Student Health and Wellness Services

Groceries

12 Tips for Grocery Shopping:

  1. Plan ahead. Planning your meals for the week can help you create a shopping list to make grocery shopping easier. Make sure to stick to it! Grocery lists will save you money and additional trips to the store when you forgot something.
  2. Eat before you go. This will prevent impulse buys or cravings, saving you money.
  3. Only buy vegetables that you plan to eat. How many of us have purchased a container of strawberries only to have them mold in the fridge? Waste is not only wasteful, but it’s costly, too. So don’t be tempted to throw in extra items from the produce section and only buy vegetables that you actually plan to eat within a week.
  4. Shop the perimeter of the store. This is where fresh foods are located, and the more processed foods in jars and cartons will be in the middle aisles. The more time is spent in the perimeter, the more likely you are to make healthier choices.
  5. Don’t avoid the frozen section. Frozen fruits and veggies can be very convenient, especially for college students. They will last longer in the freezer and you can heat them up very quickly, or toss into a morning smoothie.
  6. Go generic. The generic brand is often made at the same manufacturing site as the national brand, but is discounted because they don’t spend any money on branding.
  7. Look closely at the price tag. Consider the weight of the product when looking at the price, and make your decision based on all the factors.
  8. Buying meat can be pricey. Try vegetarian meals several times a week. Or buy meat in bulk when convenient and put it in your freezer until you plan to use it.
  9. Avoid frozen dinners or entrees. These are very high in calorie and not very satisfying.
  10. Best By dates are recommendations only and have nothing to do with safety: they indicate that the taste or texture of an item may change but they’re still safe to eat.
  11. Sell By dates indicate how long a store is willing to display an item on their shelves. It’s not a safety indicator, as the product is probably still good for a few days (or weeks) after you bring it home.
  12. Use By is the only safety designation and it indicates that the product is not safe to use after the date listed.

Where to find groceries: