The Grocery Shopping Guide

You’ll gain a healthier pantry by following the following grocery shopping guidelines! Purchase mostly “whole” foods and avoid excess processing and packaging. Also please don't be fooled by terms like "natural" and "organic." All added sugars are from a "natural" source, so moderation shoulde used with "all-natural" cookies and similar products that may have an artificial coloring or flavoring!

1. Shop mostly around the perimeter
2. Avoid bags, boxes, pouches, wrappers, and other forms of packaging, in general
3. Make a list; don’t wander down certain aisles (you know, that one with all the chips and cookies ;-)
4. Choose wisely from the following groups:

Produce
- All fresh produce are good choices—even potatoes are good in moderation!
- Choose types that you will actually eat
- Pre cut and/or washed is fine. Make it easy on yourself!
- Bananas, bagged apples, bagged grapefruit, broccoli, sweet potatoes and spinach give you a lot of bang for your buck!
- Try frozen fruits and veggies without added sugar or sauces—they are usually an economical choice!

Grains
- Look for the word “whole” in the ingredients section of breads, pastas and cereals
- Whole kernels intact are even better: brown rice, quinoa, old-fashioned rolled or “steel-cut” oats
- At least 3g fiber per serving
- Less than 10g of sugar per serving of cereal
- Avoid pastries, cakes, cookies, etc.

Protein
- Choose “lean” types, with less than 5g of fat per 4 oz serving
- Chicken, fish, shellfish, 96% lean ground beef, top round roast (beef), center-cut pork tenderloin, eggs, egg whites, beans and soybeans all fit
- Avoid forms that are high in saturated fat and/or high in processing (salt and nitrates)

Dairy
- Choose “lean” types, with <5g fat per serving b. Low-fat cheese sticks, low-fat cheddar, ground Parmesan/

- Romano, low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese

Fats
- Choose plant and fish sources
- Choose “whole” forms—Nuts, olives, fish. Cooking with oil is preferable to cooking with butter or lard. Use PAM whenever possible