So you’ve finally decided your family needs a change in their lifestyle or you’ve run out of “healthy ideas” to keep your family in top shape and just need a few tips on what to buy and what not to buy. Perhaps you have moved out of your parents’ house and cooking your own meals, and getting your own groceries is on high priority on your to-do list. Below is a list of food that should be on every healthy grocery list.
Dairy Products: Dairy products are rich in Calcium and high in Potassium. Yogurt is also known as a food enriched with plant sterols, which is responsible for lowering cholesterol levels in our body. Dairy products are also known to be high-energy yielding foods.
- Low fat or fat free milk
- Yogurt
- Butter
- Cheese
- Low Fat Cream/Sour Cream
Meat: Meat is classified as a food group in the “Grow” category, which means it contains lots of protein that helps in muscle growth. Some fish meat on the other hand, not only contains protein, but also Omega-3 fatty acids which is an essential fatty acid that plays a crucial role in brain function, as well as normal growth and development.
- Chicken
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Sardines
- Tuna
- Lean beef cuts
Grains and Cereals: Grains and cereals are rich in fiber and are cholesterol and blood sugar helpers. So if you need help with your digestion, try to incorporate more cereals and grains in your diet.
- Cereals low in sugar
- Oatmeal
- Oat bran
- Whole grains
- Beans, dried peas, nuts, soybeans
- Pasta
Fruits and Vegetables: This food group is also rich in fiber, plus they contain loads and loads of vitamins and minerals which are essential to the body in terms of growth, development and well-being.
Most fruits and vegetables are healthy, a few of the good ones to have would be:
Broccoli, tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, bell peppers
Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, cranberries,
Grapefruit, bananas, apples, potatoes, oranges, cantaloupe, squash, raisins, plums, prunes
Frozen Food: Although there are plenty of fresh food options in the grocery, it would be great to have something you can pull out from your freezer to prepare from time to time, you will still get the nutrition you get from fresh food and frozen food more often than not lasts longer than their fresh counterparts.
- Fish Fillet
- Green peas
- Mixed vegetables
- Shrimp
Canned Food: Canned foods are known to contain plenty of preservatives to make the food they hold last longer. Not all of these foods are bad however, there are still some that will help make a healthy meal and you don’t need to worry about their shelf lives as most of them could last a month or more in your cupboard.
- Pineapples
- Marinara sauce
- Black beans
- Canned tomatoes
- Tuna
Beverages: If you have a household filled with children, you’ll expect them to want your fridge filled with all kinds of colored beverages. Water just seems too dull for them, here are a few healthy beverages you can always have in your fridge and of course a few others that the older folks can enjoy too.
- 100% vegetable juices
- 100% fruit juices
- Herb tea
- Low Fat Milk
- Yogurt drink
- Coffee
- Red wine
Oils: Our diet needs to also contain oil and fats. Here are a few oils that are healthy and will make your food taste great!
- Canola Oil
- Olive Oil
- Walnut oil
- Sesame Oil
Herbs and Spices: Having herbs and spices at hand is a no brainer, if you want to be an instant expert chef, what better way to make your food taste better than to spice them up?
- Garlic
- Onions
- Chilli
- Pepper
- Sea Salt
- Iodized salt
Miscellaneous: Here are a few healthy things you can have at hand too, things you can either grab for a snack, add to your food and drinks etc.
- Honey
- Low fat Mayonnaise
- Nuts
- Mustard
- Nectarines
- Dark Chocolate
- Granola Bars
Using some of the items from the above shopping list will give you a great start to spark some creative, yet great-tasting and healthy meals at the same time.
