I’m thrilled to announce that even healthy people eat ice cream and cookies.

Delicious Magazine has gone behind the scenes and into the grocery carts of a vegetarian chef, a naturopath, and an acupuncturist revealing the strategy behind their weekly grocery expeditions and giving readers access to their shopping lists.

The findings are not only reassuring — the naturopath buys the aforementioned treats for her family (all natural of course) and the acupuncturist openly supports the consumption of cheese — but also genuinely applicable to everyday life. Each list is broken down into dairy; drinks; frozen; grains, flours, beans; oils, condiments; meats; produce; and snacks.

I plan to reference the food choices of these health experts before I stock up on next week’s groceries. Their lists include the staples that I always forget — like toasted sesame oil and almond butter — as well as excellent tips — poblano and Anaheim peppers are cheaper than bell peppers and Roma tomatoes are flavorful year round. Who knew?

Practicality aside, my favorite part of these grocery confessions is acupuncturist Chip Chace’s take on enjoying food:

“A lot of people get all twisted around foods that are ‘bad’ for them. But our overall health and our quality of life are much more than just physical health. So it’s a matter of a bit of calculus. Will consuming a particular food improve the quality of your life? If the overall answer is ‘yes,’ then maybe it’s OK to have that cup of coffee or that glass of wine with a friend. On the other hand, if eating half a baguette or a pint of ice cream puts you in a fog for a week, then maybe it’s best not to eat that. If you decide to go ahead and have that cup of coffee, then really enjoy it, don’t rush it, savor it and don’t look back.”

Image: edibleeducator.com