Shopping with a Grocery List Is Linked to a Healthier Diet and Lower BMI

When it’s time for the weekly grocery haul, do you:

a) write out a list and stick to it or
b) head straight to the store and wing it?

If you answered “b”, you may want to grab a pen and pad. A 2015 study from RAND Health, a nonprofit research organization specializing in health policy, found that writing out a grocery list before shopping was linked to lower BMI and healthier food choices in two urban neighborhoods.

Interesting: Shopping with a grocery list can be a step towards a healthier lifestyle

Creating a list helps ensure you don’t forget essential items while in the store, and making it a rule to stick to the list can prevent you from loading up your cart with unhealthy impulse purchases such as candy or chips. Plus, a well thought out list can help you stay within your budget and guarantee you have enough food to provide a week of healthy meals. Before you head to the store, take an inventory of what food is already in the house and plan out your meals for the week (or however long until the next shopping day).

We've prepared a Shopping List for you: just save it, print it and let's go!