6 Healthy Foods in the Center Aisles
1. Old-Fashioned Oats
Updated March 15, 2015.
1/2 cup: 150 calories, 2.5g fat, 0mg sodium, 27g carbs, 4g fiber, 1g sugars, 5.5g protein
There are a ton of health benefits to adding oats to your diet. They're heart healthy, full of fiber, and packed with vitamins and nutrients. Oats even have protein! And the old-fashioned kind are KEY when making HG growing oatmeal, which cooks for twice as long as ordinary oatmeal, yielding an enormous portion size.
No time to cook? Use OFOs for an OOP: overnight oatmeal parfait! Old-fashioned oats are also good in pancakes and baked goods... Just keep the rest of the ingredients on the guilt-free side.
2. Canned Beans
Updated March 15, 2015.
1/2 cup, average, drained and rinsed: 110 calories, 0.5g fat, 231mg sodium, 19.5g carbs, 6g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 7g protein
Canned beans get a bad rap due to their high sodium count, but you can shave off around 35 percent of the number listed on the can by thoroughly draining and rinsing them. Save even more by choosing no-salt-added types. Canned beans are convenient, full of nutrients, and a great addition to SO many dishes: chili, soups, DIY veggie patties, salads, and more.
So stock up on black beans, garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas), kidney beans (white and red), and chili beans. Don't ask questions... Just do it!
3. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
Updated March 15, 2015.
1 cup: 35 calories, 2.5g fat, 178mg sodium, 2g carbs, 0.5g fiber, <0.5g sugars, 1g protein
Almond milk is all the rage, and with good reason. It's lower in calories than dairy milk, yet it's even richer and creamier. My personal favorite is the unsweetened vanilla variety -- flavorful and delicious. Perfect for smoothies, cereal, coffee drinks... practically any place you’d use dairy milk. Plus, it comes in shelf-stable containers, making it an ideal pantry staple.
(I've been known to keep a case or two in my closet. Just sayin'!)
4. 100-Calorie Packs of Almonds
Updated March 15, 2015.
1 pack: 100 calories, 8.5g fat, 50mg sodium, 3.5g carbs, 2g fiber, 1g sugars, 3.5g protein
I'm obsessed with almonds in portion-controlled packs. They're satisfying, and great on the go. And I love that 100-calorie packets take the guesswork out of guilt-free snacking. Rather save cash by buying in bulk? Just break that multi-serving bag down into individual portions -- you can have about 14 almonds for 100 calories.
More of a pistachio fan? (I love those too!) Have 25 for about 100 calories. But if you do buy in bulk, I recommend divvying up those single servings as soon as you get home from the supermarket. Otherwise, you could be looking at a 1,500-calorie pack!
Updated March 15, 2015.
1/2 cup: 40 calories, 0g fat, 5mg sodium, 10g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 6.5g sugars, <0.5g protein
While fresh fruit is fantastic, sometimes you want to change things up. But regular dried fruit (think raisins, banana chips, dried cranberries) has about 100 calories per quarter-cup serving... That is a teeny-tiny amount! You can have four times as much freeze-dried fruit for the same number of calories. What's the difference?
Freeze-dried fruit has essentially been zapped of all its moisture, leaving you with a light and crispy treat similar in size to its original state. Regular dried fruit, on the other hand, is dense and often chewy -- it's typically a shriveled version of its former self. No matter which type you get, check the ingredient list: Avoid anything with added oil or sugar. (Who needs it?)
Updated March 15, 2015.
One 2.6-oz. pouch: 80 calories, 1.5g fat, 210mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars, 16g protein
If it were legal and I were single, I might marry a pouch of tuna. After all, it's dependable and always down to go anywhere. Need a quick, protein-packed snack? Grab one of these pouches. Want to take a basic bed of greens to the next level? Keep pouched tuna in your kitchen and office! Classic albacore is a staple, but tuna pouches also come in pre-seasoned varieties.
Check out StarKist Tuna Creations in flavors like Ranch and Sweet & Spicy. Serious score!
For guilt-free recipes, food finds, tips 'n tricks, and more, sign up for free daily emails at hungry-girl.com!
