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1 October is World Vegetarian Day, followed swiftly by World Vegan Day on 1 November which also marks the start of Vegan Month. Then, there’s Veganuary where people try to be vegan for the entire month to raise money for charity. Veguary, in February, is the same but for vegetarian-based philanthropy. But what if you like meat? Well, how about going on a flexitarian diet?

To V, or Not to V?

Whilst there is a lot of worth in both vegetarianism and veganism, it can be surprisingly difficult to cut meat and dairy out of your new healthy diet.

Why?

Well, for starters, some foods are addictive! Bacon, cheese, fried chicken, and cheeseburgers are among the list of foods that are as “addictive as heroin or cocaine” according to . Therefore, it’s no wonder that bacon has stereotypically been the Achilles heel of wannabe vegetarians and vegans.

Elsewhere, a study found that . Some cite giving in to the usual irresistible urges that follow giving up anything. Others claim to have “Meatmares” where they dream about meaty foods!

Some tell of the social stigma surrounding vegetarianism and veganism having pressured them back into eating meat. There are even claims of returning to meat because of declining health.

In short: being vegetarian or vegan can be hard work. But what if there was an alternative?

Well, let us introduce you to the flexitarian diet.

What is a Flextarian?

Flexitarian is a combination of two words: “flexible” and “vegetarian”.

But it doesn’t refer to a set of vegetarians that are particularly supple, neither are flexitarians people who eat only bendy foods. Instead, it refers to being able to enjoy the odd bit of meat now and then, but prioritizing plant-based healthy eating.

Think of it as vegetarianism, but cheating a little, or being semi-vegetarian.

This may sound a little mean-spirited, but it’s actually the whole point of a flexitarian diet. You eat a majority of vegetarian/vegan meals but you’re still allowed meat should you want it.

In fact, you could consider it the reverse of the McCartneys’ famous “Meat Free Mondays”: an initiative started by world-famous vegetarian and his daughters to get people to consume less meat. A flexitarian diet is more like “Meat Only Allowed On Mondays (Or Any Other Chosen Day of the Week)”, which admittedly isn’t as catchy.

As long as you’re making food choices that see you eating more vegetarian or vegan meals than meat ones, you can consider yourself on a flexitarian diet! It really is as simple as that.

Why Go On A Flexitarian Diet?

There are 5 main reasons people might choose to go on a flexitarian diet which are very similar to why people choose to go vegetarian or vegan: ethical, environmental, health, weight loss, and financial.

Reason #1: Ethics

This is the main reason most people want to reduce the amount of animal products and meat consumption from their diet. The meat and dairy industry are quite notorious for the mistreatment of animals. Even if some practices are considered “humane”, the animals are still being slaughtered or exploited whether they’re being pampered or not!

Although you won’t be withdrawing your custom completely from these industries, eating less meat means you will be creating less demand by being on a flexitarian diet. If you only ate dairy, egg, meat or poultry meals for only 1 day a week instead of 7, that’s an 85% decrease in the demand you create. If everyone went on a flexitarian diet, this would dramatically affect demand, and therefore the industries’ practices. 

Reason #2: Environment

The meat and dairy industry are also starting to draw a lot of concern due to their impact on the environment. Infamously, the creation of grazing grounds for beef cattle has been a big concern contributing to . In recent years deforestation for soy production has also become an issue, especially as 80% of soybeans end up as feed for beef cattle. And that’s just one area of the meat industry!

Greenhouse gases produced by these industries is also under scrutiny with  being attributed to animal agriculture alone. Animal agriculture also consumes 150% more water per gram of protein compared to other crops such as legumes.

Undeniably, the meat industry has a massive impact on the environment. Reducing the amount of meat and switching to a flexitarian diet means can help lessen the damage to our ecosystems. 

Reason #3: Health

Saturated fat has been traditionally seen as a major detriment to our health, being said to cause heart disease and high cholesterol. Meat contains a lot of saturated fat. However, as more and more evidence comes to light, a more complicated picture is starting to emerge. The negative effects of refined sugar and salt in our diet is also being placed under more scrutiny as a result. Therefore, a flexitarian diet can also help prevent or decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Either way, fruits and vegetables are still seen as much healthier food to eat. They're naturally lower in fat and salt than meat and contain only natural sugar. Eating more fruit and veg is generally seen as a good thing. In the UK and other countries, there’s been a massive push for people, whatever their dietary choice, to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day.

