Grocery Shopping Secrets
Shop for the freshest and most nutritious foods by sticking to the perimeter of the store — it’s where you’ll find fresh dairy, produce, meat, poultry, and fish. Most of the aisles in between have packaged goods, such as crackers, cookies, canned soups and vegetables, juices, etc.
- Produce. Load your cart with a variety of fresh, nutrient-dense, fiber-rich vegetables, like spinach, zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, and peppers. Stock up on fresh fruits, too, including apples, oranges, mangoes, pomegranates, melons, and berries.
- Dairy. There are many items to choose from in the dairy aisle. For instance, eggs, part-skim ricotta cheese, and low-fat cheese are all considered excellent lean protein choices. Low-fat and fat-free milk, low-fat and nonfat plain yogurt and artificially sweetened low-fat and fat-free yogurt, unsweetened or artificially sweetened soy milk can also be found in the dairy aisle.
- Meats/Fish/Poultry. Focus your attention on lean cuts of beef and poultry, which include eye of round, ground beef (sirloin, lean, and extra-lean), tenderloin, top loin, and top round, as well as turkey and chicken breast, pork loin and pork tenderloin. Fish and shellfish are also good choices. Get to know your fishmonger — you should aim to eat fish four times a week. (Limit consumption of types of fish that contain high levels of methylmercury, including shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.)
- Frozen Foods. The frozen aisle offers quick-to-cook vegetables — perfect if you’re up against the clock. You can also find soy-based meat alternatives in the freezer section. Look for those that contain less than 6 grams of fat per 2- to 3-ounce servings. If you have a sweet tooth, try frozen fudge bars with no added sugar.
- Miscellaneous. Other foods to seek out from the middle of the store: nuts (avoid honey-roasted or sweetened varieties), canned light tuna fish, extra-virgin olive oil, sugar-free gelatin, vegetable juice cocktail or tomato juice, sugar-free diet sodas, and sugar-free drink mixes. Also stock up on whole-grain breads and crackers, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, and low-sugar, high-fiber whole-grain cereals.
Use your own judgement when deciding whether to eat artificially sweetened foods.
Adapted from South Beach
