Wednesday Wellness:Virtual Grocery Store Tour

Good morning! A few of my co-workers and I have been talking about the value of grocery store tours to promote healthy eating. This got me thinking about a virtual grocery store tour and sure enough...there are already some great on line tours out there. Here is a rundown on a few healthy picks you can find at your local grocer. For a more thorough tour, visit the ADA's virtual grocery store tour at: http://vgs.diabetes.org/homepage.jsp Or play Canada's healthy grocery store game at: http://www.healthyeatingisinstore.ca/vgs/vgs_en.html Be careful, this kept me sidetracked for WAY LONGER than I thought it would!

Fruits:
Apples and Pears are a great affordable fruit that can easily be eaten on the go. For a special treat, slice them and sprinkle apples with a bit of cinnamon and spread a low-fat Swiss soft cheese on the pear.
Blueberries are great to throw in your morning cereal, oatmeal, or smoothie. These can be purchased cheaper frozen off-season. For a special smoothie treat, blend blueberries with a bit of chocolate powder.
Grapes are another easy fruit to pack for snacks.
Vegetables: Spinach is great to buy frozen to cook and serve with pasta dishes and fish. A bag of fresh spinach leaves and your favorite greens mix together for an interesting salad.
Artichoke Hearts, Onions, and Tomatoes are great on a salad.
Bite-Size Carrots and Celery make easy snacks to take to the office
Leeks and Peppers are great for stir-fry.
Dry Foods:
Whole Wheat pasta for Italian nights and Brown Rice for stir-fry are healthy fiber packed alternatives to regular pasta and white rice.
Pre-packed Tuna packages make it easy to take to lunch to add to salads or wraps.
High Fiber Cereal is a lot more appealing if mixed with a more palatable cereal of your choice. 100-calorie snack packs let you occasionally indulge in a smart portion of your favorite snacks.
Broth based soups are a great healthy and filling addition to a wrap or salad.
Salsa is an excellent substitute for fatty cracker and vegetable dips. Also makes an excellent condiment for a healthy wrap or quesadilla.
Perishables and Frozen:
Fish provides a healthy dose of Omega-3's and is low in saturated fat.
Chicken Breast is a low-fat source of protein.
Sliced Turkey is great for sandwiches and wraps
Veggie/Soy ground "meat" is great in pasta dishes.
Low fat cheeses and milk are a healthy alternative to the whole versions.
Low fat Yogurt makes a wonderful snack. Throw in fresh berries or a touch of granola for a more satisfying treat.
Baking:
Olive oil for dressings and canola oil for cooking provide healthier poly and mono unsaturated fats than butter, vegetable shortening, or palm oil, which are high in saturated or trans fat.
Unsweetened Apple Sauce can often be substituted for shortening or butter in cookie and brownie recipes for a healthy alternative.

Happy and healthy shopping!