6. Soups and Canned Goods
On Your List:
- Diced or whole peeled tomatoes
- Tuna or salmon packed in water
- Low-sodium soups and broths
- Black, kidney, soy, or garbanzo beans; lentils, split peas
- Diced green chilies
- Check the label to see how much sodium is in canned vegetables and soups. Look for lower-sodium varieties.
When buying canned fruits, choose brands that are packed in juice rather than syrup.
7. Frozen Foods
On Your List:
- Frozen vegetables: broccoli, spinach, peas, and carrots (no sauce)
- Frozen fruit: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries (without added sugar)
- Frozen shrimp
- Pre-portioned, low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt
- Whole-grain waffles
- Whole-grain vegetable pizza
- Buy frozen vegetables to throw into soups, casseroles, and stews.
Low-fat frozen yogurt blended with frozen fruit makes a quick, healthy smoothie.
8. Dairy, Cheese, and Eggs
On Your List:
- Skim or low-fat milk or soymilk
- Fat-free or low-fat yogurt
- Fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese
- Low-fat cheese or string cheese snacks
- Eggs or egg substitutes
- Firm tofu
- Butter or spread (a variety that doesn't contain hydrogenated oils)
If you like whole-fat cheeses and butter, you don’t have to deprive yourself. Just use smaller portions.
Buy strong-flavored cheeses like Parmesan or goat cheese, so that you can use a smaller amount without sacrificing taste.
Don't buy pre-sweetened or flavored yogurts, which can be very high in sugar and calories. Instead, buy plain yogurt and add your own flavor with a tablespoon of fresh fruit or jam.
9. Snacks and Crackers
On Your List:
- Whole-grain crackers
- Dried fruit: apricots, figs, prunes, raisins, cranberries
- Nuts: almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios (roasted and unsalted)
- Seeds: sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, whole or ground flaxseeds
- Peanut butter, almond, or soy butter
- Hummus
- Dark chocolate pieces (containing more than 70% cocoa)
10. Produce
On Your List:
- Fruit: bananas, apples, oranges, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries
- Vegetables: sweet potatoes, baby spinach, broccoli, carrot sticks
Look for a large variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. They have the most nutrients.
11. Drinks
On Your List:
- Unsweetened green and flavored teas
- Calcium-fortified orange juice
- Sparkling water
If you buy juice, make sure it's 100% fruit juice and not a "juice drink," or "-ade."
An easy at-home recipe is to add fruit juice to sparkling water.
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