Anybody want to help me make a HEALTHY grocery list?

Jess3Loves

I am going to the store this morning and need to put together a health grocery list!
Anybody want to help me? What are your must have items?
Also (and this might sound stupid), what fruits are "in season" right now?

Pebble321

"In season" will depend on where you live - lots of lovely summer fruit here right now!
My best suggestion for a shopping list is to list the meals you plan to cook for breakfast lunch and dinner then buy just what you need for these (even better if you can use some if what is already in your feezer and pantry).
Plan for some healthy snacks and don't buy anything extra.
I use an app on my iPhone for this and it is good for my waistline and my budget.

Jess3Loves

"In season" will depend on where you live - lots of lovely summer fruit here right now!
My best suggestion for a shopping list is to list the meals you plan to cook for breakfast lunch and dinner then buy just what you need for these (even better if you can use some if what is already in your feezer and pantry).
Plan for some healthy snacks and don't buy anything extra.
I use an app on my iPhone for this and it is good for my waistline and my budget.

Thanks! I live in California.

dlaplume2

friuts. depends on where you are. I'm in NH there are no in season fruits.

list.
salad stuff,(what ever you like, cukes,tomatoes, olives, advocado, beets)
cottage cheese. I mix fruit in mine, madirin orange or pineapple I get the dole ones in juices, but I dump the juice. you could do carrot sticks too.
Sandwich flats and bagel flats.
eggs
cheese (low fat)
try a new fat free dressing.
lean deli meats,
i do veggie burgers (im not a vegetarian but I like to make it on a sanwich round with mustard and low fat cheese.)
Hummus

Vicki_78

Hummus with carrots to dip in it
Soy milk & frozen fruit & bananas for my smoothies
Eggs - I usually just eat the whites
Green Tea
Grapefruit
Berries - love to eat a bowl full with a little bit of...
Fat free cool whip
Whole grain rice
Extra Lean ground turkey
asparagus, brocoli, brussel sprouts - all good steamed with rice

good luck

fightingdissonance

I think on the fruits it depends where you are, I'm in Canada so none are in season but they aren't too bad depending on the week, store etc. if nothing's looking good for in season fruits and vegetables, frozen all the way, since most things are frozen right after harvesting they still keep a lot of their nutrients.

My must have items are: plain yogurt, wheat bran, tons of baby carrots, hummus, coffee, sliced turkey, swiss, Lavash crackers, whole grain bread, red delicious apples, broccoli, whole wheat pasta, and chicken breasts.

Have fun shopping! I love grocery shopping, as long as you manage to avoid the times the store is packed lol!

Edited to add: ^^ground turkey! Totally forgot, that's a must have in my freezer

redhottxozk

the best way to shop for food is to stay out of the middle where all the procceed foods are... and stick to the outside where the veggies/meats/frozen..... also i have heard that if you have to buy frozen or canned veggies to buy frozen because they are healthier than canned i have recently heard that the frozen meals ie smart ones lean cusine arent very good for you because in order to get them so low in calories they have to increase things like soduim

Caper88

Well I switched all my bread and pasta types to whole wheat. I picked up the healthier options to the foods I now eat. Regular chicken burgers instead of the breaded kind, light salad dressing instead of the normal and so on.

As far as what fruits are in season, you really need to pay attention to the prices at your groceries store. I work as a cashier at a groceries store and wouldn't by our grapes at the moment. A lady came threw with a small bag and it weighed in at $8. Before you start to load your groceries onto the belt, tell the cashier you want to know what your fruit weighs in at. I also find at our store you get more for your money if you buy bags of apples and oranges then buying lose ones. We have blueberries and strawberries in at the moment but again they are very expensive for very small containers; you would be better off buying the frozen bags.

hollyshobbies

you can never go wrong with chicken breast (no skin obviously) there is so much you can make with it add some veggies and some brown rice and you have a meal, or throw some salsa and low fat cheese on for a more mexican taste... i have also gotten myself addicted to jellos fat free pudding (near the milks) at 60 or 70 calories a cup there delicious and help with a sweet tooth!

