What to Buy to Eat Healthy? Best Guide for Beginners 2024
what to buy to eat healthy.
What to Buy to Eat Healthy
What to buy to eat healthy? Regular grocery shopping trips can be a daunting task – no matter what type of store you prefer. With aisle after aisle of food, it’s hard to know which items to include in your cart. But with the help of a few trusted registered dieticians, you can make sure you always have the healthiest foods on hand.
From the right fruits and vegetables that’ll give you the most nutritional bang for your buck to whole grains and proteins and even dairy products, their lists cover all the bases.
They suggest stocking up on essential pantry staples to keep on hand at all times so that you’re never out of something mid-recipe or stuck ordering takeout.
And having specific types of snack foods like low-sugar granola bars, nuts, or freeze-dried fruit in your pantry can prevent impulse unhealthy purchases or snacks when hunger strikes.
With this guide alongside your grocery list, you’ll never again experience the overwhelm you used to feel in the bread aisle trying to figure out if that loaf was nutritious and tasty enough for your family.
1. Bakery and Bread
Bakery and bread are a staple in the American diet, and while they can be unhealthy if not chosen carefully, there are plenty of healthy choices available.
Whole wheat bread, pita pockets, and English muffins made with whole wheat flour are fantastic sources of complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Flour tortillas made with whole-grain flour are also excellent options.
The most important thing when selecting these options is to look at the label and make sure that the first ingredient listed is “whole wheat” or “whole wheat flour” as this ensures that you are getting the highest possible nutrients from your purchase.
Additionally, for breads look for those that contain at least 3 to 4 grams of fiber per slice as well as fewer than 100 calories per slice to maximize nutrition.
With so many healthy choices available on today’s shelves it has never been easier to make sure you get quality bakery goods on your shopping list. By choosing wisely and paying attention to labels you can ensure that your family gets all the benefits associated with these types of carbs without any additional guilt or worry about unhealthy ingredients in their diet.
2. Meat and Seafood
Meat and seafood provide essential nutrients like lean protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. When shopping for these products, it’s important to buy the right types of meats and fish to benefit your health.
Skinless chicken or turkey breasts are a great healthy source of lean protein that can be grilled or baked in endless ways. Ground turkey or chicken are both low-fat alternatives to red meat and can be transformed into delicious meals such as burgers, tacos, or pasta dishes.
Salmon is also a nutritious option that provides key omega-3 fatty acids and B-vitamins. Halibut, trout, mackerel are other nutritious choices that serve as a source of lean proteins with various health benefits.
Reduced-sodium lunchmeat such as cold cuts select cut meats without the extra added fat or sodium content. If you choose to buy red meat, it is recommended to opt for the leanest cuts available with very little marbling which will help you consume fewer calories and unhealthy fats in your diet.
Overall, when selecting different meats and seafood for consumption it’s important to consider freshness and nutrition values paired with flavor. Consider trying new recipes featuring different parts of the animal by experimenting with unique flavors.
3. Pasta and Rice
Pasta and rice are both staples of the everyday meal plan, providing essential carbohydrates to fuel daily activities and helping us feel full for longer. The two grains come in a variety of forms, making them great additions to many dishes.
Brown rice is one type of rice commonly found on grocery store shelves. It has a nuttier flavor than classic white rice, is packed with fiber, and has a chewier texture.
Whole wheat or whole-grain pasta is typically made using durum wheat flour and provides even more nutrition than regular white pasta due to its higher fiber content. When cooking either of these grains, it’s best to favor whole grain versions whenever possible as they offer more in terms of nutrition than their refined counterparts.
This can be done by looking out for words like “whole-wheat” or “whole-grain” when reading labels in the grocery store. By swapping out regular pasta and rice for their whole grain options, you’ll be able to create delectable meals that are good for you too!
