12 “Real Food” Grocery Shopping Tips
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› Unlabelled › 12 “Real Food” Grocery Shopping Tips

The most important component to prevent or reverse disease, feel energized, think better, experience lasting fat loss and your highest level of health (for yourself and your family) starts with being mindful and conscious of what you choose to eat.

Good nutrition, looking and feeling your best, and healthy eating begins with making smarter choices when you’re shopping for food. Your personal Fat Loss Revolution lifestyle starts in your kitchen! Go through your kitchen and get rid of the temptations that don’t support your healthy lifestyle. Remember, food is medicine or food is poison….you get to choose.

“Let Food Be Your Medicine and Medicine Be Your Food. “ – Hippocrates

12 “Real Food” Shopping Tips

1. Shop for nutrient-dense real food. Stay away from processed, boxed, dead frankenfoods, sodas, fruit juices and sugary beverages. Avoid fat-free and low-fat products that are loaded with chemicals, sugar and artificial sweeteners – a  toxic burden on your body and detrimental to your mood, brain and waistline. Simply switching from processed food to more nutrient-dense real food is a huge step in the right direction to looking your best and feeling better than ever.

  • Real food has NOT been injected with hormones, antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones and GE ingredients.
  • Real food has NOT been sprayed with poisonous pesticides and Roundup ready glyphosate.
  • Real food is NOT found at a drive up window or in a box.
  • Real food does NOT have a long list of ingredients.
  • Real food does NOT come from a factory farm.
  • Real food does NOT contain chemicals, dyes & colorings, GM soybean, corn & canola oil, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, preservatives, HFCS and toxic ingredients.

Become familiar with misleading marketing claims. Items labeled as “all-natural, organic, sugar-free or gluten-free” are not necessarily healthy.

These are common items claiming to be healthy (and are far from it)

            *  Energy and protein bars *  Diet soda, fruit juices and Crystal Light
            *  Agave syrup *  Dried fruit and fruit roll ups
            *  Veggie burgers *  Vitamin waters and sports drinks
            *  Yogurt with fruit *  Cereal, granola, instant oatmeal, trail mixes
            *  Cooking sprays, canola oil, margarine *  Multi-grain, whole-grain and wheat bread
            *  Soy milk and soy products *  Some protein powders and some vitamins
            *  Most gluten-free foods *  Low-fat and non-fat products

These items are nutritionally void, a far cry from healthy, real food, and most likely loaded with exorbitant amounts of sugar, unhealthy vegetable oils, corn, soy, wheat, GM ingredients, chemical preservatives, GMOs and artificial sweeteners that contribute to a blood sugar roller coaster, GI distress, increased cravings, depression, headaches, diabetes, memory problems, leaky gut, disease and extra body fat.

ALL processed foods contain at least one or more genetically modified ingredient. If you eat processed foods, most of which are made with GM corn and soy ingredients, you’re consuming glyphosate residues – no question!

2. Be a label detective. Read the list of ingredients on every product, including personal care items and pet food. Don’t buy any items that contain artificial ingredients, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, sucralose, canola oil, soybean oil and other vegetable oils, wheat, HFCS, colors and dyes. The fewer ingredients listed, the better. Avoid these items at all costs if they contain these ingredients.

3. Shop with a list (use the list found in Fat Loss Revolution). Plan meals and snacks for the week. Download the non-GMO shopping guide app for your phone that can be helpful for your shopping experience.

4. Shop the organic section of the supermarket. If you’re on a budget, not every item you purchase needs to be organic. Familiarize yourself with the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Dirty Dozen Plus and prioritize always buying these items organic.

When shopping for fruits and veggies, you’ll notice a PLU code on the sticker that is usually four digits. The numbers on the sticker indicate if the item is genetically modified, conventional or organic. A fifth digit prefixed to the code indicates whether the fruit or vegetable is organic (prefixed by the numeral 9), or GM (prefixed by an 8).

Being able to recognize PLU codes can be helpful in your decision to purchase fruits and vegetables.

  • Conventional – Grown with chemicals and pesticides. The PLU code consists of four numbers.
  • GM – Genetically modified. The PLU code consists of five numbers beginning with the number 8.
  • Organic – The five-digit PLU code begins with the number 9.

