Healthy Food Shopping List

December 14th, 2011

Nailing that diet can be difficult if your cupboards are full of high-calorie, low-nutrition meals and snacks, but deciding on which foods to stock up on when you’re hovering between aisles 8 and 9 can be a struggle if you don’t know what to look for. To get your weight loss moving in the right direction, we’ve assembled the basic essentials for any healthy diet.

(If you need a printable list, click here.)

Power Up with Produce

The produce section should be your main staple when it comes to eating right. Unlike the rest of the store, you can’t go wrong with the fruits and veggies you find here. Fresh fruits and veggies are not only loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but they’re low in calories and high in fiber. Don’t be afraid to try something new, and liven up your meals with a variety of colors and flavors. We suggest filling your cart with a few of the following:

Apples: An apple a day keeps the fat at bay, and these handy little fruits are easy to take with you on the go whenever you’re looking for a light snack. You can buy them buy the bag, and they last for a fairly long time, so feel free to put a few more in your cart.

Carrots: Carrots are loaded with vitamin A, which can be good for your skin and eyes. Studies suggest that carrots may be able to prevent certain types of cancers, so follow Bugs Bunny and munch on them whenever you can.

Dark Green Leafy Veggies: These vegetables are king when it comes to packing a punch in the fight against fat. Rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C as well as a huge selection of minerals, the darker the vegetable the better off you’ll be. Chard, kale, broccoli, and spinach are just a few examples of the foods you should be piling up in your cart.

Beware of Bread and Cautious of Cereals

Don’t get us wrong, breads and cereals are extremely healthy, especially when you’re looking to lose weight. However, manufacturers of breads and cereals like to make them sound more healthy and wholesome than they actually are, and just because a nice looking loaf says “wheat flour” on the front doesn’t mean that you’re getting the whole grains you need to stay healthy. Go straight to the nutrition facts if you want the real truth about what you’re buying, and avoid any products that use refined flours and sugars.

Whole Wheat Bread: Use those carrot-improved eagle eyes of yours to look for the first ingredient on the list, if it starts with “whole” then it probably won’t hurt your diet. Whole grains pack the most nutrition and fiber, so you’ll want to be sure to stock up on the only the good stuff.

Oatmeal: Unlike refined sugary cereals, oatmeal won’t leave you feeling peckish after a mere 20 minutes. Hearty and healthy, oatmeal can be a quick breakfast for the weight-conscious consumer. Combined with a few slices of your favorite fruit and you certainly have a winning meal. Be aware of those instant oatmeal packets that load up on the sugars and flavors, however, because they’re almost as bad as your regular breakfast cereal.

Diet on Dairy

Unless you’re pulling out all the stops and going vegan, dairy products are great for maintaining a healthy diet. Products such as milk and cheese can help build stronger bones so you can start building a stronger, healthier body.

Skim Milk: Skim milk contains all the calcium but without the fat of other milk, but the great thing about milk is great in the fact that you can choose how far you want to go. If you prefer whole milk, but don’t feel ready to drop all the way down to skim milk, start by dropping a percentage down to 2%, then work your way down to 1%. Every time you drop a percentage from whole milk, you drop the excess calories and saturated fats.

Eggs: The incredible edible egg is loaded with proteins and other minerals that can help keep your heart working at its best. If you’re really looking to cut out the fats, you can opt for just the egg whites.

Butter: Butter may be more expensive than margarine but the extra benefits are worth the cost. When consumed in moderation, butter contains all the fat and calories as margarine but without the trans fats.

Mind over Meat

A good diet includes a balance of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are essential for maintaining a healthy body. Although you could easily drop out the meat products completely (and replacing them with protein-rich plant based foods such as beans and tofu), meat is an excellent source of proteins and amino acids necessary for building stronger muscle.

Chicken breast: Make sure that it’s both boneless and skinless, and whenever possible, hormone-free. Not only does chicken mix well with a wide variety of meals and menus, but it’s a simple and healthy source of protein.

Lean Beef: Look for beef that is looks as healthy as you are: trimmed of fat and marked as lean. USDA select or choice grades of beef are the best choice – and keep in mind that keywords such as “round, sirloin, flank steak, and lean ground beef” are the best way to go when you bring home the beef.

Final Thoughts

Now that you’ve stocked up your shopping cart with everything you need to finally start eating right, you might want to consider adding one more item to that list if you’re looking to lose weight fast: Apidextra.

Safe effective diet pills such as Apidextra can help boost your metabolism, suppress your appetite, and increase your energy levels so you can burn more calories than you consume throughout the day. Although making healthy eating decisions is a step in the right direction, Apidextra can help you lose more weight than dieting and exercise alone with its 8 clinically proven ingredients.