How to Make Healthy Choices at the Grocery Store

Have you ever gone to the grocery store hungry? I probably already know the answer -- a resounding yes. Am I right? You hit the first aisle and you’ve already busted open the bag of chips and eaten half the bag. Sound familiar? Maybe it’s just me.

There are thousands of choices at the grocery store and making healthy choices for yourself and your family can be a challenge. Sometimes it can be confusing trying to figure out what products are the healthiest.

Kroger has come out with a genius idea. There is a brand new app, called OptUP, and it is making it much easier to find healthier alternatives at the grocery store.  Plus, did I tell you that it is FREE? You can’t beat that.

Eating healthier and tracking what you buy can often feel tricky. With OptUP, you can take advantage of thousands of products rated on overall nutrition, making it easier to choose the foods that are right for you.

The scores are based on a nationally recognized nutrient profiling system that has been enhanced by Kroger’s internal team of registered dietitians.

The recommendations are based on what you already buy at their family of stores—so you can see how you’re doing now and how you could trade up to Better for You options.

With OptUP you can: 
• See the nutrition scores of the products you buy, automatically.
• Track your change using the household nutrition dashboard.
• View product recommendations to help you find Better For You options based on what you are buying today.
• Add items to your cart to simplify purchasing and save time.
• Text or scan search items to find Better For You options and nutrition facts.
• Connect with a registered dietitian in select markets to receive additional personalized counseling.

It was so enlightening to download the app, login into my Fry’s account, and get my household nutrition score. It even broke it down into percentages and shows that 78% of my purchases are in the healthy range.  I can see where I need to improve and what I can fill my grocery cart with to make healthier choices for my family.

How to make Healthy Choices at the Grocery Store:

1. Go grocery shopping with a full tummy. We all know that most poor food choices are made when you are hungry. It is so much easier to make healthy food choices when you aren’t starving.
2. Start shopping in the perimeter of the store. Start in the produce department and fill your cart with fresh fruits and vegetables. Focus on natural whole foods. Spend the least amount of time in the very center of the store where most of the processed foods are.
3. Make a grocery list ahead of time. This keeps you on track and saves you from wandering the store and filling your cart with junk food. Be intentional with your grocery shopping.
4. Download the new OptUp app to help you navigate and find healthy items at your Kroger grocery store.

My daughter is leaving for college in a few months. Que the tears.  I am trying to get her prepared so we downloaded the OptUP App. I want to teach her how to use it before she does her own grocery shopping. Since she is a ridiculously healthy eater and basically gets super excited about a veggie tray and a bowl of fruit, this will help her continue to make healthy choices. Grocery shopping on her own will be completely new to her so this OptUp App will help keep her on track.

You can download the app on the AppStore -- OptUP App  or Google Play. Once you download the app, login or set up an account and you will get a household score. Kroger is giving away a $100 gift card so once you get your score, leave me a comment sharing your score, and Kroger will randomly choose a winner. How fun would it be to have $100 to spend at the grocery store?

I would love to hear what you think of the new OptUp App. Reach out to me on Instagram @modern_honey and leave a comment to be entered to win a Kroger gift card. Find out more information at www.kroger.com. Have a great day, my friends!