When I opened my refrigerator this morning something seemed different. And it didn’t take me too long to figure it out.
It was empty.
So as my stomach started to grumble, I realized it was time to visit my second home in Gainesville: Publix.
Grocery shopping can be dangerous for two reasons. First, it is hard to say no to my junk food favorites as I pass them on the aisles. Second, I never know exactly how much my 30-minute outing is going to cost me.
But now I have a routine and tricks that help me avoid seeing fatty foods all together.
When I first started grocery shopping on my own it was a huge production. Sometimes I would even spend more than an hour walking up and down each aisle, contemplating to myself, “Buy the cookie dough? Don’t buy the cookie dough?”
Thankfully, those days are gone. Today, I am in and out of the grocery store in 30 minutes tops.
Before I leave my apartment, I make a list that includes only the week’s essentials. This helps me navigate the store quickly, and I leave knowing I didn’t forget anything. We’ve all done it. You get home from the store and five minutes later you realize you forgot an essential ingredient for your planned dinner.
If I don’t stray from my list I also save money at the checkout counter, which is always a plus. After all, I’m still a college student.
Once I’m at the store, I avoid the aisles. A lot of the food in the aisles is fatty, processed food. The perimeter of the store is where you find the fresh fruit, produce, milk and cheese. Shopping the perimeter of the store first helps me avoid the chips and cookies. I only walk down an aisle if I need something specific, such as cereal.
By now, I have my grocery shopping down to a science. I buy almost the same thing every week, with a few variations.
Here are some things my weekly shopping list includes:
- deli turkey
- three different fruits: bananas, watermelon and apples
- hummus
- reduced-fat wheat thins (great with hummus for a delicious snack)
- two meats: chicken cutlets and ground turkey
- skim milk
- cereal
- laughing cow cheese
- eggs
- Thomas bagel thins (only 110 calories each!)
- broccoli
- salad essentials (lettuce, tomato, carrots, cucumber)
One thing I have learned throughout college is that eating healthy isn’t cheap. My weekly grocery bill is about $60, but I think eating healthy is worth it. What’s on your grocery list?