Liza Rowan, founder of Health & Vitality Pte Ltd, is an energetic, sporty and fun-loving mother of 2 young boys. She spent her early years in Ireland, and has since lived in Australia, Scotland, Austria, Canada, Hong Kong and now Singapore. She embraces the challenges that each ‘new life’ brings, with particular interest in all matters relating to natural and holistic living, especially nutrition.
We seem to have a love-hate relationship with grocery shopping. I for one love it, but I know many friends would rather do anything but! It can of course be time consuming, expensive and frustrating.
Here are a few tips to keep you on the straight and narrow.
1. Plan
Maintain a shopping list in a little notebook, or on your smart phone – one list for general items you use regularly, another for items you like to stock, but don’t need to buy so often. I’m sure, like me, many times you head to the grocery store for a specific item, only to return home with many items apart from the one you set out to buy!
If you like to plan your meals, or try a new recipe every week, then of course take this into account and add to your list.
2. Don’t Shop When Hungry
All food, including unhealthier fare, is more appealing when we are hungry – so we’re more likely to make unwise choices. Therefore, it is better to shop after we’ve eaten, or perhaps have a healthy snack prior to setting off.
When hungry, we might be tempted to snack on something while walking around the aisles – usually from a packet, and therefore not healthy.
3. Stick To The Perimeter
Fresh and refrigerated produce is stocked around the perimeter; with the inner aisles containing mostly processed and packaged food.
4. Read Those Labels
Ingredients are listed from highest to lowest volume, so avoid items that have refined sugar or vegetable oil listed under the first few items. Food additives, and chemicals are listed towards the end, so do scan right down the ingredient list, and be aware of ones that you might be sensitive to.
A general rule is to avoid packages that have more than 5 items listed on the ingredient list, or items that you cannot pronounce.
5. Be Aware
Be aware of cunning marketing claims on the front of packets (‘no cholesterol’, ‘low-calorie’) as these are carefully worded to distract us from unhealthier ingredients used in the product.
6. Be A Proactive Shopper
Avoid pesticides, chemicals, GMO, food processes (e.g. refining, canning, irradiation) which basically turn our healthy food into something we wish to avoid for our better health.
7. Be Organically Aware
Organic produce can be more expensive. Be aware of the organic priorities for you and your family, as sometimes there is little benefit over their conventional counterpart. To help priorities, see my article Buying Organic.
8. Choose From A Rainbow Of Fresh Produce
Add a new item to try every week. Also experiment with a new fresh herb or spice so that you get more creative in the kitchen.
Frozen fruits and vegetables are also great to stock as they are often the best of the bunch picked to freeze, without additives or preservatives. On that note, when fruits and vegetables you enjoy or use often are on offer or in season, buy in bulk and freeze at home for future use.
9. Use an Online Delivery Service
Grocery shopping is now so much easier as everything from fresh produce to frozen meats and fish can be ordered from the comfort of your computer. Take advantage of organic and fresh produce boxes, as these items are specifically selected for freshness and variety. Plus, that surprise element of “I wonder what is in the box this week” is always fun.
Here in Singapore, delivery charges are often waived, so you save on parking and travel costs, as well as time.
10. Make It Fun
No matter how tedious a task, we should try and make it fun – phone a friend as you wander the aisles, listen to some new music, send the kids off on little errands around the store, or take the time to learn about new food offerings and how to read labels – all making your shopping experience more productive and entertaining.
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