Some suggest that being on a flexitarian diet may be better for your health than vegetarianism or other plant-based diets. This is because plant-based proteins aren’t “complete” like those you would find in meat. We need the have an intake of the full range of proteins to stay healthy, meaning a fully vegetarian diet or vegan diet makes it difficult to ensure this. By eating meat now and again, you’re not missing out on the animal proteins your body needs.

Reason #4: Weight Loss

When it comes to wanting to lose weight, a flexitarian diet is actually a viable option. US News, who comprehensively rank popular diets each year, rates a flexitarian diet as 3rd best diet in the world. Its research shows that flexitarians are 15% slimmer than meat eaters, and their life expectancy is 3.5 years longer on average.

Reason #5: Money

Food prices are rising around the world. But vegetables are still generally cheaper than meat. So not only is switching to a more plant-based meal plan healthier, but it’s also easier on your bank balance.  

What To Buy and Eat?

So, you’ve decided to go on a flexitarian diet. Hooray for you.

But what should be on a flexitarian diet food list?

Being vegetarian or vegan is far more than eating just salads every day of the year. One thing you certainly shouldn’t do is make your meals so plain and repetitive that eating becomes a chore: they should be delicious and enjoyable. Vegetarian and vegan meals are surprisingly varied. Be sure to check out the countless vegetarian and vegan ideas and recipes on the internet to help kick-start your healthy diet.

But you can start by taking your favorite meals and removing the meat and/or dairy and replacing them with vegetables.

Loopy for lasagne? Try a Mediterranean roast vegetable one. Barmy for burgers? Go for a tasty 3-bean patty instead.

But if you’re feeling more adventurous and want to widen your variety of meals in your eating plan, there are two food groups we highly recommend you make an essential part of your flexitarian diet.

Legumes

Also known as "pulses", these include:

• Peas
• Beans
• Lentils
• Nuts

The best thing about these is that they’re high in protein, so these are a great way to replace the loss of protein from not eating meat and dairy.

One of the main benefits of eating legumes regularly is that it can help you lose weight. In a , a group of men were given a meal that consisted of 19% meat protein where another group had a meal with the same amount of protein but made up from legumes. The group who had the legume meal ended up eating 12% fewer calories in their next meal.

Why?

Because legumes are full of fiber. Fiber will help keep your digestive tract nice and healthy. It can also keep you feeling full for longer.

Legumes are also high in B-vitamins, which are vital to your everyday health such as supporting your metabolism and immune system. Some legumes, like soybeans, are full of

All in all, legumes are brilliant for replacing meat and should certainly be a cornerstone of your newfound flexitarian diet. Even making a change like putting peanut butter on your toast instead of jelly/jam can help you up your protein and fiber intake.

Grains and Cereals

Vegetarian zombies want to eat your grains! And you should eat them too as part of a flexitarian diet. Grains and cereals include food such as:

• Wheat
• Oats
• Rice
• Buckwheat
• Corn

Like legumes, they’re also full of fiber and B-vitamins, although they’re not as packed with proteins.

But the thing to remember is that you don’t want to be eating just any old type. You want to be looking for wholegrain or wholewheat varieties.

“Wholegrain” means that the entirety of the grain is present, including the outer shell known as the kernel. Refined grains and cereals remove the kernels before use. It’s the absence of kernels that gives white flour is colorless property.

But why should you eat wholegrain and whole wheat?

Because there’s far more fiber in these. In fact, according to Health.com, they contain around 3x more fiber than their refined counterparts.

As well as keeping you full and cleaning out your colon, fiber is claimed to:

• Lower cholesterol
• Reduce the risk of heart disease
• Regulate your blood sugar

You don't need to completely shun food such as white bread and white pasta. These still contain fiber and aren’t bad for you at all. But you should be trying to opt for foods that contain wholegrain or wholewheat instead.  

Flexitarian Diet FAQ

So, you're planning on getting legumes and grains into your healthy diet plan. Great! But you may want to know the answers to some other questions about going on a flexitarian diet.

Should I buy frozen or fresh fruit and vegetables?

Fresh is best, right?

Fresh vegetables are indeed great. Buying fresh is seen as the most nutritious and healthiest way to consume them.

But they do have their own share of issues. The problem is that as soon as you start to prepare them, they start to lose their nutrients. If you’re not using a whole piece of fruit or veg in one go, what’s left behind is not going to be as good for you when you finally get around to finishing it. What’s more, they can go bad unexpectedly, scuppering your best-laid plans for a rather nice meal.

