Use these tips to make healthier choices as you navigate through those aisles.

1. Plan Ahead:

   Plan your meals for the week and make a shopping list. Only purchase what is on your list and never, ever go grocery shopping when you’re hungry.

2. Shop the Perimeter:

   Buy most of your food from the outer aisles where fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and dairy are often kept.

3. Buy Readily Available Produce:

   Let’s face it, kale is very difficult to find. Luckily, you can get a ton of nutrients from more readily available vegetables such as romaine lettuce and parsley.

4. Buy Organic:

   Choose organic as they have no pesticides, no hormones and are non-GMO (genetically-modified organisms). When unable, stick to foods on the clean 15 list (least contaminated with pesticides) and avoid the dirty dozen (most contaminated).

5. Limit Processed Foods:

   Highly-processed foods are stripped of nutrients and high in calories and artificial ingredients. These include white breads and pastas, breakfast cereals, chips and cookies. Go for minimally-processed foods like whole-grain bread and canned goods that don’t have added salt, sugar or preservatives.

6. Always Read Labels:

   Ignore everything on the package except the food label and ingredient list. If the ingredients are a paragraph long you know the product is likely not very healthy. Rule of thumb: avoid ingredients that you can’t pronounce and wouldn’t cook with yourself.

7. Ingredients to Stay Away From:

   If you come across any of these ingredients in packaged foods, don’t buy it: High fructose corn syrup, aspartame, MSG (monosodium glutamate), agave nectar, hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils, carrageenan and food dyes.

Where to Buy What:

I frequent a variety of places that each offer their own specialties:

• Al Osra: Best selection of freshly baked breads. They also occasionally stock fresh kale.

• Tamimi: Excellent organic produce section. The general organic section of the supermarket also has a good selection of grains, flours and canned goods.

• Danube: They have the largest selection of organic packaged products. Filled with organic grains, seeds, nut butters, coconut oil, milk alternatives, sweeteners and healthy snack bars.

• Abazeer: Here you’ll find more specialty organic products, such as miso paste, dried seaweed, dried mulberries and freeze-dried fruit.