Effective Grocery Shopping

Budget

100

True or False. As you add items to your shopping cart, you should keep track of the total cost in your head.

True. By doing so, you will protect yourself from going over your limit/budget. To easily do this, you can round your food items to the next dollar. This way you will account for tax and be completely sure you will not go over your budget.

200

______brand items are cheaper than name-brand items.

Generic

300

Name 1 food item that is usually cheaper than ready-to-eat/already prepared food items.

Hot cereal are generally cheaper than boxed cereal. Raw chicken is cheaper than cooked chicken.

400

Name 1 way you can save money at the checkout line.

There are several responses to this question. One way is to use coupons from the local paper. This is an instant and easy way to save a little money. Also, you could avoid buying last minute snacks that are available in the checkout line. Also, you should pay attention to the cashier to make sure they do not make any mistakes when they are ringing up your grocery items.

Before You Go

100

True or False. You should plan out meals for the next three weeks and write down all of the ingredients you will need for those meals.

False. You should only plan out meals for the upcoming week. If you plan for any longer than that, you will run the risk of your food going bad/spoiling. Planning meals in advance is a great way to save time during the week.

200

Why should you check your cabinets and pantry before going to the grocery store?

To take inventory of what you have and what you need.

300

When making your grocery list, how should you group the items on your list?

You should group your items based on where they are in the grocery store. For example, put all produce items together, all meat items together, and all diary items together.

400

Look for _____ to help save money and to help you remember items you may need to buy.

store coupons/specials

Food Items

100

True or False. You should avoid buying frozen vegetables because they are not beneficial for your child's diet.

False. Frozen vegetables are a great choice because they are very nutritious and can be kept/last for longer periods of time than fresh produce.

200

Generally, which aisles in the grocery store contain the most nutritious foods?

The outer aisles in the store generally contain the fresh produce, meat, and dairy items. The inner aisles generally contain the unhealthy and processed food items.

300

Name some healthy snacks items you could buy for your child.

Popcorn, fresh or canned fruit, yogurt, cheese, hummus, vegetables, whole wheat crackers, nut butter, etc.

400

When deciding whether or not a packaged item is nutritious or not, you should always refer to the _________. It is usually on the side or back.

What is the nutrition label

Tips

100

True or False: Shop on a full stomach.

True. Studies show that people who shop when they are hungry tend to buy more and they also tend to buy more 'junk food.'

200

Name 2 food items you should avoid buying your children.

Junk foods, sugary beverages, foods with high saturated fat, etc.

300

Explain why it is beneficial to bring your child grocery shopping with you.

Although bringing your children can be a hassle, it can be very beneficial. Bringing your child to the grocery store can help them develop healthy eating habits. By showing them nutritious food items, you can help them develop positive patterns for the future.

400

Your child wants a candy bar from one of the aisles, and throws a tantrum when you say 'no.' What is one way to handle this issue?

Next time be sure to pack a healthy snack to give them while shopping. To deal with the tantrum you can ask the manager to watch your cart and take the child outside for a time-out.