When I speak to clients about healthy eating, I always recommend eating real, whole, unprocessed foods as close to their natural state as possible. However, let's be real....it isn't always easy to do this. SO....don't be fooled by advertising claiming to be high in whole grains or FAT FREE. Get into a good habit of reading labels on the foods you are ready to buy. While they may have messages such as Low Fat or Reduced Calorie written all over them, when you read the ingredient statement and label more closely, you may be unpleasantly surprised. Look for hidden sugars, preservatives, and saturated "bad" fats.
Here are some of the things to look for when looking at specific labels:
| Food Product | Distinguishing Factor | What to choose |
| Cereals | Fiber | >4 g preserving (30 g) |
| Fat | <3g fat | |
| Sodium | <360mg sodium | |
| Sugar | <11g sugar | |
| Breads | Fiber | >2 g per slice |
| Pasta | Fiber | >4 g per serving |
| Soup | Fiber | 2-5 g per serving |
| Fat | <5 g per serving | |
| Sodium | <500 mg per serving | |
| Frozen dinners (350 cal) | Fiber | >5 g per meal |
| Fat | <15 g per meal | |
| Sodium | <600 mg per meal | |
| Snack Foods | Fiber | >2 g per serving |
| Fat | <5 g per serving | |
| Trans fat | 0 g (no hydrogenated oil) | |
| Juice | Sugar | Fruit Juice (not drink) |
So how do you spend as little time in the grocery store as possible?
- Eat real, whole, unprocessed foods most often.
- Food labels for most products are available online. For example....if you are going to buy cereal or snack bars, search for your healthiest options in advance.
- Bring a list. This will not only save you money but will help you resist picking up less healthful choices.
