This is my first in a series of informational blogs that I hope can give you some valuable information and tips to institute healthy changes into your life or at least give you some food for thought. When I find tips or advice that I feel can help you I will pass them along in this blog. As we start a new year many people are making resolutions for change, I hope to give information on different topics that can aid in that change. First topic will be on Planning is Key to Healthy Grocery Shopping on a Budget. Good Luck and I hope you can get some valuable tips.

When many families think of healthy grocery shopping, they often imagine spending a fortune at a high-end food market or stocking up on the latest health food fad. While some folks may be impressed by the label on a shopping bag or by designer diets, families should not have to sacrifice other budget priorities to shop and eat healthy. Investing a modest amount of time in meal and shopping planning can make a difference in a family's bank account and healthy eating habits.

"Shopping for healthy eating is really a 'back to basics' strategy. The bulk of the family budget should be spent on inexpensive building blocks rather than pricey, high-sodium, brand-name packaged products," says Valerie Lawson, a registered dietician and director of the YMCA's Healthy Family Home program. "When families begin to focus on foundational elements such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein, health and the family budget win."

Tips for success:

"It's easy for busy families to continue falling into the last-minute, get-through-today trap," says Lawson. "But thinking ahead and putting some organization in place can really pay off and help to form new habits."