I’ve had a few people tell me to check out the book Eat This, Not That. A quick search brought me to an online column at Men’s Health, that offers some tips I can read right away. I was surprised at some of the information in “Most Popular” section, especially at how bad some restaurant salads and pastas can be! Thanks for the tips – keep ‘em coming!

One of the most important things to remember when grocery shopping is that what you shop for is what you eat! If you buy it, you will eat it. So make sure you have healthy foods in your cart. Below are some tips from our Live Fit Weight Management class. This is what a basic, healthy shopping list might look like (keep in mind that this is not an all-inclusive list – just a guideline of some very healthy foods to help keep the nutritious aspects of your diet in check):

Fruits – oranges, grapefruit, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, mango, papaya, guava, kiwi, tangerines, apricots

Dressings and Flavorings – Choose fresh or dried herbs, fresh or dried spices, garlic, olive oil, canola oil and herb vinegars.

Dairy – 1% or skim milk, swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese, goat cheese and feta cheese, low-sugar yogurt, cottage cheese, light cream cheese, low-fat sour cream, soy milk, soy yogurt, soy cheese

Vegetables – brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, mustard greens, swiss chard, green peppers, red peppers

Canned, frozen or fresh – look for low sodium and low sugar in canned fruits and vegetables), Fruits (look for “packed in juice” in canned), tomato sauces low in sugar.

Cereals, Breads, Rice and Crackers – look for 100% whole grain, whole wheat bread, whole wheat bagels, whole wheat flour, wheat or bran cereal, whole wheat pasta, brown rice. Some good guidelines when choosing a cereal: at least 3 grams of fiber per serving, less than 6 grams of sugar per serving, and 3 or less grams of saturated fat per serving.

Food packaging with the words “Low-fat” and “Fat-free” is not always better. Be careful of fat-free labels. Sometimes these contain more calories and sugar.

Proteins — extra lean ground beef, pork tenderloin, Canadian bacon, chicken breasts, salmon steaks, trout, tilapia, tuna, shrimp, eggs, peanut butter, nuts, black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, black-eyed peas, reduced fat tofu

Oils and Fats — Choose spreads instead of sticks. They have less total fat and calories. Stay away from terms “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oil on the ingredient list. These ingredients are “trans fats”, which can be just as bad for your heart as saturated fats. Look for “trans-fat free” margarines.

Beverages – Pick water or seltzer water over sodas and juices. Sodas and juice have too much sugar per serving.

In the grocery store, try to stick to the outside edge. The middle aisles contain all the processed foods!

Your mom is right! You’ll find the fresher and healthier foods like produce, lean meat, and dairy around the peripheral of the store.

Check out this site http://tracker.diabetes.org/myfoodadvisor.html
provided by the American Diabetes Association. You can view each aisle or section of the grocery store and see nutrition information on each item. It also includes the ability to select your favorite foods (even restaurant foods) and it will recommend healthier alternatives or healthier brands. You can select recipes, plan meals, and create a personal shopping list.

ChefMD is a great website for good, healthy recipes….Of course, my go-to site is ALLRECIPE.com!! Go Kai!!

Thanks, Mom – I’ll keep that in mind next time I’m in the grocery store!

[...] was a bit of an anomaly, as I was home in Baltimore and the same Mom who shared a healthy shopping tip last week served up olives for the big game.  I like olives, and love my Mom, but c’mon [...]