Ok, we’ve all done it. Think back to when you just went gluten or dairy free. I guarantee that at least once you walked into Whole Foods and said “Woahhhhhh. Gluten free cookies? They make those?! I have to try them!” Then you pick them up off the shelf, bring them home, gobble them down, and then go back to the store to try a new flavor. Or better yet, the new GF version of your favorite thing ever-scones! This cycle continues, and soon enough, you’ve been so consumed with trying new products that you forget why you went gluten free in the first place-probably for your health!
Let’s be real here. A cookie is a cookie. While some cookies are made with wheat flour and some with rice flour, they’re still cookies. Most GF products are packed with even more sugar than gluten containing cookies; how do you think they cover up the taste of garbanzo flour?!
We all (hopefully) know that gluten free doesn’t translate to “healthy.” ßI hate that word. What does it even mean?!
A cookie is a cookie, no matter its ingredients. Now, don’t get me wrong, if you’re going to indulge, do it with a gluten free cookie, but don’t trick yourself into thinking that you’re doing your body a favor.
Some tips for my tackling the grocery store:
1. Give yourself time. Okay, maybe that’s just a tip for me. My grocery shopping takes forever! I take my time in the grocery store, looking at all of the new products, and even the old ones. I think I’ve got every type of trail mix in the Whole Foods Bulk section memorized! Turns out, this is a good habit! When you are in a rush, you simply grab the first item that you see on the shelf. Take some time, explore the aisles, and select what product you really came for.
2. I admit, grocery shopping is fun for me, but I also have to keep in mind that food is fuel, not a toy. Sometimes whole foods can seem like Toys R Us; walking through the aisles, looking at the shiny packages and the bright colored-produce, and trying not to buy everything in sight. Remember that although it’s fun to mix and match ingredients, try new things, and explore new items, food is energy, so shop accordingly.
3. Lastly, remember that the best things don’t come in packages, they grow on trees. Although this post is mainly about attractive packaging and convincing labeling, the yummiest and most nutritious foods often are in not found in the aisles, rather on the perimeter of the store.
Even if grocery shopping is not the highlight of your week, like it is mine, do it the right way so that you don’t get tricked into buying something that you’ll regret later!
Just a Wannabe RD 