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/Coffee
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! Cereals
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
tea…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 Drink 11 pieces of Laffy Taffy!!! 54 gm sugar (13.5 tsp) 15 oz. grape juice 29 Hershey Kisses!!! 72 gm sugar (18 tsp) Starbucks 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 drinks, 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