For the cupboard
• Canned beans, such as black, white, pinto, garbanzo, and kidney
• Dried fruits, such as figs, raisins, prunes, apricots, and dates
• Whole wheat flour for baking
• Apple sauce for baking
• A good bottle of virgin or extra virgin olive oil
• Canola oil
• Canned salmon and water-packed tuna
• Canned clams
• Canned sardines
• Canned fruit packed in its own juices or in light syrup
• Quick-cooking or old-fashioned oatmeal, but not the instant kind
• Whole grain mix for pancakes and waffles
• Cans of chopped tomatoes flavored with herbs, onions, or garlic for tossing with pasta
• Peanut butter (the natural kind, made without hydrogenated oil or added sugar)
• Jarred artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, and flavorful spreads, all of which can add pizzazz to pasta, rice, couscous, or other grain
For the freezer
• Frozen veggie or soy burgers
• Frozen turkey meatballs
• Frozen vegetables in bags
• Frozen berries
• Fillets of frozen fish, not breaded (slip unthawed pieces into simmering poaching liquid for a fast meal)
Fruits and vegetables
• At least one fruit or vegetable of every color: red, green, orange, and yellow
• Avocados
• Garlic
• Eggplant and mushrooms (for meatless meals)
• Bags of prewashed lettuce
• Bags of baby carrots
• Precut vegetables
• Something new for you, like mango, star fruit, jicama, or bok choy
Breads and grains
• Bread with the word “whole” in the first ingredient
• Cereal with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving
• Brown rice (regular or Minute Rice)
• Other grains, such as bulgur, barley, and quinoa
• Whole wheat pasta
• For a splurge, buy fresh-baked rounds of sourdough, rosemary, or olive bread for dipping in olive oil
Meat and poultry
• Extra lean loin and round cuts
• Chicken breasts
• Ground turkey
• Free-range meats, if you can find them (they’re generally lower in fat)
• Game meats
Other
• Firm tofu
• Soy crumbles (found in the frozen food section)
• Nuts, especially walnuts and almonds
• Flaxseed, available in health food stores and some grocery stores
• Wheat germ
Condiments
• Capers
• Hot sauces
• Spicy mustard
• Prechopped garlic and ginger
• Low-fat vinegar-based salad dressings and marinades
• Plum sauce, black bean sauce, and other Asian sauces for vegetable stir-fries
Beverages
• Vegetable juice or 100 percent fruit juice
• Green or black tea
• Wine
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• 9 fruits and vegetables that help prevent high cholesterol