My second year of college marked a monumental step in my life- I started grocery shopping for myself. Coming from a family who has always been heath conscious and being custom to dinners just showing up on the table, this point in your life is an eye-opening one for anyone.
After putting on my share of the freshman 15 from cafeteria food, I did my best to go back to what I was use to- real fruits and vegetables, and controlling what I put into preparing dinner.
This year, as I re-start my promise to eat right (and less boxed macaroni and cheese), I have tried to stick to the basics I grew up on, plus some.
Labels selling fat free and low fat are often a draw for those looking to eat healthier. However, as this article explains, these promising terms aren't always truthful.
In reality, smart shoppers should be aware of a few other key numbers. First, is the number of calories. Eating to the correct number of calories in a day is your first step to a healthy diet. Next, compare the calories to serving size. If you typically eat a whole jar of pickles in one sitting, you’re most likely eating multiple servings at once. The low calorie jar you just bought is now doing nothing for you if you don’t obey the serving size.
This is harder said than done, many of us eat more than a serving size recommends, so keep that in mind and find products with serving sizes closest to what you consume with low calories.
While heading to the grocery store, make sure you bring in your rosy colored glasses. Don’t be swayed to throw promising products into your cart without making an educated decision based on the back nutrition panel!
