From Perimeter to Pantry… Grocery Shopping and Kitchen Makeover 101

Jennifer Burns, RD/LD/CDE Optum Onsite Health Specialist Do you love to eat but hate to go grocery shopping?

 Stores may be crowded  Food can be expensive  The “healthy choices” may be questionable  Nutrition Facts labels can be confusing

WHAT SHOULD YOU BUY? Avoid the maze of confusion!

 Navigate through the grocery store  Identify better choices as well as items to avoid  Make simple changes to your pantry and refrigerator Virtual Grocery Store Tour

Dairy Deli/Meats

Bakery

Goods Goods

Canned Canned Canned

Baking Baking

Beverages

Pasta/Rice

Chips/Bread

Health Foods Health

Frozen Items Frozen

Cereal/

Snack Crackers Snack

Items/Condiments Produce

Checkout

Let’s identify ways to make better choices. You’ll likely discover that almost everything you need can be found in the PERIMETER!  Choose a variety of colorful Produce fresh fruits and vegetables… eat the rainbow Dairy Deli/Meats

 Look for produce that is in

season for maximum flavor

Bakery

and value

Canned Goods Canned  There are veryGoodsCanned few items to

avoid in this section

Beverages

Pasta/Rice

Chips/Bread

Health Foods Health

Cereal/Coffee

Frozen Items Frozen

Snack Crackers Snack

Produce

Baking Items/ Condiments Items/ Baking

Checkout Bakery

 Can be a tricky area of the store and difficult to pass by certain items Dairy Deli/Meats

 Breads can be deceiving because they don’t

always have the Nutrition Facts label on the

packaging Bakery

 Look for ingredients that are whole wheat

Canned Goods Canned and a label that shows higher fiber – GoodsCanned

remember that “whole grain” does not mean

Beverages

Pasta/Rice

Chips/Bread

Health Foods Health Cereal/Coffee

Frozen Items Frozen “high fiber” so be sure to look for a label or Snack Crackers Snack

ask for the information Produce  Usually the fewer the ingredients,Condiments Items/ Baking the better

the choice

Checkout Deli/Meats

Dairy Deli/Meats

 Best choices are usually fish (without

Bakery

breading) and lean meats

 Choose chicken without the skin

Canned Goods Canned Canned GoodsCanned Beverages

 Leaner red meat optionsPasta/Rice include “round”

Chips/Bread

Health Foods Health

Cereal/Coffee Frozen Items Frozen

and “sirloin” Crackers Snack Produce  Be careful of high sodiumCondiments Items/ Baking deli meats and

meats with visual fat around/throughout the

meat (marbling)Checkout Canned Goods  Items can be helpful for quick

cooking,Dairy especially canned beansDeli/Meats

 Watch out for high sodium levels -

salt is used as a preservative and

flavoring tool

Canned GoodsCanned  Look for the no added salt or low GoodsCanned

sodium versions but still read the

Beverages

Pasta/Rice

Chips/Bread

Health Foods Health

Cereal/Coffee Frozen Items Frozen labels to pick the best option Crackers Snack

(The American Heart Association recommends consuming Produce Baking Items/ Condiments Items/ Baking

less than 1500 mg of sodium daily)

Checkout “About 90% of Americans eat more sodium than is recommended for a healthy diet.”

More than 40% of the sodium we eat comes from 10 types of foods: breads/rolls, cold cuts/cured meats (deli or packaged meats), pizza, fresh and processed poultry, soups, sandwiches such as cheeseburgers, cheese, pasta dishes, meat mixed dishes such as meat loaf with tomato sauce, and snacks such as chips and pretzels Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1 tsp salt = 2300 mg sodium Snacks/Crackers

Dairy  Calories, fat, and sodium

can be concerns

Bakery

 Labels may read “no trans

fats” but can still be high

in saturated fat Goods Canned

Beverages

Pasta/Rice

Chips/Bread

Health Foods Health Cereal/Coffee

 Items Frozen Watch portion sizes Snacks/Crackers

What could you choose Condiments Items/ as Baking a healthier substitute? Pasta/Rice

