6 "Fancy" Food Store Fat Traps
Keep your belly flat and your wallet fat by steering your cart clear of these hidden calories at your favorite high-end food emporium
Walk into your local “gourmet” grocery store and you’re welcomed by piles of artfully arranged fruits and vegetables, beautifully packaged baked goods, more varieties of cheeses and charcuterie than you ever knew existed, and the mouthwatering aroma of all of them. Which makes for a more enjoyable (if pricier) shopping experience than you’d have at your average run-of-the mill supermarket, but it’s also easy to forget that, gourmet or not, calories still count. And even if you rarely shop at these spots, around the holidays there’s a good chance you may swing by for a specialty item or just to splurge.
There’s no reason, however, you need to pick up a few pounds while you pick up marinated olives and stuffed dates to take to your friend’s party. Watch out for these top temptations identified by Rachel Begun, R.D., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and follow her advice so you don’t check your calorie sense at the door.
Consider the salads and other premade dishes behind the deli counter to be restaurant food—even those with seemingly healthy ingredients such as grilled chicken or greens often contain hefty amounts of sodium, sauce, oil, butter, and dressings. Ask the person behind the counter to take yours from the top of the serving platter, where the food isn’t soaking in these added calories, and skip the extra sauce or dressing. Be wary of portion sizes too: Even the smallest to-go container usually holds more than one serving.