So, what’s the alternative?

Buying frozen, of course. But is frozen produce really as good as fresh fruit and vegetables?

With regards to nutrients, there’s . As frozen products don’t lose much, if any, nutrients compared to their fresh counterparts. This is because they're frozen as soon on the production line as possible.

What’s more, they keep for longer. If you need prepared (chopped etc) fruit and veg, frozen can also be very convenient. You can cook them straight from the freezer, saving you a lot of time.

The main drawback is that frozen fruit and vegetables can be up to 50% more expensive in weight than their fresh counterparts.

Should I go organic?

“Organic” has been a real buzzword for the past decade and beyond, and it is generally considered the epitome of ethical eating.

But what even is organic food?

Organic food is grown mainly without using any synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Conventional farmers use these to increase the amount of fruit and veg grown as well as ensuring they don’t get eaten by bugs and insects.

It actually doesn’t mean that organic farmers don’t use pesticides or fertilizers at all. It’s just that they’re very restricted to what they can use and the amounts of such. For example, a pesticide that many organic farmers use includes a natural one called Spinosad.

You only need to do a cursory search on the internet to find a gaggle of articles praising organic food as the Holy Grail of produce:

• They have higher levels of nutrients
• You don't consume residual synthetic chemicals, which are linked to diseases such as some cancers and asthma

However, some research suggests that the increased levels of nutrients claimed aren’t significantly more than conventionally grown produce. In the UK, the Food Standards Agency concluded that organic foods have no additional health benefits at all. What’s more, the levels of residual chemicals on conventionally grown food are considered safe, and similar levels can sometimes be found on organic produce.

But organic farming does have some positive environmental impacts. Organic farming helps to maintain soil quality and prevents the runoff of harmful synthetic chemicals into the water system.

But the main problem with organic food is the cost. Consumer Reports in the USA found that, on average, organic food is 47% more expensive. Whilst this doesn’t seem like a massive mark up, the report itself mentions that the range around this average is rather sizable. For example, courgettes from one store were 3x more expensive than it’s conventionally produced counterpart.

In short: if you can afford to shop organic, why not? But if you’re going on a flexitarian diet due to trying to reduce costs, chances are there’s going to be a bigger detrimental impact on your wallet than there is a positive one on your health.

Should I buy dried or canned legumes?

Much like buying fresh or frozen produce, there’s a choice for your legumes too: dried or canned.

The biggest advantage of dried legumes is price. They are much much cheaper in terms of weight meaning you can really stock up on the protein-packed power food! The Bean Institute found that dried beans can cost 3x less in weight than canned.

However, dried legumes will need to be soaked for several hours or overnight before they can be cooked. This means you’ll really need to plan your meals. But many claim they are tastier, so the effort, should you have the time, can really pay off.

Canned legumes are much quicker to cook with. All you have to do is heat them up and put them in your meal. The result is that they’re much quicker to use as you completely eliminate the soaking time. But people using canned legumes should be wary of the amount of sodium present in these.

Too much sodium in your diet can result in health issues such as high blood pressure. However, proper draining and rinsing of canned legumes can dramatically reduce the levels. Alternatively, you can simply look for “reduced sodium” labels.

Should I use meat and dairy substitutes?

You absolutely can if you want to use these to scratch that meat or dairy itch. But remember, with a flexitarian diet you’re absolutely free to eat the real deal.

Regardless, it could be fun to try as many substitutes to meat and dairy as possible to see which ones you like and which you don’t. This might eventually enable you to indulge in your meat and dairy urges without actually resorting to the real thing. This means you could eventually end up completely vegetarian or vegan.

But which ones taste the best? Well, it really is a matter of personal taste. So, try alternatives in small amounts first to see if you like it or not before you buy in bulk.

Flexitarians Are Go!

Hopefully, you now have some good reasons to go on a flexitarian diet, and some practical ways to practice flexitarianism. If you want more information, you should seek out Dawn Jackson Blatner's book on flexitarianism that is considered the diet's bible. Who knows, maybe a flexitarian diet can be the gateway to becoming fully vegetarian or vegan.

Overall, a flexitarian diet can have some great benefits on your health, the environment, and maybe even your finances.

Do you know how to store milk? Storing milk may seem pretty simple: pop it in the fridge and consume it within a few days, and you can’t really go wrong. Right? Well, let’s find out and give you some handy storage guidelines.

How to Store Animal Milk

When we talk about animal milk we usually mean cow’s milk. However, it can also refer to milk from goats and sheep.

