While some people may see grocery shopping as therapeutic, others may see it as a chore. This goes especially for the elderly as grocery shops are getting bigger and more confusing to navigate each day. These days, grocery shops do not just carry foods and beverages. From clothing pieces to other miscellaneous items, grocery shops are soon becoming one-stop shops for all your shopping needs. What’s more, with a wide range of items available, it can get increasingly difficult for loved ones to stay on track of their budget and their dietary goals. As such, here are some grocery shopping tips to make grocery shopping a little easier for them.
Head Straight to the Fresh Food Aisle
It should come as no surprise that fresh fruits and vegetables are the best. It would be great if all of us have our own farms to plant our fruits and vegetables, but that’s not possible for many of us. As such, the only way for us to get our hands on fresh foods is at the grocery shop. Encourage your loved ones to make a beeline for the fresh food aisle. If they aren’t able to find fresh fruits or vegetables to their liking, frozen foods are the next option. Make sure that the particular item contains no preservatives and unnatural sugars as these foods are not freshly made. In addition, skip out on fruit juices as they contain high amounts of sugars, yet are low in fiber and protein.
Opt for Pre-Cut Vegetables or Ready-to-Eat Salads
Some elderly may be discouraged to get their hands on fresh fruits and vegetables as cutting them up and preparing them take time. Some of them may also suffer from health conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and osteoarthritis that make it difficult and even painful for them to cut up vegetables. In such cases, they can consider purchasing pre-cut vegetables and fruits, as well as ready-to-eat salads in order to save time and prevent them from getting injured.
Always Read the Label
In order to become a conscious shopper, your loved ones need to be more selective when it comes to picking up their foods. While this may seem time-consuming, it’s crucial to read the label of each packaging to find out how nutritionally beneficial the food will be. Some packaging comes with an artwork that signifies healthy eating, but in fact, the food contains high amounts of sodium, sugars, and unhealthy fats. Therefore, it’s worth the time to take a look at how many vitamins and minerals the food contains in order to prepare more nutritional meals.
Avoid Processed Foods
Everyone should know by now that processed foods, such as canned foods and frozen dinners are incredibly harmful to our health. Instead, loved ones should look into buying lean cuts of meat like chicken, pork, tenderloin, and sirloin to meet their protein intake. Other foods that are good for our health include unsalted almonds, sunflower seeds, and low-fat and greek yogurt. All these are a great alternative to chips when your loved ones are wanting a quick snack.
