Before you Stop & Shop: Nutrition Tips and Giftcard Giveaway

It's Friday and not a bad day for a National Nutrition Month Minute from Stop & Shop’s full-time nutritionist, Julie Menounos. 

Unlike Julie, we shop the same way we fly through the jungle or drive to lax practice: fast, swooping up everything in our path, and without much time for mindful decision making. After reading Julie's tips on how to get the most out of your grocery shopping - and we don't mean extreme couponing - we are giving our shopping habits a second thought. 

Julie knows all about how to make healthy choices in those supermarket aisles, and she's nice enough to swing by My Shiny Monkey and share these tips with us this weekend. 

Here are three terrific healthy shopping tips, and they come with a giveaway: a shiny $10 giftcard! Just submit a healthy grocery shopping tip - or question for Julie - in the comments and we will choose a random winner by Sunday evening. 

Tips for making the most out of your grocery shopping experience:

Before you hit the grocery store aisles:

· Don’t shop hungry. Be sure to have a light meal or snack with fiber and protein before shopping to avoid impulse buys.

· Make a grocery list. Plan out your week of meals, snacks and beverages and those you need to restock. Organize the list by the departments of the grocery store to save you time shopping.

During Your Shopping Trip:

· Shop the perimeter of the store. This is where the freshest, most natural food lies. So fill most of your cart with fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and dairy items then venture down the center aisles to stock up on staple goods like whole grains, beans, vegetable-based soups, canned tuna and wild salmon.

· Pay attention to symbols to help you shop. For example, at Stop & Shop, you can look for the Healthy Ideas® symbol next to the price to find products that are better for you and your family.

· Read the ingredient list. If you are not sure how to accurately interpret the Nutrition Facts label, the ingredients list can provide you with enough information to make a healthy decision. Ingredients are listed in order of weight from high to low. In general, the less ingredients the better. If sugar is listed in the first or second ingredient of your breakfast cereal, look to swap it.

When You Get Home:

· Focus on filling half your plate with fruit and non-starchy vegetables. Fill the other half with whole grains (bread, rice, pasta and starchy vegetables like corn, peas, potatoes) and lean protein (chicken, turkey, beef seafood, beans).

· Don’t forget a serving of dairy (milk, yogurt or cheese) either incorporated into the meal, on the side or as dessert.

· Think about adding fruits and veggies to your family's favorite foods. Add strawberries in cereal, blueberries in yogurt, sliced pears in a grilled cheese sandwich, shredded carrots and zucchini to pasta sauce, and broccoli on pizza.

Stop & Shop's own Health Ideas Magazine, available by clicking here. 

What do YOU think is a great tip for you and your family? What questions do you have for Julie, our nutritionist friend? Comment below and you could win a $10 giftcard to Stop & Shop by Sunday night!

Disclosure: I was given a Stop & Shop giftcard to giveaway, and nutrition tips, by Stop & Shop. Opinions and commentary are my own.