Grocery store dysfunction
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No one knows better than ourselves, what will ultimately work for each of us and be maintainable.
I can not possibly speak for what will work for anyone else.
However, I can tell you what worked, and is still working for me.
Shop for, prepare, and eat what you like. You want a plan that will take from loss through maintenance, and for me that means eating what I enjoy. I lost over half of my current body weight and have kept it off for over 2-1/2 years, eating and drinking the foods I like.
To lose weight, eat less calories than you burn. Weigh, measure and log, every, single thing that you eat and drink and stay within your calorie limit for the day, consistently.
To maintain your weight loss, same principle, except eat @ your maintenance calories.
Sustainability, is key in long term success. What better way to prepare for maintenance than to, learn portion control from the beginning with the food that will help you maintain long term weight loss.
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CattOfTheGarage wrote: »What's all this about "perimeter" and "centre aisles"? Do American supermarkets have standardised aisle layouts or something? They're all different here.
Kinda yeah. And as someone else said, separating it into perishable/non-perishable is a better way of putting it. The perimeters have all the fridges for the dairy and proteins and produce. The inner aisles have all the non perishables and household products. But where everything goes other than that isn't standard.
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Since you have been on so many diets chances are your head is filled with a long list of "forbidden". I'm going to suggest that all the foods are back on the table and you are going to work at portioning out appropriately.
You want not to overdo it on simple carbs so first of all fill your cart with the proteins you will be having at dinner. Those could be tofu, beans and legumes of all kinds, chicken, beef, pork, fish and eggs.
Second make sure you have enough starchy sides to go with; pasta, rice, potato.
Finally fill up with lots of greens and veggies for salad and snacking. Frozen veggies too.
Fruit for snacking.
Buy the fruits and vegetables that are appealing and in season.
You can save meal planning at lunch by eating leftovers. Perhaps have soup and wraps handy to round out lunch.
Get your favourite breakfast whether it is eggs, hot or cold cereal, pancakes, or huevos rancheros.
Sure fill in with your favourite snacks but buy these last after everything else.5 -
That's weird about the supermarket aisles, ours are not arranged like that at all. Fresh fruit and veg usually has a big open area somewhere, but apart from that things can be anywhere. Fridges and freezers are as likely to be in the middle as the edges. The bakery, deli etc are usually at the edge as they need access to the back shop, but otherwise there are no rules.2
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PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »If you aren't following any of those plans now, none of that matters. Buy enough protein and veggies (ones you like), bread, condiments, and cereal if you eat them, and maybe some kind of treat, then go home, log onto MFP and start playing food tetris.
sorry but 'food tetris' wins the message board! I do this too, shuffling things around to hit macros/cals.
I can see MFP in the distant future adding suggestions or a Food Wizard to help us plug holes.0 -
There's no need to worry about silly things like shopping the perimeter, as there are things that are fine to buy throughout the store (and my store has the bakery and soda on the perimeter, among other things, so what that means depends on the store).
I'd say just have a plan before you go. Make a list if that helps. I always go into the store planning to buy specific things (or for fruit and veg, maybe whatever looks best or catches my fancy) and don't even look at anything else. I pride myself on being a super efficient shopper. From your first post it sounds more like the issue is not knowing what you want to buy, so thinking through what you want to cook and have on hand for snacks (if you snack) is the first step.3 -
I use online grocery shopping which is brilliant as I can add to it through the week, from my phone or laptop, all nutritional info is right there on the product page, no need to peer at the label in-store. No loss-leaders and stacks of chocolates by the checkouts where they have you captive! It's so conducive to healthy living (apart from losing the exercise lugging the bags to the car).3
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CattOfTheGarage wrote: »That's weird about the supermarket aisles, ours are not arranged like that at all. Fresh fruit and veg usually has a big open area somewhere, but apart from that things can be anywhere. Fridges and freezers are as likely to be in the middle as the edges. The bakery, deli etc are usually at the edge as they need access to the back shop, but otherwise there are no rules.
