Dietitian Andrea Shotton shares tips on how to build a grocery list full of nutritious, budget-friendly meals

March is National Nutrition Month and to commemorate the occasion, Hillcrest Medical Center and Oklahoma Heart Institute dietitian Andrea Shotton will share her expertise on the topic of nutrition in a pandemic through a series of weekly blogs. In this edition, Shotton discusses how to organize a grocery list that focuses on nutritious, budget-friendly meals.

Below is a list of versatile and budget-friendly nutritious food choices to find at the grocery store:

• Canned tomatoes – Contain very good sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium and manganese.
• Oats – Good source of dietary fiber and manganese. Buy plain rolled oats in a canister which are less expensive than single serve packets.
• Peanut butter – Provides protein as well as a good source of niacin and manganese.
• Canned/dried beans – Provide Protein, dietary fiber, iron, calcium and zinc. To prepare dried beans, soak them before you eat or use them in recipes.
• Potatoes – Contains vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, dietary fiber, and iron. Leave skin on when possible to get more of these nutrients – just scrub well prior to cooking.
• Lentils – Provides protein, dietary fiber and folate.
• Popcorn – A whole grain food high in dietary fiber, potassium and magnesium.
• Frozen berries – good source of vitamin C and fiber.
• Canned tuna – Contains a good healthy omega-3 fat as well as vitamin B6, phosphorus, and a very good source of protein, niacin, vitamin B12 and selenium. Health experts recommend eating two servings of non-fried fish per week. Limit canned albacore (white) tuna to one time per week because it is higher in mercury.
• Eggs – provide protein, vitamin A, vitamin D and the antioxidant lutein, which helps promote healthy skin and eyes.

In-Season Foods: