How to stay healthy at the grocery

How do you find the best foods? The healthiest?  Without reading TONS of labels?

Besides growing it yourself, or visiting a local farmers market.... the best option is to shop the perimeter of your grocery.

From my garden

Now some stores may vary, but typically the produce, breads, fresh meat and dairy are on the outside perimeter of the store.  While the overly processed, sugar, or sodium filled items are in the middle.  Including the cookies, crackers, candies etc.  

So you'll want to avoid those items and just get the fresh produce, and other essentials.  You tend to go to the store more often when getting fresher, healthier items, but its worth it. 

Once in a while I venture into the center for staples:  oatmeal, bread, noodles.  But really these options are either available in the organic section of my grocery or at a local bulk food supplier.   

We went strawberry picking last spring at a local farm. Had a Blast!

I greatly love my local bulk supplier.  I can get herbs and spices for 1/2 of what they cost at the grocery store, including flour, amish butter and cheeses, free range eggs, all my pasta needs (including spinach and wheat spaghetti).

  Eating healthier can be easy, it just takes a little organization of trips and maybe a little research.

*  Find if there's a farmer's market near you

*  See if you can get bulk supplied staples (either near  you or on the internet)

*  Aim for free-range or grass fed eggs, dairy and meat if you can.

*  Reduce how much meat you eat - Maybe cut that steak in half.  With meat prices raising, this isn't too hard. 

These options aren't all that expensive.  Some choices are even cheaper than conventional grocery selections. 

From my garden