There is a scene in the movie “The Stepford Wives” where Nicole Kidman, surrounded by beautiful and slender women pushing their shopping carts, purchases healthy, low-calorie products in just the right amounts. It was easy for her, a programmed robot, to do it without thinking. Unfortunately, it's not that easy for most of us.
But don’t worry. To know how to purchase healthy foods you don’t need to act like a robot, or drastically change the way you shop. All you need to do is implement some simple strategies to help you make sure that your cart is full of foods that are part of your healthy diet plan. 
Think weekly
Think ahead and plan your meals for the next seven days. This way, you will know exactly what amount of each item you will need for your breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.
Make a list
Something as easy and as handy as the traditional shopping list will make the shopping process more efficient, and also help you avoid those impulse buys that can be hazardous to your diet (and your wallet). The list should include the basic foods you need for your healthy snacks. For example: baby carrots, celery sticks, broccoli, apples, oranges, pears, cherries, whole wheat bagels, grapes, pretzels, low-fat cheese, and yogurt.
Design a shopping route
After going to the same supermarket over and over again, you should already know where the healthy products are. Make a “mental map” of the store before you get there, and avoid taking the cart towards the areas that have those less healthy choices you think you cannot resist.
Don't shop when you are hungry
This is a challenge for women who typically shop after work and before getting home. But try it, it’s worth it. It is hard to resist the temptation of cookies, cakes, chips, and other easy-to-grab less healthy snacks, if you are hungry when you get to the supermarket. Buying on an empty stomach can be a terrible trap. Plan to go shopping after you have just eaten a meal.
Read the nutrition facts labels
Since 1994, every packaged food product is required to have a label with its nutrition data. Try to get used to reading it, because it will tell you how many calories, as well as many other nutrients like sodium and potassium, the product contains.
If you follow these five steps, we guarantee you will have a refrigerator full of healthy foods. At the same time, you will be doing your finances a big favor, because getting to the cashier without having planned in advance, can be much more expensive.
