SMArt Kids Avoid the Aisles and Hug the Walls

Need a helper at the grocery store? Tired of doing all of the shopping alone? Grab a SMArt Kid! After this month’s SMA, they are now well informed about the healthiest ways to shop at the local grocery store. They will remind you to keep in mind these simple rules before you and your family head out to the supermarket:

• Be prepared (have a list and plan recipes for the week)
• Don’t go hungry (you’ll avoid being tempted by free samples, freshly baked muffins, or treats in the check out aisle)
• Look at labels (remember, look for low sugar, high fiber foods)

And of course, remember MyPlate.gov when choosing your family’s food. Encourage more fruits and veggies – they should fill at least half of your plate at each meal.

We reviewed the areas of the grocery store that are the healthiest to shop. What are those? The areas along the perimeter of the store where the produce, dairy, bakery, meat, and seafood departments are located. If you stick to the perimeter, you can focus on the fresh foods and avoid the processed foods, typically located in the aisles. Every grocery store is slightly different but most follow this type of layout:

If you move into the aisles, one in particular, the dreaded cereal aisle, can be challenging. Linda Germaine-Miller, our SMArt Kids nutritionist, gave the group some specific strategies about shopping the cereal aisle:

• Avoid the boxes with characters and bright colors, they can often be the ones highest in sugar!
• Try to meet these guidelines when selecting a healthy cereal for breakfast or for a snack: 0 g saturated fat, 6 g sugar (or less), 3 g or more of fiber, and about 100-120 calories per serving
• Aim for very few ingredients on the label (for example, the only ingredient on a canister of oatmeal is “oats”)

She led the group in an exercise of reading cereal labels so the SMArt Kids could practice their skills. Here is an example to the right.

Would you buy this cereal?  The SMArt Kids would say “no way!” as there is too much sugar and too little fiber to make it a good choice.

We will meet again in March to continue to work on our SMArt Kids’ goals. Thus far, the group has been doing a fantastic job working on their monthly SMArt goals, which include:

• Limit screen time to less than 2 hours per day
• Participate in at least 1 hour of active play
• Limit sugary drinks to 0-4 ounces per day
• Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day
• Limit fast food to less than once per week
• Make breakfast a priority
• Choose healthy snacks
• Plan for family meals
• Get enough restful sleep
• Know where your food comes from

We look forward to seeing the SMArt Kids and their families back in March. In the interim, stay SMArt and shop along the perimeter of the grocery store! Avoid those aisles !