Shopping at the dollar store
Personally, I like to shop at the dollar store. Often, we don’t think about buying foods at the dollar store.
Even if you’re trying to eat healthy you can still buy food at the dollar store. Keep in mind that the food options at a dollar store are limited.
Generally, at a Family Dollar or a Dollar General, you will find food such as cereal, oil, milk, coffee, spaghetti, beans, canned vegetables and fruits, water, bread, oatmeal, and many different spices. Here is how to choose what’s better for your health without spending too much money.
- Oils if you look at the different types of oil you find in a dollar store you will find canola oil, vegetable oil, and olive oil. One of the best types of oil I would recommend that you buy is any type of olive oil. There is regular olive oil and there is extra virgin olive oil. All oils are not the same.
Besides the different tastes they give the foods, they don’t have the same amount and the same type of fats. Some oils contain mostly saturated fat which is a type of fat that’s not good for your heart when you use it every day. The best type of fat that’s good for your heart is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. Reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet will help you prevent heart disease.
- Spices: The other type of food that you can buy at the dollar store that’s good for health is the different types of spices. Try to avoid spices that have salt in them. For example, sometimes you find garlic with salt. The best option for your health is to buy garlic without salt. That means buy garlic without salt instead of garlic with salt.
The dollar store is a good place to buy some healthy foods at a lower price. I hope now you have an idea of the healthy options you can find at the dollar store.
Mirline Fourron, MS, RD, LDN
