Heart Disease
Proper Eating
Shopping hints
Your trips to the grocery store may be a whole new experience. At first, food shopping can be a challenge, but you should find enjoyment in creating nutritious menus and selecting appropriate ingredients. The following hints should help turn your shopping trips into fun and rewarding adventures.
Plan in advance
- Plan menus in advance so that you can speed up shopping trips.
- Make a shopping list of all the foods you will need to stick to your healthy eating plan.
- Do not shop when you are hungry or in a hurry.
- Plan for snacks. Purchase low-calorie, low-fat, high-nutrient foods, like fruits, vegetables, plain popcorn, sherbert, fruit ice, sorbet, and frozen, fat-free yogurt.
- Avoid impulse buying and avoid supermarket promotions. This will help you stick with your diet and save money.
- Be cautious of foods advertised as "dietetic", "light", or "natural".
Read labels
- Read and compare labels so that you know what you are buying. The higher an ingredient appears on the list, the greater its content is in that food. Remember — beware of the words "sodium" and "hydrogenation".
Be a smart shopper
- Choose fresh fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish, or lean meats.
- Limit your use of convenience products, like processed meats, packaged dinners, and mixes. They are frequently high in sodium and saturated fats.
- Avoid buying prepared foods that have been fried or covered with breading, gravy, or sauces. These products are notoriously high in fat and calories.
- Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products, such as those made from skimmed or one percent milk. These include partially skimmed-milk cheeses, such as mozzarella or ricotta. Also included are low-fat or fat-free yogurts, sorbet, and ice milk.
Over time, grocery shopping will become fast and natural. You will become a smarter and healthier shopper.
Next, go to the kitchen and start cooking!
