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I’ve heard this countless times over the years as an eating disorder dietitian. It’s usually said with a sense of pride, as though avoiding the middle aisles is the secret to healthy eating.
The advice sounds simple enough: stick to the produce, dairy, meat, and fresh foods around the outside of the store, and avoid the processed foods hiding in the center aisles.
But here’s the problem: this well-intentioned rule is rooted in diet culture, not nutrition science. It turns grocery shopping into another set of rigid food rules and can actually make your relationship with food more stressful—not healthier.
Let’s talk about why this advice became so popular, why it often backfires, and what I recommend instead.
Where Did the “Shop the Perimeter” Rule Come From
As humans- we really enjoy a clear cut set of rules and expectations. This helps us to:
- Set clear beginnings and ends to our pursuits.
- Feel like we’re making “progress”. (An obsession unique to humans)
- Create clarity in an already overwhelming world of chaos.
- Get shit done faster.
So it’s not surprising when we create labels like:
- Aisle outskirts = good foods.
- Inside aisles = bad foods.
We eat it up! This sets a clear expectation for “yes” and “no” foods that we can easily pat ourselves on the back for.
Food is also often tied to health, body image, and emotions. When life feels unpredictable, following food rules can create the illusion that we’re in control.
It feels reassuring to believe that if we just follow the “right” rules, we’ll achieve the “right” outcome.
The Grocery Store Wasn’t Designed Around Nutrition
In reality there are probably many reasons that certain foods are on the outskirts of the grocery store and others are not. I can pretty much assure you- none of them are related to whether or not a food is actually “good to eat.”
Some of these reasons might include:
- Convenience for shoppers
- A system of organization
- The easiest places to place cool storage units
- Aesthetics
- Marketing
Why We Love Simple Food Rules
If you’ve ever found yourself wishing someone would just hand you a list of foods you should eat and foods you should avoid, you’re not alone. Our brains are wired to love simple rules. They reduce uncertainty, make decisions feel easier, and give us a sense of control in an otherwise messy world.
Food, however, is anything but simple.
Every day we’re faced with hundreds of food-related decisions: What should I eat? How much? Is this healthy? Will this make me gain weight? Is this processed? Is it organic? Should I avoid carbs? It can become exhausting.
Simple food rules promise relief from that mental overload. They reduce decision fatigue. Making decisions takes energy. When someone tells us, “Only shop the perimeter,” it feels like one less thing to think about. Our brains love shortcuts because they save time and mental effort. Psychologists call these mental shortcuts heuristics, and while they’re useful in many situations, they can oversimplify something as complex as nutrition.
Why “Shop The Perimeter” Is One of The WORST Rules
Most importantly, what if you need paper towels?!
The interior isles at grocery stores have a variety of foods that all fit and contribute to a healthy diet. Some examples, canned foods, whole grains, nut butters, legumes, herbs and spices, snacks, etc.
Grocery shopping rituals always make me laugh a little. When we create “off limits foods” on our grocery runs- we’re simply setting ourselves up for a binge-restrict-cycle at a later point in time.
We also create this really silly idea of how we will structure foods in our kitchens when we simply opt out of certain foods at the grocery store.
For example: If we opt out of cookies we really want on our grocery run we might do one of several things:
- Make a special trip to the grocery store when we’re really craving the cookies. We then will probably “go to town” on these cookies to get them out of the house ASAP!
- We don’t create a space for the cookies we really wanted in our kitchen the way that we might spaghetti noodles or flour. What happens next? They sit on the counter and we pretend they don’t exist! That way when we are feeling a little “snacky” they are the first thing we see. Even if we intuitively wanted something else- the cookies become the easiest quickest way to satisfaction.
Lastly, it’s very likely that at least half our food either tastes like shit or goes bad in our fridge because we didn’t want that in the first place! I’m guessing if we’re following the “shop the perimeter rule” we’re also following rules like “eat organic, choose low fat, or watch added sugars” which just makes things a little more miserable!
We’re also probably likely to run out of our favorite condiments, packed pasta, and dried goods that will provide so much food freedom in a pinch!
Healthy Foods Exist in Every Grocery Store Aisle
One of the biggest problems with the “shop the perimeter” rule is that it implies healthy foods only exist around the outside of the grocery store. Traditionally, we often find fresh produce, dairy, meat, and eggs along the perimeter but even that is changing.
In reality, every aisle has something valuable to offer.
When we label entire sections of the grocery store as “off limits,” we miss out on foods that can make eating more enjoyable, more convenient, and sometimes even more nutritious.
Let’s take a look at the canned food aisle for example. Canned foods are often unfairly criticized, but they can be nutritional powerhouses. Take for example canned chicken, tuna, or vegetables. These foods are often just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts. They’re also affordable, last for months, and can make putting together a meal much easier on busy days.
A can of black beans or diced tomatoes can become tacos, chili, soup, or pasta sauce in minutes.
The frozen foods aisle also has great things to offer such as fruit that is just as nutritionally dense as any other fruit for a smoothie, easy meals and snacks or frozen veggies for a dinner side in a pinch.
A Better Way to Grocery Shop
Instead of trying to avoid certain aisles, try shifting your focus to building a grocery cart that helps you feel nourished, satisfied, and supported throughout the week.
Instead of asking:
- “Is this healthy enough?”
- “Does it belong on the perimeter?”
Try asking:
- “Will I actually eat this?”
- “Does this satisfy me?”
- “Will this make meals easier?”
- “Does this support my relationship with food?”
Healthy grocery shopping isn’t about where you shop, it’s about what helps you consistently feed yourself.
- I only shop the perimeter of the grocery store - June 30, 2026
- 100 Snack Ideas for Eating Disorder Recovery - April 18, 2026
- Diet Culture is Toxic - December 22, 2025