Milk is usually sorted and sold according to the amount of fat there is in it: whole (3.25%), reduced fat (2%), low fat (1%) and skimmed or non-fat (0-0.5%).

However, neither the type of animal it has come from or its fat content makes any difference about where and how to store it.

How to Store UHT Milk?

The only difference is that UHT milk doesn’t need to be stored inside a fridge if it’s unopened. But putting unopened UHT milk in the fridge doesn’t do it any harm.

The most popular place is on one of the shelves in the door. But milk should actually be stored on the top or middle shelf in a fridge.

Why?

Because the temperature is more stable on the shelves rather than the fridge door.

How Long Does Animal Milk Last?

The shelf life of animal milk depends on whether it’s fresh or treated using Ultra High Temperature (UHT) treatment.

Fresh milk, either in plastic or glass bottles, needs to be stored in a refrigerator at 40℉ (4℃) at all times. Unopened, it will last for a maximum of 2 weeks.

UHT milk in cardboard may be stored up to 6-9 months when unopened regardless of whether it is stored inside or outside a fridge.

After opening any type of milk, either fresh or UHT, it should be consumed within a week and always kept in the refrigerator.

Can You Freeze Animal Milk?

Animal milk can indeed be frozen. Just be sure that the milk container has enough space for the milk to expand, otherwise it will burst and create a mess.

But what about defrosting it?

The best way to defrost milk is to keep it in the fridge or place the container in some cold water. It’s safer to thaw it gradually, so expect the defrosting process to take about 1-2 days.

Unfortunately, there are disadvantages to freezing and defrosting milk. When freezing and defrosting milk, the flavour and texture can change. However, its nutritional value . Therefore it’s better to use defrosted milk as a baking or cooking ingredient rather than served fresh, such as over breakfast cereal.

Freezing milk can make it last for between . Once defrosted, it should be consumed within .

How Do You Know If Animal Milk Has Gone Bad?

To test whether animal milk has gone bad, you should smell it and look at it. Bad milk has a distinctive sour smell and lumpy texture. Its color usually changes as well.

Do you always have to throw spoiled milk away?

If milk doesn’t have lumps or a different color, you may still consume it. However, not as a raw product. Such milk can be used for cooking, baking, frying pancakes or tenderizing meat.

How to Store Milk Alternatives

A number of milk alternatives are also available on the market:

• Soy milk
• Almond milk
• Rice milk
• Coconut milk

These types are vegan-friendly and suitable for people who are lactose intolerant. As these milks are plant-based, the rules for storage are a little different from those for animal milk.

If you’re going to store milk alternatives unopened in a pantry, you should make sure that the temperature stays between 50-70 ℉ (10-21℃). However, once opened, you should store it in a refrigerator, the temperature at 40℉ (4℃) or below.

The location for milk alternatives inside a fridge is the same as for animal milk: on the top or middle shelf of a fridge.

How Long Do Milk Alternatives Last?

For all four types of milk alternatives the expiration date is the same. When unopened and stored in a pantry, they will last about 1 month. However, they only last about 7-10 days in a refrigerator after opening.

Can I Freeze Milk Alternatives?

Although manufacturers don’t recommend it, you can freeze milk alternatives. However, it . However, when defrosted, milk alternative may be brought back to its original state by .

The rules for freezing soy, almond, rice, and coconut milk do not differ from those for freezing animal milk.

However, the shelf life is significantly reduced when freezing milk alternatives. You should consume milk alternatives within 2 months of freezing. Once you defrost and open it, use it within 3 days.

The best way to thaw milk alternatives is the same as for animal milk. You should put it in the fridge for slow, gradual defrosting. In this way, milk alternatives will not lose that much taste compared to defrosting it at room temperature.

How Do You Know If A Milk Alternative Has Gone Bad?

If you’re not sure whether soy, almond, rice or coconut milk has gone bad, the quickest way is to test it in a similar way as you would do with animal milk. Pour some into a clear glass and check whether it changed its color or texture, and give it a quick sniff to see if it’s developed a rancid sour smell.

