Is Shopping on the Outside Aisles of the Grocery the Healthiest? - NBC29 WVIR Charlottesville, VA News, Sports and Weather

When it comes to shopping for food, the options in the grocery store are endless. So how do you know what items are best for you and which areas of the store you should spend the most time in?

Rita Smith, a registered dietitian at Martha Jefferson Hospital, says the suggestion to only shop on the outside aisles in order to be healthy is just an old wives tale, and isn't what she would recommend. 

Smith says there are definitely some outside aisle items like fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish and dairy products you don't want to miss. But the items on inside aisles are compliments to those things that should also be put in your shopping cart.

"Grains, brown and wild rice, and quinoa and barley are all great options," said Smith. "Whole grain cereals like Cheerios and oatmeal, dried beans and dried peas and canned, unsalted vegetables are also good ideas and can make it easier to get veggies into the meal.

There are, however, some more tempting parts of the supermarket everyone should be cautious of.

"I think the treacherous part of the supermarket would be the soda section because we are big consumers of sweet drinks, sweet teas and fruit drinks that have been sweetened," commented Smith. 

And, of course, the chip aisle is also a place where we need to proceed with caution.

"You have to go cautiously on the chip aisle. There are baked chips and pretzels, which are baked, so if you're looking for some munchies you can find some great baked options and even whole grain."

For more information on this topic call Martha Jefferson Health Connection at (434) 654-7009.  If you have a question you'd like for us to answer, email healthquestions@nbc29.com.