You can be sure a healthy food supply is on hand by clearing out processed foods and snacks to make room for healthy choices. Fill your pantry and refrigerator with whole grain foods, fresh fruits and veggies, low-fat dairy products and lean meats and fish. Fresh, whole foods will supply your nutrition needs, and keeping processed foods and snacks off your list will avoid the temptation to fill up on empty calories.
Freshness First
Prioritize fresh produce by making the fresh fruit and veggie area the first stop when you shop for food. Starting with fresh produce, focus on nutritious foods for snacks, side dishes and salads instead of taking in processed foods with the unhealthy added sodium, sugar and preservatives they contain. Try to pick as many colors of fruits and veggies as possible to make sure you get all the various vitamins and minerals you need along with plenty of dietary fiber.
Carb Supplies
About half of a healthy diet comes from carbs. Add complex carbs with whole-grain breads, cereals and pastas to the simple carbs you get from fruits and veggies. Complex carbs supply lasting energy because of the time it takes your body to process them; the quick energy you get from fresh fruit and veggies needs to be renewed daily. Stock up enough so you can get the 2 cups fruit, 3 cups veggies and three slices of whole grain bread or 1.5 cups whole-grain cereal most people should eat each day.
Pick Healthy Protein
Pick more fish, legumes, nuts, seeds and poultry than beef for your protein needs. Eating fish will make sure you get plenty of protein without the added fat you would take in with the same portions of beef steak. Fish, such as trout and herring, also have heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids with the protein. Experiment with crushed nut or fruit-pulp marinade coatings for your fish and poultry to add zest to those choices. Take in about 6 oz. fish, legumes and lean meat daily.
Choose Low-fat Dairy
Dairy products help build strong bones and supply fat-soluble vitamins A, K, D and E. You should choose no-fat or low-fat dairy products rather than whole milk and ice cream items to avoid adding unhealthy amounts of fat to your diet. Take in about 3 cups daily of milk products to get the nutrition you need from milk products.
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