Sample Grocery List

FRUIT

Apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, grapefruit, melon, strawberries, blueberries, exotic fruits, etc.
To save time, buy fruit already cut.
Frozen and canned fruit are just as good, but watch for heavy syrup in the canned fruit.
Any type of fruit blended with yogurt and juice makes a great treat.

VEGETABLES

Potatoes, lettuce (the greener the better), tomatoes, onions, green/red/yellow peppers, mushrooms, carrots, celery, cucumber, squash, zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, etc.
Garden burgers for a quick and easy meal.
For salads: cut up vegetables or buy packaged salad fixings.
Frozen vegetables are a wise option because they're easy to prepare; canned vegetables are also a good choice as long as the salt content is not too high.

MEAT

Extra-lean hamburger, other lean beef, chicken breasts (frozen) or whole chicken, turkey.
Fish and seafood - (frozen or fresh) most are low in fat but watch out - some can be 50% fat or more!
Beans - pinto, white, navy, black. There are a lot of dishes you can make with beans or add to other dishes to create a very healthful meal. Buy canned and rinse (to get excess salt off) or dry beans (very inexpensive).
Eggs - whites are nonfat, available without yokes in prepared versions.

GRAINS

Whole grain bread for sandwiches and toast.
High fiber/low-sugar cereal, oatmeal, grits, waffle and/pancake mix (whole wheat).
Brown rice, wild rice, pasta (assorted varieties).
Bagels (whole wheat preferably).
Or make your own low fat recipe, tortillas, etc.

MILKS

Nonfat milk, nonfat/low fat yogurt (plain or flavored - lower sugar better), nonfat/low fat cottage cheese, reduced fat cheese, nonfat/low fat frozen yogurt.
There are other milk products that you may need for special recipes and/or meals but listed are the basics.
In an average grocery shopping trip, there may be items that you buy one week for a specific recipe and not buy the next. In other words, don't go out and buy all the items listed above but buy what you think you'll need and eat in a week. Some items are good to have on hand all the time because they make a good snack or meal by themselves. Frozen or canned foods are especially good to have handy. They keep well and are easily made into a meal.