People buy roughly 30 percent more when they shop with big grocery carts, says Sunday's Parade magazine. The bigger the cart, the more likely we are to stuff it full of stuff we probably don't need.

Why can't we just get what we need, regardless of cart size, without filling it to the brim. It all comes down to psychology. Consumers become self-conscious if their big shopping cart contains only a few things. It's as though we expect other shoppers to frown upon us. Why? I'm not sure. Also, when our carts are large, the dopamine levels in our brains increase, causing us to fill every square inch of space. Dopamine is an addictive brain chemical -- it increases in anticipation of any kind of reward. Give it a big cart, then, and watch out.

Next time you're at the grocery store, forget the cart. Grab one of those small shopping baskets with handles or use one of your reusable bags. Only need two or three things? Hold them in your hands and take them directly to your friendly cashier. And don't be temped by the check-out aisle. It's as problematic as that big cart.

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As someone who's passionate about healthy living, grocery shopping can be infuriating -- sometimes I was to steal a person's cart and replace it with my own, or at the very least, chuck out those chips and throw in some veggies. But change has to come from within, so it's important to makeover your own shopping cart. Everyday Health has some tips:

• In the dairy section, make sure to pick up low-fat versions of your favourites like yogurt, milk and cheese.
  
• In the cereal aisle, look for one that have whole grains, more than 3 g of fibre per serving and little to no sugar
• In the bakery, check the labels on bread and pitas; if whole wheat isn't one of the first few ingredients, skip it
• In the meat section, look for white, lean meats like chicken and turkey breasts. Also consider picking up some fish -- the non-battered kind, of course.
  
• In the freezer section, head for the frozen fruits and veggies.
  

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