My shopping list

I like to find the perfect dress, or the perfect shoes. Half price. As I like to say: I save by spending. But one thing you should spend on is food. The best lettuce, or the most wholesome bread is worth having to pinch pennies elsewhere. The things I never miss at the grocery store:

1. Fiber One bars: These have about 9 grams of fiber, and between 120-150 calories. They aren't low in sugar or anything, but that fiber is great when you don't have time for breakfast. It is really filling and taste pretty good. My favorite flavor is the chocolate and oats one, but there are different flavors--there is actually a Fiber One cereal which is great if you have time to sit and eat in the morning. I've also seen Fiber One poptarts, yogurt, and muffins around, but haven't tried them yet. Kellog's has a similar version of the fiber bar called Fiber Plus, and it has pretty much the same stuff, except with calcium and Vitamin E.

2. Low fat yogurt: Yoplait is my favorite, harvest peach and blueberry. Yogurt is a great option to grab in the morning if you dont have time for breakfast. Choosing the lighter version cuts calories by nearly half, as well as sugar. Make sure to read the labels--you want your yogurt to have plenty of Vitamin D and Calcium. This one provides about 20% of the recommended amount. Stoneyfield Farms also has a great variety of yogurt, in whole, light, and fat free options. Stoneyfield also offers fat free greek yogurt, Oikos, which is much creamier than regular yogurt. Stoneyfield is an organic brand--all of the ingredients in the yogurts are natural. 

3. Baby spinach: Spinach is always on the list of "superfoods" because of its nutritional value, but now that they've started bagging baby spinach, it's much more convenient to be able to get all the nutrition out of it. Low calorie, no fat, no cholesterol--but about 50% of your day's Vitamin A. What is vitamin A good for? Lots--including immune function and skin, bone, and tooth growth. but Vitamin A is known best for its importance for proper vision. Tons of Vitamin K in here too, which is important for blood coagulation. It's great if you toss it in olive oil and sprinkle a little sea salt for a baby spinach salad, or in a grilled cheese sandwich to gourmet!

4. Sweet Potatoes: These guys are my latest obsession, and deservingly. Sweet potatoes can be prepared a number of ways, and can go from being a savory meal to a sweet side dish. Baked potatoes are high in Vitamin A (you already know all about that!) and Vitamin C, an antioxidant and enhanced iron storage. Sweet potatoes are pretty low calorie, at a little over 100 calories in a medium potato. Sweet potatoes also have plenty of fiber--around 3-6 grams depending on the size of the potato--so you'll get fuller faster. Bake them in their skin after piercing with a fork for between 45 minutes and an hour. Then toss them into a salad, slice them and have with cheese, or just enjoy them plain! Try this butternut squash and sweet potato soup.

5. Popcorn: Popcorn is a great snack-but it can be dangerous. It's important to always choose the light popcorn. The 100 calorie bags are great, but you can do your own portion control at home. Just look at the label and divide the bag into 100 calorie bowls after you've popped it, or put them in 100 calorie baggies. Be careful though--popcorn is also often high sodium, so try to grab a low salt one. Most popcorns also have a pretty good amount of fiber in them, often around 3 grams.