Shopping at the Supermarket

Okay, so you don’t have a convenient farmers market. (Or it’s winter and it’s snowed under.) Where do you buy your food?

It is possible to buy healthy food at a supermarket. The key is to remember to buy food that looks like food, not like entertainment or pre-made meals. You might have to sacrifice the organic part, but don’t give up completely. Better to eat real food than pseudo-food.

The golden rule for supermarkets is to shop the outside aisles. That’s where most of the food is.

Start in the produce section. If there is an organic section, check it out first. Buy as much variety here as you can.

Then look at the rest of the produce. Focus on what is grown in the US and Canada. Other countries can use chemical pesticides and fertilizers that we have banned. (In Canada it’s required to label country of origin on food. In the States, you might have to ask.)

When looking at the mounds of fruits and vegetables, consider two things: seasonal food and variety of colors.

Usually, eating seasonally means eating less expensively. In the winter, eat more root vegetables and winter squash. In the summer, eat more peppers and cucumbers. Always eat greens.

How many colors can you get in your basket? Every color has different nutrients and health benefits. Once in a while, try a vegetable you haven’t eaten before. Bert Greene’s Greene on Greens is a wonderful primer on vegetables common and unusual, with fun stories and good recipes. (Just cut down on the amount of butter he uses.)

Your supermarket has a produce manager. Try to meet him or her. Ask how to tell when something is fresh. Mention items you particularly like. Produce managers are generally proud of their wares - just look at the way they artfully display them - and they want to have satisfied customers. Just as farmers will grow varieties customers ask for, so will supermarkets stock the food people request. (My mother is known in her supermarket for her impressive watercress consumption.)

Supplement the fresh produce in the frozen vegetable aisle if necessary. Bagged frozen vegetables are a great time-saver, just don’t get ones with added flavorings.

As you progress around the store, read labels. The fewer ingredients the better. If an ingredient is unpronounceable, don’t eat it.

Buy food that looks like food.

And stretch yourself occasionally with a trip to the health food store or the farmers market.