Grocery Shopping Tips

Posted: Jan. 1, 2005

You can reduce the time you spend cooking healthy meals by using a shopping list and keeping a well-stocked kitchen. Read the labels as you shop and pay attention to serving size and servings per container. Compare the total calories in similar products and choose the lowest calorie ones.

Fill your kitchen cupboards with a supply of lower calorie basics like the following:

From the dairy case

• Fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese and cottage cheese
• Light or diet margarine
• Eggs/Egg substitutes

Great grains

• Sandwich breads, bagels, pita bread, English muffins
• Soft corn tortillas, low-fat flour tortillas
• Low-fat, low sodium crackers
• Plain cereal, dry or cooked
• Rice, pasta

Protein power

• White meat chicken or turkey (remove skin)
• Fish and shellfish (not battered)
• Beef: round, sirloin, chuck arm, loin and extra lean ground beef
• Pork: leg, shoulder, tenderloin
• Dry beans and peas

Fruits & veggies

• Fresh, frozen, canned fruits in light syrup or juice
• Fresh, frozen, or no-salt-added canned vegetables

Flavor boosters

• Low-fat or non-fat salad dressings
• Herbs and spices
• Salsa

Source: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in cooperation with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health.

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