Healthy eating starts at the store.  You need to think about the healthy lifestyle you are trying to live while you are grocery shopping.  One key tip is to not shop hungry.  If you don’t eat before you go to the store, you are going to end up buying a bunch of snacks you don’t need.  Another thing to do is to avoid parts of the store altogether.  Here are three aisles you should avoid while grocery shopping for a healthy lifestyle.

1. Candy

This one is pretty obvious.  Candy is empty calories.  Sugar is bad for your teeth and doesn’t give you lasting energy.  It is the last thing you want to be eating if you are trying to be healthier.  Not going down the candy aisle while grocery shopping can help you avoid the temptation of your favorite sweet treat.  Instead, trying to grab some sugar-free gum up by the cash registers.  While consistent gum chewing can be bad for your jaw, it’s not a bad replacement for candy when you are trying to live a healthy lifestyle.  Gum helps subdue hunger while only being a few calories.  It’s really a win-win when it comes to healthy eating.

2. Soda and sugary drinks

Another isle in the grocery store to avoid is the soda aisle.  Soda is just liquid sugar.  Like candy, it’s bad for your teeth. Any drink with a high sugar content will just make you thirstier, defeating the purpose of drinking them in the first place.  If you are counting calories as part of your healthy lifestyle, soda is the last thing you want to have around.  It adds so many useless calories to your daily intake without even being a solid food. 

Staying hydrated is an important part of healthy eating.  Drinking water is the best for hydration and for your overall health.  If you are used to drinking soda and need caffeine, coffee is much better for you.  Black coffee has few calories and no sugar.  Water is still your best option, though.  If you are looking for a more eco-friendly solution, buy a pitcher that filters water to keep in your fridge rather than plastic, disposable bottles.

3. Frozen foods

Ice cream and other sweet frozen treats should be avoided for the same reasons as sugar and soda.  There are many other frozen foods that shouldn’t be part of a healthy lifestyle as well.  Any type of frozen fried food like mozzarella sticks or pizza rolls is full of preservatives, as are many frozen dinners.  Frozen fruits and vegetables are obviously fine for healthy eating, but beyond that, stay away from the freezers next time you go grocery shopping.

Tired of trying to find healthy foods in a store?

If grocery shopping always leads to you buying popsicles, maybe you should consider a delivery meal plan to kickstart your healthy eating.  Z.E.N. Foods has a variety of delicious meal plans that can be delivered daily right to your door.  They offer everything from vegetarian options to juice cleanses and weight loss plans.  Z.E.N. stands for zero effort nutrition, and it really does take zero effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle on one of their meal plans.  Simply eat the food they provide for you – it’s that easy.  No more grocery shopping; no more wondering if what you are eating is the best for your diet.  Call Z.E.N. Foods today at (310) 205-9368 to order a plan or learn more.