Updated March 15, 2015.
1/2 cup: 150 calories, 2.5g fat, 0mg sodium, 27g carbs, 4g fiber, 1g sugars, 5.5g protein
There are a ton of health benefits to adding oats to your diet. They're heart healthy, full of fiber, and packed with vitamins and nutrients. Oats even have protein! And the old-fashioned kind are KEY when making HG growing oatmeal, which cooks for twice as long as ordinary oatmeal, yielding an enormous portion size.
No time to cook? Use OFOs for an OOP: overnight oatmeal parfait! Old-fashioned oats are also good in pancakes and baked goods... Just keep the rest of the ingredients on the guilt-free side.
2. Canned Beans
Updated March 15, 2015.
1/2 cup, average, drained and rinsed: 110 calories, 0.5g fat, 231mg sodium, 19.5g carbs, 6g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 7g protein
Canned beans get a bad rap due to their high sodium count, but you can shave off around 35 percent of the number listed on the can by thoroughly draining and rinsing them. Save even more by choosing no-salt-added types. Canned beans are convenient, full of nutrients, and a great addition to SO many dishes: chili, soups, DIY veggie patties, salads, and more.
So stock up on black beans, garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas), kidney beans (white and red), and chili beans. Don't ask questions... Just do it!
3. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
Updated March 15, 2015.
1 cup: 35 calories, 2.5g fat, 178mg sodium, 2g carbs, 0.5g fiber, <0.5g sugars, 1g protein
Almond milk is all the rage, and with good reason. It's lower in calories than dairy milk, yet it's even richer and creamier. My personal favorite is the unsweetened vanilla variety -- flavorful and delicious. Perfect for smoothies, cereal, coffee drinks... practically any place you’d use dairy milk. Plus, it comes in shelf-stable containers, making it an ideal pantry staple.
(I've been known to keep a case or two in my closet. Just sayin'!)
4. 100-Calorie Packs of Almonds
Updated March 15, 2015.
1 pack: 100 calories, 8.5g fat, 50mg sodium, 3.5g carbs, 2g fiber, 1g sugars, 3.5g protein
I'm obsessed with almonds in portion-controlled packs. They're satisfying, and great on the go. And I love that 100-calorie packets take the guesswork out of guilt-free snacking. Rather save cash by buying in bulk? Just break that multi-serving bag down into individual portions -- you can have about 14 almonds for 100 calories.
More of a pistachio fan? (I love those too!) Have 25 for about 100 calories. But if you do buy in bulk, I recommend divvying up those single servings as soon as you get home from the supermarket. Otherwise, you could be looking at a 1,500-calorie pack!
Updated March 15, 2015.
1/2 cup: 40 calories, 0g fat, 5mg sodium, 10g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 6.5g sugars, <0.5g protein
While fresh fruit is fantastic, sometimes you want to change things up. But regular dried fruit (think raisins, banana chips, dried cranberries) has about 100 calories per quarter-cup serving... That is a teeny-tiny amount! You can have four times as much freeze-dried fruit for the same number of calories. What's the difference?
Freeze-dried fruit has essentially been zapped of all its moisture, leaving you with a light and crispy treat similar in size to its original state. Regular dried fruit, on the other hand, is dense and often chewy -- it's typically a shriveled version of its former self. No matter which type you get, check the ingredient list: Avoid anything with added oil or sugar. (Who needs it?)
Updated March 15, 2015.
One 2.6-oz. pouch: 80 calories, 1.5g fat, 210mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars, 16g protein
If it were legal and I were single, I might marry a pouch of tuna. After all, it's dependable and always down to go anywhere. Need a quick, protein-packed snack? Grab one of these pouches. Want to take a basic bed of greens to the next level? Keep pouched tuna in your kitchen and office! Classic albacore is a staple, but tuna pouches also come in pre-seasoned varieties.
Check out StarKist Tuna Creations in flavors like Ranch and Sweet & Spicy. Serious score!
For guilt-free recipes, food finds, tips 'n tricks, and more, sign up for free daily emails at hungry-girl.com!
