Recipe

Short on Time?

Here's a Ready-Made, Hypertension-Proof Grocery List

You've heard this advice before: Never go to the store hungry, and always bring a list. Having a list with you helps you choose the right foods — the only foods you really need — and avoid impulse buys. The following list can help you develop your weekly running grocery list as you're trying to eat better and lower your blood pressure.

This list doesn't include every ingredient you use in this book's recipes, but it's a good starting point for ingredients to have in your kitchen that won't bust your diet. The asterisks (*) indicate higher-sodium foods that you should consume in small amounts.

Vegetables:
3-5 vegetables in season
Broccoli and cauliflower
Carrots
Celery
Cucumbers
Lettuce greens: Romaine, bib, or leaf
Onions
Garlic
Shallots
Peppers: bell and jalapeño
Potatoes: white and sweet
Spinach
Tomatoes
Winter squash
Fruit:
Apples
Bananas
Berries
Grapes
Lemons, limes
Mangoes
Melons
Oranges, grapefruit
Peaches
Pears
Plums

Dairy:
Feta cheese
Margarine, light, tub
Milk, skim, 1 percent
Sharp cheese (Romano, cheddar, or Parmesan)
Sour cream, light
Unsalted butter
Yogurt: Fat-free, low fat, low fat plain Greek, or light

Frozen:
Frozen fruits, unsweetened
Frozen vegetables, plain, without sauces

Fish, meat, poultry, eggs:
Beef, lean
Skinless chicken: breasts, drumsticks, or thighs
Eggs
Fish fillets (no breading)
Pork, lean, unseasoned

Cereal:
Oatmeal (quick, regular, or steel oats)
Other whole-grain cereals with more than 3 grams of fiber and less than 8 grams of sugar

Canned:
Beans (rinse before using)
Broth, chicken or vegetable, low-sodium*
Fruit packed in water
Pasta sauce*
Soup, low-sodium
Tomatoes, no added salt
Tuna in water*
Vegetables, low-salt

Dried or Packaged:
Barley
Beans, lentils, or dried peas
Nuts, unsalted (slivered almonds, whole pecans, walnuts), and nut butters
Pasta, dry
Popcorn, light
Raisins, dried cranberries, or dried plums
Rice, brown
Spices and herbs of your choice
Condiments:
Dijon mustard*
Fruit jam, pure maple syrup, and honey
Mayo, low fat
Salad dressing, low-sodium and low fat
Salsas*
Soy sauce, low-sodium*
Vinegars (balsamic, white, red wine, or rice)

Breads:
Bread, 100-percent whole wheat
Breadcrumbs, plain
Crackers, whole-grain (reduced-fat, check for low-sodium)
Pita pockets, whole-wheat
Tortillas, corn or whole-wheat
Wraps, whole-grain

Miscellaneous:
Fresh ginger (usually found in the produce section)
Fresh herbs (usually found in the produce section)
Oils (olive, corn, canola, or soybean)