Shopping Cheat Sheet

When you go shopping, take the following list along with you to prompt you to make good food choices:

Good Food Bets:

whole grain cereals, oats, and cereals that have psyllium and flaxseed

Any types of fruits

Grains such as quinoa, barley, hominy, millet, amaranth, bulgur, cous cous,

Nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, soy, also lives - all with no additives like salt and all untoasted)

Dried legumes, beans, peas, lentils

Vegetables of all kinds (fresh where possible, but frozen is fine too)

Soybean products such as tofu and soy milk

Whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel bread (look for low-salt varieties and check levels of fats first)

Tortillas

Whole grain pita breads and crackers (make sure to get low-salt varieties and check fat amounts)

Fresh garlic and herbs, dried spices and herbs

Low-sodium salsa or spicy sauce

Low fat and low sodium soup base or stock

Low sodium pasta sauce

Lean meats and chicken

Fish

Olive oil

Low fat dairy products

Egg whites

Rice and pastas

Popcorn that can be air-popped

Water

Real fruit juice

Avoid, be wary of, or buy very little of (at the very least find lower-fat alternatives):

Whole eggs

Whole milk products

Red meat that is fatty (looks marbleized)

Organ meats

Processed or prepared foods (heat and serve foods or sandwich meats and sausages)

granola or museli cereals (many contain lots of fats)

Sports drinks, sodas, fruit “beverages” (many are high in salts as well as sugars)

watch out for these ingredients or food values on food labels:

Sodium, salt

Eggs and egg products

Shortening, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil (these are high in trans fats)

Fats (especially trans fats, saturated fats, and others)