The Worst Grocery Shopping Mistake...

Do not go food - shopping hungry!

Researchers from Cornell University had 68 adults fast for five hours and then gave some of them crackers before setting everyone loose to grocery shop. Those who didn't have a snack bought about 19 percent more food, including more higher-calorie foods. The study also found that healthier food choices were made between the hours of 1 and 4 p.m. and 4 and 7 p.m.

Clearly this means it's best to grab a snack before shopping. But there are more things you can do to pre-empt the purchasing of high-calories foods and make healthier choices when you stroll down the aisle.

1. Make a list. Start by looking to see what you already have and don’t have in the house, and then plan your meals and snacks for the week accordingly. You might want to put this list in your phone so you don’t forget it (like I typically do) when you walk into the store.

2. Look beyond the ice cream in the frozen food section. No doubt that ice cream is delicious, but it isn’t an item that should be on your grocery list weekly, unless you are really, really good with portion control. If you are like the rest of us, forget the dessert for now and turn your attention to the fruits and veggies, which are a healthy choice. Frozen at peak ripeness, they are great items to keep on hand so you can never use the excuse "I don’t have any veggies in the house." Also once you are savvy with label reading and can decipher the frozen entrees that are healthy, you might find that when you are in a time-crunch, they are a lifesaver.

3. Leave your husband or significant other at home. That would be me!  I am so lucky my husband does 99% of the shopping!  Well, he does work at Trader Joe’s.  Whenever I am with him, yes, more items appear in the cart.  It’s like I have to try some of the new items and of course they aren’t always the healthy choices!