The Dreaded Grocery Store

Do you sometimes go to the refrigerator, pantry or cabinets, open them up and wonder, “Why is there never anything to eat in this house?”

Of course you do! Everyone does.

But with a little planning – and this clever list – you can make sure you’re always ready to prepare healthy meals and snacks.

Staples

• Low-salt canned beans, tuna, salmon, tomatoes and marinara sauce.

• Whole-grain pastas, brown rice, couscous and quinoa.

• Bags or cans of beans.

• Healthy cooking oils and nonstick vegetable spray.

• Old-fashioned rolled oats.

• For baking, whole-wheat flour or spelt flour.

• Balsamic vinegar and low-sodium soy alternative sauce. Dried herbs and spices.

• Frozen vegetables and fruits packed without sauces, sugar, or added salt.

• Almonds, cashews, macadamias and other nuts pack healthy omega-3s, good fat, fiber and protein.

• Fresh items

• Limit butter, cream and ice cream for special occasions.

• Yogurt. It has calcium, vitamin D, lots of protein, and it goes with berries and other fruits.

• Broccoli, tomatoes and more whole vegetables and fruits. Get all the colors you can. When buying poultry, try the skinless version or remove the skin yourself.

I hope this helps make your life a little bit easy on your next trip to the store!

Stacie