives.

4. Be mindful of labels - Read the fine print!

When we go for foods that have labels, it is so important to read the labels. When we don't read the label, we unknowingly trust the company. Companies are out to make money. They thrive on those trying to become healthier, so they put large words on the front of the label, hoping we won’t read the back. We must start reading the back and compare products. We must learn what it all means. If we can’t pronounce it, our bodies can’t process it. When we aren’t sure, we must look it up or ask someone we trust who is knowledgeable in this area.

When you go to the grocery store, do you look at the foods you buy? Do you learn about them? Or do you take them for what they are? Do you look at what it says in big letters on the front of the package? When it comes to foods without packaging, do you look them up to see how they are helping you? If it comes without a package, it is most likely fresh. But is it good for you? How do you know? Do you research? Do you find a reputable source?

For years, I followed what I “thought” to be correct. This went with everything: if my doctor told me to take a particular medication, I didn’t read into it and find out what it could potentially do to me. When I cleaned (as the daughter of someone who did this for a living), I never paid attention to what I was using or breathing. I didn’t think about the small print. This was also the case with food. I ate food, but I ignored what it was I was eating. When it came to foods without packaging, I figured it was healthy. I had an Exercise and Sports Science background, but that never taught me how to read labels. Being in higher education taught me one thing I would eventually begin using more and more, to the point where I could start trusting myself and not relying on what others were telling me - Research.

Growing up, I liked to read, but I never really liked having to research. As a young kid in college, I just wanted to play basketball. I wasn’t thinking about how what I was surrounding myself with or putting into my body affected me. Even in my early days in the military, I wasn’t apprehensive about what I was doing. I worked on the flight line; toxic chemicals surrounded me at work, and I touched poisonous chemicals every day. I got dirty. I had to eat on the run a lot. I was given prescriptions I couldn’t even pronounce to help me with pain management. What was all this doing, though?

In February 2007, I found out my mom, who was living in Jacksonville, Florida, at the time, had contracted a deadly virus known as HIV. At that time, I was in England. I had just married at the end of 2005 and was finally learning to be with my husband (orders separated us during our first year of marriage). My mom had been battling the effects of Multiple Sclerosis up to this point. She was diagnosed with that in 2003. This was something different, though. Her immune system and body were already compromised and on the verge of shutting down. Now, there was this.

I was able to move closer to her that same year. For the next two years, I took care of her. After working all night, I would make four-hour round trips to take her to doctor appointments. She would barely eat, so I made sure she had groceries. She was depressed, on hyperthyroid medication, and taking over twenty different medications. I remember looking in her cabinets and having to clean them out now and then.

In 2009, I began to realize I was missing something from her. I started doing research and learning about different medications. I began to read the small print. Up to that point, I can’t say I liked to research. I had to write many papers for my bachelor’s degree, but that didn’t mean I “liked” it. What I realized, though, is that it was never a topic of interest. Until then, I began to study nutrition, cleansers, and medications - all of which, if we aren’t paying attention, can be more harmful than good in the long run.  

My mom passed in 2009, and I had my daughter soon after. I then left for physician assistant school. This is when I began to be interested in everything I researched. I was researching how nutrition affected plaque buildup in the brain - a sign of oncoming dementia and a sign the doctors used to diagnose my mom with MS. I began to read labels. I started to become interested in what they meant. Taking biochemistry was enlightening because it taught me how all these things I was reading on the labels affected the body.

While I know most people don’t have the same inclination to read labels as I now do, I wanted to share why we need to be reading and digging more. The products we buy can say what they want to get your attention. However, if the Food and Drug Administration regulates them, they must list what is in the product on the label. If you don’t know these items, you may still purchase them, even if they are more harmful than good. I hope this piece will make you want to begin to start reading labels…all of them. Not just food, but learn about medications you’re prescribed and how they can interfere with one another (something doctors don’t always tell us). Go into your cabinets. Learn about the products you clean with daily. What toxins are in them? Are they safe for you and your family? When you go out to buy food, know what you are buying.

5. Know what you’re putting into your body

Learning about product and nutrition labels can be daunting. However, the Food and Drug Administration breaks down the labels on its webpage: https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label. I highly suggest using this resource to help you learn more about what you are putting into your body. Certain things are on food labels. This includes serving size, calories, nutrients, and a quick guide to percent daily value (%DV).

When I teach people about measuring their foods, we need to learn how to get into the habit because most boxed foods don’t come with a measuring cup or scale, right? So if I buy something at the store that says, “serving size 128g (grams),” how do I know how much that is? I don’t have a calibrated scale in my hand. I know that. Sometimes, the serving size says how many pieces you can have. That makes it more accessible. However, it’s crucial to understand how to measure. So, I first tell people to buy a food scale. This allows you to actually “learn” how much you are eating. I have so many people tell me they “eat healthily.” Then, they track their foods and aren’t doing their body as well as they thought. This is because they weren’t tracking anything. They were guessing.

