How to Find Healthy Foods
It's common knowledge that healthy foods are good for us. However, finding healthy foods among the many products making exaggerated health claims can be difficult.
[edit] Steps
- Buy local . The food travels less, giving it less exposure to chemicals and necessitating less of a preservative load.
- Check out local farms. You can often buy directly from the farm if you buy in bulk.
- Visit a farmer's market
- Check at the store to see where a product came from
- Avoid packaged goods. Look for whole foods. For example, a whole fish is preferable to microwavable fish-sticks.
- Try a natural foods store like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. These stores often carry healthier or organic versions of products that are less readily available locally; for example, organic olive oil.
- Select foods that you know to be healthy. Look for sustainable seafoods, fresh produce, legumes, nuts and whole grains.
[edit] Tips
- Buy in bulk. It tends to cost less, and you have more options about buying directly from farmers.
- Grow your own produce whenever possible. Even if you don't have a yard, you can grow a windowbox, a rooftop garden, or grow plants indoors.
- Participate in a community garden project.
- Educate yourself about local eating, organic food, and healthy diet.
- Get a small freezer, so that you can store bulk produce for the winter. These freezers are inexpensive and energy efficient. Plus, food which is frozen fresh retains it's nutritional value.
- Try to cook from scratch as much as possible to break dependence on pre-packaged food. For example, try cooking whole oats for breakfast instead of cereal.
[edit] Warnings
- Watch out for pre-packaged foods labeled as "healthy" or "organic". Pre-packaged foods lose much nutritional value.
- Many products make health claims without a basis. Be suspicious, and do research about food.
