5 Things to Find Out Before You Put Anything in Your Grocery Cart

By Sally Herigstad

Mom was right: if you want to know when you’re getting the best deal on cereal, detergent, or any other purchase, you have to know what it costs per unit. You can’t just eye-ball the box. (Have you ever wondered why cereal boxes are built like mini-walls, tall and wide but not very deep? It really does look like you’re getting more that way!) You can’t even assume the bigger size is cheaper by the ounce; often it’s not. Always check the price per ounce or unit, usually displayed on the shelf edge sign. For each item you're tossing in the cart, besides the cost per unit, find out:

• When does it expire? If you don’t check the expiration date on dairy products, sooner or later you’ll wish you had. At least dairy products have a way of telling us when they’re old. Other foods may just be slightly off, or in the case of vitamins and other supplements, just plain useless.
• What’s in it? If they were honest, many fruit drinks would have pictures of sugar cubes or corn syrup bottles on the sides instead of all those healthy looking fruits. “Wheat” bread isn’t necessarily 100 percent whole wheat. You might be surprised what you’re really getting for your money when you start reading the labels.
• What will it contribute to your nutrition? Some protein bars aren’t much different nutritionally from candy bars. Two loaves of bread sitting side by side on the shelf can have vastly different fiber, calorie and other nutritional counts. Check it out.
• Where does it come from? All imports to the United States must meet FDA standards. Nevertheless, the FDA cannot inspect every item that comes into the country, so use your own judgment. If nothing else, finding out where your food comes from gives an appreciation for the global economy we all live in.