Chapter 4: The Art of Meal Planning 75
Avocados are a great source of monounsaturated fats, which are heart
healthy. They’re also loaded with calories, so eat smart. One-eighth of an
avocado is 45 calories (the same as a teaspoon of oil).Meat, poultry, and seafood
Meat, poultry, and seafood are generally along the back wall of the grocery
store.✓ Look for the words round or loin (tenderloin, ground round, sirloin) when
purchasing meat. These terms indicate lean cuts of meat.
✓ Fish is always a good option unless it’s breaded or fried. Fatty fish
(salmon and mackerel) are particularly good for you because of the
omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy fats.
✓ Go ahead and purchase poultry with the skin. It is more moist if cooked
with the skin on. Just be sure to pull it off before eating.
✓ When purchasing ground turkey, be sure to get ground turkey breast. Some
ground turkey has the skin and dark meat ground into it.
✓ Meat and fish in pouches or cans are a real time saver. They also tend to
be lower in sodium than deli meats.
✓ Remember that you can also get protein from beans, tofu, and dairy like
cottage cheese.
Dairy
The dairy aisle can be confusing. What exactly is low fat? Is butter better than
margarine? Follow these tips:✓ Look for cheese and cream cheese that has less than 75 calories and
6 grams of fat per serving.
✓ Look for trans-fat-free margarine to use on a daily basis. You can use
butter occasionally, but do it sparingly.
✓ Drink 1-pecent or fat-free milk. If you’re used to whole milk, this may
take a little getting used to, but hang in there and it will grow on you.
✓ When buying yogurt, look for the fat-free variety with no added sugar.
Greek yogurt is a great product, having twice the protein of other
yogurts. It can also be used in the place of sour cream in many dishes.