For all the moms, hostelites, working professionals, freelancers or for that matter single men and women out there, life doesn't fit into neat little routine blocks, does it?
After all, time saved is time earned! And who wants to spend hours and hours doing mundane chores at home and then heading to the supermarket to shop for the coming week. But, when it comes to shopping for healthy food items one does not need to compromise on quality. So we thought, why don't we put together our top 10 tips which will help you shop in 10 minutes or less, without compromising on the nutritious front. Game? Read on!
Prepare a grocery list for one entire week's meals. This will save you from making multiple trips to the grocery store and will also help you in making sure you buy only what you need.
Stick to your grocery list. With new health items hitting the market every second day, you could be in that store for a long time. Keep a list handy, tick items as you buy them, and you're out in a jiffy.
In order to stock healthy fast food at home, compartmentalise your shopping list in a way that all the food items are written under a separate column focusing on the perimeter of the store. Based on your neighbourhood supermarket's isles system, divide your shopping list.
Once a month, when you have ample time for food shopping in your hands, go for bulk shopping, if possible. Basic stapes such as tomato ketchup, flour, chilli sauces, oregano, rice, pasta and so on should be bought in bulk.
Avoid depending on 2-minute processed snacks. Instead opt for a variety of sauces, herbs (both fresh and dry), and fruits (both fresh and dry). Replace buying too much of tinned, processed foods with fresh homemade pastes and whole wheat products.
Stock your kitchen with easy-to-find healthy food items in order to maximize health benefits. Go for cheeses labelled as fat-free or reduced-fat, products with zero gram trans fat and whole grain stamp items. Fat free milk or low fat milk and products which say 'low in saturated fat and cholesterol' are good choices.
Avoid shopping right after work as busy evenings mean crowded stores. Try shopping over weekends.
Do eat a protein rich snack such as almonds or peanuts or a whole fruit before shopping. This way you'll avoid mindless bingeing while shopping.
Get your choices right. Select wisely when you are shopping and don't give in to the temptation. Choose a burger which is made of 100% whole grain bread instead of the white bread option. Go for low-fat dressings or better still just take ingredients such as lemon, parsley, honey, chilli flakes, mixed herbs, vinegar, soya sauce and prepare your own homemade hygienic dressing.
Tell your friend who shares your fitness routine or weight loss goal to accompany you. This will help you stick to your healthy weight management goals without getting distracted or tempted.