When solving problems, do you prefer to guess, or do you think it would be better to find the answer? Nutrition and the products you use daily should be no different. You may “think” you are eating healthy because someone “told” you it was healthy. However, how do YOU know? Did you track it? Did you learn about it? Did you research it? Did you hire someone to research it for you? Think about it.

Here is something else to be aware of - the difference between added and total sugars. The FDA website explains this as well. According to the site, “total sugars…includes sugars naturally present in many nutritious foods and beverages, such as sugar in milk and fruit as well as any added sugars that may be present in the product…added sugars are added during the processing of the foods.” It is important to note that “diets high in calories from added sugars can make it difficult to meet daily recommended levels of important nutrients while staying within calorie limits.” It is also important to note that “no daily reference value has been established for total sugars because no recommendation has been made for the total amount to eat in a day (https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label).

Another essential thing to note regarding sugars: when a product says “sugar-free,” that does NOT mean it is the best option for you. This is something I go over when I coach people on this subject. Sugar-free could be more harmful than natural sugars. Again, this is why it is so important to read the label. Harvard Health Publishing initially published an excellent article on this subject in 2012, “Artificial sweeteners: sugar-free, but at what cost?” (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030).

When it comes to what you put in your body or what you breathe in every day, it is crucial to take some time to know more. Yes, it can be time-consuming. However, what is your health worth to you? Are a few minutes to learn not valuable enough to prevent a lifetime of possible sickness and disease?

6. Check out and be proud of yourself!

It’s so important to celebrate the wins, no matter how small they may seem. If you’ve made it through all the steps above—navigating the grocery store with purpose, sticking to your list, choosing wholesome foods, and getting to the checkout—take a moment to be proud of yourself. You’ve not only read this blog but take action on it, and that’s the part that truly counts.

Action is what drives us forward and helps us achieve our goals. It’s the difference between planning and progress. So, right now, give yourself some credit. Tell yourself, “Great job!” for following through and moving toward a healthier lifestyle.

Remember, you're not on this journey alone. Come inside the Step Into Your Greatness Community and share your success in a discussion. We’re here to surround you with support, celebrate your wins, and keep you motivated. You've already taken the first step, and all we have to do now is keep going. Being surrounded by like-minded people is crucial to staying on course and pushing through the challenges. We’re in this together!

7. Pay it forward

My life made me want to begin researching more. I watched too many people around me get sick and die from preventable diseases. This motivated me to learn more to help myself and my family. I want to be around as long as possible, if possible. I will never say I can prevent everything. There are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to dementia and other diseases. However, I prioritize learning more so that I can do what I can and be here for my family. This is not the norm. This was not who I was even just ten years ago.

Nevertheless, knowing what I know now, I pray more people will look at products and foods and realize there are sometimes better options. When it comes to food, using an app such as My Fitness Pal can save you from having to guess. It can help you get total, internal, and external results. It can help you live a healthier lifestyle. What is that worth to you?

I hope this article helps you the next time you visit the store. I lived most of my life in the darkness. Even when I learned everything I needed about food sources, I still wasn’t paying attention to cleaning supplies until recently. There is so much out there we don’t know. The companies don’t want us to know. The pharmaceutical companies don’t want us to know. So how do we learn? We pick the brains of those who have already done the work and do our research. This is how we begin to change the vicious cycle. This is how we start to raise healthier generations coming up behind us. We support the companies that care and ditch those just trying to make a buck off our ignorance. We dig. We make it a priority. We live.

If you are local to Jacksonville, Florida, and are interested in having me lead a group "field trip" through the grocery store for your team, please reach out and let's coordinate. This is something I enjoyed doing when I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. It was great to pay forward all the information I learned from people in this space, and it opened my eyes to little things I never paid attention to before. I would love to be that for you and others. Just reach out, and let's get it in the books!

Thank you for your time reading this, and I look forward to your comments. If you have any questions or want to know more about how to track your foods, learn what to eat/what to stay away from, and how to rid your home of harmful toxins, I pray you will reach out to me. This has become my life mission - to help others learn how to be healthier. It’s not just about outside appearance. It’s also important to know what we are doing to the inside of our bodies. This part can kill us if we aren’t paying attention.

References

Food and Drug Administration. (2021, February 25). How to understand and use the nutrition facts label. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Healthy eating plate. The Nutrition Source. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/

Harvard Health Publishing. (2012, July 16). Artificial sweeteners: Sugar-free, but at what cost? Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030