How to Store Milk Like a Pro

Now you know all the best ways to store animal milk and its alternatives. The most important things to remember are:

• Fresh animal milk should always be kept in the fridge
• UHT milk may be safely kept outside the fridge
• The best place to store milk is the top or middle shelf of a fridge, not in the door
• When opened, all kinds of milk should be kept in a fridge in 40℉ (4℃) or below
• Milk alternatives should be stored in the pantry between 50-70 ℉ (10-21℃)
• When animal milk and its alternatives go bad they have a distinctive sour smell, their texture changes, and they decolorize
• You can freeze animal milk and its alternatives
• Defrost frozen animal milk or milk alternatives by leaving it in the fridge for 1-2 days, or placing it in a bowl of cold water
• Consume animal milk or milk alternatives within a couple of days after defrosting and opening

Keep all this in mind when storing milk, and it’ll be safer, tastier, and last that little bit longer.

For more information on storing food, see our other .

Butter and margarine are solid fats that should be stored in a fridge. But except from keeping them from melting, why should they be kept there? Have you ever really asked yourself how to store butter and margarine to get the most out of them?

First, a little information about the differences between butter and margarine.

Butter is made from churning milk or cream and is made of a cow’s, sheep’s, goat’s, yak’s, or buffalo’s milk. It’s about , 3% milk solids and 17% water.

Margarine is usually made from vegetable oil. Fat from skimmed milk is sometimes added but usually no dairy products are added.

But whilst they are both a little different storing butter and margarine is very similar.

Where Do You Store Butter and Margarine?

Both butter and margarine should be stored in a refrigerator at 40℉ (4℃) or below. By storing butter and margarine here you stop them from being exposed to light and high temperatures which can make them become .

You should keep them in their original containers or packaging, but should consider putting them in an airtight container as air is another contributor to making them go bad.

When storing butter and margarine, the best place to put them on the upper refrigerator shelves.

Does butter go bad?

When unopened, butter lasts for 1-2 months in the refrigerator. You should use it within 2 weeks.

Margarine may be kept for 3-4 months when unopened and 1-2 months when opened.

Can You Freeze Butter and Margarine?

Absolutely! What’s more is you can freeze butter and margarine before or after opening them.

Butter will last 6-9 months when frozen, whilst margarine will keep 6-8 months.

How Do I Know If Butter and Margarine Has Gone Bad?

To check if butter or margarine have gone bad, it’s best to smell and look at it. When butter or margarine has a sour smell and taste it has become bad. Other signs of expired butter or margarine are discoloration and mold.

However, it is worth noting that even after the expected expiry date, if there are no signs of butter or margarine having gone bad, it is still safe and good to use!

How to Store Butter and Margarine Like a Pro

Now you know all the best ways on how to store butter and margarine. The most important things to remember are:

• Keep them in the fridge in 40℉ (4℃) or below on the upper or middle shelf
• Butter lasts 1-2 months unopened and stored in the fridge, and should be consumed within 2 weeks of opening
• Margarine lasts 3-4 months unopened, should be stored in the fridge, and consumed within 2 months of opening
• Butter and margarine can be frozen: up to 6-9 months for butter and 6-8 months for margarine
• Butter and margarine have gone bad when they have sour smell and taste, have mold, or are discolored
• After the expected expiration date, if they don’t show signs of having gone bad, it’s safe to eat them

Storing butter and margarine in the best way possible will help it last for longer and help you to get the most out of it.

For more information on storing food, see our other .

Supermarkets want us to get the best deals and save lots of money. They only want what’s best for us, right? Wrong. Although they can give us what seem like great discounts from time to time, they are still big businesses and their top priority is to get us to spend as much as possible using sneaky psychological supermarket tricks.

In fact:

Environmental psychologist, Paco Underhill, in their book , claims that up to 50% of our shopping cart are things we never intended to buy in the first place! We’ve all been there. We only go to the supermarket for milk and bread but come out with enough to feed a small family for a week.

How does this happen?

Well, there's a whole arsenal of supermarket tricks out there. Grocery stores us them to make sure we spend as much as possible. There are plenty of studies and websites that list these dirty schemes, although knowing what methods supermarkets use is only half the battle. Being able to beat them is key to winning the war on our wages.

What next?

We’ll tell you about some of the meanest supermarket tricks. We’ll also give you direct advice about how to fight them and how to save money when doing your groceries.

Supermarket Tricks #1: Taking it Slow

We all love music, right? Well, grocery stores love it too. Ever wondered why many supermarkets play easy listening or classical music? That’s because they want to:

• Slow your pulse down
• Relax you
• Make you shop slower

Why? Because shopping slower makes you spend more.

Don’t believe us?

Professor Ronald E. Milliman’s study “Using Background Music to Affect the Behavior of Supermarket Shoppers” found grocery stores that played slow music increased their sales by nearly 40%!

