Pantry Raid!

Happy New Year!  In addition to making resolutions to eat better and exercise more, perhaps it's time to shop healthier, too? No surprise- studies show that when unhealthy food is easily accessible- you'll eat more of it. Got cookies?  You will eat them. Chips on hand?  Those will get gobbled up, too.  This New Year, do a pantry raid and clean up your act.  Below are some tips to get you started.Bite this: Oatmeal.  A hot steaming bowl of oats is one of the best breakfasts you can eat.  Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber, the type that helps lower cholesterol, manage blood sugar and keep you feeling full.  Go for steel cut or Irish oats.Not that: Cream of wheat.  While this childhood staple sounds healthy, cream of wheat is actually fairly processed with very little fiber.  Not to mention, it kind of tastes like wallpaper paste.Bite this: Brown rice.  Did you know eating just two ½ cup servings of brown rice/week reduces the risk for diabetes by 10%? Brown rice raises blood sugar much slower than white rice.  Just watch the portions.Not that: White rice.  White rice is highly processed and raises blood sugar pretty quickly. In addition, it doesn't fill you up, so you keep eating more and more and more.Bite this: Canned beans.  Beans of all kinds should be in everyone's pantry! Though higher in sodium, this quick, high protein, high fiber, low fat food makes meal planning simple.  Keep black beans, kidney beans or red beans on hand for quick beans and rice dishes or garbanzo beans and Navy beans to add to soup.Not that: Canned soup.  Despite a mandate to reduce the sodium content in soup over the past few years, canned soup is still one of the highest sodium foods on the planet.Bite this: Whole wheat crackers.  I'm a fan of low fat Triscuits or woven wheats because they're high in fiber, portable and go great with hummus or low fat cheese. This is a much better snack than chips or pretzels.Not that: Saltines.  While a few saltines are fine when you're nauseous, they're not exactly health food. Made of mostly white flour, even the wheat varieties are processed and offer minimal fiber.Bite this: Dried fruit.  Don't underestimate the nutritional value of a few prunes, raisins or dried apricots. All are decent sources or iron, potassium, fiber and antioxidants. Toss a few in your oatmeal, trail mix or salad. Delightful! Not that: Canned fruit.  While canned fruit may be portable for lunches or quick snacks, most are drenched in syrup, which literally doubles the calorie count. In addition, the texture of canned fruit is soft, slippery and slimy- which means it's a poor source of fiber.  You might as well eat baby food!