The Markets of Meijer and More...

Well today marked that infamous weekly routine of grocery shopping.  Generally weekly for me, I trudge off to the supermarket and drag myself around the store in an effort to keep house and home well-stocked for the following week, praying that I don't run into anyone I know in an effort to make the trip as quick and painless as possible.  

As I waited in the checkout line today, wondering why my cashier was holding an in depth conversation with the woman in front of me, I half-listened in on the two women in line behind me having a conversation about celebrity babies as they stared at the tabloids.  Yes, this is my life.  When it was my turn to get my things rung up, one of these women behind me made an interesting comment.  She said, "a nutritionist would be very impressed with your purchases."  The cashier, clearly a Chatty Cathy herself, agreed, noting I had purchased extra lean ground beef, chicken sausages, yogurt, oatmeal, and lots of fruits and veggies.  With a smile, I replied, "I try to eat healthily."  The experience made me realize that there is another element of the healthy lifestyle that warrants a discussion here--shopping healthy strategies.  

I've already discussed some vital elements when it comes to hitting your local grocery store--reading labels, buying fresh foods when possible, etc. but there is certainly a technique I try to stick to when I must traverse the trails of grocery mayhem, and it just might be valuable for others to hear about too, so here it goes:

Step 1.  Make a list before you ever leave your house.  It's not just that I can't remember the minutia of what's in my cupboards on a daily basis (or say, most other day to day things, as my good friend Adam knows--how can you tell when you're getting older?), but a grocery list also keeps me on track at the store and helps me mentally plan my "route" through the aisles.  Look through your cupboards, fridge, pantry, etc. and see what you need.  Write it down!  If you're really feeling motivated, attempt to write down all the items that are in the same section of the store in the same area on your list--makes it easier to get everything all at the same time, say from the produce section.  Additionally, think of shopping for "meals" not just items.  What are you planning for dinner that week?  What will you need to make it?  Write it down!

For those of you who are budget conscious--making a list is your chance to figure out your costs before you even get into the store, to look for coupons to use, to map out what's on sale, and to decide what you really need and can afford versus a splurge item.  No doubt, healthier foods are more expensive.  It is an unfortunate fact of life here in the United States and a major contributing factor to why many Americans are overweight--it's financially easier to eat junk food--and with a dwindling middle class, pushing those toward poverty or (if you should be so lucky), wealth, we all know where this leaves our country nutritionally--a train wreck.  So take the time to make a list and save yourself from wasteful spending and poor, spur of the moment, food choices.

Step 2. Shop the perimeter.  This is something I've heard time and again as part of all those "diet tricks" various celebrity schmucks and diet gurus preach from time to time.  Looking at what I purchased today, however, it really is true.  The healthier items are those unprocessed things in the produce, meats, and dairy sections of your local store, which usually encompass the individual aisles of chips, cookies, and pop (soda!)  When making that list in step 1, think about where your items are laid out within the store--are they along the perimeter? If not, maybe you should rethink that purchase. 

This is not to say one should never venture into the aisles.  There can be fabulous stuff in there!  Sugar free instant oatmeal packets for a quick breakfast, rice cakes and popcorn for snacks, staples like flour, etc.  Just be cautious in your "inter-aisle" purchases.  Again, read the labels!  And think before putting something in your cart--do you really need that? Is it a healthy option--or is there a better choice?  What could you eat in place of that bag of chips that would be smarter?

Step 3. Never, ever, shop when you're hungry!  I think everyone has heard this suggestion--you're bound to buy a bunch of extra stuff when you're starving--everything just looks so delicious, right?  I try to go grocery shopping right after I eat breakfast or lunch.  That way it's easier to stick to your initial list and avoid buying a bunch of a) expensive stuff you don't need or b) junk food because when you're hungry you start craving bad foods.  The worst of hungry shopping occurs when you buy a bag of chips or cookies because you're craving them in that moment--but then you're stuck with a whole bag of chips/cookies for days/weeks...making it hard to stick to good choices at home.  Avoid it all together and eat before you go!

Step 4. Buy yourself a smart snack.  Ok, this may seem to contradict the not shopping when hungry mantra above, but for some reason, I always find myself in need of a snack by the time I get done with a vigorous round of grocery shopping (perhaps it's the exhaustion of dealing with the public?)  The problem is, feeling hunger at the end of your shopping trip can be just as dangerous as going into it hungry.  The checkout lane usually only harbors "empty calorie" candy bars and pop.   All very tempting when you're feeling hunger pangs.  Think ahead if this same thing usually happens to you and make sure you buy yourself something good to eat--say a piece of fruit?  I like to stick to bananas because you don't eat the peel; therefore, you don't have to worry about washing it first. 

