A well-planned grocery list can make your trip to the supermarket more efficient and also help you maintain a healthy eating plan. Read on to learn more about creating a diabetes-friendly grocery list.
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Tips for planning your trip to the grocery store
Check out these tips to ensure you buy the healthiest foods at your supermarket:
- Always make a grocery list. This will help you stay focused and avoid making impulse purchases of less-healthy foods.
- Do some meal planning in advance. You may not know every single meal you’re going to make in the coming week or two, but you can plan a number of dishes and ensure that you purchase the ingredients needed to make them. Print out our weekly meal planner to get started.
- Shop the edges of the store first. Most grocery stores have fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as fresh meats, along the perimeter. Less-healthy packaged foods are in the interior aisles.
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Tips for diabetes-friendly food choices
- Choose leaner proteins (chicken and fish) more often, instead of pork or beef, which contain more fat.
- If you buy red meat, choose leaner cuts with very little marbling.
- Choose non-starchy vegetables (spinach, broccoli, asparagus and beans) more often instead of starchier ones (corn, peas and squash).
- When possible, buy fruits and vegetables that are in season and locally grown. They taste better and cost less.
- Choose whole grains whenever possible when buying bread. Look for the words “100% whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” on the label.
- Buy cereals and cereal bars that are high in fibre and low in sugar.
- Check the label to see how much sodium is in canned vegetables and soups. Look for lower-sodium varieties.
- When buying canned fruits, choose brands that are packed in juice rather than syrup.
- Buy frozen vegetables to add to soups, casseroles and stews.
Diabetes-friendly grocery list
Print this handy diabetes-friendly grocery list before your next trip to the supermarket. It will help you make healthy choices for diabetes-friendly meals.
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Navigating the grocery store for best health
Joanne Lewis, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator, has written a series of articles for Diabetes Care Community to help you make healthy food choices while grocery shopping. All of these articles are conveniently located in the Navigate Grocery Store section.
