A recent study showed that people who use their credit cards to buy food make poorer nutritional choices than those who pay with cash. The New York Times reports that using a credit card decreases the “pain of payment,” but also seems to make consumers feel less guilty about purchasing junk food.
“[W]hen consumers encounter vice products — such as cookies, cakes and pies — the emotive imagery and associated desire trigger impulsive purchase decisions,” the authors write. But “pain of payment can curb the impulsive responses and thus reduce the purchase of such vice products.”
The nation’s largest supermarket chain, Kroger, has rolled out the NuVal nutrition scoring system to 23 Lexington, Kentucky stores to help shoppers make healthier food choices. The scoring system gives each food a score, from 1 to 100. Foods with high scores are more nutritious, foods with low scores are less. Shoppers also have the added confidence that the ranking system is provided by a third party, not food or beverage producers. NuVal was developed by nutrition and medical experts from top health organizations and universities.
Perhaps the most surprising part of the NuVal scores is how poorly some of the “health” foods ranked against regular snacks. For example, Garden of Eatin’ no salt added blue corn chips actually score better than an Odwalla Fruit smoothie: the chips earn a score of 52 while the smoothie gets a 49. Fresh fruits and vegetables get scores near to 100.
Do you ever find yourself in one of those warehouse stores where they sell in bulk, but you’re afraid you’ll never get through the whole thing without getting tired of it? Well, this week’s healthy on a dime tip will help you save your dimes and your time.
Do you ever wish someone else would make your grocery list for you? Your wish has been answered by the “Check ME Sanity-Inducing Shopping List” from LobotoME. The pre-printed list has the whole spectrum of healthy foods, from fruits and veggies to healthy meats and even household products. There are blank spaces in each section of the list, so you can fill in any other items not already included.
The shopping list isn’t the only LobotoME product designed to keep you fit. There’s also the “Fit ME” weekly planner. You can use it to set yourself goals, plan daily exercise, and track your progress. It even has space for you to record you water intake, which can at least serve to remind you to stay hydrated.
The day after Thanksgiving is typically called Black Friday by retailers – the day that many businesses use to pull themselves into “the black.” It is a day that many of us rise early, stand in long lines, and shop until we drop. We usually don’t get enough sleep, eat on the run and the only exercise that we experience is shoving past other shoppers to be the first to get a deeply discounted television set. How can we make sure that we don’t lose our healthy habits on this first and biggest official shopping day?
Make sure that you begin the day before, with Thanksgiving. Eat sensibly. After your big meal, engage in light exercise – maybe a walk with your family after dinner, or challenge your spouse to a Wii fitness show down. If you plan to rise before dawn to get the the shops early, be certain to plan for an earlier than normal bedtime. Count backwards to see when you need to go to sleep in order to obtain at least seven hours of sleep. Eat a healthy, low-fat breakfast – perhaps a bowl of oatmeal with dried fruits and nuts, or a fruit smoothie. Read Full Post >
A recent study showed that people who use their credit cards to buy food make poorer nutritional choices than those who pay with cash. The New York Times reports that using a credit card decreases the “pain of payment,” but also seems to make consumers feel less guilty about purchasing junk food.
