Moving to America - any food tips?

Nicky_W
Nicky_W Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey,

I'm moving to America (Florida) in a month from New Zealand. The main thing that scares me about this move is the change in food. I'm looking to maintain a healthy eating lifestyle and was just wondering if anyone had any tips for what to avoid or brands/places to shop etc that they have found great for healthy eating?

Thanks heaps :)
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Replies

  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    It would help to know your definition of healthy eating. What types of foods do you eat now? What is it you're wanting to avoid? Do you care about organics, GMOs, any of that kind of thing? Oh, and where (roughly) in the states are you moving? A lot of this stuff is regional.

    With that info, someone ought to be able to help you out.
  • Nicky_W
    Nicky_W Posts: 5 Member
    Healthy for me - lots of vegetables, some lean meat/fish/eggs and then fruit and nuts to snack on. I try and keep as well balanced as I can living as a student. I was just curious about some of the differences in what is added to food (e.g. most people in New Zealand say that bread is sweet in the States) so I was just looking for any tips on what to avoid whilst there.

    :)
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
    Don't eat the cheap junk food :laugh:
  • bheathfit
    bheathfit Posts: 451 Member
    From experience I recommend taking an insulated water bottle with you everywhere as bottled water is expensive here. Buy a small cooler. Shop for your food at the local grocery store or Costco warehouse in bulk whenever possible. Plan your meals and always have meals and healthy snacks with you in your handy cooler. Plan to succeed by having your food with you and stay hydrated.

    Meal size Salad at a restaurant = $12-$15 USD
    McChicken at McDonalds < $2 USD

    Healthy food = Happy Nicky_W with healthy body shape...
    McDonalds = Unhappy Nicky_W with typical American body shape...
  • Nicky_W
    Nicky_W Posts: 5 Member
    An insulated water bottle and a small cooler, is a great tip - definitely a good way to do it! Thanks heaps :)
  • bheathfit
    bheathfit Posts: 451 Member
    Almost ALL processed foods in the US contain sugar and sodium. Better to prepare food at home and freeze. Our canned foods are typically high sodium and sugar as well. Many meats here have hormones added to grow the animals faster and larger. Organic is typically better, but not always better.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    hahaha stink. NZ is way better eh. their bread is full of sugar. GM is the norm. meat fillers made out of offal + antibiotics + other chemicals don't need to be labeled by the FDA.

    florida is famous for oranges tho! good luck!
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    When I went I got some great advice:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/845421-traveling-to-america-should-i-be-concerned
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
    As someone in Florida, can I ask to trade places? I mean it would just even out the population right? It seems fair doesn't it?
  • starrylioness
    starrylioness Posts: 543 Member
    I'd say just cook at home a great deal. Avoid all of the fast food places, which there are A LOT of.
  • VBnotbitter
    VBnotbitter Posts: 820 Member
    hahaha stink. NZ is way better eh. their bread is full of sugar. GM is the norm. meat fillers made out of offal + antibiotics + other chemicals don't need to be labeled by the FDA.

    florida is famous for oranges tho! good luck!

    Actually she wasnt being snarky or saying NZ was better. Just asking a question.

    Anyway OP I lived in Ohio for a year from Australia and on a lowish budget. It is fairly easy to eat "healthily" in the US and still do it from normal grocery stores, you dont have to go to the specialist whole food stores which I found a bit too expensive. The bread is slightly sweeter but you get used to it. I liked Panera (?spelling) bread which is a big bakery chain. Remember they have different names for some veggies and it helps to learn them before you go to avoid confusion in the stores. I found that Americans in general have a preference for sweeter flavours - not a criticism just an observed difference - but give it a go and you might find you get used to it.
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,641 Member
    If I were you I would try to stick with the freshest food possible. Like the above posters have said, all the packaged and frozen foods are going to be high in sodium, fat, sugar, etc. At the grocery store stick to the perimiter of the store where the fresh fruit/veggies, dairy, meat, bakery are and avoid the middle where they have the boxed foods, canned foods, frozen, pre packaged etc.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    Florida's awesome. i hope you enjoy it here. hopefully you're moving to a coastal/beachy area rather than somewhere central state. you'll probably be quite amused by many of the colorful people who live here, and their hijinks.

    as far as food: eat it all, just not all at once.
  • darkrose20
    darkrose20 Posts: 1,139 Member
    Eat off the dollar menu. That'll get you your fill of pink slime, toxins, preservatives and carcinogens.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
    florida is famous for oranges tho! good luck!

