- About
- Healthy Food is Fun
- How Much Do I Need
- Smarter Shopper - Fruits, Veggies, Grains
- Smarter Shopper - Fats, Salts
- Reading Nutrition Labels
- Eating Healthy Doesn't Have to Be Expensive
- The Price is Right
- Make Mealtimes Fun
- Planning for the Week
- Snack Time - A Bridge Between Meals
- Active Families Have More Fun
- Take Control of TV
- Recipe Pack
- Handouts
How to Be a Smarter Shopper
When you're tight on time and money, being a savvy shopper can be a difficult task. But it's not impossible! Here are some tips to help you shop smarter and eat better. Read the Nutrition Facts on food labels to help you make better choices, even when you are in a hurry!
Choosing healthy Fats
Fat |
What is it? |
Where is it? |
Advice? |
Unsaturated |
Oils found in plants & fish |
Vegetable oils like olive & canola oil, fish, nuts, seeds, peanut butter |
Eat more of these! |
Saturated |
Fats found mostly in animal foods |
Butter, ice cream, red meat, sour cream, lard, palm & coconut oils |
Eat low or non-fat dairy & lean meats |
Trans |
Vegetable oils that are chemically changed to increase shelf life of processed foods |
Packaged snacks (cookies, crackers, etc.), fast food, baked goods, & stick margarine |
AVOID these! |
Shop for these easy substitutes to cut down on the unhealthy fat in your favorite recipes:
- Instead of 1 cup cream -> Use 1 cup low-fat milk
- Instead of 1 cup melted butter, stick margarine, or shortening for baking -> Try 1 cup vegetable oil
- Instead of 1 Tbsp of butter or stick margarine for sauteing -> Use 1 Tbsp canola, olive, or vegetable oil
Cutting Salt in the Shopping Isle:
- Look on the nutrition label of canned, boxed, frozen and prepared foods to ensure sodium (salt) levels are below 300 mg/serving.
- Watch for hidden salt in bread: Compare different brands and types of bread for the lowest sodium content. Wonder Stoneground 100% Whole Wheat Bread® has 400 mg/serving, while Pepperidge Farm 100% Natural Soft 100% Whole Wheat Bread® has only 260 mg/serving.
- Choose real cheese instead of cheese products: 1 ounce of Kraft Velveeta Cheese® contains 410 mg- that's 27% of your daily sodium intake! One ounce of Cabot Cheddar® has only 180 mg- 12% of your daily sodium intake, making it a healthier choice.
- Compare lunch meats: Lunch meats are high in sodium, but can vary by brand. Also, consider sandwich options that are lower in salt, like low sodium peanut butter and bananas, or fresh vegetables with hummus!
- Fresh is best: Most processed foods are high in salt, so choose fresh foods and try seasoning them with various spices, herbs and citrus instead of salt.