Stock Your Kitchen with Healthy Foods

Hopefully, you have cleaned out your kitchen and are ready to stock it with healthy foods. Are you not sure what to buy?

Here is a healthy grocery list to take with you to the store. But, first you will need to do some meal planning using some of my healthy recipes or your own to make your shopping trip efficient. Once you have planned your meals for the week, made your list, and hopefully cut some coupons- it is time to go shopping for healthy foods.

Helpful tips to ensure shopping for healthy foods:

Eat before you go- it is a proven fact that people tend to buy foods they wouldn’t ordinarily buy when shopping on an empty stomach.
Bring your water bottle- this will keep you full and add to your daily 8 glasses.
Shop the outside aisles first- this is where the fresh produce, meat, poultry, fish, and dairy is. Hopefully your cart will be full before you add the packaged foods.
Stick to your list- avoid impulse buys don’t buy just because something is on sale or looks interesting.
Read the labels- look for the hidden sugars, food additives, preservatives and saturated and trans fats.
Check the date- make sure the food has not expired.
Check the package claims- if something says low fat or whole grain, verify it by reading the nutrition label and ingredient list.
Look for high fiber- when buying breads, cereals, etc. look for the highest fiber products.
Use the internet- most grocery stores provide an online shopping service which allows you pick up your groceries. This can save you time and avoid the temptations down the aisles.

FOOD GROUP	BAD CHOICE	GOOD CHOICE
Canned Foods	tuna in oil fruit in heavy syrup regular broths cream soups canned vegetables	water packed tuna fruit in own juice reduced fat & sodium broths low sodium broth based soups fresh or frozen vegetables
Dairy	whole or 2% milk half-and-half whole milk yogurts full fat cheese sour cream cottage cheese cream cheese butter mayonnaise	skim, 1% milk, or low fat soy milk reduced fat or fat free half & half low fat,low sugar yogurts or Greek yogurt with cut up fresh fruit reduced fat cheese reduced fat sour cream reduced fat cottage cheese reduced fat cream cheese trans fat free spread or olive oil reduced fat mayo, olive oil based mayo or mustard, hummus, mashed avocado
Deli	Bologna, salami, liverwurst corned beef, pastrami full fat cheeses cole slaw, potato salad	low salt sliced turkey and ham lean roast beef or turkey low fat cheeses or white cheeses tossed vegetables, carrot raisin salad
Frozen	pizzas with meat breakfast biscuits, turnovers, etc. vegetables with butter,sauce sausage links or patties regular tv dinners whole milk ice creams	pizza with vegetables (preferably with whole wheat crust) whole wheat bagels or whole grain waffles vegetables with no sauce vegetable burgers healthy tv dinners (read labels) low fat ice cream, yogurt or sorbets
Grains, cereals, and bread	sweetened breakfast cereal instant or sweetened oatmeal white rice white pastas white breads, rolls croissants muffins cakes, pies	bran or whole grain cereals steel cut oats brown rice whole grain pastas whole grain breads, rolls whole grain bagels whole grain English muffins angel food cake
Meat, poultry, and fish	ground beef or chuck beef with bone, marbling, excess fat pork spareribs, boston butt bacon dark chicken or turkey with skin breaded chicken fillet or nuggets breaded fish	ground turkey or chicken lean beef off the bone (loins, rounds) pork tenderloin turkey bacon or lean ham (watch nitrites) white meat chicken or turkey without skin white meat chicken fresh salmon, tilapia, albacore tuna
Snacks	potato and tortilla chips salted, roasted with oil nuts buttered, salted popcorn packaged cookies	baked potato chips, flax seed chips, unsalted, raw nuts air popped popcorn dried fruit (no sugar added)

Home With The Healthy Foods- Now What?

You’re home, time to restock your kitchen with these fresh and healthy foods. Keep out your produce but put away your other refrigerated items (pantry items last). Before you store your produce, prepare it. By cleaning and cutting your fruits and vegetables (those that will eventually need it) you will be prepared when your tummy is ready and not snack unnecessarily. Besides, fresh, raw vegetables are more nutritious raw, although light steaming, grilling, or stir frying is fine if you are cooking them.

