We’ve all been there! Throwing out uneaten and expired food, wishing we would’ve spent less, and driving up to the grocery store on back-to-back nights. All of that is wasted time, money, and energy that could be put into other productive things!

Let’s get into how to plan, shop for quality, and save time and money at the grocery store so you can spend more time crushing your goals.

Planning Your Trip

• Check your fridge and cabinets/pantries first! How will you know what to get and what not to get without checking first?
• Create a Grocery List(s). We often overlook this but it can be a huge time saver by preventing you to have to go back to the store so often. You’ll know exactly what you need! You can make this even better by not only writing what you need, but how much of each item as well. 
• Only go once per week. If you plan ahead and make a proper list, you should be able to get once per week. This not only save you time but help free up some space in the budget as well. 
• Create your budget. How much money do you have allotted for your groceries for you and your family? It can be very easy to overbuy frequently. If you’re going to the store multiple times per week and don’t have a budget, it’s likely that you also throw out expired food. It doesn’t have to be a wildly strict budget, but creating a structure around this helps nonetheless. 
• Try to not do your grocery shopping while overly hungry. Remember that budget and list? They are there to keep you on track and to ensure you get what you truly need. A quick way to spend more than your budget allows is to shop at a store full of food while you’re in a hungry state. 

Let’s tour the store and learn more about what to look for

The Perimeter

Produce Department

The most important thing is get them in!

• Dirty Dozen- Buy organic when possible with:

berries, apples, grapes, celery, peaches, spinach, peppers, nectarines, cucumbers, tomatoes, snap peas, white potatoes, greens, plums cherries, and pears.

• Use fruit and vegetable wash if you don’t buy organic for the above (equal parts water and white vinegar). You can soak and rinse them when you come home. Then put them away dry.
• Clean 15- Don’t need to worry about organic for:

avocado, sweet corn on the cob, pineapple, cabbage, frozen peas, onions, asparagus, mango, papaya, kiwi, eggplant, grapefruit, melon, cauliflower, and sweet potato.

• Some stores offer a variety of local options 
• Think variety- eat a rainbow of colors every week
• The majority of your produce should be non-starchy veggies
• Round out your day with seasonal fruits, and starchy vegetables like potato and winter squash

 Deli Area

• Specialty Cheeses in moderation
• Deli Meat and Cheeses
• Wholly Guacamole 

Seafood

• White Fishes such as tilapia, cod, pollock, and haddock – lean, cheaper
• Salmon – fattier (healthy fats), more expensive
• Shrimp – very lean, moderately expensive

Meats

• Grass-fed beef when available – aim for 90/10 or leaner
• Bison
• Chicken Breasts – very lean, moderately priced
• Chicken Thighs – fattier, cheaper 
• Ground Turkey Breast – aim for 93/7 or leaner, moderately priced
• Steaks – varied in price and leanness (Leanest= eye of round and top sirloin, fattiest=ribeye and tenderloin)

Eggs/Dairy 

• Eggs – Pasture-raised= most expensive and high quality; Cage-free= most optimal
• Greek Yogurts
• Choose from different cow’s milks of varying levels of fat content or a non-dairy milk such as almond, cashew, oat, coconut, or rice

Frozen Food Section

• Fruits –no added sugar
• Vegetables –no added sauces

Bread/Grains

• Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread and English muffins (freezer section)
• Dave’s Killer Bread
• Udi’s Gluten-Free Bread 
• Steel Cut Oats or instant oatmeal packets work too

Salad Dressings 

• It can be helpful to look for lower fat and lower sodium options depending on current health and medical status, and goal(s)
• Use higher fat products sparingly if consuming salads frequently

Mayo

• Canola Mayo
• Hellman’s Olive Oil Mayo or Organic Mayo
• Vegenaise if vegan

 Other Condiments/Cooking Supplies

• Dijon mustard
• Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
• Vinegars- Apple Cider Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, etc
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, cold pressed
• Coconut oil

Herbs/Spices

• Use low sodium seasonings if needed due to medical condition(s)
• Dried herbs – last 6 months to a year (good to experiment with these first)
• McCormick – Grill Mates for marinades