4. Oils, Sauces, Salad Dressings, and Condiments
When it comes to condiments, there are a lot of options to choose from. Some of the most popular selections include tomato sauce, mustard, barbecue sauce, red-wine vinegar and salsa. Tomato sauce is a classic staple that offers a delicious combination of sweetness and acidity without being overpowering.
Mustard is also a favorite for sandwiches or as an addition to hot dogs and sausages. Barbecue sauce can provide added flavor and sizzle when paired with grilled meats such as chicken or ribs.
Red-wine vinegar adds great depth to vinaigrettes and other salad dressings while salsa adds freshness and taste as both an accompaniment with chips or as an appetizer topping. All five of these ingredients can be used in countless recipes, making them essential items for your kitchen pantry.
5. Cereals and Breakfast Foods
Cereals and breakfast foods can make a great start to your day. Picking the right food is important in constructing a hearty, healthy breakfast. Whole-grain or multigrain cereals are an obvious choice–they’re packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals that serve as vital nutrients for the body.
Furthermore, whole grain cereals can provide an energy boost throughout the day. Steel-cut or Instant oatmeal is another great choice, as it’s rich in soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels.
Additionally, oatmeals offer a low glycemic rating to help keep insulin levels balanced throughout the day.
In addition to hot cereals, cereal bars can make for a delicious and convenient snack or meal starter. Whole-grain cereal bars are packed with the same benefits of their predecessors–fiber, vitamins & minerals; but just like regular cereals they can have varying amounts of sugar (added) so you’ll want to read labels and choose those that are low in sugar but high in fiber content before committing to your purchase.
To add some sweetness flavor without adding more sugar content topped your breakfast choices with natural sweeteners like berries dried fruit or nuts .
6. Soups and Canned Goods
It can be hard to find easy and nutritious meals in a pinch, but having a stocked pantry of soups and canned goods can help make dinner time simpler.
Having cans of diced or whole peeled tomatoes, packs of tuna or salmon, low-sodium soups and broths, black, kidney, soy, garbanzo beans, lentils and split peas will give you plenty of options for meals.
Diced green chilies are a great way to add warmth and spiciness to dishes. By adding healthy items like these to your grocery list you can ensure you have ingredients available for vibrant soups while still keeping an eye on your daily salt intake.
The beauty of using canned goods is that they have been cooked already so you’ll save time by skipping pre-prep steps when making dinner. Making a big batch of soup out of the items found in your pantry is also an easy way to feed family quickly while consuming fewer processed ingredients than other fast-food options.
Variety is also key when it comes to using canned goods as staples: combining different legumes with canned vegetables such as lentils with diced tomatoes will offer both flavor and nutrients not found in frozen or boxed dinners from the store’s freezer section.
7. Frozen Foods
Frozen foods are a great way to expand the variety of food in your kitchen while also preserving freshness and flavor. With a variety of frozen fruits, vegetables, seafood, and pre-portioned meals available, you have plenty of options for adding healthy ingredients to your diet.
To start with, there are many types of frozen vegetables that can be a great addition to any meal. Frozen broccoli, spinach, peas, and carrots can all be cooked quickly without sacrificing their nutrient content or taste. They’re also low in calories and sodium compared to their processed versions.
Similarly, frozen fruits like strawberries, raspberries and blueberries provide an easy way to access these powerhouse fruits without added sugar.
For those looking for more protein sources in their diet, frozen shrimp can be an excellent choice. Most varieties come ready-to-cook so you don’t need to worry about seasoning or marinating them either.
And as long as you look for low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt varieties that aren’t loaded with added sugars it can make a great guilt-free dessert too! Plus whole grain waffles are another delicious option that provides an excellent source of fiber which helps keep your cholesterol levels in check.
Conclusion
In conclusion, buying the right foods is essential to eating healthy. With a few smart choices like cereal bars, soups and canned goods, frozen fruits and vegetables and whole grain waffles, you can make sure your kitchen has all the right ingredients for a nutritious diet.
With just a bit of planning and some quick preparation you can enjoy delicious healthy meals that will keep you feeling full and energized.
