With summer fast approaching, many students are trying to get fit. Some are turning to workout classes and starting new diets. Recently, individuals from around the Quad Cities have taken a growing interest in eating clean, a phrase that means different things for different people. Some focus on eating more “superfoods,” such as avocados and kale, some are switching their diet to be vegan or vegetarian, and some are working to eat all-natural, organic foods. This health craze is going to be made easier by the opening of two new health food stores, Fresh Thyme and Natural Grocers.

Natural Grocers opened on April 19, 2017 and many students and staff members have already made time to stop by and check it out. Dylan Hartford, senior, said, “I was really excited about getting a new health food store. We already have Greatest Grains and other stores, but it is nice to have more options.” The new store is located at 3805 E 53rd Street Davenport, IA 52807. The store is said to have natural and organic groceries, supplements, household products, and more.

Fresh Thyme is set to have its grand opening on April 26, 2017. The grand opening will include many events and giveaways for the customers including: a free reusable grocery bag for each customer all day, muffins and coffee from 5:30-7:00 am, doorbuster deals, and a free bag of groceries to the first 250 shoppers. There is also a sneak peek experience, for customers wanting to get ahead of the action on April 25, 2017. The store will be located at 2130 E Kimberly Rd. Davenport, IA 52807. Hartford said, “I can’t wait to see how Fresh Thyme turns out, it seems like a larger store with options that aren’t available right now.”

Anna Worden, junior, said, “I like the idea of health food stores, but they sound expensive. I would be more likely to shop there if the prices are lower.” With new health food markets, comes new prices for groceries. Students are worried that eating healthy and buying organic will break the bank, and they aren’t completely wrong. Organic foods often come at a steeper price, a concern for many. Many experts have weighed in on what foods are worth the higher price and which foods don’t have enough nutritional value to offset the cost. Below is a list of five foods to splurge on when shopping for high-quality foods and a list of five foods not worth the steep price.

Splurge Items:

1. 1. Olive Oil and Vinegar: Oils are versatile ingredients and they help provide healthy fats. Many choose to dress salads with olive oil and vinegar to avoid dressings that are high in sugar or fat.
   2. Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate has many health benefits and have been shown to reduce heart disease. Finding a quality dark chocolate will allow the nutritional value to outweigh the few extra calories. Dark chocolate will also be a healthy alternative to satisfying a sweet tooth.
   3. Whole Grain Bread/Pasta/Rice: Whole grains have been shown to help prevent colon cancer, obesity, and diabetes. They are also full of fiber and help to keep people feeling fuller for longer.
   4. Anything Local: Local foods, such as produce, are always going to be fresher and healthier than foods that have been preserved in order to transport them to the store. Also, because of their decreased travel time, local foods often have more nutrients.
   5. Organic: Many know that Organic foods are healthier because they are free of pesticides and growth hormones. The best organic products to buy are milk and produce. They will have increased nutritional value.

Save Items:

1. Pre-made snacks: While pre-made snacks may seem like a healthy and time-efficient option, it is always going to be cheaper to buy the ingredients separately to make at home. This gives you the opportunity to make multiple servings, and also allows you to control what goes in it. Some stores will include ingredients that have more sugar or fat, than one would like to eat healthy. Some examples of pre-made snacks are: trail mix, yogurt parfaits, and smoothies.
2. Enhanced water: There are more cost effective and healthier ways to gain back electrolytes lost during a tough workout, than by buying expensive water. There isn’t as much value in these waters as in peanut butter, kale, and bananas.
3. Energy bars: Some energy and protein bars can be beneficial, but most are loaded with extra calories and sugar, while not giving you as much protein as you may be needing to keep your energy up.
4. Steel-cut Oats: Steel-cut oats are not only more expensive than regular oatmeal, but they also are more time intensive in their preparation. While steel-cut oats have a slightly lower glycemic level, this fad food is almost nutritionally identical to that of quaker oatmeal.
5. Organic: Yes, this is also on the “splurge items list”, but there is a way to go too far with organic foods. Organic produce and milk help to reduce the inclusion of pesticides in your food, but an organic cookie is still a cookie. Organic sweets will not be significantly more healthy and are a much more expensive option to satisfying your sweets cravings.