How does that work?

Slowing us down means we more of the products and offers making it more likely for us to buy them. but a study by Bangor University found some shocking results about what happens to our brains when we spend too much time in supermarkets. They found that:

• At around 23 minutes shoppers make choices with the emotional part of their brain instead of the logical
• After 40 minutes (the average time of a weekly shop) the brain stops making rational thoughts altogether

This proves that the longer you stay in a grocery store the more impulse buys and unnecessary purchases you make.

But music isn’t the only trick! Ever wondered why there are rarely any windows in grocery stores? When was the last time you saw a clock in one? All of these supermarket tricks are deliberately designed to make you lose track of time, take longer to do your shopping, and spend more of your money.

Solution: Get Your Grocery Groove On

The quicker you are at shopping, the cheaper it will be for you. So, why not put on some headphones and listen to your favorite upbeat playlist? This will help you keep your heartrate up, meaning you’ll focus more and move quicker around the store.

Supermarket Tricks #2: Not So Special Offers

You spot a large colorful sign or sticker with lots of big letters and even bigger numbers on it. It’s unmistakably an offer: buy, buy, buy!

WAIT!

Sometimes these offers aren’t always the best deals. Similar products at full price are still cheaper than what’s on offer. Those tantalizing signs and stickers are there to dupe us into thinking that this particular offer is the best. Even those nice big displays at the end of aisles aren’t always items on offer. They’re made to look like they’re on offer but are actually at full price!

Shockingly, a UK consumer association, found that most offers made little to no savings whatsoever. 10% of multibuy offers in British supermarkets were actually more expensive than if bought singularly or when not on offer.

How do grocery stores get away with this? Well, it’s easy when  and therefore don’t check the price per unit. When you remember that you stop making logical choices after 23 minutes, you can see how easy it is to be fooled by these offers.

Solution: Ask Yourself Do You Really Need That Many?

Multibuy offers make us think that it’s cheaper to buy them as a group rather than as individuals. But whilst you might save money per item, you’re still actually spending more, buying 3 when you'd otherwise just buy 1.

Sometimes these offers exist simply to make you buy more than you need or intend. The found that we are more likely to buy more of an item if there’s a higher quantity involved in the offer. Trials saw shoppers in different stores offered the same items at the same price, but under different “deals”:

• 10 for $10
• 5 for $5
• 1 for $1

They’re all the same cost per item, so there should be no clear winner, right?

Astonishingly, the offer of “10 for $10” was the most popular, whilst “1 for $1” was the least popular, showing people are prepared to buy 10x more than they need because of how the deal is presented!

We know what you’re thinking, though: “If I buy more today, I won’t have to buy as many next time.” Well, you’d be surprised. You’re more likely to use the items you bought rather than save them for later. This means you’ll probably have to buy them again when you next do your groceries.

Speaking in the Reader’s Digest, Jeff Weidauer, former supermarket executive and vice president of marketing at Vestcom, said: “If you used to buy a 6-pack of soda and drink 6 cans a week but now buy a 12-pack...you’re probably going to start drinking 12 cans a week. Be mindful when buying larger sizes to make sure your habits don’t change as a result.”

So, if you really think that you will not use the extra items before your next shopping trip, then you can make the decision to get the offer. If not: put the offer down, back away. Only buy the amount you intended to.

Solution: Use A Calculator Instead of Your Brain

Your brain gets tired when shopping. Even if you’re pretty confident about your mental math, you’re probably not going to be out your sum-processing best. Give your brain a rest and use a calculator to work out if those deals are really as cheap as they claim to be, especially compared to similar products at full price.

You don’t even have to bring a physical calculator. Almost all smartphones have a basic one inbuilt which is perfect for the simple sums and divisions that you’ll need to do around the grocery store. You can even download a calculator app. If you do download one, we recommend one with a widget so you can do the math directly on your home screen.

Solution: Use a Shopping List App With a Price Function

Some shopping list apps, like Listonic, have a function where you can , and can even multiply the unit price by desired quantity so you can see a total for each set. This means that when you’re shopping, you can see the maximum or desired amount you want to spend on those items. One glance at your shopping list and you can see if the offer is saving you money or costing you more than your budget.

Supermarket Tricks #3: Keeping it on the (Eye) Level

You have lovely eyes. Supermarkets thinks so, too.

