How to still shop healthy in the US

[newmrsvick 1]

Hello to everyone!

Just wanted to share a little about my recent experience immigrating from the UK to the US! One of the biggest challenges I personally faced on this side of the big pond, and that I couldn't find much about on the forums yet, was finding sources for healthy food for home cooking etc. in the midst of all the convenience foods and hidden ingredients (think UK processed foods bumped up a bit).

So I figured I'd throw some of my own experiences together in case there are any other foodies/health nuts out there wanting to make sure they still have control over the quality of their food! I know it was a big deal for me! I attached a link below, just to make it easier to compile all the links and info I wanted to share about healthy food shopping US style! I hope someone enjoys and it helps a little!

http://leapacrossthepond.blogspot.com/2013/02/staying-healthy-usa-style-in-body-and.html

Anyway, I hope everyone is having a wonderful day and I wish everyone the best of luck on their awesome immigration adventures!

[GandD 5,966]

Hello to everyone!

Just wanted to share a little about my recent experience immigrating from the UK to the US! One of the biggest challenges I personally faced on this side of the big pond, and that I couldn't find much about on the forums yet, was finding sources for healthy food for home cooking etc. in the midst of all the convenience foods and hidden ingredients (think UK processed foods bumped up a bit).

So I figured I'd throw some of my own experiences together in case there are any other foodies/health nuts out there wanting to make sure they still have control over the quality of their food! I know it was a big deal for me! I attached a link below, just to make it easier to compile all the links and info I wanted to share about healthy food shopping US style! I hope someone enjoys and it helps a little!

http://leapacrossthepond.blogspot.com/2013/02/staying-healthy-usa-style-in-body-and.html

Anyway, I hope everyone is having a wonderful day and I wish everyone the best of luck on their awesome immigration adventures!

We went to Trader Joe's this weekend. Lots of people there and lots of employees constantly stocking the shelves. Fun times and good food.

[newmrsvick 1]

Definitely makes a difference to the whole grocery shopping experience, doesn't it?

[CHarvey80 72]

I am actually the USC but here is what I do.

I eat a lot of ground turkey and use it for hamburgers, mix it with whole wheat pasta and veggies, ect.

I also have a juicing machine so that I can make fresh juice rather then buying concentrate or juice with a bunch of sugar from the stores.

I try and make as much from scratch as possible.

I include a lot of rice and oats in my diet.

If I do eat red meat I always buy the leanest cuts I can. i.e - pork loin, tri tip, etc.

I also eat a lot of chicken breast.

Spicy meat loaf

I replace 1 meal a day on average with a smoothie made with soy/whey protein powder, 2% organic milk, Mixed frozen fruits and berries, maybe some banana's and peanut butter.

With everything I buy I try and make sure it is local grown and produced ethically and organic (as much as one can anyway)

I only use sea salt

I try to avoid white sugar when I can

Deserts -

Rice pudding with coconut milk (made with brown sugar)

Banana bread pudding topped with a little home made caramel

Peach bread

Etc.

Hope someone might find this interesting.

[awkwardsoul 20]

I was surprised coming from Canada to the US how healthy choice foods weren't as common in grocery stores / walmart and more money. If I want whole grain produce, good produce, vegetarian meat options and such I have to go to specialty stores like Trader Joes/Sprouts/local Farmers Markets.

But yeah, junk food is SOOO cheap here in the US. And the canned meat and vegetable isle is 3 times the size in Canada, most of it stuff I didn't know one could can, with a day or two's worth of sodium!

[X Factor 1,110]

Many times organic stuff is regular stuff passed off as organic. And you pay more for it

[CHarvey80 72]

Many times organic stuff is regular stuff passed off as organic. And you pay more for it

Can it not be organic?

USDA Organic

[hikergirl 277]

Thank you for your post. Eating healthy is a concern for me as well.

For the processed food there is an app for Fooducate. http://www.fooducate.com It grades your item and helps you choose better options.

My daughter & hubby went to Savannah to go shopping last week during a visit. She was so surprised by a walk-up window outside a downtown McDonald’s that she took a picture of it to put on Instagram.

It seems like it’s going to be more work to eat healthy once I move down.

[indiana_sweetie 120]

Soy protein and isolated plant proteins are like poison to me, so I've been cooking from scratch for years. I try to stick with food labels with ingredients I can pronounce. My hubby reads all the labels when we shop in Kosovo. I don't eat a lot of meat, and like several of you have mentioned, it must be lean, and not much red meat. But I have no idea where to buy the yogurt they drink over there. I love it. I guess I will need to make it myself. I have only found fruit flavored here. Hubby told me tonight it bothers him to drink milk but he can drink yogurt. My 2 cents, if anyone has a Meijer store they carry non-GMO canned veggies. I bought some just to have on hand in the cupboard.

[NikLR 13,220]

Soy protein and isolated plant proteins are like poison to me, so I've been cooking from scratch for years. I try to stick with food labels with ingredients I can pronounce. My hubby reads all the labels when we shop in Kosovo. I don't eat a lot of meat, and like several of you have mentioned, it must be lean, and not much red meat. But I have no idea where to buy the yogurt they drink over there. I love it. I guess I will need to make it myself. I have only found fruit flavored here. Hubby told me tonight it bothers him to drink milk but he can drink yogurt. My 2 cents, if anyone has a Meijer store they carry non-GMO canned veggies. I bought some just to have on hand in the cupboard.

My husband is lactose intolerant and can't drink regular milk without it tearing his stomach up. But he can also eat yogurt and it actually seems to help.

I did find some decently priced greek yogurt which is a good source of protein if you like it.

[indiana_sweetie 120]

My husband is lactose intolerant and can't drink regular milk without it tearing his stomach up. But he can also eat yogurt and it actually seems to help.

I did find some decently priced greek yogurt which is a good source of protein if you like it.

I'm looking for the yogurt you can drink, but unflavored. It's sold everywhere in Kosovo. It's the land of yogurt there. My mother-in-law, who doesn't speak a word of English, was out shopping with us, hubby was translating. I pointed to the drinkable yogurt and told her I can't buy it here in the USA. She told me (jokingly) she would buy a truckload of it and have it delivered. Then she gave me a big hug. Now I miss Kosovo

[NikLR 13,220]

Is it Kefir?

[indiana_sweetie 120]

Is it Kefir?

That's the fruit-flavored one I buy here. I don't remember the name of what we bought in Kosovo. Well darn I just googled drinkable yogurt and it says take regular yogurt, add milk and shake I think I will try that.....right now

[SAT 9,609]

My husband is lactose intolerant and can't drink regular milk without it tearing his stomach up. But he can also eat yogurt and it actually seems to help.

I did find some decently priced greek yogurt which is a good source of protein if you like it.

I have a similar lactose problem. I eat yogurt and it helps a lot. It's because of the pro-biotics in it. I also take Lactobacillus acidophilus, another pro-biotic. It does me a world of good.

[indiana_sweetie 120]

Ok, I tried it. I took some yogurt, added milk and mixed it up real good. I think it's promising. For hubby I would buy regular yogurt, not fat free like I eat. I wonder if letting it sit in the refrigerator overnight would culture the added milk so it wouldn't cause problems? Or maybe I should buy really rich yogurt and add water? Just wondering.....