Food shopping can be an expensive bill for a family. The average family of four spends over $750 a month on food for their family. It is a crazy amount which is leading families to be broke for the rest of the month. The common reason is that they are buying too much junk food. They are taken in by well-branded products which often can be expensive and unhealthy for your family. Therefore, you need to cut these choices and make healthy decisions. Before you go food shopping for the family, read this first to keep them healthy.
Plan in advance before you hit the store
It’s so easy to head to the store without writing a list of items you need. But that means you are often picking up food without considering what exactly you are going to make with it and how healthy it is. Therefore, to keep your family healthy, you should write down a plan of exactly what you need before you hit the store. Find some recipes for the next week which are nutritious and healthy for your family. You can then write down the specific ingredients you will need to create the dish. That way, you won’t stray to other items that aren’t necessary. Planning before you go will also mean you will spend less grocery shopping!
Buy real fruit and vegetables
You will be surprised how many people buy frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables for their family. They are a lot more convenient to make and last a lot longer than fresh choices. However, they are taking away the natural goodness that you get in fresh fruit and vegetables. They are often packed full of additional ingredients that aren’t healthy in the slightest. Therefore, you should always buy real fruit and vegetables to keep your family healthy. You can often make a lot more by buying them fresh too. For example, a fresh potato, which is a good source of potassium and vitamin C, can be baked, mashed or roasted. If you just buy a packet of instant mash, you won’t get all these options!
Make sure you don’t buy too much frozen food
Frozen food is an appealing option for moms. They can last ages in the freezer, and you can just take them out and use them when necessary. However, they are often unhealthy choices that could see your kids putting on weight. Therefore, you should ensure you are checking out the packets before making any purchases. That way, you can check the ingredients and make sure it’s a healthy choice for your family. Frozen pizza, for example, can often be full of additives, chemicals, and preservatives. Therefore, you should just make a fresh pizza which won’t take long. The kids can choose their toppings, and that way, you can control what’s going on the pizza.
Check the dates
It’s so essential that you check the dates of the food that you are buying. You don’t want to buy an item then when you cook it, you find it has gone rotten. Your child will get very ill if they consume it. Therefore, to keep your kids healthy, always buy food that has a long date. You will normally find bread and eggs with better dates near the back. After all, grocers want the ones that will be going off soonest to leave the store first. Then you need to make a note of the date so that you know when it needs to be thrown out. That way, it will stop you cooking something which went off days ago and will make your kids poorly!
Check non-branded items
You might be surprised to know that often the more expensive branded products can be unhealthy options. Therefore, don’t rule out buying the supermarket’s own brand when it comes to your food choices. Just make sure you check the fat and salt contents on the back of the item and then you can make a decision. If the brand is one you have never heard of before, you could always read about it quickly online to ensure it’s a good make. You will also save a lot of money by being flexible with your brand choices. And as this article says, they often taste just as good as their counterparts!
Make sure you check online for issues
It’s so important that you check online for issues on certain products. For example, there may be products that are making people unwell. Although they have hopefully been removed by the store already, at least you are aware so you don’t pick up these products. You should also keep your receipt safe after you have been shopping. That way, if something is recalled, you can take it back quickly to keep your family safe. You can learn from Unsafe Foods and other sites about current recalls and outbreaks.
Go when you have eaten
To keep your family healthy, you should always eat something before you go shopping. It will ensure you don’t make bad decisions as you are starving. If you are taking the kids with you, you need to make sure they aren’t hungry as well. By all being full, you won’t pick up junk food such as crisps and sweets as you are hungry.
Stick to fruit juices rather than soda
It’s so easy to head down the fizzy drinks aisle and pick up some form of soda. After all, the kids will be asking for it! But sofa is full of high sugar, and caffeine which dehydrates the body and can cause plaque to build up on teeth. Head towards the fruit juice aisle instead where there are so many delicious ones to try. Make sure it’s pure fruit juice though to keep your family healthy. I talked previously about a great organic fruit juice that my kid loves.
You need also to ensure any foods you buy are 100% real if you want to keep your family healthy. Therefore, you can avoid artificial ingredients which could be making your family unhealthy. As this feature reveals, you can always add salt or sugar yourself if necessary!
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