Shopping the Inside

Grains

*Half your grains should be Whole Grains*

• Includes pastas, cereals, breads, oats, quinoa, rice, and ancient/whole grains
• Choose grains that are less processed as they contain more nutrients such as fiber, B vitamins, and minerals and control blood sugar better
• Watch portion sizes as grains are typically higher in calories per serving than other food groups, and are typically more palatable 

Pasta/Bread

• Choose a sprouted grain or 100% whole grain bread
• The first ingredient should say either 100% whole wheat, quinoa, rice, or corn to know that the product is in fact 100% whole grain
• Vegetable pastas are a great low calorie/low carb option to take the place of regular pasta in times of need
• Check your local grocery store for spiralized zucchini, summer squash, carrots, beets, etc if you cannot make your own

Rice/Quinoa

• Choose brown rice if you want more fiber, folate, magnesium, potassium, selenium and zinc, and a lower glycemic response
• Choose white rice if you enjoy white rice and it doesn’t cause blood sugar irregularities for you 🙂 
• Be mindful of portion sizes- 1 cup of rice = 220 calories and 45 grams of carbohydrates
• Quinoa is a gluten-free, complete protein option and only takes about 15 minutes to make

Ancient/Whole Grains

• Amaranth
• Barley
• Buckwheat
• Farro
• Millet
• Sorghum

Cereal/Oats  

• Look for cereals with a shorter ingredients list
• Aim for at least 5 grams of fiber per serving 
• Cereals are high in hidden sugars! Look at the ingredients list for few or no added sugars (honey, molasses, fruit juice concentrate, sucrose, lactose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, malt syrup, etc) 
• Choose steel-cut oats, they are less processed

Beans

• Packed with soluble fiber
• Dry beans are best to choose
• When going with canned beans, choose an organic brand with reduced salt or no salt added if needed for medical reasons

Fats/Oils

• Nuts/nut butters (raw or roasted) are a great source of healthy fats, fiber, and some protein
• Extra virgin olive oils, organic coconut oils, organic avocado oils 
• Choose grass-fed butters for more healthy omega-3’s

Condiments/Salad Dressings

• Look for dressings with an olive oil base
• Avoid dressings that advertise “sugar free or “fat free” as these are not-so-fun for your gut health
• Organic mayo or Veganaise (if you cannot have eggs) located in the refrigerated section
• Look out for high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils
• Natural soy sauces
• Vinegar- apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar
• Sweeteners- local maple syrup, local honey, organic stevia

Canned Goods

• Choose low sodium options, if needed
• Organic chicken stock, if not organic check for no added MSG (monosodium glutamate) 
• Canned line caught tuna and wild salmon

Frozen Foods

• Fruits with no added sugar
• Vegetables with no sauce
• Do not rely on TV dinners/frozen meals- they are extremely high in sodium and generally leave you unsatisfied

Beverages

• Choose low-calorie options: water/flavored water, herbal teas, seltzer water 
• Avoid/limit sugary beverages such as soda, juices, or sports drinks
• Avoid artificially flavored beverages such as diet soda for gut health purposes

Meal Replacement Bars

• Lara Bars, Kind Bars, Perfect Bars, RxBars – the high-protein bars typically include a large number of artificial sweeteners and other gut disrupters

Treats

• Choose desserts with whole ingredients or make your own 
• Be selective – eat your favorites in moderation
• Do not feel guilty for getting treats

How much food is enough?

As much as 40% of food goes uneaten in the U.S. Americans throw away $165 billion in wasted food every year*

*according to Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) a nonprofit environmental action group

Utilize Leftovers

The trick is to prepare the correct amount of food to utilize leftovers without any food waste.

Plan Ahead for Protein

How many people do you cook for?

• ½-1 chicken breast per adult
• 1/2 chicken breast per child
• 1-2 chicken thighs per adult
• 1 chicken thigh per child
• ¼- ½ pound ground turkey/beef/chicken per person
• ¼ – ½  pound shrimp per person
• 4-6 oz pork per person

 

Chicken breasts

2 dinners and 1 lunch

Family of 4 x 1 chicken breast x 3 meals  

= 9 breasts total 

(~7-8 if there are young children)

Cook chicken breasts in batches on the grill or baked in the oven.

