To eat a heart healthy diet begins with a heart- friendly kitchen. When heart-healthy foods are on hand at all times, planning and preparing meals becomes a snap. It saves you time and stress over deciding what to have for busy days and weeknights when you may not have time to stop at the grocery store. Having heart-friendly foods available puts you in control with less worry and more time to enjoy a nutritious meal.

A heart-healthy or well-stocked kitchen means what you’ll find in your pantry, refrigerator and freezer. Making simple yet healthy changes adds up over time to a healthier you.

The best way to learn and begin is to list foods to phase-in (heart-friendly foods) and foods to phase-out (heart-unfriendly foods):

Phase-in Foods

Homemade dressings, marinades and sauces
Plain, low-fat yogurt. Add real fruit, nuts, or seeds
Whole-grains: barley, quinoa, oatmeal, whole-wheat pasta, bulgur, and 100% whole wheat bread and crackers
Low-fat milk, unsweetened iced tea, coffee, flat or sparkling water
Legumes: black, white, navy, kidney, garbanzo beans, lentils, peas and edamame
Fresh or frozen fruits and veggies
Plant-based fats: avocados, nuts and nut-butters and plant-oils (olive, flax, walnut)
Canned fish: herring, tuna, salmon, sardines

Phase-out Foods

Store-bought dressings, marinades and sauces
Fruit-flavored or “fruit on the bottom” yogurts
Refined grains: couscous, pasta, white or flavored rice and enriched breads and cereals
Sugary drinks: flavored waters, sweetened teas and juices
Canned baked beans, chilis and soups
Mashed potatoes and veggies with added cream and butter; fruit canned in heavy syrup
Margarine, butter, mayonnaise, lard, animal fats
Preserved meats, fried fish, poultry and meat

If food budgeting is a concern, here are some budget shopping and better eating tips so you can still eat healthy without breaking the bank:

· Purchase frozen fruits and vegetables in the off season. Purchase locally grown produce in-season, when they are less expensive.

· Buy in bulk things like nuts, grains, dried fruit, and whole-wheat pasta.

· Menu planning saves time and money. Work leftovers into your menus.

· Store brands are often cheaper than using coupons. Coupons may save money but they are often for highly processed foods.

· Get your omega-3’s economically from canned salmon, sardines, and herring.