News Taffy

I frequently pass the time in checkout lines by observing what other people have in their carts. I find it very informative and interesting. While in Sam’s Club the other day, I watched a young couple unload their groceries. The cart was piled high with preservatives, sugar, fat, unknown chemicals and empty calories. Let me translate that: the cart contained a large jar of animal crackers, a giant box of Bagel Bites, Lucky Charms, Poppers Cheddar Jalapenos, frozen chicken nuggets, Oreos, chips, an enormous blob of Velveeta, (I had no idea it came in that size) and other assorted processed foods. NOWHERE was there any fresh, frozen or canned fruit or vegetables, milk, eggs, orange juice or uncooked meat. There was not one wholesome food item in that whole cart and what made it worse was they had a little girl who was about three. I felt sorry for that little girl as she will likely be condemned to a life of food with little nutrition and poor health as a result.

I wish I could say this is the exception; that most people buy healthier food. My casual observations however show that the heavier a person is, the worse the food in their shopping cart. Now I do not have a degree in nutrition but I often wish I could take these people aside and help them make better choices when they shop.

So what does your cart look like when you go to the grocery store? Mine usually has some fresh vegetables and fruit, cereal (but not Lucky Charms or Fruit Loops) whole wheat bread, lunch meat (Boar’s Head), maybe some cheese, fresh meat, fish or poultry, perhaps some canned fruit or vegetables. I almost never buy chips or store-bought cookies or sodas. I may buy some frozen vegetables, cat food, and I always buy milk, orange juice, eggs and yogurt. I don’t buy many processed foods that contain ingredients I can’t pronounce.

I encourage people to make a few changes in their diet at a time as the best way to over haul their diet. If you are not used to eating lots of fruits and vegetables, it will take time to incorporate them into your meals. For instance, change your bread to whole wheat such as Sarah Lee’s Soft and Smooth 100% Whole Wheat. Try to eat just one serving of fruit a day such as a banana with breakfast. Gradually give up soda by drinking just a little less each day. Switch from chips to pretzels if you aren’t ready to give them up.

So the next time you are headed to the store, look over your grocery list (you are using a list, aren’t you?). If there isn’t any “real” food on the list, you are not ready to shop. Please don’t shop when you are hungry and try to leave the kids at home. This will cut down on impulse purchases for things you shouldn’t eat anyway. Next week, I will give more tips for grocery shopping.