Healthy eating is important at every age. Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. When grocery shopping, choose options that are full of nutrients and limited in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. Start with these tips:

When starting your grocery list, think about the five food groups—fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. Take a look at the foods you already have in your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry and shop for foods you may be missing.

Write down meals you want to make for the week. Planning your meal for the week helps you figure out what items you need to buy. This cuts down on time thinking about what to make during the week. Think of creative ways to use some of the items you already have together with some new ones. Strive for a variety of foods in each of the food groups.

Don’t forget to include foods like fruits and vegetables, which may not be a part of a recipe but are great to have as snacks. Fresh, canned, frozen, dried, and dehydrated all count!

Finish your list by organizing needed items into groups, such as grocery sections or food groups. This helps to stay focused, buy only the items you need, and make a quick exit.

Save more by using coupons, signing up for your store loyalty programs, buying foods on sale and in-season, or comparing brands and prices. Store brands are usually less expensive. Check grocery ads for sales.

Use apps that help you track your lists and totals the estimated cost of the list. This will help you add and remove items to stay within your budget.

Buy protein in bulk. Usually buying protein in family packs are priced lower than smaller packages. Remember to compare the price per unit to know which is the better deal.

Buy canned foods or frozen foods to save money. Canned foods and frozen foods last longer giving you more time to cook it before it expires.

Limit the amount of snacks you buy. Snacks tend to be higher priced and are less nutritional than fruit and vegetables.

Make the best choice for your needs by comparing nutrition and ingredient information by reading the food label or the Nutrition Facts label. Look for those with less added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.

When looking at posted pricing and comparing costs, look at the posted cost per unit. In this example, it's $2.98 for 12 ounces. The price per ounce comes out to 24.9 cents. If the price per unit is not posted, you can divide the full price of the item by the total units of the item. In this example, it would be $2.98 divide by 12 which equals to 24.9 cents per ounce.

Use a calculator while you shop. Start with your total budget. As you add items to your cart, subtract the price of those items. As you get closer to 0, you have a better idea of how much you can add to your cart.

Understanding Date Labels

Nutrition Education Fact Sheet ( English | Spanish )

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