Yeah -- the refrigerator in mine is on the side, as is the bakery and deli and meat and cheese area and soda and a bunch of misc pharmacy things since it's a pharmacy too. Fruit and veg (and tubers) are in a big open area that's kind of in the middle. The frozen section (including both ice cream, frozen meals and pizza, but also lots and lots of frozen vegetables) are in the middle. Canned goods, including canned tomatoes (which I use a lot when tomatoes are not in season) are in the middle. Whole grains and dried things are in the middle. I really hate this idea that you should avoid the middle -- among other things, it assumes people can't come into a store with a plan or use their own good sense and logic to decide what they want to buy. Ugh!
I mostly buy meat elsewhere (farm or meat market or fish shop) and get vegetables and fruit from a CSA or green market when they are in season, so when I run into the grocery store I look to see if there are any fruits and veg I want to bulk up my supply with and then go to the middle to get things like oatmeal and pasta and pepperoncini and canned tomatoes and maybe some ice cream. Guess I don't shop right! ;-)3 -
I second the point about getting some recipes that you like and cooking to those. I always have a list based on what I am preparing for dinners that week, and whats on sale from the recent flyers (they come out on Thursday - today!) I only concern myself with dinners as I use leftovers for my lunches, which I take to work 99% of the time. Unless our son visits and grazes the fridge, then I have to rethink my strategy!! Lots of chicken breasts and thighs, extra lean ground beef, pork tenderloin; lots of veggies - I always have mushrooms, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and either broccoli or cauliflower on hand as they are so versatile. I have learned what snacks I enjoy and that I can fit into my calorie budget, and I only buy those, like no sugar added jello puddings, rice krispie treats, special k cracker chips - without those little perks, I know I would have caved in to cravings months ago, and not been as successful in this weight loss adventure as I have been. People are now asking me how I lost so much weight (over 80lbs), and I have no trouble saying that I stopped eating too much. The look on their faces is priceless. Oh, I guess that went a little off topic.....................2
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PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »If you aren't following any of those plans now, none of that matters. Buy enough protein and veggies (ones you like), bread, condiments, and cereal if you eat them, and maybe some kind of treat, then go home, log onto MFP and start playing food tetris.
sorry but 'food tetris' wins the message board! I do this too, shuffling things around to hit macros/cals.
I can see MFP in the distant future adding suggestions or a Food Wizard to help us plug holes.
Filling in the gaps is my favorite. "Don't have any more nutritional goals to meet for the day, but there's this two-block gap in my calories..." *inserts ice cream sandwich* PEW PEW PEW!!! KABOOM!7 -
I log my dinner first thing in the morning, save back about 100 calories for a nighttime snack (not always needed) and go from there. If I want some M&Ms, I have to have room for them.2
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Thanks this was so helpful
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Lots of great advice!
Here's my routine:
1) quick check of flyers for sale items on foods I like (fruits,veggies, lean meats) on Thursday.
2) I decide what meals I am going to make during the week on Friday.
3) Saturday, I run to my 2 fave markets with food list on phone. When I get home, I cook a batch or 2 of meals, logging them in MFP recipes. Then I portion out my meals into Tupperware.
4) on Sunday, I cook a roast or chicken breasts for sandwich meat and to put into my salads.
I love being able to get up at 5 to head for gym and I can just grab the containers out of fridge.2 -
sparklyglitterbomb wrote: »I tend to mostly shop the perimeter: produce, meats, seafood, dairy. I occasionally wander to the frozen veggie section to pick up things to have on hand.
And like seska422 said: make a list.
Agreed! And I only go into the inner isles for tea, coffee and nuts.0 -
I plan my meal and make a list.
Also don't buy into the 'low carb' or 'gluten free' fads. Just eat less food.3 -
I'm new here , I'm 30 pounds over weight . I'm over whelmed , im trying to use this for the first time the only thing that has worked for me is a eating 12 steps . I have had some great issues I need to be secure to think other programs and my own accountability will work or I feel doomed . Being honest0
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I agree with having a plan before you go. If you're having issues with fad diet rules, then shopping the perimeter isn't going to be a good approach either. It's just another arbitrary "clean" eating food rule that doesn't mean much and can be thrown on the pile of confusion. All of the breads, legumes, pastas, vinegars, and various staples are in the center aisles of most stores, and no reason to give up any of those things.
Just find a couple of recipes that sound good for the week, and go shop for those things. Look for what's on sale and maybe that will help inspire you, too.
