grocery store

Of course you know that a healthy salad is a great workday lunch option . . . but time constraints and lack of available ingredients usually keep me from throwing one together at home to bring to the office. So I do what many urban office-dwellers do: pick up a veggie-filled salad from one of the many lunch establishments near the office. Eight dollars later I'm satisfied, but broke. This all changed yesterday, during a trip to Trader Joe's, where I finally caved and bought a handful of their prepared salads, a reduced-fat tuna Niçoise, an especially delicious Italian-style salad featuring white beans and shaved Parmesan, and a goat cheese and walnut option that's on deck for tomorrow. Each of my Trader Joe's salads sells for between $3 and $5, far more wallet-friendly than any deli on the block.

Since the FDA requires that all packaged and prepared foods carry nutrition labels, you can check out the ingredients and nutritional data for each salad (just make sure to factor in the dressing if it isn't included.) Check out what to look for in a premade salad after the break.

Researchers have long maintained that consumers making purchases with actual cold, hard cash spend less money and make wiser purchasing decisions than those who pay with plastic. Parting with your actual, physical hard-earned money creates something called "pain of payment," which decreases the enjoyment of consumption. And apparently, the same logic applies to your grocery store habits. Researchers have found that people who pay in cash make healthier food choices at the grocery store than people who pay with plastic.

According to the study's authors,

"When consumers encounter vice products — such as cookies, cakes, and pies — the emotive imagery and associated desire trigger impulsive purchase decisions. Pain of payment can curb the impulsive responses and thus reduce the purchase of such vice products."

The study tracked 1,000 shoppers and their habits over a six-month period. When shoppers paid with credit or debit cards, they were more likely to purchase unhealthy foods. So, if you're looking to smarten your trips to the grocery store, hit the ATM first to avoid temptation in aisle five later.