Vicki_78

oh yeah.....
black bean veggie burgers - oh so yummy!!!
froz broccoli with cheese sauce - single serving sizes
these are good for my work lunches, super healthy, super yummy & portable!!!
jimmy dean de-light breakfast sandwiches
vitatops chocolate - my new fave

lailenm

When I go to the grocery, I not only have to think of myself but for my grandma, whom I take care of, as well. So I do all of her shopping first and put all that in the bottom of my cart so I don't have to see it or think about it for much longer. Once I've got her list done, I immediately head to the fruits and veggies - I usually load up about 20+ dollars on fresh spinach, iceburg lettice mix, strawberries, pineapple (I never do canned fruit anymore), apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, just things that I like. After that, I take a couple of minutes to plan out meals for the next week (or two weeks, if I'm lucky), and then I go only to the aisles where the things I need are - I don't go down an aisle unless I absolutely need to, and I try to stay as much to the walls of the store as possible.

One of my favorite meals is a chicken and cheese quesadilla - cook the chicken anyway you like it (baked, grill, etc), and then chop a little less than 3 oz. into small pieces. Put the chicken and cheese on one half of the open tortilla, fold the other half over, and cook. I have a quesadilla maker ($19 at Target), so I just put it on there, close the lid, and in about 2 minutes the cheese is all melty and its ready to serve.

rayne937

Shopping the perimeter of the grocery store is what any health nut/trainer will probably tell you (ie no packaged/prcoessed items). You should be able to get everything you need without having to aisle jump. There are these packaged hummus/pretzel snacks that I discovered (they're near my deli along the perimeter by chance).

josierenee

Here is my grocery list (feel free to add or deduct):

Blackberries, Strawberries, Apples, Melon
Brown rice
whole wheat waffles
celery, cucumbers, broccoli, Cauliflower, tomato
peanut butter
soy milk
kashi cereal
greek yougurt
eggs
salmon, tuna, scallops, shrimp
spinach leaves
mixed nuts
cottage cheese
stevie
raisins
green tea
ravioli
brussel sprouts, asparagus

forestdancers

My list goes like this.

Dempseters ancent grains tortillas 1 pkg of large and 1 pkg of small
Fat free turkey from the deli
lettuce romain and head
tomatoes
oranges
broccoli sprouts
Signal brand caesar dressing
almond milk unsweetened, vanilla, and chocolate.
dairyland yogurt cups,
slivered almonds
quaker oatmeal
orgainic 1% milk (tastes creamer than regular 1%)
hemp hearts
cinnamon (big container cause I use lots in oatmeal, yogurt, and water for the metabulism boosting factior)
baby carrots
frozen veg
lean meat


I have been using all those ingrediant over the last several weeks and it has been working great. Make sure to eat at least 5 or more times a day. Every 2 to 3 hours revs the fat burning process.

Best wishes
Brenda

WifeMomDVM

Oooooh!!! I'd love to help - these are pretty much my staples and I refill them as needed:

Produce:
Strawberries
Blueberries
Sweet Potatoes
Kale
Baby Spinach
Brocolli
Carrots
Squash
Cucumber
Bell Peppers
Onion
Lemon
Lime
Garlic
Almonds
Walnuts

Dairy:
Skim Milk
Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
Blue Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Low Fat Mozzerella
Mild shredded cheddar
Eggs (ok not dairy but found near the dairy stuff)

Meats:
Lean Ground Turkey
Turkey Tenderloin
Tilapia
Salmon
Tuna
Chicken

Canned goods:
Beans, beans, and more beans

Grains:
Steel Cut Oats
(I am trying not to eat any other breads/grains in my diet right now - even whole grains)

Other:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Healthy Salad Dressing (I use maple grove farms of vermont fat free poppyseed)

Um, there is probably more but that's mostly what I eat every week. Check out my food diary to see how I use all of this stuff.