Having a plan is 3/4th of the battle, especially if you do it for the whole week. I know by Friday evening exactly what I'm having for breakfast, lunch, and dinner the following week, shop for the necessary items on Saturday, and do cooking and prep on Sunday. Then I just prelog everything for the week and I'm good to go. No muss, no fuss.
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natalia50ish2014 wrote: »I have been on so many different diets , no carbs, low carbs, pale, gluten free etc so now when I go in the grocery store I don't know what to buy or do from years of dysfunctional eating. Any suggestions on how to shop functionally instead of dysfunctional?
I'm not sure what you mean by dysfunctional shopping. There are no special foods necessary to weight loss, all that is required to lose weight is a calorie deficit.
Pre-plan what foods you would like to eat for the week and buy them, just eat less of them.
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Wynterbourne wrote: »CattOfTheGarage wrote: »What's all this about "perimeter" and "centre aisles"? Do American supermarkets have standardised aisle layouts or something? They're all different here.
Officially, no, but I'd say 99% of markets I've seen will have produce, fruits, vegetables, dairy and meats around the outside walls and canned and boxed goods in the center. So in other words, most American markets have fresh foods on the outside perimeter and processed foods in the middle.
And this.0 -
natalia50ish2014 wrote: »I have been on so many different diets , no carbs, low carbs, pale, gluten free etc so now when I go in the grocery store I don't know what to buy or do from years of dysfunctional eating. Any suggestions on how to shop functionally instead of dysfunctional?
I'm not sure what you mean by dysfunctional shopping. There are no special foods necessary to weight loss, all that is required to lose weight is a calorie deficit.
Pre-plan what foods you would like to eat for the week and buy them, just eat less of them.
I read "dysfunctional shopping" as not being able to match content of shopping cart with what you (need to make the meals you) want to eat. I struggled with this for years, probably for much of the same reasons the OP does; even though I've just been on slightly restrictive low fat diets, I felt compelled to shop for certain foods and shun all the others. I didn't know what to do with lots of the ingredients I bought, or I didn't want to eat/use them once they were placed in my fridge, so I ate junk food and readymeals instead, and had weekly garbage routines which consisted of emptying fridge of rotten produce
Meal planning with focus on letting myself eat whatever the hell I want, that also makes me feel good, and writing and following shopping lists to make that plan turn into reality - yeah, that is functional shopping
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You need a routine. That makes shopping and cooking easier, and it is much better for your calorie budget AND your financial budget.
You need to meal plan, shop for that plan, and stay out of food stores when you don't have a plan and a list.
I shop Saturday mornings - get it all out of the way. (You can, obviously, pick any time. But try to make it regular to build the habit).
The night before, I sit down with a notebook and the family calendar. I list the days of the upcoming week on a sheet of paper and i note what activities family members have that might affect dinner (late day at work means not wanting to cook, an event at school means we have to eat early).
I put a meal in every slot. Not a "recipe" meal every night, but "what will we eat?"
This lets me balance the meals across the week. I spread out meat vs. meatless, richer food vs. plainer food, etc.
I plan for leftovers at this point: If we're having grilled pork tenderloin, I plan to grill extra chicken breasts to be eaten cold, on salad, in another meal. I also plan to cook extra to set aside for lunches - make enough soup to take a cup to lunch a few times.
I write down all the things I need for that list of meals. Then I add all the non-planned meals. We each eat one or two possible breakfasts, so I add that. The kids have a standard packed lunch of sandwich, apple, etc, so I add that.
(I put the whole list into the handy app my grocery store has, which sorts it by aisle and shows me how much it will cost, but that's a totally optional step).
I go to the grocery store with my notebook and buy ONLY what is on the list.
IF I see an awesome deal or some seasonal thing I forgot about? I might swap it out - but I write down on my list what I have done and what meal it is replacing. ("Found fresh ripe figs! Make tomato-fig salad in place of caprese.")
You don't have to put the meals to specific days, but you really need to shop with specific meals in mind. There have been times when I jsut made a list of "here are 7 meals" and we'd pick off the list until they were gone. But having an order allows you to plan for leftovers.4 -
OP's post is 2.5 months old. She's probably got it figured out by now, although I'd be interested in a report back if she's around.
