Growing Greenup Quick Stops- Smart Snacks – PART 2 –

Growing Greenup

Quick Stops

Smart Snacks – PART 2 –

If you missed it, please read part 1 in last week’s paper!

Anne Stephens

For The Ashland Beacon

Healthy Eating at Convenience Stores By: Heather Norman-Burgdolf and Anna Cason, Dietetics and Human Nutrition, and Laken Campbell, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension

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.

Navigating a Wall of Drink Choices

Drinks might be the most purchased item in a convenience store. They are an important part of our diets because they are our primary source of hydration, which supports every system in the body. A convenience store often has a wall of refrigerated cases with sodas, energy drinks, alcohol, and coffee-like beverages. Some convenience stores may have drink dispensers, slushie machines, and soda fountains. There may even be options to add flavorings to drinks.

For many people, drinks are the main source of caffeine and added sugars in the diet each day. Luckily, there are many nutritious options that provide hydration. When possible, choose water, sparkling water, coconut water, 100% fruit or vegetable juice, milk, yogurt-based drinks and smoothies with low added sugars, or unsweetened or lightly sweetened tea or coffee. If you buy a drink high in caffeine and sugar, consider grabbing a bottled water with it. Drinks are heavily marketed, and new products are released frequently. When standing in front of a wall of drink choices, consider if you can make a small swap with a more nutritious choice to meet your hydration needs.

Smart Shopping Strategies

There are a few tricks you can use when searching for nutritious foods in convenience stores. Use this quick decision checklist the next time you make a run into the store to grab a snack.

√ Prioritize produce. Scan the store for any produce, whether canned, dried, or fresh. This may include fresh, cut fruit or vegetables in a refrigerated section or a basket of whole fruit by the checkout.

√ Shop the cold cases first. In some larger stores, there may be a cold case or refrigerator that has perishable foods. These items include hard-cooked eggs, prepared produce, salads, cheese, and yogurt. Start at the cold case, choose an item, and build a nutritious meal or snack around what you find.

√ Choose protein for power. Protein comes from plant and animal sources. Options you may find in a convenience store include hard-cooked eggs, nuts or nut butters, hummus, Greek yogurt or yogurt drinks, and string cheese. There may be protein bars or shakes available that are low in added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats and that also include nuts and nut butters.

√ Go for whole grains. Whole-grain options will provide protein and fiber and help you feel full longer. Flip the product over and look for the word “whole” in the first item of the ingredients list. Examples include granola bars and whole-wheat crackers. Other whole-grain foods, including oats and popcorn, may not have “whole” listed in the ingredient name, however.

√ Fill up on fiber. Fiber is provided by fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Fresh, dried, and canned or cupped fruits and vegetables are equally nutritious and meet accessibility and affordability needs. Nuts, seeds, and whole grains are often shelf-stable and serve as a great base or addition to a balanced meal or snack.

√ Watch added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat. Check the Nutrition Facts label on all food and drink items to identify the amount of added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat included. When possible, choose items with more fiber and lower amounts of added sugars, more unsaturated fat (and less saturated fat), and low- or reduced-sodium options.

√ Check the servings. Find the serving size and the number of servings for the packaged item. Sometimes the servings are smaller than you’d expect, and there may be more than one per package. That’s how some snacks sneak in extra sodium or sugar.

√ Water is the way to go. Water is the ultimate hydration drink. To mix it up, try sparkling water. If choosing a drink with added sugars or caffeine, enjoy it alongside water or pair it with foods high in fiber and protein to help support blood sugar.

√ Add in multiple food groups to snacks and meals. Aim to get as many food groups as you can in a meal or snack. This sort of balance supports our bodies’ needs without too much pressure.

√ All foods fit in moderation. Do you stop at a convenience store every day for lunch? Do you only run in and grab a snack on road trips? Foods rich in nutrients should be prioritized to support health, yet all foods can fit into a balanced diet when eaten in moderation. Occasional convenience foods or snacks can be part of a broader, balanced approach. Let These Labels Guide You Not all claims on packaged food and drinks are created equal. Some are regulated, meaning the food must meet certain guidelines to include the label. Others are used to catch your eye and entice you to buy the item. The following labels may be helpful signals that the item is a more nutritious choice.

√ Low sodium: The product contains 140 mg or less of sodium per serving.

√ Reduced sodium: The product contains 25% less sodium per serving than the original version.

√ No added sugar: No sugars were added during processing. The item may still contain naturally occurring sugars or use sugar alternatives.

√ Healthy: The product provides a certain amount of food from one of the five food groups and must be lower in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.

√ Whole grain: Look for the phrase “100% whole grain,” or check that whole grains are first in the ingredient list.

√ Good or excellent source of fiber: The product provides at least 10% or more of the recommended daily value of fiber per serving.

Small Store? Big Opportunity for Change

Convenience stores can be a staple for food access in smaller communities. Perhaps you know the owner or manager. Start a conversation with them if you notice opportunities to make more nutritious options available or if there are examples in this publication that you would like to see in their shop. The store owner or manager may have access to many of these items, so it could be an easy ask. The worst they can say is no.

Pause Before You Purchase

Packaged snack items are heavily marketed in convenience stores. These marketing strategies are entirely meant to get you to spend more money. Keep these thoughts in mind the next time a label or price tag catches your attention.

• “Buy 2 for $4” and other similar promotions feel like a deal but often cause you to spend more money than you originally intended.

• King-size, family-size, or sharing-size snacks may seem cost-effective, but they double (or triple) the added sugars or sodium. With this snack size, it is hard to determine how much a single serving is. If you’re sharing something with someone instead of buying two items, a king size or sharing size may be a more affordable option. Consider pairing your half with an additional nutrient-rich item, like a banana or string cheese.

• Signage is strategically placed throughout stores to draw your attention to items. This could be on the windows of the building, signs throughout the store, or even displays at the register. The advertised items are often heavily processed with sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. Intentionally look for items that don’t have flashy signs drawing your attention. Nutritious items are less likely to be promoted through marketing.

• Eye-catching packaging and strategic placement near the register are meant to tempt you. Take a moment to pause and think before making any last-minute purchases.

Eating with Intention on the Go

If you are planning to stop at a convenience store while you’re out and about, for your lunch break, or while traveling, make a mental note of what you would like to get. Consider listing a few options from the different food groups that sound good to you. Upon arrival, get these items and see what may still be missing. Did you grab a water? Is there fruit available at the checkout? Maybe refrigerated items are placed in a different area. What can you add to your meal or snack to get more of the nutrients you want and less of the ones you don’t, while also feeling full longer and enjoying what you eat?

No matter where you’re headed, convenience stores can be more than just a quick fix. They can be a smart stop for balanced eating. With a little label-checking and creative food group mixing, your next visit can fuel your day with more nutrition. Keep this guide in mind as you snack smarter, support your health goals, and make the most of every quick stop.

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.