Healthy Grocery List: 11 Foods You Should Add

Grocery shopping is a difficult task, isn't it? Getting everything on the list which is healthy can be sometimes boring and you often end up buying unhealthy foods. Here, we have come up with a solution for you by listing down the grocery foods for healthy eating.

A grocery list is a handy tool that can aid you to navigate the store easily without wasting time in finding what you need and also helps you stick to your healthy eating plan. 

A grocery list will also keep you on track, minimize your impulse buying while saving your money. It will also aid in letting you keep nutritious foods at hand to eat all through the month.

Much to your surprise, studies have shown that using a grocery list for shopping can lead to healthier food choices and even weight loss.

So what are you waiting for? Read on to know the grocery list for a healthy eating plan.

1. Cereals And Breakfast Foods
2. Bakery Foods
3. Spices
4. Meat And Seafood
5. Oils, Sauces, Salad Dressings
6. Frozen foods
7. Diary products And Eggs
8. Snacks
9. Fresh Produce
10. Drinks
11. Peanut Butter

1. Cereals And Breakfast Foods

Foods such as whole grain or multi-grain cereal, steel-cut oats, whole-grain cereal bars, berries, dried fruits, or nuts should be added in your grocery list. Buy cereal bars that are high in fibre and low in sugar.

Snacking on a bar that is full of calories can break your healthy diet. So, instead stock up on bars that are organic, and made from real whole ingredients that will help you make good choices when you are on the go.

2. Bakery Foods

The bakery foods should be whole wheat bread, muffins, and whole wheat flour. See if the label reads whole wheat flour or not. Choose whole-grain bread that contain at least 3 to 4 grams of fibre and the slices should contain less than 100 calories.

Research has shown that these whole grains are digested easily and contain important nutrients like B vitamins, amino acids, and antioxidants.

3. Spices

When you are trying to eat healthier, the method of preparation is almost as important as the food itself. When your food is properly seasoned with spices, it will be more satisfying and even higher in antioxidants.

Spices like cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne, oregano, etc. increase the taste of the food without adding extra calories.

4. Meat And Seafood

These foods include skinless chicken or turkey breasts, ground chicken, salmon, mackerel, shrimps, prawns, crabs, etc. should be a part of your grocery list. But keep in mind to buy ground chicken or ground turkey breast rather than buying ground beef. As the former ones are much lower in fat. Add spices to the meat and you will get flavour without the fat.

5. Oils, Sauces, And Salad Dressings

Tomato sauce, mustard sauce, barbecue sauce, extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, salsa, hot pepper sauce, etc. should be a part of your healthy eating plan. Avoid buying mayonnaise salad dressing that is full of fat. Also, they tend to have high amounts of sugar and sodium.

6. Frozen Foods

The frozen foods that should be a part of your grocery list are broccoli, spinach, carrots, peas, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries without added sugar. Also, frozen shrimps, frozen yogurt, and low-fat ice cream can be added to your grocery shopping list. Frozen vegetables are easily added to stews, soups, and casseroles. Frozen yogurt blended with frozen fruit can turn it into a yummy smoothie.

7. Dairy Products And Eggs

These should include low-fat milk or soymilk, fat-free yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, eggs, low-fat cheese snacks, and butter. Include these foods in your healthy eating plan. If you are a person who likes eating cheese and butter, don't deprive yourself, just eat in limited quantities.

8. Snacks

The snacks which should be a part of your grocery shopping list are whole grain crackers and dried fruits like cranberries, raisins, apricots, and prunes.

Nuts like almonds, cashew nuts, peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, etc. should be roasted and unsalted. Seeds such as sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and sesame seeds and butter like peanut butter and almond butter and dark chocolate should be a part of your snacks diet.

9. Fresh Produce

Fresh produce includes fruits like apples, oranges, mangoes, bananas, strawberries, and blueberries. Vegetables like spinach, broccoli, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Ensure that you look for a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables as they have most of the nutrients.

10. Drinks

When we say drinks we do not mean soft drinks. Healthy drinks which should be a part of your grocery shopping list are unsweetened green tea, sparkling water, and calcium-fortified orange juice.

Read the label to check if it contains large amounts of calcium and if it is 100 per cent fruit juice. However, read the label to see if they have added sugar. If not you can safely buy it.

11. Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is a protein-dense food and good for spreads and adding it to smoothies. It is important to know what kind of peanut butter to buy so that you can reap most of the nutritional benefits. The benefits include losing weight, rich in fibre, and metabolism-boosting protein.

Peanuts contain genistein, a compound that helps reduce the genes for obesity and the body's ability to store fat. However, look at the label to see whether it has added ingredients like sugar or palm oil; if it has these ingredients, ditch the peanut butter. Instead, look for only two ingredients: peanuts and salt.