Your eyes are what you shop with, and these aren’t spared from supermarket tricks. Eye-level is where the items supermarkets want you to buy the most are located. These aren’t necessarily the most expensive items: they’re the ones that generate the most profit for the grocery store. The cheapest items are often placed on the bottom shelves, or “stoop level”. They’re placed here because it’s more effort to look down and even more uncomfortable to bend down to pick the product up.

The area in between eye-level and “stoop level” is the eye-level of children, and they’re not safe from supermarkets tricks either! In this area are plenty of brightly colored and appealing items. This means it's easier for children to spot them and ask their parents to buy these for them. But watch out, these are often unhealthy treats.

Solution: Take a Good Look Around

Always have a good look around the entire shelf for the items you need, even if it means stooping a little. Looking only around eye-level will mean you’re seeing only what the supermarkets want you to buy the most, which isn’t necessarily the best or cheapest for you.

As for items targeting children at their eye-level, don’t bring them shopping if that’s possible. Leave them with a friend or family member whilst you shop. However, if you have to bring them with you, you’ll just have to try your hardest to resist your little one’s adorable pleading looks and hope they won’t throw a tantrum when you say, “no”!

Supermarket Tricks #4: Hunger Games

It’s not just slowing us down and drawing attention to things at eye-level that are part of the the huge set of supermarket tricks. They also want to make you feel hungry.

Why? Because when you’re hungry you buy more. When you walk through the store you can smell that freshly baked bread, or that succulent rotisserie chicken. It’s fairly straight forward. If you’re hungry, you’ll buy more food: that seems perfectly logical.

But did you know…

...that being hungry also affects our general decision making ability?

Studies by the University of Southern California found that hunger affects our shopping decisions, even on non-food items. These studies showed that hungry shoppers not only buy unnecessary items on impulse, but also buy more of what they need. Professor Norbert Schwarz mentions that,

“...the desire to get food may more generally plant the idea of ‘getting stuff’ in your mind, which increases the likelihood that you’ll also be attracted to products that won’t satisfy your physical hunger...the internal message ‘I want food’ becomes simply ‘I want’.”

Solution: Don’t Shop Hungry

It’s a pretty simple solution: eat before you shop! If you can, plan to do your shop after a main meal. Larger supermarkets are open quite late these days so it’s possible to go shopping after your evening meal. But that’s easier said than done, especially if you’re someone who has a busy schedule and is pressed for time.

If you’re not be able to have a full meal before going shopping, eating a snack before going to the grocery store can make a difference. This will keep you full enough for your shop meaning you’re less likely to make hunger-based decisions.

If you are going to have a snack, eat an apple.

A study by Cornell University found that shoppers who ate an apple before shopping bought 25% more fruit and vegetables than those who ate a cookie! Similar results were also had with shoppers who had healthy snacks instead of sugary ones.

Supermarket Tricks #5: Sizable Shopping Carts

Have you felt like you’re shrinking when you go to the supermarket? Your shopping cart just gets bigger and bigger! Don’t worry! You’re not going crazy. Shopping carts are getting larger.

Why? Because it’s another supermarket trick.

The shopping cart, in Oklahoma, USA, was invented so customers could move groceries around their store. Although they never caught on initially, they are now found in every supermarket around the world. As unthreatening as they may seem, they’re actually another tool to make you spend more money in grocery stores.

Marketing Consultant and author of Brandwashed, Andrew Lindstrom, ran an experiment where people were given shopping carts that were double the size of the usual. Those with the bigger shopping carts bought 40% more than those with the smaller! This is because your cart now looks emptier, meaning you’re more likely to fill it up with impulse buys and treats.

Solution: Use a Basket

If you think you can put all your shopping into a basket, use one! Baskets are also considerably larger these days (some are so big they even have wheels) so you can comfortably put a good amount of shopping into them. Because it looks fuller, you’ll be able to resist putting unnecessary items in them.

However, if you’re carrying a basket around the store though, be warned. A study appearing in the Journal of Marketing Research found that shoppers carrying a basket are more likely to fill it with unhealthy foods, as an unconscious “reward” for the workout your arms are getting.

Supermarket Tricks #6: Paying for Preparation

Cooking is hard work. Preparing fruit and vegetables can often be quite time consuming: all that peeling, chopping, slicing, and dicing. So, you can’t be blamed for wanting to make the time spent cooking that little bit easier and quicker. That’s why supermarkets offer a whole range of fresh prepared food: simply because they want to make our lives easier, right?

Well…

...according to they’re up to 5x more expensive than their unprepared equivalent weight.

