Smart shopping is essential when you are dieting. Planning meals and buying the right groceries can help you to stick to your diet and avoid unnecessary cheats and splurges. Create a shopping and meal plan that works for your diet, your tastes and your lifestyle to lose weight and eat healthier.
Fruits and Vegetables
Base your meals around healthy fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. Shop seasonal produce for the highest quality, or purchase frozen foods in the off-season. Look for frozen foods without salt, sugar or preservatives, recommends the American Heart Association. Include more vitamin-rich vegetables in every meal, and opt for fruits and vegetables for between meal snacks. To balance your diet, choose produce in a variety of colors, including orange, yellow, red and green. Deeply or brightly colored foods are often richer in vitamins and in flavor.
Protein
Include both meat and vegetarian protein sources in your diet. Good meat options include chicken or turkey breast, fish, and cuts of pork or beef labeled loin or round, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Beans, tofu, soy products and nuts are excellent vegetarian protein sources. One cup of beans can replace two ounces of lean meat and provides fiber as well, according to the American Heart Association. Add beans to a salad or soup or have a small handful of nuts as a snack.
Grains and Baked Goods
Choose whole grain bread, cereal and pasta products. Look for those made with whole wheat flour, oats, buckwheat or whole rather than enriched or white flour, recommends the American Heart Association. High fiber whole wheat breads, pastas, and tortillas are now widely available. You may also find lower-calorie versions of whole grain foods, ideal if you are trying to lose weight. Limit baked goods like cakes and doughnuts, or opt for healthier baked choices, like angel food cake, suggests the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Dairy Products
Dairy products, including milk, cheese and yogurt, are an excellent source of calcium, protein and vitamin B12. Choose low-fat or non-fat options. Skim milk is the best choice for adults, and look for cheeses with less than three grams of fat per serving, suggests the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Rich and creamy non-fat Greek style yogurt offers ample protein and is ideal for breakfast, dessert or as a substitute for fatty sour cream.
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