Grocery Store Shopping Hack

I learnt something many years ago about grocery shopping. I’m not sure if it was my mom who taught me this or if it was something I read about. It’s a very simple behaviour change that shifted how I approach our groceries. Subsequently, the recipes I prepare shifted as well. My secret:

Shop the outer aisle of the grocery store.

Most grocery stores are shaped in a rectangle. There’s different departments along the entire outer walls, or the perimeter of the store. If you walk the perimeter, you’ll find each store roughly has the same departments along this journey: 

• Produce
• Bakery
• Meat
• Dairy
• Frozen food
• Pharmacy

So what does this set up mean to you?

Foods found in the departments around the perimeter of a grocery store support a healthy and well balanced diet. The foods recommended in the Canadian Food Guide can all be found in these departments.

If you do the majority of your grocery shopping around the outer aisle of the grocery store, you’ll be 

• Choosing foods with minimal or no processing
• Choosing foods whole foods with no ingredient list
• Choosing foods full of nutrients

What other benefits of shopping the perimeter of the grocery store can you think of? Let me know in the comments section below.