grocery shopping

Buying fresh produce, lean protein, and whole grains are easy ways to make grocery shopping healthier, but as with everything, there's always room for improvement, right? Here are some ways to make a trip to the market even healthier.

• Skip shopping on Sundays: On the weekend, Saturday is often the day to relax or do something fun, and Sunday is for errands like grocery shopping. With so many people shopping on this day, you're left with one quart of rotten strawberries and a few bunches of wilted kale. Ask someone in the produce department what day they normally get a big shipment in, and switch up your shopping days to ensure the best supply of fresh fruits and veggies.
• Once is not enough: The produce you buy may be crisp and fresh when you bring it home, but when you go to make a salad five days later, it's so wilted or bruised that it ends up in the compost bin. Even when you store fruits and veggies so they last a long time, you can't always prevent these delicate foods from going bad. To get the freshest produce possible, head to the grocery store twice during the week — once for a big run and then a few days later to pick up some necessary perishables.

Keep reading for more healthy grocery shopping tips.

There's lots of talk about all the health benefits of a plant-based diet. But if you've been a meat-eating gal for as long as you can remember, then the shift can be a little confusing — especially when it comes to grocery shopping! If you're not sure where to start, then here are seven easy tips to help you on your new veg mission.

1. Create a list: Come prepared! When you're first tackling a plant-based diet, the whole process can be pretty overwhelming. Go through recipes in cookbooks or online before you shop in order to inspire new or unexpected ingredients you're going to need on hand. This will also be a great way to save money and keep you from just grabbing everything that looks good.
2. Walk the perimeter: Don't get caught up in the center aisles! While all those bagged and prepackaged foods may have been your go-to moves from the past, the back corners of the grocery store are your future. Loading up on natural foods and produce will be the cornerstone of your shopping trips from now on.
3. Buy frozen, not canned: Canned foods may seem like an ideal option if you don't have yummy fresh produce readily available, but frozen foods are a better choice. Veggies like nutrient-rich frozen spinach have far more health benefits than their canned counterparts, but be sure to get vegetables in a bunch of colors. All green may seem like the obvious option, but grabbing for other frozen veggies like carrots and cauliflower will help you get all your essential antioxidants.
4. Shop smart: Everyone will tell you that a plant-based diet is going to be wildly expensive, but this need not be the case. There are plenty of easy ways to save money on healthy food when you're at the store, and shopping for fresh, delicious produce at a farmers market is way cheaper than store prices.

Keep reading for more grocery shopping tips for a plant-based diet.

Shopping at a farmers market is fun, but it can also be a daunting task. Going into the day with too much preparation can be a bit of a drag, but having a few go-to moves once you arrive will put you in produce bliss.

1. No steadfast lists: Showing up to a farmers market with a definitive list will not serve you in the end. There are certain things you may be sure of, but you never know for certain what will be available. Eat with your eyes — look for bright colors and unexpected produce you've never tasted! This is one of the parts of the farmers market experience that sets it apart from a traditional grocery store.
2. Scope out the scene: You don't have to shop at the first booth you see. You may be craving some Summer berries, but someone farther back in the line may have a better deal or even more beautiful blues than the first ones you spot. Walking around will not only give you an idea of what each booth has to offer, but it will help you get your creative cooking juices flowing.
3. Be realistic: It's easy to get excited about all the beautiful, bountiful produce around you, but just because it's sitting pretty doesn't mean you need to buy it. Think about how much time you can actually commit to cooking in the week to come.

Keep reading for two more strategies for farmers market success.

With less than 24 hours until Thanksgiving dinner, it's a mad dash to greet your guests while putting the finishing touches on your feast. It's likely that you've forgotten to pick up an essential ingredient or two or three, but now is not the time to panic. If the grocery aisles are beginning to look like a dizzying kaleidoscope, here's is a quick, cost-effective guide to help you find the best consumer-approved, quick, or ready-made Thanksgiving products.

Pies — Opt for a fresh Whole Foods pecan pie ($11) with a flaky and buttery crust, toasted pecans, and a caramelized filling. Otherwise go with an equally pleasing frozen pie option like Marie Callender's Dutch Apple Pie ($9) or Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie ($5).

