Quick Tips: Healthy Grocery Shopping

It's almost the 15th of the month, which means nearly everyone will be hitting up the commissary this week! :-) We wanted to share a few quick healthy shopping tips today: 


1. Shop the perimeter of the store, focusing on fresh foods such as produce, meats and fish, and dairy. The center aisles hold the most unhealthy and processed food in the store. 


2. In the produce section, make sure to add a rainbow of colors to your cart. More colors = more nutrients! 


3. If you must shop in the center aisles, leave your cart outside the aisle and walk to the ingredient you need. Only the ingredients that can fit in your arms make it back to the cart! 


4. Read the labels! Try to avoid food with more than five ingredients, artificial ingredients, or ingredients that you can't pronounce. 


5. Choose as many real foods as possible. For example, 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice, and real oats (not instant oatmeal). If you need added flavorings, such as salt or sugar, add it yourself at home. 


We hope these tips will make your next shopping trip a little easier (and healthier!). Don't forget to read our Organic Foods on a Budget post--you can even print off a shopping list of the best foods to buy organic! 

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Organic Living: Produce on a Budget

In my family, eating organic produce is a very important part of our healthy lifestyle. Many non-organic foods are treated with harsh pesticides, which can pass into the produce itself. As the person in charge of the family’s budget, I know that organic food is costly, so I’m always seeking to get the most bang for my buck. There are some foods, called “the dirty dozen”, that have high-levels of contaminants and I always buy organic. Produce with a thicker peel is generally considered to be low in contaminants. These foods are called the “Clean 15.” If I’m on a tight budget, I buy these items non-organic.

The “Dirty Dozen”

▪    Peaches

▪    Apples

▪    Sweet Bell Peppers

▪    Celery

▪    Nectarines

▪    Strawberries

▪    Cherries

▪    Pears

▪    Grapes (Imported)

▪    Spinach

▪    Lettuce

▪    Potatoes

The “Clean 15”

▪    Onions

▪    Avocado

▪    Sweet Corn (Frozen)

▪    Pineapples

▪    Mango

▪    Asparagus

▪    Sweet Peas (Frozen)

▪    Kiwi Fruit

▪    Bananas

▪    Cabbage

▪    Broccoli

▪    Papaya

Some more ways to save:

• Buy in-season. Here’s a great reference for seasonal produce.
• Visit your local Farmers’ Markets! (Check out our favorite Oahu markets!)*
• Grow your own! It doesn't get more local than your own backyard. DumBell Fitness will soon be featuring weekly gardening posts to encourage you to develop your green thumb! 

*Not all produce at Farmers' Markets is certified organic, but most grow their fruits and veggies without pesticides. Always be sure to check with the farmer for full details.

Sometimes you still won’t be able to buy organic because of budget constraints or limited selection, and that’s OK! Here are some tips to still make your produce as healthy as possible:

• Wash and scrub your produce under running water for at least 30 seconds.
• Peel the skin.
• Discard the outer leaves of leafy greens such as lettuce.

 To make things even easier at the market, download a free printable of both the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15.”

Organic Living: Farmers' Market Tips

If you're new to shopping at Farmers' Markets, your first visit or two might feel a little overwhelming. How do you know what items are the best buys? How do you decide to try a new fruit or vegetable? What items should you bring with you? Check out this article by Molly Watson of About.com for some great tips: 


1. Know Your Seasons

If you know a bit of what to expect when you get to the farmers market, making decisions at each stall is much easier. Learn what grows in your area when and talk to the growers about what will be coming to market in upcoming weeks. **Note: this doesn't apply as much to those of us shopping in Hawaii, but it's still good to know the seasons's of the produce you're buying out in town and on the mainland.**

2. Go Early or Go Late

For the best selection, go to the farmers' market early. The best goods go first. Popular-but-limited items may even sell out before the day is done. It’s as simple as that.

