Four tips for Healthy and Economical Food Shopping

  From day one, The Dinner Daily has focused on helping make family meals easier, healthier and more economical. A big part of that starts with your weekly trips to the grocery store, where the store displays are designed to entice you to buy, buy, buy. So how to combat those enticing forces? Here are some tips to keep in mind (maybe even write them on your shopping list!) 1) The time of day you shop DOES matter. You probably know (maybe from experience!) that you shouldn’t go to the store hungry ‘cause you’ll buy more, and researchers at Cornell University have explained it more. They found that people who food shop between 4 and 7pm tend to buy food with more calories, not necessarily more food. So, avoid the pull to less healthy foods by shopping earlier in the day, or if that doesn’t work, try to go after dinner. 2) Buy “in-season” fruits and veges. Yeah, we know those strawberries really look good in January, but they’ve likely either been flown all the way from South America, or grown in a hothouse, and they are likely more expensive and less tasty. By buying the fruits and vegetables that are in-season, you not only get fresher, healthier foods, but they are more likely to be on sale, or at a lower price than off-season foods. 3) The Good Stuff is on the Outside! You’ve no doubt noticed that if you walk around your grocery store, the fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products tend to be on the outside walls, and the packaged, processed, and canned foods are in the aisles. The more you buy from the outside, the more healthy you’ll eat. You’ll find most of the ingredients needed for The Dinner Daily menus on the outside. 4) Plan ahead and make a list! You’ve heard this one from us before, right? Well, it’s probably one of the best ways to stay on budget and eat well. Buy what you need, not what looks good at the store. The good news is that The Dinner Daily makes it easy! We give you shopping lists (and meal plans) tied to what’s on special at your store, and links to coupons! Follow these four simple tips and you’ll not only save money, but you and your family will eat better.]]>