- Author: Patti C. Wooten Swanson
Small step: Pay for groceries with cash, not credit.
Does grocery shopping for healthy food sometimes feel like walking through a minefield?
It does to me!
Temptations are everywhere---cookies, cakes, and ice cream, oh my!
I go to the store with a detailed grocery list, determined to make healthful choices and avoid high fat, high sugar, high calorie foods.
But marketers are clever and there are hazards everywhere I turn:
- A beautiful red velvet cakes bring back childhood memories
- The smell of freshly baked French bread coming out of the oven as I shop calls me to take some home
- In-store samples of the zebra popcorn (coated with chocolate and caramel) melt my sales resistance
New Research Findings 
It's possible to change shopping
behavior to limit unhealthy food
purchases by paying cash for groceries.
A study reported in the Journal of Consumer Research* found that consumers who paid cash took home healthier foods than thos who paid with a credit card.
Researchers analyzed the shopping behavior of 1,000 households over six months to learn what they bought and how they paid for it. Their investigation was based on 2 concepts from behavioral economics: impulsive consumption, and psychological effects of different payment methods.
Impulsive consumption
Impulse buys are purchases made on the spur of the moment without any forethought or planning.
Grocery stores are designed to promote impulsive consumption. It's no mistake when shoppers have to pass by the bakery (with its cakes, pies, and cookies) and the deli (with its savory roasting chickens) in order to get to the meat, eggs and dairy products at the back of the store. Or, go past the big displays of chips and soft drinks to reach the checkout.
Payment method
So how does the way we pay for our groceries influence whether or not we buy unhealthy foods? 
It’s because paying with a credit card "feels" different than paying with cash. Using a credit card is relatively “painless” since the purchase is separated in time from actual payment. But handing over hard cash is a different matter, it's painful.
In other words, it’s easier to buy junk food with credit because we don’t feel the pain of putting actual dollars on the counter!
What YOU Can Do
When the cashier asks “Paper or plastic?” pull out cash rather than your credit card to pay for the groceries, and take home healthier foods.
Tip: Rodale author Emily Main suggests you go by the ATM and get cash before you go to the grocery store, and don't forget to bring a shopping list along, too.
How credit card payments increase unhealthy food purchases
- Author: Patti C. Wooten Swanson
Two steps to cut your grocery bill by 20%:
1. Plan meals in advance.
2. Make a detailed shopping list.
With a little practice you can do both in 30 minutes. Here's how:
1. First, get organized.
Grab a pen, notepad, weekly grocery store fliers, and your calendar.
Have your recipe file nearby.
2. Keep a list of meals your family likes.
You'll save planning time and cut down on spending for food that no one eats.
3. Think about your family’s schedule and lifestyle.
What days will you eat at home? Will you be pressed for time to fix dinner before an evening meeting or after your child’s baseball game? If so, plan easy, nutritious meals built around a few prepared items from the grocery or deli, such as a roasted chicken, frozen pizza dough and bottled pizza sauce---just add cheese and vegetables.
4. Plan the main meal of the day first.
Simplify the process by using a meal planning template. Make your own or find a template online, such as this one adapted from Planning Meals for a Family:
| Sunday | Soup & sandwich |
| Monday | Meatless Monday |
| Tuesday | Dinner in a crock pot |
| Wednesday | Coupon take-out night |
| Thursday | Leftovers |
| Friday | From the grill |
| Saturday | Pasta night |
4. Plan for breakfast, lunch and snacks.
This is doesn’t need to be as specific as main meal plans. You may like to have cold cereal and fruit for breakfast every day, and take leftovers or a sandwich for lunch.
For snacks, plan grab and go items that don’t need preparation: pretzels, low-fat yogurt, whole or cut-up fruit, low-fat crackers and string cheese, 100-calorie packs of cookies, etc.
5. Make a detailed grocery list.
Review the recipe for each menu item and list any ingredients that you need to buy and the amount. Check your grocery list against what you already have on hand---in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer---so you don’t buy items you already have.
Stick to your grocery list when you shop. You’ll spend up to 20% less than if you shopped without a list.
