By Brittany Sinensky
In 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) introduced MyPlate, a visual food guidance system illustrating the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthful diet: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy. It is any easy-to-understand tool that kids, adults and families can use together to create healthy, balanced meals and snacks. Before our food makes it to our plate, however, it first needs to be purchased from the grocery store so that it is available for cooking and meal preparation at home. So, that is why we are going to let you in on a little secret – making healthy food choices actually starts in the cart!
Making the right decisions about what to put in your shopping cart, basket, or environmentally-friendly reusable bag will make it easier to ensure you are putting the most nutritious items on your plate and, ultimately, into your body. It is understandable that this sounds like an “easier-said-than-done” scenario, especially when the kids, pets or other family members are making the trip to the grocery store with you. That is why we have provided 5 useful tips below to help you make the right choices:
- Go in with a plan – Write a list to make sure you have items from each food group in similar proportions to MyPlate. This will help you not only choose the right foods, but save money and time as well.
- Don’t fret if the plan doesn’t happen – Instead, “eyeball” your cart and think about whether the items you have selected are in the same general proportion as the items on MyPlate. Ask yourself – is a quarter of my cart filled with each food group? Is there a low-fat source of dairy?
- Stick to the perimeters, but use discretion – All of the items on MyPlate can be found on the outside perimeter of the grocery store, except for grains. Therefore, your trips into the middle aisles should be limited. Also, just because a food is being sold in the perimeter of the store doesn’t mean it deserves a place in your cart.
- Learn how to read and use food labels to your advantage – Food labels tell us a lot about what is in a product. For example, look for whole wheat, oats, brown rice, quinoa or other whole grains as the first item in the ingredient list to ensure you are getting a whole grain product.
- Be realistic and give yourself leeway – Putting a box of 100-calorie Klondike bars in your cart is a better alternative than depriving yourself in the store and then splurging on an extra large ice cream cone from Mr. Softee later. At least the former is portion controlled – an important part of MyPlate!
Brittany Sinensky was an intern with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program during the Summer of 2013 and is currently a Dietetic Intern at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. She grew up on Long Island and received her BS in Nutrition from C.W. Post, Long Island University in September 2012.