A Guide to Healthier Grocery Shopping

August 19, 2015

When you know where the healthier choices are located in the grocery store, you will have an easier time making selections while steering your cart through the isles. Her is a handy guide you can use next time you make a trip to the grocery store.
PRODUCE
Choose	Limit	Avoid
Green vegetables Yellow vegetables Orange vegetables Apples Pears Oranges Bananas Berries Peaches Plums Pineapple Grapes Melons Kiwi Avocado	Coconut
DELI
Choose	Limit	Avoid
Low fat cheeses (4g of fat per ounce or less) cold cuts (4g of fat per ounce or less) turkey breast chicken breast 95% fat free or more cold cuts	Part skim cheeses low fat cheeses (5g of fat per ounce or less) Whole milk cheeses (1 ounce per day) lean ham lean roast beef	Hot dogs salami bologna salads prepared with mayonnaise
BAKERY
Choose	Limit	Avoid
Angel food cake	Items made with whole eggs	Items made with hydrogenated fats or tropical oils items made with butter
DAIRY
Choose	Limit	Avoid/Limit
Skim or 1% milk Part skim cheeses (4g of fat per ounce or less) Nonfat sour cream Tub, light, or diet margarine Nonfat Yogurt Egg whites, egg substitute	2% Milk Part skim cheeses (5g of fat per ounce or less) Light cream cheese Light sour cream Low fat yogurt	Whole milk Whole milk cheeses Heavy cream Half and half Cream cheese Sour cream Whole milk yogurt Butter Stick margarine
POULTRY, MEAT, FISH
Choose	Limit	Avoid/Limit
Chicken Turkey Cornish Hen Fresh or frozen fish & shellfish (un-breaded) Ground turkey breast	"Select" cuts of meat Round steak Flank steak Tenderloin 85% lean or more ground beef Pork loin chops Canadian Bacon Veal cutlet Veal loin chop Veal rump roast Liver Leg of lamb	"Prime" or "Choice" cuts of meat Corned beef Ground beef Beef short ribs Pork spare ribs Bacon Veal breast Ground Veal Duck Goose
CANNED GOODS
Choose	Limit	Avoid
Labels listing no fat or an unsaturated fat, labels listing 3g of fat per serving or less	Labels listing 4g of fat per serving	Labels listing hydrogenerated fat Labels listing animal fat Labels listing 5g of fat per serving or more
GRAINS, PASTA, RICE, DRIED BEANS
Choose	Limit	Avoid
Labels listing 2g or fat per serving or less Labels listing no fat	Labels listing 4g or fat per serving or less	Labels listing hydrogenated fat or tropical oil Labels listing more than 4g of fat
BREADS, CEREAL, CRACKERS, SNACKS
Choose	Limit	Avoid/Limit
Whole-wheat english muffins Whole-wheat pita bread Whole-grain sandwich bread Flat bread Rice cakes Matzo Whole-grain crackers Zweibak Oatmeal Cream of wheat Dry cereal with 3g of fat per serving or less Graham crackers Whole-wheat bagels Snacks with 3g of fat per one ounce serving	Quick breads Muffins	Butter rolls Granola-type cereals Cheese or Butter crackers Phyllo pastry Croissants Pastries Doughnuts Biscuits
FROZEN FOODS
Choose	Limit	Avoid/Limit
Fish without breading or butter sauce Poultry with skin or breading Vegtables wihtout butter/cream sauces	Pizza without sasusage or pepperoni	Fried items Pizza with sasusage or pepperoni Vegtables with butter/cream sauces
FATS, OILS, & CONDIMENTS
Choose	Limit	Avoid
Low fat or fat-free Mayonnaise Low fat or fat-free salad dressings Canola oil Olive oil Cooking spray	Regular salad dressings made with unsaturated oils	Shortening Lards Salad dressings made with hydrogenated fat or tropical oil

Posted In:

Cholesterol Management , Diabetes Mellitus , Meal and Menu Planning, Weight Management