10 TIPS FOR HEALTHIER CHOICES
TRY these tips to maximise the health potential of your weekly food shop . . .
1 SHOP savvy — never go to the supermarket when hungry as you’re likely to be tempted to buy junk food. Take a list and stick to it.
2 ALLOW enough time to scrutinise the labels: check the calories; which foods have a long list of strange-sounding ingredients (this can be a sign they’re highly processed); or which score ‘red’ in the traffic light system.
3 STICK to the perimeter of the store, where you’ll find fruit, veg, meat, fish and dairy products — and hurry past the glitzy central aisles where you will find those tempting treats.
4 AIM to fill the main section of your shopping trolley with healthy foods (fruit, veg, pulses, proteins, wholegrains) and reserve the small front section for ‘treats’.
5 CUT back on fizzy drinks (whether they’re diet or full sugar) and drink a glass of water with every meal. This will curb your appetite, keep you hydrated, boost energy levels and reduce cravings for unhealthy foods. Make tap water delicious by chilling it with lemon, orange or cucumber slices, mint sprigs or berries.
6 UPGRADE your breakfast by switching highly processed cereals for porridge oats you can cook or which can be soaked in milk overnight, adding seeds, berries and yoghurt in the morning. Instead of jam/honey on white toast for breakfast, try fibre-rich rye bread spread with almond butter and thin slices of apple.
7 ADD tinned pulses to your trolley and tip half a tin of chickpeas into your lunchtime salad to boost fibre and protein. This will then keep you feeling full throughout the afternoon.
8 BULK out tinned soup by adding nuts or seeds, and eat with oat cakes and a little cheese.
9 IF YOUR normal workday lunch is a ‘meal deal’ (sandwich, snack and fizzy drink) opt for wholemeal bread with a lean protein filling (chicken or tuna), water instead of a sugary drink and popcorn or nuts in place of crisps or chocolate.
10 MAKE indulgent foods more healthy. For instance, pizza can be layered with extra veg (pepper, red onion, courgette, broccoli) to provide fibre and nutrients, and add chicken or ham for more protein. If making spaghetti Bolognese, add plenty of onions and grated carrot to your tomato mix.