Grocery store tour: Shopping the perimeter

Have you ever wondered if you’re grocery shopping the right way? Most of us tend to spend the most time shopping in the center aisles, when you really should spend the most time shopping in the outside perimeters of the store. This is where you’ll find the freshest foods, including produce, meat and dairy.

Fresh foods are generally healthier than the processed foods you’ll find in the center aisles. Because the items in the outside perimeter are fresh, you can better control the fat and sodium intake in your diet. Maintaining a healthy diet means watching what is added to foods, as well. Many foods in the center aisles contain preservatives. Preservatives are chemicals or additives in food that keep them shelf stable and make them last longer. If foods don’t have any added preservatives, then they need to be refrigerated to keep fresh.

Watch health educator Katie Johnson explain more about preservatives, shopping along the perimeters and more in this video: