How to make your GROCERY LIST healthy - PART 1

In this section we are going to see how should we select grains and pulses.

GRAINS

Wheat, Rice, Corn and Oats fall under the category of grains. Out of these, most of us don't buy wheat and grind it from mills. We just buy whole wheat flour directly from stores. So I don't mention anything about wheat. We also don't use corn, often. Majority of the population uses rice and partially oats. The list tells you how to handle them to meet healthwise and economically. Also I have asked you to include some millet. The quantity of millet is very less only. Nothing to worry about goitrogens.

Grains

we usually use rice, so do the following modification Buy some Brown Basmati Rice - say 3 Kgs Buy any two among the three millets to substitute rice(sadham) or idli dosas Little Millet or Samai - 500g Kodo Millet or Varagu - 500g Kuthiraivali or Barnyard Millet - 500g Regular Rice - Make it as Boiled(puzhungal arisi) Rice and better buy 3 to 5 Kgs lesser than your regular amount we usually use oats, so do the following modification Buy whole grain oats instead of quick oats. it will be actually the best option

PULSES

All kind of dhals and beans come under this category. We use urid dhal, moong dhal and toor dhal efficiently. But most of us waste the other bean items we purchase. We buy them in bulk, as they don't expire soon. But true to heart, most of us throw them out at the end of the year. So I am giving a suggestion to handle this.

Pulses

Make the following modifications Moong Dhal - increase 50% of regular amount Toor Dhal - - decrease 50% of regular amount Urid Dhal - - as usual Buy 200g of Black Urid Dhal (it is full of health) Buy 250g of any four bean items (you can make sundal, gravies or any kind of poriyal) Green Peas or Pattani Green gram or pasippayaru Blank Chick Peas White Chick Peas Black Eyed Peas Rajma Buy 200g of Horsegram (it helps to reduce cholesterol)

CEREALS

Most of us use breakfast cereals. The reason may be our laziness or busy schedule which keeps ourselves skipping breakfast. Although the cereals don't have anything healthy, something is better than nothing. So I would recommend using breakfast cereals. If you have more time to prepare things, better make a nice breakfast. At times if you are void of time, have cereals.

Breakfast Cereals
Make the following modifications Buy some regular corn flakes for kids. If you could afford, use kelogs special K, but use it only twice or thrice a week Buy some whole grain oats cereal and make honey bunches of oats, yourself Never buy flavored oats or cornflakes. They have sugar syrup in them I feel making cereal bars is better than buying cereal bars