Be Wary of Fortified Foods “Fortified foods aren’t necessarily healthy—some are highly refined and lacking in nutrients. If they have to convince you they’re healthy, they’re probably not.” –Katie Cavuto, MS, RD, the dietician for the Phillies and the Flyers Avoid “Rush Hour"“More people in the store means longer lines, and longer lines mean more time you have standing in front of candy and soda.” –Michelle Davenport, PhD, RD, a Silicon Valley nutritionist MORE: 11 Foods Nutritionists Always Keep in their Refrigerators The Cheapest Aisle Has Some of the Healthiest Foods"Think about it: Dried beans and nuts often aren’t expensive—but have loads of health benefits.” –Kristin Kirkpatrick, M.S., R.D., a wellness manager at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute Buy a Few Health Foods in Bulk"Whether this means a huge tub of Greek yogurt for the week or a big bag of quinoa, lentils, and almonds to last you a few months, your wallet will thank you. Plus, now you’ll never be scrounging for dinner food because plan B will be always be hidden in your pantry." –Keri Glassman, RD, Women’s Health contributor Go With a List"Not only will this keep you from throwing unnecessary items—hello, cookies!—into your cart, but it’ll also help you plan meals for the week and stay organized, especially if you divide the grocery list up by where you’ll find each item." –Joy Bauer, MS, RD, the nutrition and health expert for NBC’s TODAY Show and Founder of NourishSnacks MORE: 14 Foods Nutritionists Never Eat Buy Cut-Up Fruit"I find that it makes me more likely to eat produce throughout the day." –Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet Read the Ingredients, Not Just the Nutrition Label"Nothing is more important than the ingredients that you put into your body." –Brooke Alpert, M.S., R.D., founder of B Nutritious Grab the Smallest Cart or Basket Available"Shopping with a smaller cart forces us to re-think purchasing decisions and also ensures the refrigerator is stocked with only the amount of perishable food that can be used immediately. The longer produce is stored, the more nutrient loss occurs." –Michelle Davenport, PhD, RD, a Silicon Valley nutritionist Go Local"Ask your grocer to direct you to local produce, or be on the look out for labels that indicate fruit and veggies were produced locally. Not only will you get the season’s peak picks, but you’re often paying less and buying something you may not usually eat. Also, even if it’s not labeled organic, it often is—it’s just too expensive for local farmers to get certified." –Keri Glassman Buy Foods That Don’t Have a Nutrition Facts Label"They’re usually whole foods that are what they are, like an orange, an egg, an apple, etc." –Katie Cavuto MORE: 7 Ingredients Nutritionists Always Avoid Check the Fiber Content"I always look for five grams of fiber or higher on foods." –Shelly Marie Redmond, RD The Fewer Ingredients, The Better"If you apply that general concept to grocery shopping, you’re automatically starting at a healthier place due to overall elimination of the added sugars, fats, and preservatives—and focusing on the most wholesome version of the food." –Jaclyn London, MS, RD, senior clinical dietician at Mount Sinai Hospital Give the Freezer Section a Chance"Frozen vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh vegetables since it can often take days between when the vegetables are harvested and when they end up on your plate. On the other hand, what you find in the freezer is frozen immediately, which helps lock in the nutrients." –Mitzi Dulan, R.D., author of The Pinterest Diet This article originally appeared on Women’s Health.
