Read your labels: IF YOU CANT PRONOUNCE IT THAN DON’T EAT IT!
(unless of course you are in a restaurant in Paris)

Most crackers are loaded with Trans fats; trans fats give a product a very long shelf life. Once again read the label. Partially hydrogenated oils, shorting or margarine are all trans fats.

Don’t be fooled when it says "TRANS FAT FREE" on the front of the product. They can list trans fat free per serving, if the amount is .5 grams or less. But the product still contains trans fats (crazy right?). However, the serving size is tiny and most of us don’t eat just 3 crackers.

When buying cereal, the “fiber grams” should always be higher than the “sugar grams”

Most granola bars, power bars, and other “space food bars” (as I refer to them) have too much sugar, not enough fiber and lots of preservatives. You’re better off eating a handful of nuts!

When choosing oils, always look for the words: “First cold pressed” or “expeller pressed”. For olive oil choose “Extra Virgin”. Most commercial oils are extracted chemically, an all-around bad thing. Also, buy oils in an amount that you will use in 6 months, as they will turn rancid after an extended period of storage. Store in a cool place and not near the stove or oven

Please stay away from frozen microwaveable meals.  They are usually loaded with sodium, chemicals and preservatives. It is basically dead food, and then you kill it even more in the microwave. Keep them for emergencies only and stick to the healthier brands such as “Kashi” and “Seeds of Change”

When buying fish always ask to smell before you buy. It should not smell fishy, or have any smell at all for that matter.

Also, do not buy fish that is already marinating in something, many times it is the old, smelly fish that they are trying to disguise

Frozen vegetables and fruits are okay. Sometimes they have more nutrients than fresh, as they are picked and frozen the same day

When you get home from the grocery store, and before you put that whole head of broccoli in the fridge (which you will probably throw away at the end of the week) cut it up into bite-size pieced and put it back in the bag. You’re more likely to eat it later in the week if it is all chopped up and ready to go.

When buying bread, make sure that the first ingredient listed is “100% whole grain”. Be careful too, as they still add trans fats to most breads to keep them soft.

Please avoid soda of any kind - especially diet.  Replace it with a tall glass of sparkling water and a splash of fresh fruit juice

Be careful with fruit - flavored yogurts.  They can sometimes have 30-40 grams of sugar per serving. Buy “Non-Fat plain" yogurt and add fresh fruit puree with a spot of honey

Stay away from the pre-cut fruit salads in the produce section. The fruit is usually taken from the shelves that have bad spots or are starting to get old. Before they throw it away, they remove the bad spots and cut it up, just for you.

Things to insist on buying organic, all dairy, chicken and beef all contain hormones and antibiotics. Not good for us for many reasons. Some fruits and vegetables listed below:

Top 12 Most Contaminated Produce
Highest Pesticide Residue Found:

Top 12 Least Contaminated:

This list can be found at the Environmental Working Group website (EWG)

www.ewg.org