You’ll lower your pesticide exposure nearly 80 percent by choosing organic vs non-organic. There are many significant benefits to eating organic. Over 100 studies shows that organic produce provides 25 percent more nutrients than non-organic produce of the same varieties. Those who eat an organic diet tend to have a stronger immune systems, less body fat, calmer demeanors, and experience more restful sleep patterns than those on a non-organic diet. A salad today (mixed greens, peppers, onions, tomato, olive oil) has from 15-76 percent less nutrient value, and is loaded with residues of pesticides and nitrates compared to the same salad mix in 1940.

While it may cost a bit more up front to eat organic foods, the long-term savings on medical care and your health are worth the investment. Not only that, when you eat nutrient-dense food, you tend not to consume as much food and you’ll feel fuller longer.

If you’re on a limited budget and can only afford certain items as organic, priority goes to organically-raised, grass-fed, free-range, pastured meats and eggs, and the Dirty Dozen veggies & fruits.

A study in the Journal of Environmental Research found that eating an organic diet for just one week can reduce damaging pesticide levels in adults nearly 90 percent!

5. Eat a protein-rich snack or handful of nuts before shopping. Stick to your list. Never shop when you’re hungry or when you’re experiencing low blood sugar.

6. To save money, use coupons, keep an eye out for promotions and sales, and buy organic food in bulk. Download an app for your phone so you can compare prices.

a. If you have the space and weather permitting, plant a garden to grow your own organic greens, sprouts, fruits and veggies.

b. Be mindful while shopping and take note of items you automatically purchase such as alcohol, candy bars, chips and the like that are nutritionally-void and add up $$$ in the long run.

7. Stock up on seasonal veggies and fruits; they’re packed with nutrients, add variety to your diet, and seasonal items are often less expensive.

8. Most of us tend to eat the same foods over and over, day after day, and week after week. Be adventurous and buy one new veggie or leafy green to try every time you shop. Experiment with healthier recipes (here are a few of my favorite cookbooks).

9. Shop at local farms and farmers markets or join a co-op for organic produce, meats and eggs. Sign up for home delivery of a local farm box. Order online.

a. Visit the Local Harvest website to find farmers markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area.

b. Order grass-fed, free-range meats, wild fish and seafood delivered to your home from U.S. Wellness Meats or Vital Choice Seafood.

c. Join a food co-op such as Bountiful Baskets

d. Join Chow Locally and the Chow Share program. You not only get healthy, fresh, ethically produced food at an affordable price, you support your local farmers and communities. Each week you'll receive the best produce that Arizona farmers have to offer.

10. If you shop with your kids, use this time as an opportunity to educate them on healthier options and read ingredient labels. Show them the toxic ingredient list on chips, cookies and crackers, Cocoa Puffs, Fruity Pebbles, candies, juices, pudding cups or other sugary treats.

11. Does your busy schedule prevent you from cooking or shopping?

a. If you live near a Whole Foods Market, visit the seafood dept. and select your favorite fish. Ask them to cook it for you while you shop (a free service they offer).

b. Order affordable, organic meals delivered directly to your home from Artisan Bistro. All you have to do is pop them in the oven.

c. Order high-quality, grass-fed meats, free-range poultry and wild seafood from U.S. Wellness Meats or Vital Choice Seafood.

12. Contrary to popular belief, eating healthy, nutrient-rich real food is not more expensive than processed, packaged foods or fast food. Buy the majority of your items from the perimeter of the store. Include plenty of fresh veggies and leafy greens; sweet potatoes and yams; seasonal fruit; pastured eggs and poultry, grass-fed butter, meats, wild fish and seafood. Minimize the items from the center aisles, except for organic coffee and tea, nuts and seeds, quinoa, coconut oil, olive oil, coconut or almond milk (carageenan-free only), nut butters, coconut flour and spices. 

Eating healthy, real food is possible without spending more. Remember, you have complete control over what you buy and bring into your home. Choose wisely! Your personal Fat Loss Revolution starts in your kitchen. Smile 

Copyright © Paula Owens. All Rights Reserved.

The material in this article and on this blog is copyright material and may NOT be reproduced or copied without written permission. Reproduction of the articles on this blog may be shared and are permissible only when instructions found at the bottom of this blog are followed. Thank you.

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