For the best deals, go to the farmers' market late. Farmers and other vendors usually prefer to discount products instead of loading them back up and schlepping them home. 

3. Bring Big Bags & Small Change

Some farmers' market vendors offer bags, but they tend to be thin and flimsy plastic ones that groan under the pressure of any substantial produce purchase. Make sure everything gets home from the farmers market without crashing onto the sidewalk or spilling onto the floor of your car by bringing your own sturdy canvas or nylon bags. A backpack can make the hauling easier, especially for weighty or bulky items.

Although vendors will make change, purchases will go easier and faster if you have exact (or close to exact) change. At some farmers' markets "small change" means dimes and nickels. In larger urban areas many products at farmers' markets are sold in dollar or fifty-cent increments.

5. Plan For Spontaneity

Yes, you’ll fair better if you plan your trip to the farmers market. However, you need to leave a bit of wiggle room for those strawberries you didn't know would be at market so early, or the zucchini blossoms you've never tried before. Trying new things is part of the fun of going to farmers markets.

6. Work In Volume

The best deals at the farmers market are had when you buy in bulk. You'll enjoy the best flavors and the best prices when you buy lots of whatever is at its harvest peak. How to use it all up? Try new recipes with favorite vegetables or learn the lost art of preserving food. Freezing, canning, and drying are just some of the ways you can save seasonal tastes you find at the farmers market for later in the year.

7. Think "Whole Foods"

No, not that “Whole Foods” – think in terms of how food grows and comes to the farmers market without being processed first. Carrots come whole and unpeeled. Beets still have greens (and dirt) attached. Learning to handle just-harvested produce can take some getting used to

8. Get Advice

If you find a vegetable that’s new to you at the farmers market and want to give it a try, ask the farmer how to prepare it. For the best tips specifically ask how they like to eat it. 

Organic Living: Hawaii Farmers' Markets

Living in Hawaii, we're lucky enough to have year-round access to a plethora of excellent Farmers' Markets. These markets provide quality, delicious produce, meats, eggs, cheeses, and a variety of other artisan products. Getting your food directly from the source means you can buy with confidence knowing that the product is minimally processed and handled, and doesn't have many of the harmful pesticides that big factory farms use.


Some more great reasons to shop locally: 


1. You'll save money! By buying directly from the farmer, you're eliminating the need for shipping and processing. This will save you money, and to boot, you're getting a better, fresher product. This particularly holds true for organic items. 


2. You'll reduce your carbon footprint. It's estimated that food travels nearly 1500 miles before it gets to your plate. Not only does this contribute to global warming, but it also means that food is stored for long periods of time, draining its freshness and reducing its quality. 


3. Fresher food! Most produce is picked immediately before it's arrival at the farm stand. The food is normally not refrigerated or frozen prior to delivery. As a bonus, most markets also offer fresh meat, eggs, and even homemade cheeses. The quality is undoubtedly superior to what you'll find in a large supermarket.


4. You're supporting local businesses. Small farms are a dying breed. The larger factory farms are focused more on quantity than quality, and the nutritional value of the food often suffers. By buying locally, you're supporting the efforts of hard-working farmers and supporting your area's economy. You're also able to ask the farmer directly about their product, and often times you can even visit their farm! 


Here are some of our favorite local markets:


Ala Moana
Saturdays, 8:00 am-12:00pm


Hale'iwa 
Sundays, 9:00 am-1:00 pm


Hawaii Kai 
Saturdays, 9:00 am-1:00 pm


Kailua 
Thursdays, 5:00 pm-7:30 pm


Kapiolani 
Saturdays, 7:30 am-11:00 am 


This is only a sampling of all the FM's on Oahu. More and more communities are adding their own markets, so be sure to check out your community Web site and also check out this list from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. The Hawaii Farm Bureau also regularly posts vendor directories and menus from local markets on their Twitter account, @hnlfarmers. 


Tomorrow we'll be posting some helpful tips for buying locally. Hope to see some of you at the markets!