Overwhelmed with grocery shopping for diabetes?

Feeling lost when it comes to grocery shopping for diabetes? Join our grocery store tour for keys to shopping like a pro and for grocery tips for diabetes. Navigating the grocery aisles can be a big chore that not many people enjoy but how can you make it easier? Some grocery stores try and make up for the experience by offering samples as you shop. This can help but still, grocery shopping can be time-consuming, require considerable planning, and has the potential to become a complicated mess. Having diabetes definitely doesn’t help in this endeavor. That is why we offer this grocery store tour! For the rest of this blog we’ll walk you through what to expect from a tour along with recipes and a free diabetes gift at the end.

Walkthrough the Aisles with Kaitlin for Grocery Tips to Manage Diabetes

This is where Registered Dietitian Kaitlin steps in to save you from your grocery shopping miseries and confusion by leading a grocery store tour. She’s extremely knowledgeable about healthy eating with diabetes so she is the perfect person to lead you on a tour through the maze that is the grocery store.

Kaitlin Williams Eckstein, RD grocery-tour_edited

The Diabetes Tips Grocery Tour Begins

We will start at the front of the store and stroll from point to point. When you first walk in, take in the sights and smells. How do you feel? Stressed? Anxious? No need to fret! As a part of this tour, we are going to walk around and talk about what foods to look for or avoid if you have diabetes. After this tour, shopping to manage diabetes will be much easier and less complicated.

The Produce Aisle

Our first stop was the produce section. Kaitlin mentioned that when shopping for produce, be aware that fruits and vegetables vary in their carbohydrate amount. Some will be higher in carbohydrates (i.e. grapes, bananas, and potatoes) and some will be lower (i.e. berries and leafy greens). Each carbohydrate serving contains 15 grams of carbohydrate so it is important to be mindful of how much of each kind of produce equals 15 grams. No food is off-limits! Fruits and vegetables are key for fiber and other important nutrients and knowing how much equals 15 grams will help inform you of how much you should eat to control your blood sugar.

The Dairy Aisle

Our next stop was the dairy aisle. Here Kaitlin discussed the pros and cons of butter and butter alternatives along with the importance of reading nutrition labels for yogurt (watch out for added sugar!). She shared recipes and discussed that yogurt can be a great substitute ingredient to add more protein and healthier fats.

Photo by Kaitlin Eckstein

The Candy Aisle

You might try and avoid this aisle altogether but Kaitlin pointed out that there are ways to still enjoy a sweet treat now and then. Be aware of carbohydrate amounts and be sure to not overeat. Interested in diabetes desserts you can make yourself? Check out our diabetes-friendly desserts on our recipe database! Here is one of our favorites.

The Cereal Aisle

The next stop was the overwhelming rows of cereal. This aisle is another great way to add some sweetness to your diet. Kaitlin talked about what makes a cereal a good choice, especially for diabetics, and which ones she recommended. For the full list of recommended cereals, check out this blog. We continued through the snack, bread, deli meat, and frozen food aisles, all the while being briefed on vital nutritional information and personal recommendations from our helpful guide.

Throughout the tour, participants began picking up items and investigating their nutrition labels; immediate application of what they learned with Kaitlin.

After Touring the Grocery Aisles

The final stop was the Safeway store pharmacy. Here, the store pharmacist explained the different methods to monitor blood glucose levels and why it is important to measure blood sugar along with your A1C. By the end of the tour, multiple questions had been answered and everyone was more informed and confident for their next journey through the aisles.

If you’d like to learn more and gain confidence in grocery shopping for healthy food please join us for our next grocery store tour! Email us at admin@rbitzer.com or call our office at (301) 474-2499 to express your interest and sign up for a future tour.

Testimonials from past Diabetes Grocery Store Tours

“Kaitlin gave so many tips and hacks to best identify diabetes-friendly foods!”

“Kaitlin knew where to look for the information we needed. It was a great walkthrough of learning to shop healthy and smart”.

Looking for that FREE gift and more resources to manage your diabetes?

Take a look at Kaitlin’s cookbook below.

This cookbook is filled with delicious, easy-to-cook diabetes-friendly recipes!

Find Support with Community

Longing for support with others who are working to manage their blood sugars? Join our Facebook group where we strive to foster a supportive environment! Join our Living Confidently with Diabetes Facebook group and stay tuned!