Here’s my third installment of Grocery Shopping 101. If you’ve missed the first two parts, here they are:
- Grocery Shopping 101: Before You Leave the House
- Grocery Shopping 101: At the Grocery Store (Part 1)
Buy store brands
We all know that store brand products cost less, but most of the time, their quality is the same as that of name brand products. In fact, sometimes the same manufacturer makes both the name brand and store brand products, so I almost always buy the cheaper, store brand.
Shop the top and bottom shelves
I find that the best deals are found on the top and bottom shelves of my grocery store aisles. Big items that tend to provide the most bang for my buck are usually placed on the highest and lowest shelves. Smaller size products, which are often more expensive per unit, are usually placed at eye level. I spend a lot of time scouring the top and bottom shelves!
Don’t buy health and beauty products
Health and beauty products are usually much more expensive at grocery stores. Instead, I buy them at stores like CVS, Walgreens, or Target. I also check for coupons in the store flyer when I shop at these stores.
Chop your own produce
It’s convenient to buy pre-cut carrot (or celery) sticks, but I save a ton of money by doing it myself. Consumer Reports once found that two pounds of carrots cost $1.29, compared with $7.16, for the same amount of pre-cut sticks. An almost $6 savings is reason alone to take a few minutes to cut them yourself!
Print coupons
Check out coolsavings.com for deals on frequently purchased items. And, if your grocery store has double-coupon days, be sure to shop then, too!
Ask the RD
In honor of Registered Dietitian Day on Wednesday, March 10th, Rachel Rodek, NuVal Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Communications Manager, has offered to answer some reader questions– about NuVal or nutrition in general. Just leave a comment on this post with your question(s), and I’ll forward them along for Rachel to answer. I’ll post a bunch of your questions and Rachel’s responses in a future blog post.
Image from Real Simple.com
Developed by an independent panel of nutrition and medical experts, the 
Buying store brands is so key for me, especially if the quality is the same. I find I can also get a bargain from the bulk bins as opposed to preportioned amounts
Check price per ounce too, something may look cheaper but it could be 6 ounces smaller and end up being more expensive.
Great tips! We now only buy whole carrots and chop ourselves. not sure why we didn’t do it before! It’s so easy and MUCH cheaper. One problem with coupons from the computer is that most grocery stores in NYC don’t accept them. That’s quite frustrating because a lot of companies only seem to do online coupons now.
Nutrition question: What is the best vegan source of protein?
My husband would like to be vegetarian but feels that he is allergic to soy and beans. Can you recommend an alternate and versatile source of protein that we can try? Thanks!!!
Question for Rachel – I’m currently working on my application to grad school to get a Master’s in Nutrition. I’m just wondering – what topics/issues would you say are the most relevant in the nutrition community today?
Looking forward to all the questions/answers later!
Question- I am about 15 pounds underweight. I am a 26 year old female and I am 5′6”. About how many calories should I be eating to gain 1 pound per week? Also, how much exercise should I be getting while I am gaining? Thank you so much!
Question for Rachel:
I’m an avid workout enthusiast! I run approximately 30-40 miles per week and strength train 2-3 days a week, along with yoga and walking. I’ve been trying to drop about 5 more pounds before racing season. I lowered my calories to 1700/day. Some days that’s great. Other days, I feel like I’m ravenous and end up overeating in the late afternoon and consume more like 2500-3000 cals. Should I be eating more? I always eat breakfast (approx 400 cals) and lunch is usually 500 cals with 300 cals of snacks throughout the day. I would love to know what you suggest! Thanks so much!
I’ve been underweight (about 15-17 BMI) for about six years now, and don’t think I have had my period naturally in that time (I’m on the pill). I’m trying really hard to gain weight (so second Erin’s question) but am just wondering whether I have irrevocably damaged my fertility, or whether there’s still hope?
Good post! I have a question: What are the best ways of getting the most benefit out of iron and calcium? I’ve heard that if you eat both at the same time, the iron stops the absorption of calcium..is that right? I feel both are very important for me, being a runner, but I often have Green Monsters (spinach and milk) or sardines and spinach. Am I shooting myself in the foot there!??
Here’s my question! What’s your take on the nutritional difference/health benefits (if any) between sweeteners like: agave, honey, maple syrup, and regular brown sugar.
Thanks!
What is the best thing to eat to prevent bloating? What do you think might cause it? I already eat a lot of fiber! Thanks for the help!
Is your company only in Boston or are there other locations throughout the country?
Buying store brands is a total money saver. Also I try to get as much as I can in bulk. It let’s me but as much or as little I need. No waste!
What are the best foods to have pre pregnancy to get your body ready?
Question for Rachel – while I’m trying to limit my sugar intake, should I be concerned about eating too much fruit a day? I easily eat about 6+ servings of fruit a day and often exceed the recommended servings, especially when I have to eye-ball portion sizes for fruit like melons, pineapple, grapes, etc.
Comment for NuVal – I hope you expand to Stop/Shop or Shaws soon!
Hi Rachel~ I do so much research on healthy eating/food/etc. and I have to say that I disagree w/ a NUVAL score in some areas. For example, kale (unless you buy organic) is one of the top 12 foods to avoid as it is laced w/ pesticides, etc. So should NUVAL not specify only organic kale before rating a 99?
hey rachel, i was wondering about soy milk.. is it bad for you or not? i have heard both. is it hard for your body to digest?
I’m going vegan in order to be healthier. Is it worth it?
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Questions for Rachel: Is maltodextrin a sugar? How does the body metabolize this? Is it bad for a person?
I’m trying to stay away from simple sugars, but seem to crave them. What can I substitute for something sweet, without eating fruit? Fruit just doesn’t seem to work for my cravings.
Question for Rachel: Im currently a student en route to get my degree to be a registered dietician. Do you have any advice on things to do to get your foot in the door before graduation? How about any advice on the coursework (in the dietetics program) itself? Thanks!
How bad for you is white (like Jasmine/Basmati varieties) rice, really?? They say the Asian culture maintains their (rather small) physique with little to no effort on a diet based around veggies, protein and a large amount of rice. Being a former anti-carb dieter, I’m trying to introduce healthy carbs and whole grains into my daily routine, jsut cannot get accustomed to brown rice….but love jasmine and basmati. Are they OK? Or is it better to avoid and stick to potatoes and other whole grain varieties?
Thanks!
Nutrition Question: my question is about yogurt. Mainly fruity yogurts. They all contain about 23 grams of sugar and most of them have high fructose corn syrup. Even the healthiest brands display a lot of grams of sugar. Is fruity/flavored yogurt a good snack?
Thank you!
I am curious about soy milk? Some says its good for you some say its bad? Whats your take? I have also heard it very hard to digest due to it been highly processed?
Besides salt being in MSG, why is it bad for a person? Thanks for answering.
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The top-dollar items are placed at eye level because those companies shell out the most money to be put there. Most people buy items at eye-level instead of perusing the top and bottom shelves and end up spending more money which is exactly why those items are there.
Chanell Harajly
[...] Grocery Shopping 101: At the Grocery Store (Part 2) [...]
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