Article by the Drummond Team

Whether you have children or not, here’s some tips to help shop – and eat a bit healthier! It all starts with your grocery shopping list. If your cupboards and fridge are full of (mostly!) good-for-you foods, everyone in the family is likely to eat a little better better!

Did you know a better diet can lower grocery bills, too? Ready meals and packaged foods save time, but they can cost more, and some have high amounts of salt and fat.

Here’s some shopping tips to help get the most nutrition “bang” for your money:

Stock Up With Pantry Basics

Start with these smart choices:

Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruits and vegetables

  • Canned: Look for low-sodium vegetables and low-sugar or no-added-sugar fruits.
  • Frozen: Use what you need for a meal, then put the rest of the bag back in the freezer.
  • Dried: Check the label for and avoid added sugar, especially on fruits.

Whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, and non-instant oatmeal

  • Course Oatmeal costs just pennies, and they help you get fibre.

Beans, lentils, and peas

  • Packed with protein and other nutrients, they’re a great way to stretch your food dollar. Use them in everything fromsoups to chili to burritos. Packaged dried beans cost less, but they take some planning to cook. Low-sodium canned beans are another option. You can rinse them to lower their salt even more.

Nuts like almonds, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts

  • They’re great for snacks or as a topping for salads, cereal, or oatmeal.

Lean meats, poultry, fish, and eggs

Semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products

(Children under age 2 should have full-fat (red top) milk unless they’re overweight or you have obesity, heart disease, or high cholesterol in your family. In those cases, low-fat milk may be a better choice)

Buy Healthy Snacks

How can you keep your kids from going overboard on crisps, cookies, and other junk food? Don’t buy it. Instead, make it easy for them to find and nosh on the healthy stuff.

Keep these snacks on the centre shelf of the fridge:

  • Cut-up fruit
  • Baby carrots and humous
  • String cheese
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Low-fat yogurt

And these on the counter:

  • Dried fruit and nut mix
  • Pretzels
  • Whole-grain crackers
  • Fresh fruit

 

Are you interested in  Nutrition and keen to become a course instructor?  Be sure to check out our upcoming courses here at Drummond Education: https://drummondeducation.com/product/nutrition-physical-activity-health/