What are some healthy things to buy at the store?

sabrinarexie71

I'm trying to lose weight and tone up. Today is grocery day. I'm so used to the chip and snack food isle, I have no idea what to buy! Can someone please give me things to get that are healthy but tasty?

J383

My list includes: spinach, triple zero vanilla yogurt, cottage cheese, carrots, bananas, powder peanut butter, chia seeds, triskets, avacodo, green peppers, mango, peaches, mushrooms, lettuce, tuna, salmon, shrimp, almonds, granola, and a box of cheerios. I make protein shakes and prep my snacks/lunches for work. Really depends on what you are going for in your new lifestyle change. Also what you like/dislike. Those are my weekly must haves. As you change your eating habits, your taste will change as well. It takes time tho.

PiSquared

Well, this is going to depend on what you like to eat. Do you cook? Are you feeding just you, or a whole family? I am not trying to be snarky here, but it's really difficult to give advice on what someone should eat, without knowing anything about them.

With that out of the way, when I first started really trying to eat healthy, I was given the advice to stick to the outer edges of the supermarket. This is where the fresh/perishable items tend to be kept. Fresh veggies and fruits, dairy, meats. More processed stuff is in the center. That is not to say you should never venture into the center of the store, because you will need to, but there are aisles that I avoid, like the soda and chip aisle, which I have dubbed the 'bad for you' aisle.

I try to keep a small stock of ingredients on hand that I can whip up a quick, relatively nutritious meal with. My list of 'cheater ingredients' include jarred minced garlic, jarred minced ginger, low sodium chicken broth, canned beans in various forms (chick peas and black beans are my favorite), canned diced tomatoes, pasta, rice, and frozen veggies. Buy fresh produce as you need it. I go through a fair amount of green onions, parsley, cilantro, and salad greens. Onions and potatoes keep well in a dark cupboard. I try to keep fresh fruit in the house for quick snacks.

I also find it's important to not forget some kind of treat. I like my iced cream treats. They come pre-portioned for an easy dessert. I ate the last of my Weight Watchers Giant Latte Bars last night. I also like Edy's fruit bars. The creamy coconut is my favorite. I keep small amounts of salty snacks around, too, because a life without salty snacks is not a life I want to live. Pretzels are not too high in calories. Flavored nuts are great, too. Emerald cocoa roasted almonds are my go to chocolate fix, and also come in 100 calorie packs. Ooh, and peanut butter. sometimes I cut up an apple and dip the slices into peanut butter. I am weird, I know.

Really, your shopping list is whatever you would like to eat. I do a week's worth of meal planning in advance and make my shopping list off of that before I go to the store. I do have my vices (Diet Coke) and I do eat junk food in small quantities. Good luck!

echmain

What do you mean by "healthy"?

TrickyDisco

A few of the snack options I might choose are almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried apricots, dried cranberries, prunes, dark chocolate, dried figs and dried apple rings.

MelaniaTrump

Do you cook? Many 18 year olds or under really do not cook much.

Lounmoun

Weight loss is about the calories you eat not the type of food. Nutrition is about the type of food.
A lot of the foods you already enjoy can be a part of a healthy diet. What are your goals?

Protein foods- things like meat, beans, eggs, dairy products, nuts
all the vegetables- my preference is fresh or frozen
All kinds of fruits
Whole grains, oatmeal
Some packaged foods may have quite a bit of sodium or sugar. If that is a health concern for you then look at the labels and buy lower sodium/sugar versions or buy less processed stuff.

arditarose

As others have said, weight loss is about eating less calories-so continue to buy some of the things you love but remember to weigh them on a food scale and fit it into your daily calorie goal.

My grocery list always has:
Tuna
0% Fage Greek Yogurt
Laughing Cow Cheese
Frozen Broccoli
Green and Yellow Squash
Spaghetti Squash
Shirataki Noodles
Low calorie ice cream
Popcorn
Taco seasoning and chipotle sauce (I put it on everything from eggs to salad to popcorn)
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Salsa
Beans
Shrimp
Lean ground turkey
Peppers
Lettuce
Powdered peanut butter
Egg whites
Canned pumpkin

If I have all of these things I'm usually pretty happy.

beemerphile1

sabrinarexie71 wrote: »

I'm trying to lose weight and tone up. Today is grocery day. I'm so used to the chip and snack food isle, I have no idea what to buy! Can someone please give me things to get that are healthy but tasty?

Define "healthy" and state your goals. You can lose weight eating about anything you want but some foods are better for particular purposes. There is no way to answer without knowing your definition and goals.

AudoribleAudrey

I always buy:
Pepper jack cheese sticks (sargento)
Peppers -yellow, red, orange
Yellow banana peppers in a jar
100 cal packs of cashews
80 cal packs of pistachios
Egg beaters
Spinach
Chobani strawberry yogurt tubes
Mini cups of veggies (they are by libby's- by the canned foods )
Reduced sodium soups
Wheat or rye bread
Pb2 powder (powdered peanut butter)
Fair life milk
Boom chicka or skinny pop popcorn bags-6pk
Blueberries
Kiwis
Veggies to roast
Horizon apple chips (60 cals?) - mini snack packs
Quinoa , flax
Mama chia squeeze pounches
Chicken
Salmon , or some type of fish to bake
Tuna pouches (single serve size)

TeaBea

Plain oatmeal - instant packets have too much sugar.
Whole wheat bread (Sara Lee has moderate calories)
Chicken Breast (great in salads)
Bagged salad....various add-ins...cucumber, cherry tomatoes (lunches)
Fruits & veggies (whatevers on sale)
Eggs
Reduced fat cheese (like 2%)
Turkey pepperoni
Greek yogurt
Boxed cereal (I look for lower sugar and/or higher fiber options)
Popcorn seeds (I use micro-pop bowl with a little oil)

amgreenwell

Your best bet is to avoid the aisles all together and just hit the perimeter: produce, lean meats, low-fat dairy, some eggs and you'll be set. If you want to stock up on some beans, quinoa, rice, etc. , then go down that aisle only.

ElJefeChief

I personally think the idea that there are some foods that are "healthy" and some foods that are "unhealthy" is mostly an artificial distinction. You can get fat (with all the attendant health problems) by eating organic, nonfat, low carb, whole wheat, what have you.

Eat a big salad every night. Buy low or no-calorie salad dressings. If you like sauces or dressings for your food, get low or nonfat, low or no-sugar options where possible. Emphasize high-fiber foods because they fill you up.

The goal isn't "eating healthy." The goal is eating a balanced diet that satisfies you but also allows you to stay within your caloric allotment for the day. Moreover, I'd say you're in this for the long haul, so you should probably eventually find a way to make room for the chips, candy, etc. in your diet - because you're not going to stick with this over the long term of you don't.