Mashed Potatoes — Out of 12 other store-bought mashed potatoes, Bob Evans Original ($5) scored the highest in Consumer Reports and is noted for its authentic flavor, creaminess, and peppery flavor.

See more Thanksgiving products.

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Have a healthy (and cheap) trip to the grocery store
By Bari Nan Cohen, Prevention

You walk into a grocery store expecting to buy only the items on your list, yet you leave with a cart full of extras you may not really need — and a considerably lighter wallet. An accident — or lapse in judgment? Actually, the store setup is likely to blame. "You want to get in and out quickly, but the folks in charge want you to linger as long as possible, spend as much as possible, and ideally spend it on the highest-profit items," explains Ali Benjamin, co-author of The Cleaner Plate Club: Raising Healthy Eaters, One Meal at a Time (Storey Publishing, 2011). How, exactly, do they make you stick around and load up on items you never meant to buy? Here are eight ways to guarantee a healthier (and cheaper) grocery shopping experience every time.

Bring A C-Note — And Leave Your Credit Cards Behind
Cash is king when it comes to avoiding impulse buys. "I know that I spend way less when I use cash rather than credit," says Benjamin. And the research proves her right — Lindstrom advises shoppers to use a 100-dollar note for grocery purchases. "We find it emotionally harder to break a larger bill, so we spend less," says Lindstrom. "We don't have an emotional connection with numbers on a credit card statement."

20 Ways to Feed Your Family on $100 a Week

Watch Out For "Health-Washing"
You may not read labels with as critical an eye in a store like Whole Foods as in, say, Super Target says Rabbi Issamar Ginzberg, president of Monetized Intellect Consulting, Inc, in Brooklyn, NY. "The atmosphere in Whole Foods Market makes you feel like everything in the store must be healthy," he notes. "In Target you'll look at the calorie count on the same package of granola you buy without thinking in a 'healthy' grocery store."

Learn three more sneaky tricks when you read more.

Reusable bags are great for the environment, but a new study has found that your stack of reusable grocery bags may be harboring high levels of bacteria if you're not careful.

If you regularly haul raw meat, dirty vegetables, and cartons of milk from the supermarket, your reusable bags may be due for a cleaning. The study, published in Food Protection Trends, found that practically all bags tested contained large numbers of bacteria, including coliform bacteria in half of the bags tested and E. coli in eight percent. Much of these bacteria form when meat and dairy seep through their containers and contaminate bags, multiplying in warm environments.

Of course, not all bacteria are bad, but ingesting certain types (like E. coli) can lead to illness or even death. So make sure you keep your reusable bags clean. Wash your bags with soap and water, regularly toss machine-washable bags in your laundry, and use separate bags to carry raw meats.

Do you wash your reusable bags?

I'm not sure whether it's the readily available resources online or the sheer number of food documentaries I've watched (Forks Over Knives was the latest viewing that gently pushed me over the edge), but I've officially decided to go vegan for 30 days. I realize this lifestyle change is not for everyone, but making the shift is something I feel ready to experiment with, if only for a limited time. After combing through resources and more than a few vegan must-have lists, I bravely headed out to my natural foods store to stock up on essentials. Feeling a little overwhelmed, it was like I had never been in a market before! In order to save you this struggle, I've prepared a beginner's guide for making the shift to a vegan diet.

Here are five items you'll definitely want to have before starting a vegan diet!

1. Legumes and grains. Beans and grains are going to become your new favorite friends. Beans are one of the options for vegans that are full of the nutrients we all need. Be sure to check out these five vegan dishes to help you create complete proteins. Similar to beans, whole grains are integral to a healthy diet. They're full of the fiber, protein, and vitamins our bodies need to run like a well-oiled machine. I've also learned that they really help fill you up. Quinoa is an awesome grain to start out with since it pairs well with just about anything!
2. Dairy substitutes. I've been a vegetarian for extended periods in the past, so giving up meat is a little less of a struggle. But going dairy-free is a whole new ball game! I've been absolutely amazed at the plethora of options I never knew existed for dairy-free divas. I am loving Follow Your Heart's nondairy dressings and vegan cheddar. Instead of cow's milk, try hemp, soy, or my personal favorite, almond milk. It's got the same smoothness and texture you love about the milk you used to douse your cereal with.

See the rest of my must-have vegan food items after the break!