    The Florida oranges are mostly used for juicing though. The navel oranges people eat come from California I believe. Well that and Central and South America.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
    Florida's awesome. i hope you enjoy it here. hopefully you're moving to a coastal/beachy area rather than somewhere central state. you'll probably be quite amused by many of the colorful people who live here, and their hijinks.

    as far as food: eat it all, just not all at once.

    Colorful is a nice way to put it. lawl
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    hahaha stink. NZ is way better eh. their bread is full of sugar. GM is the norm. meat fillers made out of offal + antibiotics + other chemicals don't need to be labeled by the FDA.

    florida is famous for oranges tho! good luck!

    Actually she wasnt being snarky or saying NZ was better. Just asking a question.

    Anyway OP I lived in Ohio for a year from Australia and on a lowish budget. It is fairly easy to eat "healthily" in the US and still do it from normal grocery stores, you dont have to go to the specialist whole food stores which I found a bit too expensive. The bread is slightly sweeter but you get used to it. I liked Panera (?spelling) bread which is a big bakery chain. Remember they have different names for some veggies and it helps to learn them before you go to avoid confusion in the stores. I found that Americans in general have a preference for sweeter flavours - not a criticism just an observed difference - but give it a go and you might find you get used to it.


    wait..... what?
  • shred_me_up
    shred_me_up Posts: 267 Member
    Since america is very big, there are usally a LOT of choices of supermarkets, foods, etc. You will be fine once you figure out the good stuff :D
  • Ejourneys
    Ejourneys Posts: 1,603 Member
    Florida has a long growing season, so I would recommend looking for farmer's markets and produce stands in your area. You can also get good pointers from natural foods stores. For example, here's the website for a store with four locations in and around the Tampa area:
    http://www.getingethealthy.com/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=HQ0USHRK24S92ND700AKHLBD34SU9LUB

    Here's a guide to local growers:
    http://www.localharvest.org/

    I agree wholeheartedly with the water bottle and cooler recommendation. I carry my food in a small cooler when I'm on the road. During the summer especially I carry a water bottle and a small towel or hanky for my sweat, given Florida's heat and humidity.
  • Hauntinglyfit
    Hauntinglyfit Posts: 5,537 Member
    If the food in the States is anything like the food in Canada, yes, the bread is sweet. Everything is sweet. Some of the deli meat is sweet. Buy the french style bread, that usually tastes like real bread (well, what I consider real bread). I've learned to always check stuff like pickles for sugar content, not because of calories but because I am not used to the sweet taste in everything.
  • TheGoodEmu
    TheGoodEmu Posts: 31 Member
    Maybe I am getting to basic here but this is a link to what our food labels look like: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-facts/NU00293

    Not sure if the NZ equivalent is, but if you have labelling that works its percentages/recommendations differently, it may be good to familiarize yourself now. :-)

    Also, not sure if you have Subway or Panera Bread there, but both are great sandwich franchises where you can keep things pretty healthy.

    Good luck!
  • BonnieandClyde29
    BonnieandClyde29 Posts: 1,026 Member
    There's a lot of fresh seafood if you live anywhere by the water, and markets, if it is more inland than be prepared for a lot of fast foods, walmarts, winndixies, and publix- Publix has the best food choices but runs a little more expensive...I live in cocoa beach FL. and I'm a native Floridian lol, just becareful there are A LOT of processed foods here especially in cheese and meats!!!
  • BonnieandClyde29
    BonnieandClyde29 Posts: 1,026 Member
    What part of florida are you moving too?
  • CharleePear
    CharleePear Posts: 1,948 Member
    I lived there for a while, I would suggest NOT shopping at Costco, personally I found it safer to hit the organic places. It's not as expensive as New Zealand on the whole anyway even when you shop there. Buy cheese only in Delis cos it's disgusting there in most places (sorry americans NZ is a dairy country we are dairy snobs). I second cooking everything at home from scratch, cos there are additives in things that say they have none. The Farmer's Markets are fun if they have any where you will be. Meatwise, just go organic. I am not sure what that other guy was saying about bottled water but I found it rediculously cheap over there in comparison to here, but I reckon just get one of those purifying jugs that filter the water as you pour. The World Market has some things that you might miss there, so you don't have to go without completely. Yeah so whole foods, clean eating, lotsa water, you'll be right!

