Supermarket Shopping: Book on Super Foods Breaks the Grocery Routine

Consuming a "super food" like green or black tea is associated with a reduced risk for heart disease, stroke and other diseases.

Everyone I know is sick and tired of hearing about my trips to Aldi. Seven years ago, when the discount supermarket chain first came to town, my friends feigned interest in how much food I could get for less than $25.42.

“You got all of that? Seriously?” they would ask as I ran through every single item on my grocery list. But before long, their eyes would glaze over at the mere mention of groceries.

Fortunately for them, I decided to widen my shopping scope after reading a series of articles and a book about “super foods.” The content in these publications shifted the way I thought about food (and, as a result, about grocery shopping). And with all of my energy focused on how to add these items for breakfast and other meals, there was no time to stop by Bojangles for a chicken biscuit.

A longer grocery list
Readily available in most any supermarket, super foods are everyday items that are naturally packed with disease-fighting nutrients, are easy to include in meals and fill you up without excess calories. Steven Pratt, MD, author of SuperFoods RX: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, included the following on his list: beans, blueberries, broccoli, oats, oranges, pumpkin, salmon, soy, spinach, tea (green or black), tomatoes, turkey, walnuts and yogurt.

Unlike most lists of “don’t eats,” here was a selection of delicious items I should add into my diet. I learned that super foods could potentially reduce my risk of heart disease, cancer, arthritis and diabetes. So, instead of worrying over how to avoid transfats, processed foods and anything fried, my reading encouraged me to incorporate more of these foods that I already liked into daily meals.

Just one problem: Blueberries are expensive. So is salmon, whether or not it’s the wild kind. And I think you have to be retired to afford walnuts. About the only affordable super food is a can of beans. But even Dr. Pratt wouldn’t suggest that I live on beans, oats and tea alone.

While the deals at Aldi are good, the selection is limited. I knew if I was going to regularly include these super foods in my diet and still save money, I needed a more ambitious plan.

Strategy for savings
I decided to split my grocery list and shop around at different supermarkets. My Sunday afternoon routine now involves trips to three different grocery stores. Aldi is still first, of course. Next, I hit Costco for dependable deals on things like fish and spinach. Finally, Harris Teeter—the grand finale—for items that I’m afraid not to pay premium for, like organic turkey, milk and eggs, plus local in-season fruits and vegetables.

It may sound crazy to spend my Sundays driving around to three separate grocery stores, but my informal cost analysis reveals a significant savings—and my husband and I are enjoying those super foods on a regular basis.

So, thanks Dr. Pratt, for writing such a persuasive book. My husband, on the other hand, still waits for the day when we can buy all our groceries at just one supermarket. Shhhh—don’t tell him that I actually enjoy my Sunday scavenger hunts.

Posted By: Robin Anders