If too much time passes between your last meal and the task of grocery shopping, you’re essentially setting yourself up for failure in the overeating department, according to registered dietitian Jaclyn London (via Good Housekeeping). “Not only are you susceptible to overspending, but you’re also more likely to overeat what you do bring home,” she writes.
Also, as registered dietician nutritionist Gaby Vaca-Flores explained to HUM Nutrition, there’s a direct link between low blood sugar levels and food cravings. While your blood sugar is lowest before breakfast, it fluctuates throughout the day, per Medical News Today. Generally, soon after you eat, it takes about an hour or so for the glucose levels to stabilize, which means that provided you have your breakfast by 8 or 9 a.m., 10 a.m. is the perfect time blood sugar levels-wise, and therefore the best time to head to the supermarket.
“When blood sugar drops, it’s a sign that we’re well past being hangry. As a result, we’re more likely to overeat and crave large quantities of carb-rich, calorie-dense foods,” explained Vaca-Flores.