A Fit Girl’s Guide to Grocery Shopping

Picture of groceries titled “a fit girl’s guide to grocery shopping”

Hey guys,

Today’s blog post is a fit girl’s guide to grocery shopping. Included in this post are tips for healthy grocery shopping, two grocery lists, foods to avoid, delivery applications and which shops and apps to go to and use.

Tips for healthy shopping:

Man writing his to-do list
  • Never shop when you’re hungry.
  • Always write out and use a grocery list.
  • Read nutrition labels.
  • Aim to buy minimally processed foods.
  • Shop the outer aisles of the store first.
  • Spend time in the produce section.
  • Look for water soaked tuna instead of oil.
  • Look for items titled no salt added or low sodium.
  • Buy frozen and canned vegetables.
  • Look for no sugar added options.
  • Remove existing unhealthy snacks or junk food once you come home.
  • Organize a grocery list based on sections (ie: dairy, protein, fats, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables). You can add onto the sample lists if needed!

Check out these grocery list items from Healthline for healthy grocery ideas:

List of health groceries taken from healthline website
(Kubala,2021)

Grocery list for muscle gain:

Shopping check list for muscle gain

Grocery list for fat loss:

Shopping grocery list for fat loss

What foods to avoid:

Avoid buying sugar, candy, soda, ice cream, chips and sugary cereal.

Picture of colorful donuts

Double check that foods marketed low fat, vegan or low sugar actually follow up with their claims, you can do this by reading the nutrition label.

Nutritional label

Hacks:

  • Chew on something or bring a water bottle to sip on while you shop.
  • Eat before going grocery shopping.
  • Shop alone to reduce impulse buying.
  • Write down brand of items you use on your grocery list.
  • Shop when it’s not too crowded (avoid going after work, on weekends and aim to go in the morning, after lunch or weekend mornings).
2 bags of groceries

How to navigate delivery applications:

Delivery applications can be useful and help us save time, however, they can also take up quite a lot of our money and/or cause us to overeat if we’re not too careful.

“And as many apps have a minimum dollar amount you must spend, you may be forced into ordering more than you want.”

Make sure to be mindful of how much you order if you don’t want to over indulge. Be aware of minimum charges that drive up food consumption and the susceptibility to emotionally order/eat.

“‘Using a food delivery app may be overwhelming for people who emotionally eat, binge eat or struggle with overeating,” notes Dr. Albers.’”

Apps in Lebanon:

Toters

Toters logo in bag with delivery items

Spinneys App

Gozilla

Apps in Dubai:

Instashop

Talabat

Deliveroo

Careem Now

Healthy food shops in Lebanon:

Vegetable aisle at supermarket

A New Earth Organic Store

A new earth shop in Lebanon

About

A New Earth was founded in 2009 by Layane Makarem and Sabine Kassouf and is Lebanon’s first certified organic store.

The founders were united by their passion for healthy food and sustainable and eco friendly practices.

A New Earth offers every health product under the sun including vegan, organic, gluten-free, sugar-free or health-focused products. They also offer non-toxic home products to use.

Price

$$

Location

Zahrat El Ihsan, Beirut

Urban Market

Urban market Lebanon’s cereal aisle

About

Urban Market is a supermarket located in Ain Mresseh that serves a wide variety of healthy and organic food options.

From cereals, juices, salads, protein bars to vegetables and fruits, your healthy food items can be found at this shop!

Price

$$$$

Location

Ain Mresseh

Aziz Delicatesse

Aziz Lebanon’s market

About

With it’s first shop opened in 1955 offering premium and gourmet products, Aziz caters to a more refined target audience.

They have their own pastry and bakery department, offer a wide variety of champagnes and wines as well as healthy imported and local foods.

Price

$$$$

Location

Zalka Highway, Kantari

Agrifarm

Agrifarm Lebanon’s vegetables

About

Agrifarm is a high quality grocery and delicatessen supermarket that offers your most favored organic products.

They offer a particular product range that is locally grown in Lebanon.

Price

$$

Location

Habib Bacha El Saad Street, Facing Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais, Achrafieh

Beirut bio center

Healthy food aisle

About

Beirut Bio Center offers macro-biotic foods and meals aimed at improving our vitality, longevity and health.

Price

$

Location

Baabda

Beirut health store

Healthy supermarket interior

About

Beirut health store is an organic food shop that offers supplements, vitamins, organic grains, organic items such as coconut oils and anything health-related.

Price

$

Location

Hamra

Biomass

Biomass’ fresh produce

About

Biomass started out as a family project and has now become a grower, aggregator, packer, distributor and exporter of organic certified fresh produce and crops.

It was founded in 2007, Biomass grows every crop or produce that can be grown under the Mediterranean climate and landscape of Lebanon.

Price

$$

Location

Jrabta Main Road

Souk Al Tayeb

Healthy vegetables from Lebanese Souk Al Tayeb market

About

Souk Al Tayeb is a weekly farmers market that displays organic and healthy produce and food products.

It aims to preserve cultural heritage through culinary food promotion and promotes sustainable practices.

Price

$

Location

Armenia street

Healthy food shops in Dubai:

Euromercato

Dubai’s euromercato stand

About

Euromercato is an authentic Italian food store in the UAE that emphasizes modernity and sustainability. They offer natural, organic and healthy foods for a holistic lifestyle.

Price

$$

Location

Check out their multiple locations here!

GreenHeart Organic Farms

Organic vegetables and their price

About

Greenheart organic farms offers freshly grown and harvested fruits, vegetables and food products in the UAE. All organic and ethically sourced, they even offer home delivery!

Price

$$

Location

Al Barsha – Al Barsha South – Dubai – United Arab Emirates

Holland and Barrett

British health food shop

About

Holland and Barrett is one of the largest health and wellness retailers in Europe. They offer every health, beauty and wellness supplement under the sun.

Price

$$$

Location

Check out their multiple locations here!

Organic Foods and Café

Organic foods cafe

About

Organic foods and cafe is one of the first and biggest organic food supermarkets in the UAE. They offer healthy foods, produce, skincare and beauty products that you simply can’t miss out on!

Price

$$-$$$

Location

Check out their multiple locations here!

Soil

Soil organic health shop in Dubai

About

Soil store is a health and organic store that offers the most delicious and organic healthy foods and meals. They offer paleo, keto, vegan and vegetarian food options.

Price

$$$

Location

Al Seef Village Mall

Check out my previous posts on the healthy restaurants to eat at in Beirut and Dubai if you want to eat out while staying healthy at the same time!

Sources:

https://www.euromercato.ae/pages/about-us

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a42747909/weight-loss-grocery-list/

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-stop-ordering-takeout

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-grocery-shopping-guide#before-you-go

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/junk-health-foods#4.-Sports-drinks-and-energy-beverages

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/cooking-skills/shopping/grocery-shopping-tips

https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/muscle-building-shopping-list.html

https://livehealthymag.com/five-brilliant-health-food-stores-in-the-uae/?amp=1

https://www.tastingtable.com/1416786/grocery-store-hacks-better-shopping/

I hope that you enjoyed this fit girl’s guide to grocery shopping, please let me know what you thought about it in the comments section below!

3 Comments Add yours

  1. Thanks! I’ll check some of these out!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. TarasFitWorld's avatar TarasFitWorld says:

      Anytime! Hope you enjoy them ❤️

      Like

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