Good Meal Planning Starts with Good Grocery Shopping

Lifeguard1964

Good Day MF Pals,
Today I was getting ready to do my weekly grocery shopping and I was looking through the ads for my local grocery stores on-line. I noticed something new today while perusing the ads, most of the food featured in the ads doesn't look good to me.

After spending more than 2 months logging my food every meal of every day, and eating in a way that I have lost more than 30 pounds in 8 weeks, I don't crave many of the foods I see in the circulars.

I don't need a 16 oz steak and a loaded baked potato. I'd rather have a piece of grilled swordfish with mango salsa, 1/2 of a baked sweet potato and asparagus. I don't need pork tenderloin, french fries and coleslaw. I'd rather have grilled chicken, home made sweet potato fries, steamed greenbeans and a tossed salad.

I make my menu for the week ahead of time, put my recipes into the recipe calculator always looking for ways to cut fat, carbs, and sugar, then make my shopping list for the grocery store. I only buy what's on the list to eliminate impulse shopping.

It's amazing how much junk my family has cleaned out of the fridge and off of the shelves in the pantry. Gone is the candy, chips and other junk food. And, also gone are many of the processed foods with refined sugar, added salt, artificial flavors and coloring. Replaced by whole foods like fresh vegetables, fruit, fresh pressed organic juice, natural oatmeal, lean meats, beans, lentils, and fresh spices.

We eat better, drink better, have more energy and generally just feel better.

Have a great day and J-U-I-C-E to you!

nossmf

Another suggestion is to eat a meal before going to the grocery store. The sated shopper sticks to the list they brought; the starving shopper is far more tempted to buy additional items, because they "sounded good". Saves money as well as calories.

COGypsy

I'd also suggest ordering curbside pickup for your groceries. It eliminates a huge amount of impulse shopping. I find it also saves a good bit of money because you can have carts going at multiple stores and compare prices. Even if you don't comparison shop like that, just skipping the unnecessary "bargains" and impulse treats goes a long way toward keeping costs (and calories) under control.