Grocery Shopping: Navigating the Aisles

Breads, Cereals & Grains

General Principles:  Bread a whole grain should be the first ingredient, 2 grams or less of fat; cereals less than 5 grams of sugar and 3 or more grams of fiber per serving. Choose: whole grain bread, bagels, pita bread, tortillas, pretzels, hot cereals, whole grain cereals, lowfat crackers, pasta, brown rice, lowfat ramen.

Canned Foods

Beans: Choose plain canned, low or nonfat refried, and baked beans

Fruit: select those labeled “packed in own juice” or “no sugar added.”

Juice: 100% fruit juices, vegetable or tomato juices.

Soups: steer clear of cream soups.  Choose broth-based varieties such as minestrone, chicken noodle, and vegetarian vegetable.

Tomatoes: Whole and sauce

Tuna: water packed

Peanut butter: Choose natural-style brand

Produce: fresh fruits and veggies

You can’t go wrong here.  Load up.  Try the convenient packed, fresh vegetables already washed and ready to go!

Meat Case

Beef: Choose the leanest top round, eye of round and round tip

Poultry: Buy any fresh remove skin before or after cooking.  Beware of processed cuts such as turkey bologna

Fish: Avoid breaded and prefried

Pork: select tenderloin or Canadian bacon (rather than regular bacon)

Deli Case

Lunch meats: choose meats with 2 grams of fat or less/serving

Hot Dogs: best to avoid these, although Healthy Choice does make a lowfat hotdog

Fresh Pasta: this is a quick cooking alternative.  But check the labels of filled pastas, such as tortellini or ravioli; they may be high in fat.

Dairy

In general, choose nonfat, 1% or 2% dairy products.  Choose cheeses with less than 5 grams of fat per ounce.

Choose: milk, yogurt, tofu, lowfat cheeses (cottage cheese, string cheese, etc)

Margarine:  if you use margarine, go for the lowest fat and trans-fat versions.  Tub versions usually have less saturated and trans fat in this form.

Freezer

Plain vegetables, fruits, 100% fruit juices

Frozen desserts:  stick with 100% juice bars, sorbet, frozen yogurt, sherbet, and lite ice creams that have 5 grams of fat or less per serving

Snacks

Avoid potato chips, cookies, cakes, doughnuts

Choose: popcorn, nuts, trail mix, pretzels, granola bars, oatmeal raisin cookies, peanut butter crackers, cheese crackers

Tried and True Tips

Always use a list
Arrange your list according to aisle locations
Never shop when hungry
Shop at a familiar store
Shop during non-peak hours
Avoid aisles such as the candy aisle
Stock up on staples to cut down on trips
Read the Nutrition Facts Label and look for the following:

3 grams fat or less per 100 calories
5 grams sugar or less per serving of cereals
To increase fiber, good sources provide at least 3 grams per serving

Adapted from Eating on the Run by Evelyn Tribole
Prepared by UGAA Sports Nutrition

Related Videos