Grocery Shopping Tips

Hitting the grocery? Shop for lots of fresh, nutritious foods.

* 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, berries, pomegranates, cantaloupe, and honeydew.

* 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 count toward your daily dairy requirement, as do low-fat and nonfat plain yogurt and artificially sweetened low-fat and fat-free flavored yogurt.You can also find unsweetened or artificially sweetened soy milk (avoid any containing more than 4 grams of fat per 8-ounce serving) 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 fish seller — you should aim to eat fish at least twice 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 produce and freezer sections. Look for those that contain fewer than 6 grams of fat per 2-to-3-ounce serving. 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 (or pouched) 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. you can also reintroduce whole-grain breads and crackers, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, and low-sugar, high-fiber whole-grain cereals.