Page 8 - HFHB - Magazine

Healthy Shopping for Beginners -

Where To Start?

There is a common misconception that healthy cheap. And let’s face it there is no such thing as a
eating is a complicated and expensive exercise; the healthy sugar (I am not talking about fruit here but
truth is that if you plan and take small steps you the white stuff you add to your tea/coffee/cakes),
can definitely achieve a healthy lifestyle; without however there are alternatives to the highly refined
breaking the bank with healthy shopping each almost no longer food product white sugar that is
week.Healthy Shopping for Beginners mass produced.

You just need to make small changes and each of Stevia is the closest in look and taste to traditional
these small changes is a step in the right direction. white sugar so is perfect for use in your cuppa and
You can download my healthy swaps here to keep cakes. Stevia is a sweet leaf plant that is 300 times
handy; especially for when you are doing your meal sweeter than sugar so you only need a very little
plans and healthy shopping lists. amount of it. So even though you will pay more for
it; it will last you longer. Stevia is located in the
If you decide that you want to make a drastic sugar section of the supermarket and comes in
change; and as of today want to be healthier then tabs, sachets and powder forms.
your initial shop is going to be more expensive. As
you will probably need to buy a whole bunch of When it comes to sugar alternatives it is not just
pantry staples. This does add up. However if you about the ‘healthier’ options for me but also the
are willing to take the time to learn; and realise that amount of processing. I believe that the less a
every little step counts. You can change out product is processed the better it is going to be for
products each week as they run out; and eventually my body....
you will have a much healthier pantry and fridge/ A very simple product to swap out is FLOUR. You
freezer. can purchase wholemeal plain and self raising flour
right next to the traditional white flours in the
Most of the healthier options at the supermarket supermarket and there really is not much of a price
are the same price as the mainstream alternatives; difference. To be honest I don’t understand why the
or only a little bit more in price. There are some wholemeal flour is more expensive when it requires
exceptions to this rule though. less processing; logic would say that should make
Unfortunately the majority of the expense comes it cheaper but apparently not.
with the substitution that we all want to make
SUGAR. When you first start using wholemeal flour, I
Home brand white sugar is all of about $1/kg; there suggest sifting out the ‘grainy’ bits to create a
is just no alternative available that you can get that smoother flour for your baking. Please remember