Often, social media groups and influencers talk about what we shouldn’t eat or buy in the grocery store. What exactly, then, is safe to eat? 

“Whole grain is going to have the whole kernel. You’re going to get more fiber, vitamins, minerals, satiated longer in smaller amounts. Pasta’s a great food to have. It’s reasonably priced, it’s inexpensive and you get a lot of great carbohydrates from it,” said Erin McCarthy, a registered dietician nutritionist for Mohawk Valley Health System. 

McCarthy says you can eat healthy without having to break the bank.

“What you want to do before you go to the grocery store is plan ahead. Make a list because that way if you have that list, you’re not going to make impulse purchases,” said McCarthy. 

McCarthy says it’s important to have a balanced meal. 

“Fruits and vegetables have a lot of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber, which are very good for our health, our immunity, keeping certain diseases away," McCarthy said. "So produce is an area you do want to spend a good amount of time in."

McCarthy adds that choosing red meats for meals is OK, as long as it’s in moderation.

“We want to make sure we’re choosing lean beef. So it’s going to have less saturated fat, less cholesterol. Meats, beef, chicken, like white meat versus dark meat, it’s going to be healthier for you. They’re great sources of protein; they give you a lot of B vitamins,” said McCarthy. 

For dairy lovers, McCarthy says buying block cheese is healthier because it’s less processed.

“Frozen is just as good as fresh produce. The one thing you want to make sure is, when you buy frozen vegetables, there’s no added creams, sauces or salt,” McCarthy said.

Preparing nutritious meals doesn’t have to be overbearing, McCarthy added, especially if you plan ahead.

“On the weekend, spend some time and ... cut up the vegetables for the week. I’ll prepare the sauces, I’ll get the meat ready or cut up or cooked so you can kind of put it together all at once during the week. It makes it less stressful and less time consuming,” said McCarthy.

And if you’re craving something sweet, try a piece of fruit.

“Full of antioxidants, so vitamins, minerals and fiber. Fruit is very good for you,” said McCarthy.