by Laura Bushey M.A. and Marisa Silverstein H.H.C., A.A.D.P.
Finding the time to cook – let alone shop – is a precious commodity. If a chef needs to plan recipes and grocery orders at the start of every week (some daily!), why wouldn’t you have to do the same for yourself and for your family? Shopping and cooking can very often feel like a full-time job, and some of us quit… daily… and the alternatives are not very, let’s say, optimal for your health!
5 Tips to Help You Make the Most of Each and Every Shopping Trip
- Set aside a weekly grocery trip to your favorite store. Decide which day works for you and keep that standing appointment.
- Shop on a day when all the produce is fresh (inquire about deliveries). Shop at an unlikely time when the store is fairly empty to minimize time in the aisles and at the checkout.
- Prior to shopping, pull out your collection of recipes and find 3-6 easy to make, healthy starters, complete meals, soups, or sides. Decide which ones have overlapping ingredients which will save you time and money.
- Organizing your list makes for a faster trip. Put all produce together. And the same goes for nuts, grains, beverages, etc. It will save you time because you won’t have to backtrack for items later on.
- Set aside a weekly cook time (2-4 hours) to prepare all of your fresh/frozen produce. To cut down on prep time, find a friend to cook with and split the shopping!
Following these tips will help to establish healthy eating habits. Imagine how great it will feel when you come home from work and have a delicious and healthy dinner waiting for you in the fridge. All you have to do is heat up and serve!
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