Grocery shopping is one of life's never-ending chores, but it can make all the difference when it comes to living a healthy, balanced life week-after-week.
Whether you're trying to feed your bustling family on a budget, looking to slim down by eating healthier or just hoping to make your weekly shopping experience more manageable, these tips will help.
Plan Out Your Meals Ahead of Time
One of the best things you can do to improve your grocery shopping experience is to plan your meals out ahead of time. Many people make the mistake of going into the store with only a list of the basics, like milk, bread and eggs. The rest, like what's for dinner each night, they hope to figure out as they go.
This is a recipe for disaster and usually ends with you spending way more time and money at the store than you intended.
Do yourself a favor; instead of trying to figure out a week's worth of meals on the spot, decide on your menu ahead of time. Do some searching online, browse Pinterest or simply write out a list of ingredients for your go-to favorites.
Doing this in the calm environment of your home means you'll show up at the grocery store knowing exactly what you want, making the overall experience shorter and more cost-efficient.
Use a Mobile App
Technology is your friend, especially when it comes to grocery shopping. Mobile apps like athleats can be a lifesaver when it comes to your shopping needs.
The app's ShopEats function is essentially a high-tech grocery list, with the ability to add checkmarks as you go. It even automatically sorts the ingredients for you, categorizing them in sections like produce, meats, dairy and canned and jarred, so you won't miss anything as you browse the different aisles.
Plus, the app has a recipe database that emphasizes healthy cooking. Once you select a meal, it can import those ingredients directly to the list, knocking out any meal planning you need to do for the week in one easy step. Download the app here.
Eat Beforehand
Consider this the golden rule of grocery shopping: never shop while hungry.
You've probably heard this advice before and for good reason—it's actually been shown that people are more likely to buy calorie-dense food when they're hungry, derailing the well-meaning intentions of many shoppers.
Limit your chances of falling off the wagon by eating a filling, high-protein snack before you go. You'll find the dessert and snack aisles much less tempting.
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About the Author
Jackie Veling is a past Senior Editor at ACTIVE.com. She’s passionate about overall wellness and body positivity, and her favorite way to stay active is through running. You can follow her on Twitter.
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