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Supermarket Shopping for a Healthy Body and Calm Mind

It’s all about filling our bodies up with foods that will help us feel better

Life has changed a bit over the past couple of weeks. We are all feeling unsettled and anxious about an uncertain future. This is why now more than ever we need to nourish our bodies with healthy food, to help keep our immune systems strong and keep our minds feeling calm.

Australia is lucky enough to have a steady supply of food, so we are not going to run out and our supermarkets will stay open – this is great news for our bellies! We can still shop as we normally would so our distribution services are able to deliver food to supermarkets around the country and restock our shelves as we need it.

What should I be shopping for at the supermarket?

Because we are going to have regular access to fresh food, we don’t need to be purchasing highly processed pre-made foods like frozen meals and instant noodles. These foods generally have a lot of added sugars, oils, salt and preservatives, which reduce their nutritional value. Instead, choose lots of healthy, fresh fruit, veggies and wholegrains. These foods will nourish your body and make you feel good from the inside out!

Here are some essentials to fill your shopping trolley up with.

Fruit & Veggies

Of course, the superstars of healthy food! Eating lots of fruit and veggies will improve your immune system, overall physical health and mental health. Make sure you choose a variety of colours. Don’t forget about frozen veggies. They are cheap and can be stored for a long time!

Did you know frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh veggies?  In fact, because they are frozen quickly after harvest, they can actually have more nutrients than fresh veggies. 

Wholegrains

Make sure you are choosing brown and grainy varieties of breads, pasta and rice. They provide many more nutrients compared to white varieties and will help to keep you fuller for longer.

Did you know wholegrains are full of fibre which helps to stabilise your mood and help you feel calm?

Dairy

Low-fat dairy is an excellent source of protein and calcium to help keep your bones strong. Low-fat milk, yoghurt and cheese are delicious and versatile! Make sure you go for unflavoured varieties of yoghurt and use fresh or frozen fruit to sweeten.

Did you know yoghurt has good bacteria in it which helps to boost your mood?

Meats and Plant Protein

Protein will help to keep you full and maintain your muscle mass to keep you strong and mobile. Choose lean meats like reduced fat red meat and chicken breast. Try to have fish at least once a week – canned tuna and salmon are cheap and provide lots of omega-3’s, which are essential for good mental health. Also, don’t forget to eat lots of plant based proteins like chickpeas, beans and lentils. They also provide a huge variety of extra nutrients and fibre, and they are very cheap!

Did you know that the red kidney bean has more antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable?!

Healthy Snacks

To help keep you full in between meals, you want to be opting for low sugar snacks that are balanced in protein, wholegrains and healthy fats. This will ensure your mood and energy levels stay stable. Check out some of our favourite healthy snacks here.

Check out this week’s healthy recipe full of lots of veggies to help keep your mind and body nourished. We do realise that some supermarkets may be low in some essential ingredients so we have provided you with some substitutes for the main ingredients below the recipe.

Rainbow Veggie Fritters

Serves: 4 Time: 25mins Cost: $8 approx. ($2/serve)

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups of veggies (we used 1 fresh capsicum, 1 grated carrot and 1 cup of frozen peas & corn)
  • 1 cup of wholemeal plain flour
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup low-fat cheese, grated
  • 2 TBSP dried herbs (we used basil and oregano)
  • 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • 4 cups of side salad to serve with (we used spinach and fresh tomato)

Method:

  1. Prepare veggies: grate carrot, chop capsicum into small pieces. Defrost frozen vege in the microwave for 60 seconds then drain.
  2. In a large bowl, add eggs and lightly beat with a fork.
  3. Add veggies, cheese, herbs, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix together.
  4. Add flour and mix through.
  5. Use your hands to make 8 even sized fritters from the mixture.
  6. Heat oil on a low to medium heat on a large fry pan.
  7. Cook fritters for approx. 8 minutes on each side. You may need to do this in two batches. Be careful that the pan isn’t too hot so the fritters don’t burn
  8. Serve with your side salad!

You may want to serve these with some avocado or a teaspoon of chutney for some extra flavour!

Use our guide below to create your own rainbow fritters using ingredients you have at home or can find in the supermarket.

 

Live Life Get Active is building a fitter, healthier and happier Australia and we want people to have fun along the way. With the help of Local Government and Corporate Australia we provide FREE health, fitness and nutritional education both online and in the parks, suburbs and cities of Australia.