Grocery shopping usually isn’t at the top of anyone’s list of fun activities. For people with diabetes it can seem especially overwhelming – The carbohydrates! The sugar! Making healthy choices! But with a little planning, grocery shopping can be a very effective tool in meeting goals, from managing blood sugar levels to losing weight.
“Planning ahead and shopping carefully are two great ways to take control, because you can get more out of your time and efforts,” said Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDE, a Chicago-area diabetes educator and spokesperson for the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE). “It keeps you focused so you’ll buy more foods that are healthy and fewer that have little or no nutritional value. That way you don’t have to rely on your willpower when you’re back home to eat less of certain foods and more of others.”
Successful grocery shopping is about focusing on what’s healthy, nutritious and tasty, so you’ll actually enjoy eating it. Diabetes educators can help people with diabetes make informed choices by explaining how different types of foods affect your diabetes, and sharing strategies about how to approach grocery shopping so it can help you meet your goals. They recommend starting with these tips:
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