Shopping for Sleep: Grocery Store Staples
Image courtesy of zazzle.comNo, this isn't a post about how you get your child to sleep in a shopping cart (though some might appreciate that information!). In keeping with this week's focus on food and sleep, I've created a sleep-supporting shopping list to help make your life a little easier.
These grocery-store staples are the building blocks of healthy meals and snacks that provide important sleep-enhancing nutrients and pair tryptophan with carbohydrates to help your child’s brain produce serotonin and melatonin.
Keep these staples on hand for healthful meals and bedtime snacks. Most are affordable and widely available. Of course, your family’s shopping list will need to be tailored to your child’s age, any food intolerances or allergies, and your family’s personal dietary preferences.
- Apples, bananas, oranges, and other fruits (fresh or dried)
- Hummus
- Whole-grain tortillas
- Whole grain pitas
- Whole wheat bread
- Whole grain cereal
- Milk or soymilk
- Tofu
- Peanuts
- Almonds
- Nut and seed butters (peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter)
- Yogurt
- Dairy, soy, or almond cheeses
- Sliced turkey or ham
- Whole-grain crackers
- Popcorn
- Eggs
- Sesame seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Black beans
- Oat bran
- Oatmeal
- Spinach
- Tuna
- DHA-fortified eggs, milk, and juice
Want more information on nutrition and sleep? See my article in Austin Family magazine.
Baby, Health, Nutrition, Preschoolers, Sleep 
