6-Week Plan For Healthy Eating - Getting Started On The 6-Week Plan | Harvard Health Publishing 6/22/20, 1(45 PM

Week 1 / Getting Started On The 6-Week Plan

Shopping wisely Shopping Wisely

The choice of food

you have at hand
will influence your
ability to eat
healthily. However,
food shopping can
be overwhelming.
With thousands of
foods and food
products in
the supermarket,
how do you know
what to buy? Here
are some general
guidelines.
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Start at the perimeter of the grocery store
In most stores, that’s where you’ll find the most healthful,
fresh, least-processed options. Concentrate on filling
your basket with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-
fat dairy, and lean protein. After you’ve shopped the outer
aisles of the store, use your list to navigate the rest of the
aisles, trying as much as possible to avoid the temptations
lurking among the snack cakes, chips, sodas, and other
packaged and processed foods. When you do buy packaged
foods, look for those with a short ingredient list containing
real foods rather than loads of chemicals.

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Stop by a farmers’ market
Picking up fresh seasonal produce at a farmers’ market or
produce stand - if there’s one available to you - is a great
way to ensure that you eat a lot of fresh fruits and
vegetables. In warmer months, consider purchasing a "farm
share" through a community-supported agriculture (CSA)
program, which will provide a regular supply of seasonal,
locally grown produce and an incentive to eat more
healthfully.

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6-Week Plan For Healthy Eating - Getting Started On The 6-Week Plan | Harvard Health Publishing 6/22/20, 1(45 PM

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​Don’t shop on an empty stomach
We all know what happens when you go to the grocery store
when your stomach is rumbling! Everything looks
good, especially those quick, easy-to-eat snacks. If
you’re hungry, have a healthful snack or meal before
shopping. You’ll be less tempted to buy impulse items.

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​Get organized
Plan a week’s worth of menus at a time and do your grocery
shopping on the same day of each week. Before going to the
market, make a list of foods you need. A simple routine
eliminates the need for midweek trips to the store, which
may tempt you to buy food that’s not on your list.

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Become a comparison shopper

Decide what’s most important to you when selecting foods -

whether it’s sodium, fiber, sugar, calories, or fat - and then
zero in on that nutrient by reading labels. You probably won’t
find the perfect food, but you will surely make better
decisions by comparing labels.

If you’re trying to lose weight, pay particular attention to

calories and the serving size listed. Ignore the calories
from total fat, though. A calorie is a calorie.

Avoid foods with trans fats, and limit foods whose fat
comes mostly from saturated fat.

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