Ahhhh…doesn’t it feel nice to have a klean kitchen?! Your nutritious and yummy options are right up front making choosing healthy that much easier! Hopefully your shelves are a little lighter and more accessible too. They may seem a bit sparse and you may be ready to get to the grocery store. Before you go out and stock up on more of what’s in the Treat box, let’s look at some wellness-boosting options at the grocery store.

To start off, shopping for groceries should be a positive experience. You’re purchasing the foods that will nourish you for the next week or two! Be sure to have a meal before hand so that you aren’t craving and over-purchasing. It’s also good to be sure you like your grocery store/market. This may sound silly, but if you feel the store is disorganized or hectic, the clerks are rude or there’s limited options, it’ll be more difficult to make healthy choices. Drive a little further to a store/market that you like better.

It’s summer time and we’re lucky to have many local Farmer’s markets popping up! Buying local and seasonal fruits and veggies helps the environment out immensely and supports local businesses versus giant international corporations. If you can find organic even better! Try the West Side Market too! These foods may cost a little more but please, consider the amplified benefits to your health, your city and your environment before griping over and extra dollar.

Here’s a few general tips on foods to stock up on and foods to avoid. I could write a book on these so I will try to keep it short and sweet!

Fruits and Veggies
Best Option: Fresh, Local, Organic and Non-GMO. There are many foods that can’t grow locally so at least opt for Fresh and Organic. Go for frozen over canned. When you do buy canned check for glass bottle options and at a minimum BPA-free cans. Never buy dented tin cans! The liner inside can crack and release very toxic chemicals into the foods.

Carbs and Grains
Best Option: Organic, Non-GMO, Whole grains. Maybe you have a local baker or a market that does homemade pastas? Go for whole wheat, rice or vegetable pastas; brown or wild rice; sprouted, whole grain, or gluten-free bread loaves (these may be frozen but are worth it if you’re having any digestive issues). Branch out by trying new grains like quinoa or barley. Bleached flour is the main ingredient you want to avoid, also watch out for chemical preservatives. Store bread in the fridge if you are worried about mold.

Meats, Dairy & Eggs
Best Option: Organic, Grass-fed, Hormone, Steroid and Anti-biotic free, free range. These products have a lot of hidden chemicals and allergens that don’t show up on ingredient lists. It is important to find brands whose labels are honest and offer this information. If you buy lunch meats, be sure to get the ones that are nitrate free. Opt for local fish or wild caught salmon. Some fish stocks are low and it is better to purchase farm raised over wild but it is specific to the species and location.

Sugars & sweeteners
Best Option: Organic, Non-GMO, Raw Sugar cane, Real Maple Syrup, Avoid fake and “diet” sweeteners like Splenda, Aspartame, High Fructose Corn Syrup, etc.

This is a starter list, just to point you in the right direction. By no means is it exhaustive. If you have questions or would like more info on any of these categories, feel free to contact me!