By Dr. Sherie Horvath, Courthouse Pediatrics

Many products throughout your grocery store claim to be “natural” and “healthy,” but it’s hard to know what’s actually good for your family and what is just advertising.

To pick the healthiest foods for your family, stick to these easy-to-remember tips:

• Shop around the outside of the store. The quickest way to choose healthy foods is to avoid the inside grocery aisles as much as possible. The healthiest foods tend to be around the outside of the grocery store, such as the produce section, meat counter and dairy section.
• Use the nutrition label. If you do venture into the center aisles, use the nutrition label (not the front of the package) to make healthy choices. Pick foods that are low in saturated fats and sugars, contain fiber and protein and have an ingredients list you can understand without a dictionary.
• Have a healthy snack first. Shopping while you are hungry can lead to some bad decisions. Eat a healthy snack with protein (such as an apple and peanut butter) before heading to the store to help fight the temptation of the cookie aisle.
• Shop frozen – for certain items. If you are worried about using up your produce before it goes bad, visit the freezer section. While you should avoid the ice cream and frozen meals, a bag of broccoli or green beans is a welcome addition to any shopping cart.

Try these tips out on your next trip to make shopping healthy easy.

How do you shop healthy for your family? Tell us in the comments!

About CHKD Medical Group

Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters has been the region’s most trusted name in pediatric care for more than 50 years. As members of CHKD Health System, our pediatricians work closely with CHKD’s full range of pediatric specialists and surgeons. They also share a commitment to quality, excellence and child-centered care. With 18 practices in 29 locations throughout the region, a CHKD pediatrician is never far.