Set aside 4 chicken breasts for one dinner

Cut 4 chicken breasts into long strips for fajitas for second dinner

Dice 4 chicken breasts for chicken salad for lunch

 

Ground turkey

Two dinners and one lunch

Family of 4 x 1/4 pound per person x 3 meals   

=   3 pounds total

Still have leftovers?

• Cooked chicken is safe in the fridge for up to 4 days 
• Slice and add to your salad for lunch 
• Use 2 forks and shred the chicken up, toss it in a pan with some olive oil and taco seasoning
• Dice up and add it to a chicken and vegetable soup
• Leftover ground meat, like meatloaf, is safe for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator
• Cut meatloaf into individual slices, wrap in plastic wrap, and then again in foil. Put all slices in a gallon size zip top back and freeze 
• Crumble it up and make a taco filling
• Cut into a large dice and pretend they are “meatballs” with spaghetti squash and a marinara sauce
• Crumble and add to eggs in the morning, or if you’re having breakfast for dinner

Veggies

• Make sure there are enough!
• Plan for at least one every night
• Quick cooking
• Fresh or frozen – do not worry about the quality differences as they are minute 
• Buy in bulk
• Look for sales and in-season vegetables

Starches

• Cook in bulk
• Example: cook one bag of quinoa on the weekend and have a little every night
• Sweet potatoes are easy to batch cook, use the slow cooker

Time and Money Saving Tips

Time Savings Tips

• Broccoli slaw/cauliflower rice
• Stir fry veggies- fresh or frozen
• Pre-made kabobs- try to find some with no marinade already on them. Dress at home with Bragg’s then place on the grill
• Cooked Shrimp- defrost and stir fry, or top on salad, or eat as a snack.
• Plan ahead and use your crock pot!
• Premade pizza dough- to grill or bake with sauce and lots of veggies
• Clean dishes as you go!
• Mise en place – everything in its place. Get all prep work done before going out to the grill, or starting that stir fry. 
• If having leftovers for lunch – pack WHILE you are making dinner. 

Money Saving Tips

• Seasonal! It’s inexpensive AND there are many nutritional benefits.
• Shop for produce in season and buy by the bag. It’s cheaper to purchase fruits and vegetables such as apples, oranges, grapefruit, potatoes, and onions in a bag, not by the piece. 
• Check the freezer aisle. These are great for stir-fries and soups. The largest frozen bags will sometimes offer the best value.
• Bulk protein comes in many forms.  Split packages up into portions and put into the freezer for later use. Buy a whole chicken and cut it up. Also look for two-for-one specials on any product that you can freeze to store.
• NHseafood.com has places to buy local seafood. You can buy wholesale, retail, or find out what restaurants have dishes made with local seafood. Most of the places mentioned are on the seacoast, so if you are in the area visiting the beach you can swing by and purchase local seafood!
• Many farms will offer a discount on large portions of beef, or whole chickens, as compared to individual cuts.
• Pick your own berries/veggies at local farms and freeze extras!
• Set up a veggie swap with friends or at work. (You have extra cucumbers from your garden, a co-worker might have extra tomatoes! Doesn’t hurt to ask)
• Grow your own herbs, use leftovers for flavored oils.
• Cut your own produce. Shopping for convenience gets expensive quickly! 
• Freeze meats that are discounted or on a sale
• WAIT to rinse your fruits until you are ready to eat them, rinsing prior to refrigeration will lead to quicker oxidation rates and will decrease the amount of time they are their best

The main idea remains simple – plan, prepare, execute, and stick to a schedule.

Putting a little bit of extra time and energy into planning your grocery trip(s) can go a long way and can actually save time and money in the long run. How much you get at the store every week depends on your family size, individual nutrient needs, health goals, budget, and length until the time you go again. Be sure to take those factors into consideration before your next trip to the grocery store. 

Nutrition Collaborative