How to Find Healthy Foods

How to Find Healthy Foods

It's common knowledge that healthy foods are good for us. However, finding healthy foods among the many products making exaggerated health claims can be difficult.

Buy local . The food travels less, giving it less exposure to chemicals and necessitating less of a preservative load.
Check out local farms. You can often buy directly from the farm if you buy in bulk.
Visit a farmer's market
Check at the store to see where a product came from

Avoid packaged goods. Look for whole foods. For example, a whole fish is preferable to microwavable fish-sticks.
Try a natural foods store like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. These stores often carry healthier or organic versions of products that are less readily available locally; for example, organic olive oil.
Select foods that you know to be healthy. Look for sustainable seafoods, fresh produce, legumes, nuts and whole grains.


Buy in bulk. It tends to cost less, and you have more options about buying directly from farmers.
Grow your own produce whenever possible. Even if you don't have a yard, you can grow a windowbox, a rooftop garden, or grow plants indoors.
Participate in a community garden project.
Educate yourself about local eating, organic food, and healthy diet.
Get a small freezer, so that you can store bulk produce for the winter. These freezers are inexpensive and energy efficient. Plus, food which is frozen fresh retains it's nutritional value.
Try to cook from scratch as much as possible to break dependence on pre-packaged food. For example, try cooking whole oats for breakfast instead of cereal.
Watch out for pre-packaged foods labeled as "healthy" or "organic". Pre-packaged foods lose much nutritional value.
Many products make health claims without a basis. Be suspicious, and do research about food.