What’s more, they’re not as healthy! Did you know that as soon as you cut fruit and vegetables they , particularly vitamin C? They are most nutritious when just cut, so prepared fruit and vegetables are not as healthy as if you’ve cut them yourself.

So, these aren’t just costing you your money, they’re also costing you your health.

Solution: Give Prepared Food the Chop!

Simple: buy unprepared fruit and veg.

If you’re new to preparing vegetables, you can find plenty of handy guides on how to prepare food over at Wikihow. However, if you’re really struggling for time, or find preparing food difficult, we suggest buying frozen prepared food. Whilst these can still be around 50% more expensive than their fresh equivalent weight, studies show that they are .

Supermarket Tricks #7: An Ever-Changing Labyrinth

Last week the baked beans were in aisle 9. You’re sure of it. They were there for a good few weeks. But now, aisle 9 is full of tea and coffee, and baked beans are in aisle 7!

Why, oh why! Up until now you knew the grocery store layout like the back of your hand and could speed around it and get all your shopping done super quick. Do supermarkets do this on purpose?

Short answer: yes!

Long answer: Sure, there are some things that don’t change. Such as having flowers, fruit, and vegetables at the entrance of the store because all those bright colors and fresh looks put you in a good mood. A cornerstone of traditional psychology and marketing, this creates, “a pleasant oasis apart from the rest of your workaday”, says psychologist Melanie Greenberg, speaking in .

Then, there’s the milk, bread, eggs, and other staples at the far corner of the store so you have to walk across the entire length of the supermarket to get to them.

“Stores typically put these items in the farthest reaches of the store to expose customers to the maximum amount of product on their ‘quick trip’ so they will impulsively buy other things,” says .

But everything in between tends to move around every so often.

Why? Because by changing the layout of the store every so often you have to re-learn the layout which slows you down. It’s a risky move because it can lead to customer frustration and loss of sales. But when done right, it can increase sales.

According to Milpole Technologies, a product solutions company, the benefits are:

• Making customers spend more time in the store
• Making them notice new products whilst searching for where their desired products have moved to
• Present an opportunity to tidy-up and dust the store, keeping it looking clean and fresh

After a change in the store layout, you’re going to be slower doing your shopping for a couple of visits until you’ve become familiar with the changes. Then, they’ll do it again!

Solution: Use a Shopping List

Unfortunately, there’s little you can do to stop supermarkets changing the layout of the store every so often. So, the best way to tackle some of these more stubborn tricks is to shop using a shopping list. This will help you to keep focus on what you’re supposed to buy and stick to it.

Is there’s an offer on yogurt? Yes. Is yogurt on the shopping list? No. Then don’t buy it. See: easy!

In fact, a  confirmed that shoppers who do the most preparation before their shop, including using a shopping list, are less likely to buy items on impulse. So, you can stick to your list no matter how dramatically the store layout has been changed.

Time to Take on Supermarket Tricks and Win!

Who knew supermarkets are so sly and persuasive about making you spend money. And these are only 7 of the many ways they convince you to part with your cash.

But you’re now armed with the knowledge of how they do this, and several handy solutions to these crazy supermarket tricks:

• Listen to music whilst shopping
• Use a calculator
• Only buy the quantity you need, not what’s on offer
• Use a shopping list app with a price function
• Look around the entire shelf, not just at eye-level
• Don’t shop hungry
• Have a meal or a healthy snack before shopping
• Use a basket instead of a shopping cart
• Don’t buy prepared fruit and vegetables
• Use a shopping list

We really want to stress the importance of the final point: use a shopping list. Not only does it prevent you from buying those impulse deals by keeping you focused, it can also make your shop quicker, meaning less time for you to fall prey to supermarket psychology.

Digital shopping lists are a really great modern way to create and use a shopping list. Specifically, many will have a which means other people can view and even help build your shopping list. If you’re really struggling to resist those impulse buys, you can share your list and have someone else who is more resistant to these tricks do your shopping for you. At least, that can be your excuse!

There are other handy functions as well, such as Listonic’s ability to add prices to items and calculate total cost of multiple items (mentioned earlier). This can help you budget better. There are a whole gamut of other little lifesavers across a wide range of shopping list apps that we highly recommend you trying out.

But overall, be vigilant!

These psychological supermarket tricks are good for business. You may avoid many now, but you can be sure that grocery stores are looking at new ways to trick you into spending more! They're constantly investing into consumer psychology to create new supermarket tricks.