Dry Foods

 

Breads (buns, loaves of bread, pitas, tortillas) – white, wheat, pumpernickel, sour dough,

Canned beans – black beans, kidney beans, navy

Canned broths – beef, chicken

Canned fruits – fresh is best, frozen is better, and canned is good – mandarin oranges can be added to a salad as a nice change

Canned vegetables – fresh is best, frozen is better and canned is good

Crackers – saltines, triscuits (try generic brands), wheat thins (try generic brands)

Meats – canned chicken, salmon, tuna

Tomato based products: diced, stewed, ready-to-eat, tomato sauce, tomato paste

Cereals – large boxes

Beverages – watch those empty calories; sport drinks, flavored waters – watch the calories

Jams/jellies

Granola bars, yogurt bars, cereal bars

Condiments – ketchup, mustard, horseradish sauce, mayo, miracle whip – after opening these products require refrigeration

Main-dish mixes – tuna helper – look for the exchange list on the food and see how big the serving sizes are for the number of calories offered per serving

Pasta – fettuccine, spaghetti, angel hair, bow ties, macaroni, easy-Mac, lasagna

Peanut butter – read the label for regular versus reduced fat – which do you need more of fat or carbs?

Pickles, olives, relishes

Rice and rice mixtures – brown rice has lots more fiber in it but has a very different texture

Grits, oatmeal

Salad dressings

Salsa

Salt and pepper

Soups – ready to eat, or soups that you add water to, cream soups are great to cook with

Soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, marinating sauces

Syrups – do you eat syrup or applesauce on pancakes?

Vegetable oil – canola oil, olive oil

Vinegar – white vinegar

 

 

Herbs and Spices – these items tend to be expensive but will help flavor food and make cooking and eating more interesting

 

Top pick for non-cooks: Italian seasonings

 

Basil

Bay leaf if you like to make stews

Chili powder – casseroles, pots of chili – ready to make chili sauce –dry mixes are good, too

Chives – onion flavor

Cinnamon – do you add cinnamon as a topping to toast in the morning or to oatmeal?

Cilantro – Mexican foods

Dill weed – fish, soups, dips

Italian seasoning – Italian dishes

Marjoram – poultry

Oregano – Italian dishes

Parsley – Italian dishes

Rosemary – casseroles, pork, vegetables

Sage – fish, meats, poultry, stuffings

Tarragon – meats, salads, sauces

Thyme – Fish, meats, poultry

Cheeses – cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan

Eggs

Fruit Juices

Margarine/Butter

Milk – skim, 1%, 2% or whole, chocolate, soy

Cream cheese or spreads

Sour cream

Yogurt – fat free to whole milk based

Packaged salad greens with any vegetable toppings you like – green peppers, cucumber, tomato, carrots

Fresh vegetables

Fresh fruit

 

Meats

Buy what you need for a week – chops, ground, roasts, steaks, pork loin for pulled pork sandwiches

Poultry, turkey

Seafood

 

Deli

Ham, turkey, chicken

hotdogs