Growing Greenup- Quick Stops, Smart Snacks Healthy Eating at Convenience Stores

Growing Greenup

Quick Stops, Smart Snacks

Healthy Eating at Convenience Stores

PART 1- Be sure to read part 2 in next week’s paper!

Convenience stores, often found attached to gas stations or within neighborhoods, are a reliable source of food in the community. In some areas, they may be one of the few accessible places to grab a quick meal or snack. These stores offer shelf-stable items, refrigerated options, and even ready-to-eat hot foods. Nutritious options are often available in aisles, near the register, and in refrigerated cases. This guide shares smart snack-shopping tips and highlights nutritious picks for your next quick stop.

What to Look For

The five main food groups are fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, and protein foods. Each food group offers different nutrients. Eating a mix of these food groups keeps your diet balanced and provides a variety of nutrients over time. When making a smart snack pick, consider key nutrients from different food groups you can add to your diet. Look for items with fiber, protein, and unsaturated fat.

• Fiber supports digestion, helps you feel full, and can manage blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It can be found in the fruit, vegetable, grain, and protein food groups. Fiber-filled foods include popcorn, nuts, and seeds. Fiber is also found in fresh, dried, and canned fruits and vegetables. Other fiber-filled options include some whole-grain cereals and oat, fiber, and granola bars.

• Protein builds and repairs body tissues, supports muscle health, and keeps you feeling full for longer. Protein is provided by the protein food, vegetable, grain, and dairy food groups. Look for hard-cooked (hard-boiled) eggs, Greek yogurt, string cheese, trail mix, low-sodium jerky, and protein bars or drinks low in added sugars.

• Unsaturated fat helps you to feel satisfied with your meal or snack while supporting heart health. Unsaturated fat is commonly found in the protein foods and vegetable food groups. Convenient store sources of unsaturated fats include nuts and seeds, hard-cooked (hard-boiled) eggs, canned fish, and tuna packets. Some stores may have avocado/guacamole and hummus as dips that provide heart-healthy fats.

It’s possible to build a nutritious and balanced meal with a variety of items available at a convenience store. When stopping in for a meal or larger snack, aim for at least three different food groups to add variety and nutrients to your diet.

What To Be Mindful Of

While there are nutritious options available, many items found in convenience stores are high in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. These ingredients make food highly palatable, meaning it tastes good. Then, you are more likely to buy it again in the future. Unfortunately, an imbalance and too much of these nutrients are linked to common chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and heart disease.

For those who already have high blood pressure, heart disease of any form, diabetes, or kidney disease, it is especially important to look for foods with lower amounts of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. However, these same choices can be beneficial for everyone.

You can identify these nutrients using the Nutrition Facts label on packaged food and drinks.

• Sodium is used for flavor and for preservation. High-sodium foods include processed meats, pizza, fried foods, instant noodles, and packaged snacks, such as potato chips. Many of these foods are also commonly found in convenience stores, especially places that have grab-and-go hot items like hot dogs, pizza rolls, and burritos. Sodium is also included in foods that do not taste salty or savory because it increases the shelf life of the food. Even some foods considered “healthier” options may have surprisingly high levels of sodium. For example, prepackaged salads and salad dressing can contain large amounts of sodium. Too much sodium in a person’s diet can lead to high blood pressure. When possible, reach for items in refrigerated cases that are less processed and preserved. Choosing unsalted versions of nuts, seeds, and snacks can help reduce sodium amounts. Be mindful of sports drinks or rehydration and electrolyte solutions that are often high in sodium.

• Saturated fat can be found in high amounts in many foods at convenience stores. These foods include chips, baked goods, pastries, and processed and packaged foods, like hot dogs, ham burgers, pizza, breakfast sandwiches, and other hot options. Too much saturated fat can be harmful to heart health. Some foods are processed to have “low-fat” versions, like low-fat cookies or crackers. While this lowers the fat content of the food, food manufacturers may increase the sodium or added sugars of the item to compensate for the flavor lost with the fat. If you do choose an item higher in saturated fat, consider adding fruits, vegetables, or whole grains to increase the nutrients provided in that meal or snack.

• Added sugars are used in food and drinks to increase the sweetness or flavor of the items.

Our bodies enjoy added sugars because they are quickly broken down to provide energy and they taste good. However, high amounts of added sugars are harmful to health and make it harder for the body to manage blood sugar over time. When possible, choose food and drinks with the least amounts of added sugars.

Quick grabs that are high in added sugars include:

• Candy

• Baked goods, like cookies and brownies

• Toaster pastries and other breakfast items

• Sodas

• Sports drinks

• Energy drinks

• Coffee-based drinks

• Sweet and flavored teas

When choosing an item with added sugars, pair it with a food high in fiber or protein, which may slow the breakdown and ab sorption of added sugars into the body.

Calorie Caution

The number of calories in an item shouldn’t determine whether you buy that food or not. In some cases, snacks with more beneficial nutrients like protein, heart-healthy fats, and fiber may have more calories. The other nutrients found in the food may still make it a nutritious choice. For example, nuts and seeds are sources of fat. Fat has over twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates and protein. This means nuts are going to be higher in calories when compared to other snack options. However, nuts also provide unsaturated fats that are beneficial for our hearts. In addition to fat, nuts also provide protein, fiber, and minerals to further support heart health.

For more information, contact Anne Stephens, Agent for Community Arts and Development in Greenup County. 606.836.0201 anne.stephens@uky.edu Greenup County Cooperative Extension Service, 35 Wurtland Avenue, Wurtland, KY 41144. This institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider.

Written by: Heather Norman-Burgdolf and Anna Cason, Dietetics and Human Nutrition, and Laken Campbell, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension.