Mediterranean Diet Shopping List Printable

Since I am signing off later this week I thought I would leave you with some of my best advice for healthy shopping, healthy living and healthy cooking. I have spent a lot of time showing you how I do these things everyday and I hope all my examples and some last advice will keep you on track after I'm gone!
In order to eat healthy you have to shop healthy. I spend a lot of time at the grocery store but I always feel good when I come out with a bag (or cart) full of healthy food. With a little time invested in the process you can easily navigate the grocery store and stock your home with good-for-you items. If you are just getting used to healthy shopping, you have to make a list or you'll easily be distracted by all the not-good-for-you choices there.

To start off, your list should look like this:
By making a space for each of the five food groups (plus healthy fats) you'll ensure you don't forget any of the most nutritious foods and you'll easily be able to achieve a good variety of food within each group. Also by specifically shopping by food groups, you eliminate (or at least reduce) the chance of filling your cart with processed foods. Here are some of the best choices within each of the five food groups.

Grains
100% Whole Wheat Bread
Old Fashioned Rolled or Steel Cut Oats
Brown Basmati Rice
Whole Grain Cereal
(Cheerios, Kashi Heart to Heart, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, Shredded Wheat)
Kashi or Back to Nature Wheat Crackers
Van's Whole Wheat Waffles
Thomas' 100% Whole Wheat Bagels
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Whole Wheat Pasta
Quinoa

Fruit
Fresh Whole Fruit (Apples, Oranges, Pears, Bananas, Grapes)
Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries)
Melon (Cantaloupe, Honey Dew, Watermelon)
Tropical Fruits (Pineapple, Mango, Papaya, Kiwi)
Dried Fruit (without added sugar or sulfites)
Frozen Fruit (plain, no syrup)
Canned Fruit (packed in 100% juice or light syrup)

Vegetables
Dark Green Leafy (Spinach, Kale, Swiss Chard, Romaine. Collards)
Dark Green (broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Green Bell Peppers, Asparagus, Green Beans)
Dark Orange/Yellow (Butternut & Acorn Squash, Zucchini, Carrots, Pumpkins, Sweet Potatoes)
Red (Tomatoes, Red Peppers)
Starchy (Red Potatoes, Corn)
Frozen Vegetables (without sauce)
Canned Vegetables (packed in low salt water and drained before use)

Milk
Skim or 1% Milk
2% Reduced Fat Shredded Cheeses
Low Fat or Fat Free Yogurts (Greek or Regular)
1-2% Cottage Cheese
Reduced Fat String Cheese

Meat & Beans
Lean Beef Cuts (there are 29 of them on www.beefwhatsfordinner.com)
Boneless-Skinless Chicken & Turkey
Boneless Center Cut Pork Chops
Pork Tenderloin
All Natural Chicken Sausages
White Fish (cod, haddock, tilapia)
Fatty Fish (salmon, tuna)
Shellfish (scallops, shrimp, lobster, crab)
Dried or Canned Beans (Black, Kidney, Cannellini, Pinto, Black Eyed Peas)
Lentils

Healthy Fats & Oils
Almonds & Almond Butter
Peanuts & All Natural Peanut Butter
Cashews
Pistachios
Walnuts
Olive Oil
Canola or Vegetable Oil
Avocados

What About Treats?!
Of course there is always a little room for treats and processed foods so you can build an "Others" category on your list. Again, by listing this separately you keep a good eye on how many treats and processed foods you are selecting. You can make the decision of whether you want to choose 1 or 2 "real" treats (full fat / high calorie) or 2-3 "diet" treats (reduced fat / reduced calorie). There is certainly a limit to how many you can choose because these foods should not make up more than 10% or so of your total daily calories.

For your best all-natural options try shopping at a store like Whole Foods or look for the organic/natural food aisle in your everyday grocery store. I hope all of my "Shop Like Me" posts and daily meals have brought new ideas into your kitchen. There are always new items popping up at the store so keep your eyes open and never stop reading labels! Good Luck!

Mediterranean Diet Shopping List Printable

Source: https://www.self.com/story/healthy-shopping-list

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