Christian SAHM's Guide to Healthy Grocery Shopping

Christian stay-at-home and work-at-home moms have a very tough job. They have many things and people to be responsible for at the same time. To them, it may seem as if there are not enough hours in the day or energy in the body to meet all the demands they have. On top of that, they still have to be accountable to God about the health behaviors they model for their kids. It's their duty to feed them healthy food to maintain their fitness so they can grow strong and use their gifts in the kingdom.

Here are some guidelines to help Christian SAHM and WAHM when they make their regular trek to the grocery store.

Buy More, Spend More

Buy lots of food and spend more than you usually do. Rearrange your food budget so you don't buy fast food when you're on the road. If you ever find that you order out or stop for food because there's "nothing to eat" at home, then you might need to allocate more money to your grocery budget and take some away from your entertainment or dining out budget.

Make a List!!!

Don't just replace what's missing in the cupboard. Make your shopping list according to what meals you plan on making. The optimal meal would include a low-fat protein source, a whole grain or starch and a fresh or steamed fruit or vegetable.

Buy Foods With a Short Shelf Life

The longer a food can last on the shelf the worse it probably is for you. Manufacturers have to add lots of things to a food to prevent spoil. The more additives and processing a food has gone through, the less it is considered to be whole.

Shop at Off-Peak Times

You will be less frustrated and have more time to read labels and choose foods carefully. Don't shop while you're hungry. You'll end up with all kinds of unplanned and unhealthy items in your cart.

Shop Infrequently

Don't shop more than two to three times per month. This will force you to plan meals and save you money on unplanned spending during those quick trips to the store.

Question Yourself

Question everything you pick up. Ask yourself what's the purpose of every item you put in your cart. Don't just put things in there because you usually buy them.

Take Your Time

Give yourself time to shop. This is another way to ensure you'll make smart and thoughtful choices at the store. Don't shop while you're rushed.

Make a Trek: Boldly Go Where You Haven't Gone Before

Explore strange, new worlds (aisles) in the grocery store. You're going to need to find new healthier items to replace the more unhealthy ones. Simply not buying unhealthy foods will not help you lose weight. You need to think of swapping unhealthy foods for better ones instead of just dropping the junk.

Make a small investment in a more in-depth guide for Christian stay-at-home moms to make your job of keeping your family fit a little easier.