The new school year is underway and it is time to start shopping for school lunches again. You want to be that mom that packs her kid’s lunch every morning filled with all natural, Non-GMO, fat free, sugar free, ice chips, buts let’s be honest, you walk into the grocery store and kid one asks you for his favorite cereal for the third time and you’ve finally caved and let him have it. Kid number two snuck his favorite ice cream in the cart without you noticing and now you’re bringing that home, too. And, kid number three already dove right into his favorite chips while in the store. So now, reluctantly, you have to buy those too. The next thing you know, it’s a new school year and you’ve fallen right back into your old habits. With these 7 simple tips, you can make your grocery shopping easier on yourself, more fun for your kids, and healthier for all of you.
- Don’t go grocery shopping on an empty stomach: This includes you and your children. You are more likely to buy unhealthy options, and spend more money if you go in hungry. Instead, try having a nice meal beforehand and then hit the grocery store!
- Go in with a plan: Plan out your children’s lunches for the week and then make a shopping list of everything you will need to make those specific meals happen. If you stick to your list, you are less likely to buy unnecessary junk foods, and you will only purchase enough food for what you need for the week; ultimately saving you money in the long run.
- Shop the perimeters: The perimeters of the store contain the healthiest options. All your natural and fresh foods typically come from the outer edges of the store. Notice, the next time you shop, what you by from the aisles in the store and what you buy from the perimeters.
- Know how to read labels: Rule of thumb for reading labels is that if sugar is in the first five ingredients, then the product is considered high in sugar and is highly processed. There are quite a few different names out there for sugar. Learn about them with your kids and teach them to hunt for those pesky code names.
- Shop for Natural: When shopping for peanut butter, look for the jars that say natural. This applies to canned fruits as well. Avoid canned fruits that are soaked in high-fructose corn syrup and look for the ones that sit in natural fruit juice instead.
- Let your Kids Have a Say: Give your kids a little freedom. I’m not saying let them run off and buy whatever they want, but let them help you pick out the healthy options. They’ll feel like they have more of a say in what they get to eat and, in turn, they’ll feel more excited about shopping healthy!
- Teach as you go: Teach your kids about what you’re buying and why you are buying it! Educate them on the benefits of choosing healthy options and shopping will become more fun for the whole family!