Healthy Food Storage Guidelines

Bread	Keep in the pantry, bread box, container for 4 days or according to the date on the package. Store it in the refrigerator for 7-14 days and the freezer for up to 6 months.
Dairy	Refrigerate as soon as you get home and pay attention to the best by dates. Once opened, milk is usually good for 5 days. Once opened, hard cheeses are usually good for 3-4 weeks and soft cheeses for 1-2 weeks. Keep all tightly wrapped. Parmesan cheese will usually last for a month in the refrigerator.
Eggs	Store fresh eggs on a shelf (not the door) for up to one month away from strong smelling foods as they can pick up the odor. Hard cooked eggs keep in the refrigerator for 1 week. Liquid pasteurized eggs and egg substitutes keep in the refrigerator for 3 days opened and 10 days opened. Freeze unopened for up to 1 year. Freeze egg whites and yolks for up to 1 year. Defrost both by placing in the refrigerator the night before.
Fish and shellfish	Store wrapped tightly in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Once cooked, store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
Fruit	Store dry in the produce drawer after discarding any blemished or damaged fruit. Opened canned fruit can be placed in a container for up to one week. Unopened dried fruit will keep in the pantry or refrigerator for 6 months and once opened in the refrigerator for 1 month.
Grains, pastas and cereals	Store at room temperature in a dark pantry or cabinet. Once opened store in a container with a tight fitting lid. Whole grains should be used within 6 months.
Mayonnaise	Store in the pantry before opening. Once opened, store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Meat, fresh	Keep meat in its original package in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Use ground meat within 2 days of purchase or freeze for up to 4 months. Use cuts within 3-4 days or freeze for up to 6 months. To store in freezer, place original package in a freezer bag and label with the date of purchase.
Meat, processed (select minimally processed, natural, organic, or nitrite free)	hot dogs- opened in the refrigerator for 1 week and the freezer for up to 2 months. Unopened in the refrigerator for 2 weeks and the freezer for up to 2 months. luncheon meats- opened in the refrigerator for 3-5 days and the freezer for up to 2 months. Unopened (not fresh from deli) in the refrigerator for 2 weeks and the freezer for up to 2 months. bacon- store in the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for 1 month. raw sausages- store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or the freezer for up to 2 months. smoked links or patties- store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 2 months.
Poultry	Keep poultry in its original package in the coldest part of the refrigerator and use within 2 days of purchase. Store in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 8 months with the date of purchase on the label. Never keep at room temperature to avoid bacterial growth.
Vegetables	Before storing, discard any with blemishes or damaged. Keep vegetables such as potatoes, winter squash, etc. in a cool, dark place such as the pantry and all other in the produce drawer of the refrigerator. Store frozen vegetables in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Cooked leftovers	poultry casseroles- store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 6 months. meat and meat casseroles- store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Now that you have the kitchen stocked with healthy foods do you have the basic kitchen necessities to cook healthy?

Healthy Foods Need To Be Prepared and Cooked.
Here are some basic tools to stock your kitchen with:

Blender
Casserole dishes with lids (Pyrex, corning ware, etc.)
Colander(s)
Cutting boards- one for meat, one for produce to avoid cross contamination.
Electric mixer
Fine mesh strainer
Food processor (time saver, but not necessary)
Good quality knives
Grater
Hand-held blender (nice, but not necessary)
Measuring cups and spoons
Micro plane (nice, but not necessary)
Mini food chopper (time saver, but not necessary)
Mixing bowls
Nonstick bake ware (baking sheets, loaf pans, etc.)
Pans, pots and skillets with lids (stainless steel is healthiest)
Rice and vegetable steamer
Roasting pans
Rubber spatulas (the kind for high heat)
Storage containers, bags, and food wrap
Vegetable peeler
Whisk
Wooden spoons

Now that you have planned your meals, made your grocery list, done the shopping, stocked the kitchen with healthy foods,it is time to learn to cook healthy!