Tips for Healthier Eating

A friend once said that the only way he could eat in a healthier way was to keep only the healthiest foods in his cupboards. So, his pantry had the best low fat cereals and pastas, his fridge contained great lean meats and veggies, and his fruit bowl was always well stocked. The problem, for him anyway, was that as soon as he went out to eat he would order all of the wrong things. Also, he said that he would weaken if he entered a “mini market” and faced rows of candy, snacks, and carbonated drinks.

What his example provides is the ideal illustration of a major healthy eating downfall: bad shopping habits. You can fill your cabinets and refrigerator with all of the “so called” healthy foods, but if you get weakened willpower at the sight of snack foods, it means that there is an imbalance in how you shop and what you really want to eat.

Choosing Wisely is the First Step

So, this brief discussion will look at some tips for healthier eating that begin (and end) in the supermarket or food store. How can better shopping ensure that you eat healthier and don’t succumb to snack foods and the most tempting fast foods? It all begins when you let go of the “idea” of what healthy food means.

Rice cakes, carrot sticks, and sugar free breakfast cereals are often quite bland. Unfortunately, most people view them as healthy food choices. The problem is that they are quite low in fat and will help you to shed weight, but you may find that they are so unappealing that you don’t eat them at all. Instead, you skip the snacks and meals that would help you to lose weight or remain healthy and then you slip into bad habits when out and about.

Don’t Skip and Slip

Instead of relying on foods that you have always believed to be the best, why not reconsider how you shop and see if this makes things easier. For example, begin by trying to be a “perimeter” shopper. If you shop around the outside of most supermarkets you will find the dairy, produce, fresh meats and the bakery. This means that you are going to stock your pantry with fresh foods full of flavor, low in fat or additives and much more nutritious.

You will also find that the perimeter is where the secretly healthy foods like bulk nuts and dried fruits, olives, imported cheeses, and delicious yogurts or affordable frozen vegetables are all located too.

Challenge Yourself

With all of the perimeter foods you can begin to make some unique recipes and meals that are the ultimate in health and good taste. For instance, you can use a lean fish or chicken with some unusual grains from the bulk bins and some olives and herbs to create a classic Mediterranean meal. You can eat fresh fruits year round, and will soon find that cravings for salty or sugary snacks are getting less challenging or may even disappear altogether!