How Costco Is Making Me Healthier

We’re always being told we need to eat better. At least in America.

5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables (F&V) sounds like a lot! At least that’s what I thought before. I used to go into the regular grocery store, look at the fresh produce (and the prices), and leave with very little in my basket. It was just easier to heat up frozen dinners and go through the burger drive through.

Then I realized my assets were growing. Not the financial kind–the physical kind.

Then I became a Costco member. For those of you who don’t know, Costco is a members-only warehouse club where you can purchase in bulk. So why would a single person ever shop there?

Part of the Costco success story is the lack of variety. That’s right. Where other stores brag they have 49 varieties of catsup, Costco has one. So when you shop there, you don’t have to waste a lot of mental energy trying to decide which brand to buy or which is the best deal. Costco only stocks quality products, and all their prices are great.

The other thing is that items come in quantity. So when you buy cheese or spinach or crackers, you have enough to last awhile.

I buy carrots in 10-pound bags. They are in my fridge a long time, but they last forever and are there to be eaten regularly!

I buy frozen blueberries, mixed berries, or sometimes cherries, then make smoothies every morning for breakfast. I also add bananas, that I buy  in 3-pound bags from Costco and flash freeze after peeling and freezer store in bags. All I have to add is orange juice (also from Costco) and protein powder (from my local health food store) and blend it all together in a Magic Bullet (guess where I got that?). I have a healthy breakfast that I can drink while on the go. I’ve had several servings of F&V before lunch even arrives!

I buy 3-pound containers or salad mix or spinach, then I eat big salads almost every day.

So you see, Costco is making me healthier by helping me eat better. Eating a balanced diet of F&Vs, quality protein, and whole grains, can help you loose or maintain weight. A healthy diet is important for many health reasons. The point is not to get full, but to give your body the kind of macro and micro nutrition is needs.

Here is a recipe for the delicious, easy-to-fix salad in the photo. Everything but the fish came from Costco.

• Mixed greens
• Sliced carrots
• Sliced orange & yellow peppers
• Dried cranberries
• Feta cheese (in a convenient shaker container)
• Sliced sting cheese
• Salmon baked in a toaster over and chilled in the fridge overnight

You don’t have to be a Costco shopper to eat healthier. Find a store and system that works for you. Break your addiction to fast food and decide to feed your body, not just your stomach. Once you make the transition, you will never go back.