Stock the Pantry for Your Heart

When it comes to eating heart healthy, it starts at home.  But how do you know what to stock in your pantry and fridge to help make everyday meals at home more heart healthy?  We want to help.

We’ve compiled a guide to help you plan your next grocery trip to stock up on nutritious foods that may help you and your family reduce your risk for heart disease. And keep dinner delicious.

10 Pantry Essentials

• Dried or canned beans (lentils, garbanzo beans, black beans)
• Rolled, steel cut or Irish oats
• Brown rice, wild rice and/or brown basmati rice
• Whole wheat pastas
• Reduced-sodium chicken, beef and vegetable broths
• Plain popcorn or light (98% fat-free) microwave popcorn
• Reduced-sodium canned diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes and tomato sauce
• Assorted raw nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds)
• Olive oil
• Reduced sodium ketchup & assorted mustards (whole grain, honey, Dijon, yellow)

10 Fresh Fridge Essentials

• Fresh seasonal fruits (berries, oranges, apples, pears, bananas, figs, grapefruit and grapes)
• Colorful vegetables (yellow, green, and red bell peppers; tomatoes, yellow squash and zucchini)
• Green vegetables (broccoli, kale, spinach, dark leafy greens and celery)
• Milk alternatives such as Soymilk, Almond milk, or coconut milk
• Egg substitutes or egg whites
• Low fat yogurt, sour cream and cottage cheese
• Lean ground beef (Note: when buying beef, look for words like “round” or “loin” and choose lean cuts – the less marbling, the lower the fat content)
• Substitute ground turkey for ground beef
• Assorted fish such as salmon, mackerel, tilapia, trout, and tuna
• Skinless chicken or turkey