The center aisles are a mixed bag. Some good aisles like the pasta, bean, and soup aisles. Some not-so-good aisles like the cookie, chips, and soda aisles.

Making a shopping list is a good way to avoid unnecessary trips back to the store and will help you avoid making poor "impulse" choices. I keep a notepad and pen on the side of my fridge and write down grocery items as I get close to running out. Before I go shopping I do a quick scan of the 4 places I keep food... my fridge, freezer, pantry and countertop fruit basket (the produce I don't put in the fridge) and add the items I'm running low on to my list.

My typical shopping list appears at left. I stick to the list pretty closely, although my actual produce choices vary depending on what looks best at the store that day.

It's a good idea to eat before you shop, so you're not tempted by everything you see. Last but not least, learn how to read food labels. With a quick scan, you'll be able to tell whether a food is worthy of your cart or should go back on the shelf.

Produce
It's hard to go wrong here. Fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber and low in calories, fat and salt. Make it your goal to buy at least 5 kinds of produce. This might include:

• bagged lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber for salads and sandwich toppings
• broccoli, carrots and green beans for dinner side dishes
• bananas, strawberries, and cantaloupe for breakfast
• apples, oranges and grapes for mid afternoon sancks

Dairy
The dairy section requires some care. Dairy products are high in calcium, but they can also have a lot of saturated fat. Fat-free or low-fat milk,yogurt and cheeses are the best choices. Look for cheeses made with skim milk, such as low-fat mozarella. Cheeses like bleu and sharp cheddar are high in fat, but have a lot of flavor, so you may use less.

Meat, Poultry, Fish
Reducing the amount of meat you eat is one of the best ways to reduce the fat and cholesterol in your diet. Choose poultry and fish more often than red meat. When choosing red meat, look for "Select" cuts of meat, which are leaner than Choice or Prime.

Bakery
The choices really vary here... whole-grain breads, corn tortillas and whole- wheat pitas are good choices. Croissants, donuts, cakes, and pies are not something your cart should include every week.

Deli
Watch out for hidden (or not so hidden) fat at the deli. Choose lean deli meats, like turkey and chicken breast, and low-fat cheeses. Avoid fried foods like fried chicken, fried potatoes, and egg rolls. Watch out for salads made with lots of mayonnaise, like potato salad, macaroni salad, and cole slaw. Carrot raisin salad or Asian-style cole slaw (vinegar and soy) are lower fat options.

Canned and Dry Foods
The main thing to watch out for in canned foods is added salt, sugar, and fat. Canned food has to be heated to high temperatures and loses some of it flavor. The easiest and cheapest ways to boost the flavor are to add salt, sugar or fat. Choose foods that are canned in water or juice, instead.

Soups are a good choice, but avoid cream or cheese soups. If you don't find soup very filling, add half a can of beans or corn to bulk it up.

This section also includes packaged grains, including pasta, rice, and cereals. The best choices are whole-grains, because they have more nutrients and fiber than more refined products.

The same goes for breakfast cereal. Generally, the more it looks like shredded cardboard the better it is for you! Watch out for granolas with a lot of added fat and sugar.

Baking Supplies
In the baking section you'll find sweeteners, flours, and baking mixes (cakes, cookies, pancakes, etc.).

Choose whole-grain flours when possible. Whole wheat pastry flour is ground finer than whole-wheat flour and produces baked goods with a finer texture.

There's not much nutritional difference among sugar, brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup. Use whichever you like the taste of, but in limited quantities.

Keep a few spices you like on hand. I most often use black pepper, herb salt, oregano and cinnamon.

Condiments & Oils
Olive oil is a good choice for salad dressings, pasta, and bread. Canola and grapeseed oils are mild tasting oils that work well for baking.

Look for low-fat or fat free salad dressings. Ketchup has a lot of salt and sugar. Pickles have a lot of salt. Both are fine in small quantities unless you're on a low-salt diet.

Frozen Foods
The frozen food section is a mixed bag. Frozen fruits and vegetables are good choices. Frozen vegetables often have a better texture and contain less salt than canned vegetables. Frozen fruits allow you to have berries, peaches and other seasonal fruits year around.

There are a lot of good frozen meals and entrees (just the main dish) that are big improvements over the aluminum foil TV dinners I had when my parents went out to dinner. My favorites are the ethnic frozen meals, like enchiladas, Asian noodle bowls, and Indian meals, because the spices add a lot of flavor. However, I almost always add a salad and a cooked vegetable to round out the meal.

Pick up a frozen pizza, if you want one. Look for a pizza with a thin crust, light on the cheese, and preferably with a few vegetables. Also, note the serving size. If two slices are a serving, but you're going to eat the whole thing factor that into the calorie and fat count.

Frozen waffles and soy sausage can be a decent breakfast, especially if you add some fruit, and it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.

Pass on frozen foods that are fried or that you'd be tempted to fry at home, as well as most of the frozen desserts, pies, and cakes that are high in fat and sugar. Go for non-fat or low-fat frozen yogurt and ice cream or sorbets.

Snacks
This is where you make or break it. Too many bags of cookies, candies and chips are likely to add up to excess weight. Even seemingly healthy items like crackers and granola bars can have a lot of fat, sugar or salt.

Baked snacks, like pretzels, are usually low in fat. I'd personally rather go hungry than eat a rice cake, but experiment with low-calorie, low-fat snacks until you find a few you like. Look for microwave popcorns that are low in fat, particularly saturated fats.

Nuts and seeds have a lot of nutrients, but are high in fat. If you're not watching your weight, go for them. If you are watching your weight, eat a small portion.

Granola bars and fruit bars can be good choices. Just check the label for calorie total (hopefully under 200 calories) and the type and quantity of fat. Plain cookies like gingersnaps, graham crackers and vanilla wafers have much less fat and calories than iced or cream filled cookies.

I buy carbonated water (seltzer water or sparkling mineral water) and mix it with juice for a soda-like drink without all the sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Ethnic Foods
Some stores have special sections for ethnic foods, mostly commonly Asian, Mexican, and Jewish. There are some interesting and healthy choices here. Just be sure to read the Nutrition Facts and ingredients list to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Dairy Case
low-fat milk
low-fat yogurt
grated parmesaen cheese
tub margarine
orange juice

Meat Counter
chicken breast
salmon
ground turkey

Bakery
whole-wheat pita bread
corn tortillas

Canned and Dry Foods
lentil soup
black bean soup
vegetable broth
canned tuna
canned corn
canned tomatoes
canned garbanzo beans
vegetarian baked beans
fat-free refried beans
spaghetti sauce
canned water chestnuts
brown rice
polenta (corn meal)
penne pasta
oats
apple sauce
raisins

Baking Supplies
whole-grain pancake mix
maple syrup

Condiments
olive oil
canola oil
balsamic vinegar
tamari (soy sauce)
spicy mustard
low-fat salad dressing

Frozen Foods
whole-grain toaster waffles
soy sausage
frozen pizza
ravioli
Asian noodle bowl
Indian entree
frozen peas

Snacks
light microwave popcorn
baked tortilla chips
granola bars
carbonated water