And then if you have a well stocked spice cabinet you can make several, delicious, healthy meals at home!

WifeMomDVM

Oh yeah, and milled flax seed to mix into my homemade vegetable juice in the mornings!

Sarah_B_Harris

This is just a few of my staples...hope this helps!

Individually packaged Light Cheese Sticks
Yoplait Light Non-fat yogurt
Fat free milk
Sugar free Coffee-Mate Creamer (Vanilla-Caramel)
Parkay Veg. Oil Spray Butter (0 cal. & 0 fat)
Sucess Boil in Bag Brown RIce
Splenda Sugar Blend
Progresso Light Canned Soups
Thomas' Bagel Thins
Fat Free Cream Cheese
Starkist Tuna packed in spring water
Brummel & Brown Yogurt Butter Spread
Nature's Own High Fiber Bread
Apples

brandygburke

My must haves are:
Quaker Maple and Brown Sugar LOWER SUGAR oatmeal packets (120 cal per serving!)
Special K Cereal and low fat milk (160 cal per serving)
Sara Lee Honey Wheat (45 cal per slice)
Laughing Cow Spreadable Cheese (35 calories for a whole wedge, I like to spread it on my sandwiches)
Sara Lee Cinamon Raisin bagel minis (100 cal for a bagel)
Phildelphia low fat cream cheese mini tubs (100 cal a tub and it only takes 1/3 for a bagel above)
Chicken Breasts for grilling and baking
Brown rice
Hunts Sugar Free pudding snack packs (60 cal a cup and soothes my sweet tooth!)
The of course fill in with you favorite fruits and veggies (pineapple, grapes, blueberries are our favorites)

Jess3Loves

Again, you guys are awesome!!

So many ideas! I Am excited!!!

emeraldshan

Hey Jessica, I'm not sure what's in season but here is a quick list of what i got yesterday:

Grapefruit, green grapes, apples, lettuce, cucmbers, bell peppers

FAVORITE BREAKFAST ITEMS: Oatmeal strawberries&creme (130cals), Special K Chocolatety delight cereal, kirkland's 99% egg whites, and lean turkey bacon

MUST HAVE SNACKS: nuts, Special K fruit crisps (100cals), pickles, baby carrots, fiber 1 bars (90cals), fugdciles (60cals)... just to name a few!!

Sometimes i don't have time to cook so I also get microwave dinners like lean cusine, smart ones, healty choice, etc....which evers on sale!! Also i like the Campbell's healthy select soups those are very yummy!! If your a fan of pasta like i am, make sure you pick up some whole grain pasta, i like the Barilla brand!!

Hope some of this stuff helps.... GOOD LUCK!!

jptmemphis

I've got to go to the store today also. I am preparing a batch of veggie gumbo. The gumbo will be my “goto” safe food for the week. The food that I can eat without worry of being too expensive calorie wise.

So far, I have 7 safe food meals:
• Oatmeal for breakfast daily.
• Quiche - made with Eggbeaters - for breakfast, Lunch or Snacks.
• Veggie Gumbo - for Lunch, Snacks or Dinner Appetizer.
• Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers - for lunch (watch the sodium).
• Grilled Fish with veggies & rice (I buy Ahi Tuna, Halibut & Mahi Mahi from a commercial seafood house).
• Shrimp & Scallops with veggies (or on a salad).
• Lean Cuisine Stir Fry (other brands too) - just watch the sodium. They are inexpensive on both calories and dollars, quick and easy to prepare, portioned for 2-3 and tasty.

For fruit, I always have Clementine Oranges and Apples around.

For Veggies, Broccoli, Asparagus, Green Beans, Lima Beans, Spinach & sweet potatoes.

As long as I have these foods around at all times I am safe. I could use a little more variety though.

nelliebugs

My must haves include zucchini, (FRESH not frozen) broccoli, mushrooms, and my healthy life 35 calorie bread.

Jess3Loves

Thanks again for all the help! I had a great shopping trip!!!