Grocery Store Gameplan: Aramark RDs Offer Heart-Healthy Eating And Grocery Shopping Tips

Aramark, a leading employer of dietitians, is helping Americans to make healthier food and nutrition choices, both when dining away from home, and when shopping in the grocery store for ingredients they prepare in their own kitchens.

According to new research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2019, ultra-processed foods (those made entirely or mostly from substances extracted from foods, such as fats, starches, hydrogenated fats, added sugar, modified starch and other compounds), account for more than 50% of an average American’s daily calories,  and are linked to lower measures of cardiovascular health.

As part of its Feed Your Potential 365 consumer health engagement campaign (www.FYP365.com), Aramark dietitians and chefs provide insights, ideas and inspiration for healthier grocery shopping, to enable everyone to choose ingredients that will help them make great tasting, healthier meals for their families at home (without breaking the bank). Their suggestions apply during the holidays and throughout the year.

Knowing Store Layout is Key

To shop smart, focus shopping where healthy foods are usually found. It’s wise to start at the perimeter of the store.

• Fresh fruits and vegetables are always a great place to begin when you arrive at the grocery store. Next, look for whole-grain crackers, breads and cereals rather than refined grains. In the seafood section, choose non-breaded fish fillets, especially fish that’s high in omega 3s, including salmon, tuna and trout. In the meat/deli section, choose ‘Select’ or ‘Choice’ grade meats rather than ‘Prime’ cuts and be mindful about purchases of processed meats. In the dairy area, look for low-fat and fat-free products.
• Have a game plan when navigating through the middle aisles as that’s where many of the ultra-processed foods are found. You can still find many healthy items throughout the grocery store, such as canned and frozen fruits and vegetables (without added sugar or sodium), whole-grain foods, nuts and seeds and herbs and spices.

Selecting Fruits and Vegetables

Incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet has many health benefits, including making it easier to maintain a healthy weight. With so many great produce options available in supermarkets, it’s easier than ever to incorporate plants into meals.

• Fresh fruits and vegetables are easy, portable choices.

• Get into the habit of putting a fresh snack in your purse or backpack; think: apple, orange, banana, grapes or baby carrots.
   
• Look for seasonal choices. Your heart-healthy recipes will taste even better with produce that’s in season.

• Frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at the peak of ripeness and then flash frozen to preserve optimal nutrition. They last for several months in the freezer and can be a very economical choice.

• For vegetables with added sauces or seasonings, compare the sodium content on the Nutrition Facts label and choose the product with the lowest amount.
   
• Choose 100% frozen fruits without added sugars.

• Fresh and frozen aren’t the only options when it comes to produce. Canned varieties of fruits and vegetables are equally as healthy as fresh or frozen produce, and they all count toward your daily nutrition goals.

• Canned fruits and vegetables are convenient to have in your pantry when you can’t get to the store. There’s also no pressure to use them as promptly as fresh produce, which can spoil.
   
• Watch for sodium. Look on the can labels to identify no-salt-added or low-sodium vegetables. Rinse and drain canned veggies with added sodium to get rid of even more.
   
• Look for fruit that’s canned in water, its own juice, or light syrup (rinse and drain) to avoid added sugar.

In 2015, Aramark and the American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, joined forces to improve the diet and health of millions of Americans through Healthy for Life® , a multi-year collaboration that comprehensively addresses population health through the combination of healthy menu innovation, consumer health engagement, community health outreach and Aramark employee wellbeing initiatives.

For more healthy living tips and recipes, visit www.fyp365.com, or join the conversation on Instagram.