Shopping for healthy food at the grocery store can be an easy process if you follow a few guidelines which are outlined below.
Fruits and Vegetables
Healthy food choices begin in the produce section and the bulk of your shopping should be done here. Produce provides the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and energy your body needs to get you through the day so stock up on fruits and vegetables. Look for ones that are free of blemishes, spots, or limp looking. Carrots, potatoes, and onions will last longer than other vegetables and should be staples in your kitchen. Fruit such as berries and grapes will need to be consumed within a few days. but apple, oranges and other hard fruit will last longer. You can also purchase frozen vegetables and fruit if fresh is not availabl but be sure to read the label for any added sugar in the product. Fill your cart with fruits and vegetables, this is the first step to good health.
Grains
When shopping for bread and grains you will need to pick bread that is whole-wheat and avoid breads that say "enriched." White bread contains little nutrition compared to whole grain and darker breads. You can even find whole-wheat hot dog and hamburger buns as well as sandwich rolls. You can try whole-wheat pita wraps and tortillas too. Look for brown rice instead of white rice. Brown rice does take some getting used to in terms of texture and flavor, but it contains more nutrition then white. Any grains you purchase should be the whole grain variety. You can even find whole-wheat flour for baking. When looking for cereal, purchase varieties that are high in fiber and low in sugar. Oatmeal is a good choice for cereal due to its high fiber content. Be sure to look at the sugar content on any cereal and avoid high sugar brands.
Meat and Seafood
Your meat selections should include meat that has less fat content so look for lean-cuts of beef and pork. You can find extra-lean hamburger which is better for you than regular hamburger due to less fat content. Chicken should have the skin removed or you can do this at home yourself. Chicken breasts are a good choice and boxed chicken breasts often go on sale. Avoid the meat that is processed like chicken nuggets, strips, deli meats, and battered fish. You should increase your consumption of fish so if you can afford it, consider adding more fish to your diet and less meat.
Dairy
Look for lower fat dairy products such as cheese and milk. Yogurt is a good choice if it is plain, you can always add your own fruit to it for more flavor. Some companies have sugar-free yogurt that you can try if you don't like plain. Eggs are a cheap and make a good breakfast solution.
Packaged Goods
Almost all packaged goods are processed so you need to avoid these foods as much as possible. Chips and sugar drinks such as soda should be avoided. If you like cakes and cookies, bake these at home. The homemade versions while still not 100% healthy, are far better for you then the over-processed kinds you find in the store. Packaged goods that you can buy include pasta, olive oils, plain beans without sauce, vegetables and canned seafood. If you purchase canned vegetables or beans, wash them first to remove the salt. Packaged or canned soup should not be purchased as it is full of salt. You may find reduced salt versions that may be fine but be sure to read the labels on any packaged goods you may buy. Low-salt and low sugar versions are the best choice. Avoid the processed meals and pizzas you find in the frozen section as well as any juice except orange juice.
Nuts, Seeds, and Oils
Consumptions of plain nuts and seeds should be increased. Look for varieties that are plain with no salt or flavorings. These can be found in the bulk section and should be labeled no salt. Avoid any packaged kinds unless you are certain there is no salt. Look for extra-virgin olive oils and avoid the vegetable oils.
To eat healthy you need to avoid the "processed" packaged foods as much as possible. These items have most of the nutritional value stripped from them. Increase the whole-foods you consume like fruits and vegetables, fish, nuts and seeds and whole-grains. This is the key making batter food choices when shopping.