The Missoula City-County Health Department has an Eat Smart program to assist you in your efforts to eat right and shop smart through its interactive, hands-on Supermarket Tours.
The strategic core of eating right is simple, and is based on the consumption of “real food” in place of overprocessed, foodlike products. Replacing over-refined products with whole foods will put you on the right track.
The renaissance of locally grown food in farmers markets brings new hope for healthy eating with realistic options. The high cost of energy and the incredible number of miles much of our produce travels is making our farmers markets more affordable. In Missoula, we’re lucky to have not one, but two thriving markets. If you can make it downtown on Saturday mornings, you can’t help but find them.
We know from experience that locally grown food is fresher and tastier, but it’s impossible under current legislation to identify exactly how fresh supermarket food is or where it originated, so read your labels carefully. General rules of thumb for using food labels:
1. Check for servings and calories.
2. Avoid added sugars such as sucrose, glucose, fructose and corn syrup.
3. Look for foods low in saturated fats and that have absolutely no trans fats.
4. Reduce sodium and increase potassium. Most sodium is not from your salt shaker, but from processed foods.
5. The shorter the list of ingredients, the higher the quality.
It takes a concerted effort to make good choices in the supermarket because healthier choices are inconvenient for us to access.
Shop the perimeter of your store, where you will find produce, dairy, fish counters and the meat section. Avoid the center aisles unless you have a specific need because these are the aisles where overly processed foods, highly advertised snack foods, and sugared and artificially sweetened beverages dwell.
Impulse buys are said to make up nearly 60 percent of our shopping, and the majority of these products are shelved right in the center of the store with deliberate intention. Advertising agencies target our vulnerable children with brilliant marketing aimed on forming brand loyalty and irresistible appeal. There is a reason these items are at cart level in direct line of sight of our kids - so that their desire will be ignited. Avoid the center aisles for their health and your sanity and budget.
We all eat. The choices we make at the supermarket influence the health of ourselves, our family and our friends. The goal of the Eat Smart program is to assist Missoula residents to make informed decisions about their eating habits and, as a result, give them an opportunity for a healthier lifestyle and subsequent well-being. Let us help you put some of your shopping confusion to rest.
Be able to really answer the questions: Is this food going to make me healthier? Or will it taste good, but promote illness? Do I want it because I saw it advertised, or because I know it would be a good choice for my growing children? With informed guidelines, you can tackle those aisles without dread and nutritiously fill your carts!
With the rapid and ongoing increase in food prices, please be aware that Missoula has several food and nutrition assistance programs, including WIC, food stamps, Child and Adult Care Feeding, Senior Nutrition and Meals on Wheels, and School Meals and the Summer Feeding Program.
Typically, only about half of those who qualify for these services actually use them, so don’t hesitate to enroll if you qualify. Call 258-4837 for a free brochure listing all food and nutrition services in Missoula, including eligibility guidelines.
Each month the Missoulian Health page features a column by the Healthy Start Council of the Missoula Forum for Children and Youth. Rebecca Morley is the Eat Smart Coordinator at the Health Department and can be reached at 258-3827 or morleyr@ho.missoula.mt.
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