It's funny--I've never thought of shopping as something stressful or difficult and I never even notice the items I am not planning to buy. I kind of hate shopping, so with everything (this is really helpful for Christmas shopping!) I tend to go in with a plan and buy only what I want and not wander through the aisles. (I also shop frequently and use a basket, not a cart, as I have to carry everything home on foot.) I pop in, check out if there's anything I want to supplement my fruits and veg with, grab whatever it is I came in for (sometimes a list of things) and get out of there as fast as possible. Some of the stuff I want is on the perimeter (the fruits and veg aren't, in their own section instead in my mainstream grocery), some is not, almost every time. Wandering around either wouldn't necessarily help me out and, of course, writing off one whole section of the grocery store as off limits would not be useful. I find those "tips" about how to shop weird and entirely unhelpful.0 -
I’m prone to picking up anything and everything that sounds good at the moment, and end up with a cart full of stuff that doesn’t go together to form actual meals, or doesn’t fit into my calorie/macros goals at all. I have to plan my meals ahead of time and have a list of everything I need to complete the recipes I plan to make that week. I’ve also found online grocery shopping very helpful for me. I can have my grocery list written out, go to our grocery store’s website, type in everything on that list and schedule a time to pick it all up – thus avoiding all the “afterthought” impulse buys and keeping my groceries full of stuff I need for the food I have planned and accounted for, and keeping me under budget for food. This has made a huge difference in how I eat. I’m not depriving myself of particular foods (we still get what some might consider “junk” from those pesky inner-aisles), but it helps me to stick to planning and keeping to my meals for the week. If you have the option to do this, I’d give it a shot and see if it makes it easier for you!0
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Peapod. Its like MFP food tetris, on the supply side0
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Typically, I'll go to the grocery store to do some research. I'll look at the things that I'd like to eat, their calories per serving, and the number of servings per container. I'll build my meal plan around that, and then I'll know the exact number that I have to buy for the week. I go back to the store, buy that and only that. And boom, I have my whole week set. I'm creeping up on week 2 of this method and so far so good. Plan on doing it again for my 3rd week.0
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Wynterbourne wrote: »I second the 'Never shop on an empty stomach.' I almost always eat before shopping. Easier to stick to a list if you're full.
Note this advice doesn't work for the liquor store - never go to a liquor store drunk.5 -
Hello,
Maybe Pick out a few recipes for the week...
Example "On Thursday I am going to make chicken stir fry and then Friday or Saturday I can do leftovers"
"On Sunday I will do Lasagna"
Just examples of course, sticking to the CICO (calories in calories out) pick the recipe meals that you enjoy most and you'll find weight loss to be a walk in the park!0 -
Keep in mind that the stores adapt to our shifting demands too. Two local major chains renovated to put their produce section right at the front entrance.
Two aisles I will browse for new products are the international aisle full of Asian delights (I discovered dried mushrooms and chickpeas in bulk), and the Organic/Gluten free aisle. That's where I found Glutino wafer cookies and rye flour.
I notice the prepared cereal aisle is shrinking; my guess from reduced demand. The yogurt section has exploded with choices.0 -
Meal planning is key!! I make my lunches for the week on Sundays (lettuce mix, 4 oz protein, seeds or nuts & fruit). Dinners are steak/fish/pork/shrimp/chicken with green veggie broccoli/green beans/asaparagus and a small side of brown rice/beans/pasta. And snacks of greek yogurt/fruit/hummus. I try to vary the recipies, but the basics and the shopping list are the same week after week.1
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Keep in mind that the stores adapt to our shifting demands too. Two local major chains renovated to put their produce section right at the front entrance.
Every store I go to has produce at the entrance, and have as long as I can remember.
The store we went to as a kid had lots of entrances, so that wasn't the case (it depended on which entrance you used, which depended on where you parked), but I think it would have been hard to miss the produce anyway -- my mom always went there first.
I never impulse buy at a grocery store and I don't even go into most of the aisles (I go into a number of them, because it's simply ridiculous to claim that we should avoid them -- there's lots of non "junk" stuff there even if one avoids "junk"). Thus, I couldn't tell you whether the amount of cold cereal has increased or shrunk. (I am sure the type of neighborhood makes a difference too.) The varieties of ice cream have increased a lot, I know -- lots more small brands and more non-dairy.0
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