1. Never shop on an empty stomach. We’ve all gone to the grocery store hungry and come home with bags full of food we wouldn’t normally buy. Plan your trips to the supermarket in advance and make sure you have time to eat before shopping.
  2. Always have a list, and stick to it. Never go to the store without a list, or you’ll be tempted to buy whatever looks good.  
  3. Do most of your grocery shopping around the perimeter of the store. This is where you’ll find your fresh produce, meat, and most healthy food. As much as possible, steer clear of the center aisles — which contain mostly processed foods.
  4. Make a habit of reading ingredients. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, or it doesn’t sound like food, leave the product on the shelf. Avoid foods with artificial ingredients and additives like high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and hydrogenated oils. Most healthy foods — like fresh fruits and vegetables — don’t even have labels.
  5. Beware of product packaging. Remember that food manufacturers are in business to sell products, and their packaging can be misleading. While there are certain rules that dictate what manufacturers can and can’t put on their packaging, not everything is regulated, and some labels can be misleading. The term all natural isn’t defined by the FDA, and words like multigrain or light may not always mean what you think they mean. Also watch out for descriptions like no sugar added, lightly sweetened, or made with real fruit, which may be open to interpretation.
  6. Consider single-serving packages of veggies, bagged salads, or pre-cut fruits and veggies. If conveniences like these get you and your family to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, then they’re worth the extra expense.
  7. Give yourself a time limit for going up and down the middle aisles. If you do not have anything on your list for that aisle, skip it.
  8. Buy nothing at the checkout line. All those items are for impulse shoppers!