Your grocery store guide to health

If this research is to go by, making healthy eating choices is primarily a state of mind, and one which can be cultivated over time.

According to the study, eating an apple upon entering the grocery store led to shoppers buying 25% more fruits and vegetables than those who did not, in a new study from the Cornell Food & Brand Lab. “What this teaches us,” says Aner Tal, PhD of Cornell, “is that having a small healthy snack before shopping can put us in a healthier mindset and steer us towards making better food choices.” Co-author Brian Wansink conducted three experiments to make their case, the first of which involved 120 shoppers. They were given at random an apple, a cookie or nothing at all as they arrived at the grocery store. Tracking their purchases, the researchers concluded that those who had eaten an apple bought 28% more fruits and vegetables than those who had consumed a cookie and 25% more fruits and vegetables than those who were not given a snack. What influences shoppers, according to the study, is the perceived healthfulness, rather than actual healthfulness. The research also advises shoppers to eat a small, healthy snack before going to the grocery store in order to reduce hunger and point you in the right direction when making healthy choices.

The study advises shoppers to eat a small snack before heading to a grocery store so you make healthier choices