    PS Makeup is super duper cheap there! Have fun!
  • VBnotbitter
    VBnotbitter Posts: 820 Member
    hahaha stink. NZ is way better eh. their bread is full of sugar. GM is the norm. meat fillers made out of offal + antibiotics + other chemicals don't need to be labeled by the FDA.

    florida is famous for oranges tho! good luck!

    Actually she wasnt being snarky or saying NZ was better. Just asking a question.

    Anyway OP I lived in Ohio for a year from Australia and on a lowish budget. It is fairly easy to eat "healthily" in the US and still do it from normal grocery stores, you dont have to go to the specialist whole food stores which I found a bit too expensive. The bread is slightly sweeter but you get used to it. I liked Panera (?spelling) bread which is a big bakery chain. Remember they have different names for some veggies and it helps to learn them before you go to avoid confusion in the stores. I found that Americans in general have a preference for sweeter flavours - not a criticism just an observed difference - but give it a go and you might find you get used to it.


    wait..... what?

    Apologies might have misinterpreted your response as having a go at the OP for asking, obviously I was wrong. "Misconstrued tone on the internet" problem
  • Nicky_W
    Nicky_W Posts: 5 Member
    There are some awesome tips there! Thanks heaps guys! I'm going to Orlando, and I have been told that there is a lot fast food there. Awesome to have some things to look out for! :)
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    Don't be a python's meal, I heard there are a lot of pythons in florida.
  • VoodooAborisha
    VoodooAborisha Posts: 147 Member
    Hello! I have lived in Alabama, Tennessee, Oregon, Denmark, the UK, Italy, and I know how hard it is to find healthy foods, especially down south in the USA.

    Here are the 3 things you can do to eat healthy in the DEEP SOUTH:

    1. See where the closest "Whole Foods" market is. This place has almost EVERYTHING, and even if it is not close to you, you can go there 1 - 2 times a month and stock up. I don't know where you are going to live, but I have found 4 of them online in Florida for you - their website lists their stores at: https://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/list/state?page=5

    Whole Foods Markets in Florida:

    1020 Alton Road
    Miami Beach Florida 33139
    United States
    Phone:
    305.938.2800
    Store Hours:
    8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Seven days a week.
    ______________________________________

    1451 1st Street
    Sarasota Florida 34236
    United States
    Phone:
    941.955.8500
    Store Hours:
    8am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, 9am to 9pm Sunday
    _____________________________________________

    2635 State Road 7
    Wellington Florida 33414-9372
    United States
    Phone:
    561.904.4000
    Store Hours:
    8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday, 9am to 9pm Sunday
    ________________________________________________

    Whole Foods Market
    1989 Aloma Ave
    Winter Park Florida 32792
    United States
    Phone:
    407.673.8788
    Store Hours:
    8am to 10pm seven days a week
    Map & Directions
    More info about this store

    2. See if your town or surrounding towns has a privately owned "health food store." Most towns of any size have one, and depending on the owners and size, it might have quite a lot of healthy food.

    3. Be picky and read all the labels at all the regular food stores (Winn Dixie, Food World, etc.) and you will soon find a repertoire of passable items you can eat.

    Hope this helps - message me if you have any questions.
  • arrseegee
    arrseegee Posts: 575 Member
    American bread is sweet and sugary, so if you like your Vogels or even TipTop then you're going to have to get it at organic stores. Food is cheaper in the USA but also has a lot more junk in it, so you will pay similar costs to food in NZ if you look for and stick to organic stores. I've heard from Americans that NZ supermarkets are like big organic stores anyway!
  • VoodooAborisha
    VoodooAborisha Posts: 147 Member
    Buy cheese only in Delis cos it's disgusting there in most places (sorry americans NZ is a dairy country we are dairy snobs).

    Yes, after living in Oregon where we had the Tillamook cheese factory, and in the UK where we have all the lovely stiltons and strong cheddars and things, I can't really stomach the average American cheese section in a grocery store, where it is considered exotic if they have a "mild" cheddar or even *gasp!* some blue cheese.

    I don't know if they have it in the whole foods markets in FL, but the one in Oregon had a specialty cheese section where we could get anything from British stilton to Spanish manchego. Also it's worth looking, if you are in a big city, there are sometimes specialty cheese shops, particularly if there is a large international community in town.

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