Grocery Shopping Tips
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Produce
- You can pack in a lot of nutrients by choosing a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables.
- Experiment. Try a fruit or vegetable you have never had before; you may surprise yourself and actually like it!
- Frozen, fresh and dried options for fruits and vegetables are equally nutritious and can often be cheaper in off seasons.
- Shop in season for best quality and lowest price for fresh produce.
- Buy pre-washed and prepared veggies and fruit for quick snacks on the run.
Grains
- Look for “100% whole grain” on the label.
- Choose bread with at least 3 g of fibre per slice.
- Beware of hidden fats in muffins (even low fat versions!), scones, croissants and other popular baked goods.
- Bored with sandwiches? Try a whole grain wrap loaded with veggies!
- Choose whole grain pasta to add fibre to your diet. It is more filling than white pasta.
- Look for brown or wild rice medleys to incorporate into your diet instead of white rice. Instant white rice is empty calories and will not keep you full for long.
Meat & Deli
- Choose fresh and cooked meats over processed meats to avoid extra salt.
- Buy skinless poultry or remove skin and extra fat after cooking.
- Choose fatty fish like salmon, ideally 2-3 times per week.
- Choose lean beef and pork and cut off any excess fat.
- Request low salt and low fat lunch meat at the deli (Superstore® has a no added salt turkey breast and Sobeys® fat free chicken and ham are lower in sodium).
Dairy
- Choose lower fat options for milk and yogurt most often.
- Choose cheese containing less than 20% milk fat (M.F.).
- Use milk instead of cream in your coffee or tea.
- Choose a heart healthy non-hydrogenated margarine and limit your intake to no more than 3-4 teaspoon per day.
Cereal
- Choose breakfast cereals high in fibre (at least 4-5 g per serving).
- If you can not give up your favourite low fibre cereal, try sprinkling All Bran Buds® on it to increase the fibre. All Bran Buds® are also great added to yogurt.
- Kashi Go Lean cereals® are a great option for breakfast because they are high in fibre and contain protein which will help keep you full for longer.
- Oatmeal is a great source of soluble fibre. Choose plain oatmeal and spice it up with some fruit and nuts.
Frozen
- Check the labels to avoid added sugar and salt in fruit and vegetables.
- Frozen pizza shells save time when creating a healthy home-made pizza.
- Balance pre-made dinners with baking from scratch. For example, making fresh pasta dishes can be just as quick as thawing frozen ones, with the added benefits of nutrition and taste!
- Look for juices without added sugar.
Snacks
- Choose baked options for potato chips and taco chips. They are lower in fat and calories.
- Rice cakes and rice chips are lower in fat and have the same crunch value as chips. Just remember these options may be lower in fat but are higher in sodium.
- Some healthier alternatives are individual yogurt portions, prepared vegetables, fresh or dried fruit, trail mix (no added salt), sliced cheese, home-baked cereal squares, popcorn (low fat), salsa and corn chips, tuna and crackers.
- Remember that “low fat” does not necessarily mean low calorie or a healthier option. Check labels to avoid trans fat and limit added salt or sugar.
Canned Food
- Many canned foods are very high in sodium so look for products with no added salt. Most grocery stores carry no added salt tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato juice and salmon. A brand called Eden® makes a variety of canned lentils and beans with no added salt. Their soups are also lower in sodium.
- Canned fish in water is a healthy alternative and often cheaper than fresh fish.