Are you suffering from joint pain, stiffness, and swelling? Are you looking for a way to improve your anti inflammatory diet and reduce inflammation in your body? If so, you may benefit from following an anti-inflammatory diet.
But when you’re starting a new way of eating, one of the most common difficulties you face is organizing your grocery shopping.
In this blog post, I will provide you with a step-by-step guide to organizing your grocery shopping for an anti-inflammatory diet.
I will cover everything from choosing options rather than specific recipes, selecting preferred anti-inflammatory foods for each food group, dividing your groceries according to the shopping place and the shelf life of the food, and optimizing your time buying online. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Choose Options Rather than Specific Recipes
How is your weekly menu composed?
A good shopping strategy is carried out when we organize the weekly meals. You don’t need to know what you are going to eat each day. You should simply choose the options that you and your family usually consume. For example, it is normal for you to eat the same breakfast several times a week. So, make a list of the ingredients in each preparation.
In the same way, you can organize the most common lunches, snacks and dinners. To be more specific… for most days of the week, you can choose a green smoothie with toast for breakfast, whole grain with protein for lunch, and protein with salad for dinner.
Step 2: Choose Your Preferred Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Each Food Group
Real (unprocessed) foods are divided into groups: fermented dairy products (yogurt, milk kefir, etc), unprocessed or vegan cheeses, eggs and meats (poultry, fish), vegetables and fruits, whole grains and legumes, seeds and nuts, oils, natural sugars (honey, coconut sugar, etc), spices (turmeric, ginger, etc) and infusions or beverages (green tea).
Based on this selection, make a list of the foods you usually consume from each group.
Step 3: Divide Your Groceries According to the Shopping Place
Considering the foods you will consume, you can divide them according to the shopping place. Keep in mind that when consuming real food, you will probably have to shop outside the supermarket.
Thus, the most common places to shop are: health food stores, local farms (these places usually have grass-fed meats and pastured eggs), greengrocers, local markets (where you can get non-industrialized products)
Step 4: Divide Your Grocery Shopping According to the Shelf Life of the Food
You will probably want to make purchases more than once a week for certain items, while others you can leave for once a week or longer. This can be decided according to the shelf life of the food. For example, fresh foods tend to last less in the refrigerator than perishable foods. This is why it is advisable to shop for fresh foods (vegetable milks, meats, eggs, etc.) at least weekly .
Fruits and vegetables, especially leafy vegetables, tend to spoil more quickly in warm seasons.
This is why it is recommended to buy them more than once a week. Finally, perishable foods (cereals, grains, flours, legumes, etc.) you can buy every 15 days, according to the frequency of consumption, since they are kept for a longer period of time.
Step 5: Optimize Your Time Buying Online
Although it is not always possible, some stores have online branches or make home deliveries. I invite you to find out in your area if there is the possibility of online shopping.
It will help you save time and energy. Some of the most popular online grocery shopping sites are Instacart, Amazon Fresh, Walmart, Costco, Kroger, and Whole Foods.
Step 6: Use apps
The last tip is to use some apps that allow you to add menus, count food, and, finally, organize a weekly shopping list. This is an excellent option if you plan your menu in advance. Some of the best apps for creating shopping lists are AnyList, Mealime, Our groceries, and Bring.
Following these 6 simple steps can make your grocery shopping more accessible and more efficient. Not only will you be able to save time and reduce costs, but you’ll also be able to eat healthier by choosing anti-inflammatory foods.
If you’re struggling with rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, it’s important to seek medical attention from a rheumatologist. Dr. Girnita is a Rheumatologist OnCall who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. She can help you manage your symptoms, reduce inflammation, and improve your quality of life.