 Look for higher fiber options Dairy Deli/Meats

 Good examples may include

whole wheat pasta, long

grain rice, brown rice Bakery

 Verify that it is a high fiber

Canned Goods Canned item by reading the Nutrition GoodsCanned

Facts label (high fiber is 5

Beverages

Pasta/Rice

Chips/Bread

Health Foods Health Cereal/Coffee gramsItems Frozen or more per serving)

 You can often incorporate

Produce Baking Items/ Condiments Items/ Baking these items into quick,

healthy meals but watch

portion sizes Checkout Baking Items/Condiments

Dairy  Ketchup and barbeque

sauces may have added salt

and sugars

Bakery

 Salad dressings, olives,

pickles, and marinades often

have extra sodium

Canned Goods Canned Canned GoodsCanned Beverages

 LookPasta/Rice for lower sodium options

Chips/Bread Health Foods Health and considerCrackers Snack natural flavoring

possibilities such as herbs, Produce Baking Items/ Condiments Items/ Baking lemon, or other alternatives

Remember…

Checkout 1 teaspoon of salt contains more than your entire day of sodium!

 Look for whole grain and

fiber with cereal but Bakery

remember that it may

say “whole grain” and

still contain a lot of

Canned Goods Canned Canned GoodsCanned

added sugar

Beverages

Pasta/Rice

Chips/Bread

Health Foods Health

Frozen Items Frozen Cereal/Coffee  PortionCrackers Snack sizes can be

tricky with cereal – read Produce the label and consider

using measuring cups for

Checkout accuracy Beverages

 Avoid the Deli/Meats high sugar options and

choose the sugar-free, low calorie

beverages as an alternative…or Bakery

better yet, choose WATER

 Be careful of all of the beverages Canned Goods Canned with added vitamins,GoodsCanned minerals,

and herbs…theyPasta/Rice may not be a

Beverages

Health Foods Health Frozen Items Frozen true value andCrackers Snack are often not a

healthier choice Produce  Limit daily amounts of coffee and

…opting for the decaffeinated Checkout varieties may be best 20 oz. Pepsi 8 fun size M&M packs!!! 69 gm sugar (17 tsp) 16 oz. Monster Energy 11 pieces of Laffy Taffy!!! 54 gm sugar (13.5 tsp) 15 oz. grape juice 29 Hershey Kisses!!! 72 gm sugar (18 tsp) Grande Peppermint Mocha (2% milk, no whipped cream) 6 fun size Snickers Bars!!! 52 gm sugar (13 tsp) McDonald’s Large 20 rolls of Smarties!!! Chocolate Milkshake 120 gm sugar (30 tsp) If you just “can’t” skip the chips… Chips/Bread  Choosing baked chips or trans fat free popcorn can be a way to have

Dairy your snacks Deli/Meats and eat them, too 

 Bread choices should be high fiber

for the greatest nutritional benefit

Bakery

 Consider looking for the “thins”

versions for fewer calories or make Canned Goods Canned

a sandwich with GoodsCanned half the amount of

Beverages Pasta/Rice

Chips/Bread bread

Health Foods Health

Cereal/Coffee

Frozen Items Frozen

Snack Crackers Snack

Produce

Baking Items/ Condiments Items/ Baking

Checkout “Health” Foods Dairy Deli/Meats

 The “health” food section contains a variety

of items that can be incorporated into a

healthy meal plan, but choose wisely

Bakery

 Meal replacement bars and shakes can

have the same amount of sugar and Canned Goods Canned

calories as a candy bar, soGoodsCanned be careful in

Beverages Pasta/Rice

Chips/Bread how you include them in meals or snacks

Health Foods Health

Cereal/Coffee

Frozen Items Frozen

Snack Crackers Snack

Produce

Baking Items/ Condiments Items/ Baking

Checkout  Incorporate low-fat or no-fat dairy Dairy items into your meal planning; full fat dairy is often too high in calories