If you're feeling really hungry by this point, but it's not quite lunch/dinner time yet, STOP.  Are you really hungry? Maybe you're just thirsty?  The majority of Americans walk around dehydrated, and thirst can often mimic the feeling of hunger.  There is no harm in buying yourself a bottle of water--look at the bottom of the convenience coolers near the checkouts, yeah, waaaay down there, below the Mountain Dew and Monster drinks--that's where you'll most likely find that bottle of water.  A diet pop is another option if you're feeling the need for a caffeine boost or just something bubbly, but remember the marching band standard rule (letting my freak flag fly here), "carbonation = dehydration."  So while it may be thirst quenching, that pop may not completely stave off the faux hunger pangs--just be aware. 

Step 5.  Evaluate your purchases.  If I'm shopping alone, which is usually the case, I rarely need to do this, but if you shop with others--husband, wife, kids--you better look at what they've tossed in the cart behind your back.  My husband is infamous for sneaking in bags of M&Ms.  Even if you're shopping with others, make sure you alone put the groceries on the belt to be scanned (or scan them yourself--as computers continue to replace humans).  There is no shame in telling the cashier you don't want something even after you've dragged it to front of the store with you--and hopefully it will embarrass the heck out of your husband/kids so they think twice about doing it again.  Most stores have "runners" who can easily return it to the shelf--help keep people employed!  Like I said, I rarely need to do this, but every now and again, I have to check myself too.  That box of brownie mix may have seemed a good idea back in Aisle 7, but really doesn't it just mean a whole pan of brownies to eat?  Put it back.  So, moral of the story, check yourself before you wreck yourself.  If it's not in your house, you can't eat it.

Healthier Orange-Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

Bulk up before you hit the stores with this healthier version of the classic cinnamon roll.  It has about 1/3 the calories of the traditional version of the same size, but tons of flavor.

Ingredients:

          1 C    110’ water

          2       .25 oz pkts. Active dry yeast

          1/3  C         sugar

          1/3 C          Stevia in the Raw

          1 t.              sugar

          1 C    warm fat free milk

          5 T    melted margarine

          2 T    Light Butter & Canola Oil

          2 t.    salt

          2       eggbeaters egg equivalents

          ≤8 C  flour (4 AP, 4 whole wheat)

          3 T.   ground cinnamon

          1 T    orange zest

          2/3 C reduced sugar dried cranberries

          1 T    Light Butter & Canola Oil

          2 C    powdered sugar

          2 C    powdered sugar substitute

          1t.     vanilla extract

          1 t.    orange extract

          ≤6 T. hot water

          Canola oil spray

Directions:

Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water; set aside.  In a large bowl, mix 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup Stevia, milk, 1/3 cup melted margarine, salt, and eggbeaters; stir well and add to yeast mixture.  Add half the flour and beat until smooth.  Stir enough of the remaining flour until dough is slightly stiff.  Turn onto a well-floured board and knead for 8 minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1-1 ½ hours.  Punch down dough and let rest for 5 minutes.  Roll dough out on floured surface into a 15”x20” rectangle. 

Brush 2 T Land O Lakes Light Butter and Canola Oil over dough (I rub it around with my hands).  Mix together ¾ cups sugar, ¾ C Stevia, cinnamon, and orange zest; sprinkle about 12 T over dough.  Sprinkle with craisins if desired.  Roll up dough and pinch edge together to seal.  Cut the roll into 18 slices (about 1” wide).

Coat bottom of a 13”x9”x2” baking pan with cooking spray, then sprinkle with 2 T remaining sugar/Stevia/cinnamon blend.  Place cinnamon roll slices close together in pan.  Cover pan and allow to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.  Bake in a 350’ oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Stir together 1 T melted Land O Lakes Light Butter & Canola Oil, powdered sugar, Powdered Sugar Substitute, and extracts.  Stir in hot water, 1 T. at a time, until glaze reaches desired spreading consistency.  Spread prepared icing over slightly cooled rolls.

Serving Size = 1 cinnamon roll.  Per serving = less than 334 calories per roll.