Feb 25, 2016 | By Tim Powers

5 Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping in Recovery

Recovery

5 Tips for Shopping in Recovery

It seems like we have a ton of shit we need take into account when building up and maintaining our healthy recovery-based lifestyle. As we transition from the safe confines of drug treatment to the daily grind, we put into practice the life and coping skills we learned while in treatment and we put into play the relapse prevention techniques that will keep the nasties of relapse at bay.

Much like riding a bike, we may stumble out of gate trying to incorporate these new found skills into our daily routines. Over time, these skills become second nature and we become more comfortable with living our sober life. There is no doubt that it takes a substantial amount of elbow grease and inner fortitude to actively practice our recovery, but there are some things that can continually drive us mad even though we know it is for our own good–like grocery shopping.

What a minute, what does grocery shopping have to do with our recovery?

If you think about it for a hot minute, grocery shopping and recovery have obvious connections. The most obvious connection is that we in recovery are buying food items that are healthy and provide the nutrients and sustenance we need to keep our bodies and minds thoroughly nourished and kept in optimal working order.

Secondly, since we are shopping healthier and more aware of our food choices, we are shopping with a purpose and not throwing our hard-earned scratch to and fro–and proper money management is another important life skill that is integral to our recovery. Thirdly, healthy grocery shopping in recovery can help us cultivate patience. Let’s face it, grocery shopping can be a pain–navigating wayward toddlers with chocolate smears on their face while trying to steer shopping carts with bum wheels – you get the picture.

So, how do we shop smart, shop healthy and keep both our sanity and wallets intact? The following are 5 tips you can use for healthy grocery shopping in recovery.

Tip #1: Focus on the Perimeter

Perimeter

The next time you visit the grocery store, pay close attention to how it is laid out. Don’t take a shopping cart–just take a stroll (well ok, maybe a sample or two won’t hurt). If you pay close attention, your grocery store’s layout is custom made for healthy shopping. The healthiest food choices can be found on the perimeter, and here you will find nutrient-dense food items such as produce, fresh meat, fish and dairy.

When you shop, shop with a purpose. Concentrate your shopping in this perimeter and try to limit the time you spend in those aisles where the  shelf stable foods and junk foods live. These foods are highly processed, full of sugars, salt and other additives that will rob your body of its vitality.

Tip #2: Shop With A Purpose

pyramid

Grocery shopping isn’t just throwing random items in your cart. Healthy grocery shopping in recovery requires an understanding of what food types have priority. There is a “hierarchy” of food groups those in recovery need to take into consideration when they shop for food. The next time you shop, get into the flow by shopping the store in the following order:

  • Produce— fruits and vegetables have the highest density of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Spend most of your time here.
  • Bread, Cereals and Pasta—Choose whole grains in these areas, and look for items with reduced sugar.
  • Meat, Fish and Poultry–when it comes to meat, buy lean!  You also want to stock up on healthy fish such as tuna and salmon since they are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Dairy—dairy products are great sources for calcium and vitamin D.
  • Frozen Foods—Frozen foods are great to stock up on, especially in the winter months. In this section you can find healthy food items such as whole grain waffles and 100 percent juice concentrates
  • Canned and Dried Foods—If you need canned items, focus on canned vegetables, beans, and fruits. You also want to focus on buying those items that have little or no salt.

Tip #3: Be Smart and Plan Ahead

shopping list

The smartest way to grocery shop is to plan out your meals for the week. Once you have created your weekly menu, create your shopping list. This may be time consuming, but it will save you from running back to the store to buy those items you forgot–remember about saving money? Another important tip to keep in mind for healthy grocery shopping in recovery is to never  shop when you are hungry. Shopping on an empty stomach may lead to those dreaded impulse buys that may not be the healthiest for you–and again, you are throwing your hard-earned money away.

Tip #4: Coupons… They Are Your Friend… USE THEM

coupons

Saving money is cool. Saving money is gangsta. In order to get the most back out of your buck when you shop for your food, you want to get into the habit of using coupons. Make it a point to check the weekly grocery store ads. Most grocery stores will have a display of their specials and sales when you walk in the door. If you are using coupons, a simple rule of thumb is to use a coupon for an item that you truly need. Many people end up buying things they never use because “it was on sale.” These are extra purchases that cost you money, not save you money. Do you really need that container of Marshmallow Fluff?

Tip #5: Packages and Portions of Food Are Also Your Friend

pre-packaged food

A major component of healthy eating is sensible portions. When you see those single-serve packages of precut fruit or carrots, snap them up. These pre-packaged gems provide a great way to ensure that you are getting the  fruits and vegetables you need in a day. Additionally, packages and portioned foods minimize the amount of food that you would normally throw away.

In addition to these five basic tips, there are other things that you can consider when shopping for groceries. Consider hitting up your local farmer’s market when warmer weather comes around. At farmer’s markets, you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables for reasonable prices, and you are helping to support your local farmers. If available in your area, you may also want to visit your local food co-op. While the food items found at co-ops tend to be more expensive, many produce and meat items found at co-ops are grown locally–and a substantial amount of these items are certified organic.

3 responses to “5 Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping in Recovery

  • Pingback: 5 Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping in Recovery | A-Z BLAH!
  • Pingback: 5 Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping in Recovery * Live Clean And Sober
  • I had a horrible time grocery shopping a cooking for my family for the first few years of sobriety. Keeping it simple saved me. Every night for dinner we had some type of meat already chopped by the butcher into whatever size I wanted to cook it in, a bottle of dressing for marinade, a bag of lettuce for salad and a big italian bread. Otherwise we ordered a pizza. Cereal and milk for breakfast, cold cut sandwiches for lunch. It may sound boring, but it allowed so much more serenity than trying to be June Cleaver. My kids appreciated a peaceful sober mom, much more than a great variety of dinners. Now they are teens, their mom (me) is still sober, and we all cook. What could be better than that? =)

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