Dairy and saturatedDeli/Meats fat

 Really watch sugar and calories in

items such as yogurt – considerBakery

Greek yogurt as an option

Canned Goods Canned  If you are lactoseGoodsCanned intolerant,

consider calcium-fortified soymilk or

Beverages

Pasta/Rice

Chips/Bread

Health Foods Health

Cereal/Coffee Frozen Items Frozen

other alternativesCrackers Snack

Produce

Baking Items/ Condiments Items/ Baking

Checkout 1 cup organic 10 Jolly Ranchers!!! lowfat vanilla yogurt 37 gm sugar (9 tsp)

Comparison: 1 cup Oikos vanilla Greek yogurt = 27 gm sugar (6.5 tsp) 1 cup Oikos plain Greek yogurt = 9 gm sugar (2 tsp)

Frozen Items Dairy Deli/Meats

 Frozen fruits and vegetables can be a great way

to get similar nutrients as the fresh version,

without being concerned with spoilage

Bakery

 Add to meals to increase nutritional value and to

help with quick cooking

Canned Goods Canned Canned GoodsCanned

 Be careful of added sauces to vegetables, which

Beverages

Pasta/Rice

Chips/Bread

Cereal/Coffee Frozen Items Frozen

can increase the fat and sodiumCrackers Snack content Produce  Some varieties ofCondiments Items/ Baking frozen fruit also have added

sugar – read the label

 Frozen entréesCheckout can be quick, but watch for sodium The Nuts & Bolts of Reading Labels

 Don’t be fooled by the packaging  Look at the Nutrition Facts label for regulated information Food Labels- Serving Sizes Food Labels- Calories

Watch for marketing traps! Even “gluten free” does not always mean “healthier”! Food Labels- Daily Value

The % Daily Value column was meant to be your guide, however… It is based on a 2,000 calorie diet!

Use the “5-20 Rule” Choose foods that contain 5% or less daily value of fat, sodium, cholesterol, but a 20% or more daily value of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Remember that 5% or less is LOW, but 20% or more is HIGH! Rate Your Plate… and your Pantry! Simple Strategies: From Perimeter to Pantry Plate Size

Switching from a 12-inch dinner plate to a slightly smaller 10-inch plate will cause you to automatically serve yourself as much as 28% less food

Brian Wansink, PhD Director of Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab Author of Mindless Eating

Declutter . Go from mindLESS to mindFUL! . Clean up the kitchen – put away items such as the toaster, cutting board, and knives. . Organize the pantry with better choices at eye level. . *Cluttered kitchens prompted people to eat 44% more of their snack foods than a kitchen that was organized…"Where a more organized kitchen may prompt self-control, a disorganized one does the opposite.”

(*Research conducted by Brian Wansink, Director of Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab and author of Mindless Eating)

Move healthier foods to visible spots and make tempting foods invisible and inconvenient . Only leave fruits and vegetables visible in the kitchen . Put away items such as cereal, baked goods, and chips so that they are out of visible reach. . Rearrange your cupboards/pantry /refrigerator so that the first foods you see are the healthier choices. . Move your fruits and vegetables from the crisper bins to the top shelves of your refrigerator and move the less healthy foods to the crisper. GOAL – Eat these foods rather than letting them spoil!

Don’t buy bulk packages of food . People tend to eat larger portions from bigger packages than the smaller ones. . Consider repackaging bigger boxes into smaller, single-serve portions and use smaller bowls, plates, and drinking glasses.

Minimize empty-calorie foods and replace with great tasting healthier alternatives . Limit items such as sweetened , chips, cakes, cookies, pastries, candy, crackers, and snack bars. . Replace with better options such as beans, lean meats, oats, brown rice, whole food options, fruits, and vegetables.

Make your kitchen less friendly as a “hang out” . Eliminate TVs, computers, tablets, and comfortable chairs from the kitchen area. . Spending more time in the kitchen and including other activities while eating tends to promote mindless eating habits. . Set yourself up for success!

Serve food from the counter or the stove . You tend to eat less when you serve food from the counter area instead of bowls on the table…out of sight, out of mind!

Reminders:  Shop the perimeter  Take a list with you  Read food labels  Remember simple kitchen strategies  Use coupons and shop in season to help save money  Write down tips to help you from perimeter to pantry Now it’s time to do some SMART SHOPPING… from perimeter to pantry!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES… www.mcbenefits.org