At 6 months, some of us are beginning to experience hunger, and may be having some difficulties when staring at the hundreds of choices on our grocers shelves.

I saw a clip of the Early Show where they go through some healthy foods as picked by Self Magazine.   While not ALL of the choices are good for us (i.e. Sour Patch Kids), they make some sensible, good tasting, selections.

As always, remember to get your protein in first!!

2009 Healthy Food Awards: Selection criteria

Curious about the healthfulness of what's already in your cabinet? Compare your favorite eats to the guidelines we used to help select the food awards contestants. Our winners scored highest in our taste test, but foods that meet these criteria, designed by experts Willow Jarsh, R.D., and Stephanie Clarke, R.D., of New York City, are just as beneficial to your body. How do your bites stack up?

By Erin Hobday and Merrit****ts From the September 2009 Issue

• Whole Grains

Best Cereal (per 1/2 cup)

• 100 calories or less
• No more than 5 grams of sugar
• At least 3 g fiber
• No more than 250 milligrams of sodium per cup
• Whole grain is the first ingredient.
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)

Best Bagel (per bagel)

• 220 calories or less
• At least 4 g fiber
• No more than than 450 mg sodium
• Whole grain is the first ingredient.

Best Granola (per 1/4 cup)

• 140 calories or less
• No more than 5 g fat
• No more than 6 g sugar per 100 calories
• At least 2 g fiber per 100 calories
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)

Best Bread (per slice)

• 120 calories or less
• At least 3 g fiber
• No more than 130 mg sodium
• Whole grain is the first ingredient.
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)

Best Tortilla (per 6- to 8-inch wrap)

• 180 calories or less
• At least 2 g fiber
• No more than 300 mg sodium
• Whole grain is the first ingredient.

Best Oatmeal (instant, per packet)

• 160 calories or less per packet
• No more than 1 g sugar per 100 calories
• At least 2 g fiber per 100 calories
• No more than 80 mg sodium per 100 calories
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)
• Oats are the first ingredient.

Pantry

Best Salsa (per 2 tbsp)

• 15 calories or less
• No more than 3 g sugar
• No more than 150 mg sodium

Best Hearty Soup (per 1 cup)

• 150 to 175 calories
• No more than 5 g fat
• No more than 2 g saturated fatAt least 5 g fiberAt least 6 g protein
• No more than 500 mg sodium

Best Jam (per 1 tbsp)

• 40 calories or less
• No more than 9 g sugar
• No high-fructose corn syrup
• No artificial sweetener

Best Pasta Sauce (per 1/2 cup)

• 60 calories or less
• No more than 2 g fat
• No more than 0.5 g saturated fat
• No more than 400 mg sodium

Best Peanut Butter (per 2 tbsp)

• 210 calories or less
• No more than 3 g saturated fat
• No more than 130 mg sodium
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)
• Nuts and salt are the only ingredients.

Best Dressing (per 1 tbsp)

• 35 calories or less
• No more than 3 g fat
• No more than 0.5 g saturated fat
• No more than 2.5 g sugar
• No more than 150 mg sodium
• No artificial flavors or colors

Best Vegetable Soup (per 1 cup)

• 100 calories or less
• No more than 2.5 g fat
• No more than 1 g saturated fat
• At least 3 g fiber
• No more than 500 mg sodium

Best Canned Vegetable (per 1/2 cup)

• 35 calories or less
• At least 2 g fiber
• Vegetables and water are the only ingredients.

Best Chili (per 1 cup)

• 150 to 175 calories
• No more than 9 g fat
• No more than 2 g saturated fat
• At least 5 g fiber
• At least 8 g protein
• No more than 500 mg sodium

Best Beans

• Beans and water are the only ingredients.

Best Pasta (per 2 oz dry)

• 200 calories or less
• At least 6 g fiber
• No sodium
• Whole grain is the first ingredient.

Frozen Foods

Best Frozen Fries (per 3 oz)

• 200 calories or less
• No more than 9 g fat
• No more than 0.5 g saturated fat
• At least 2 g fiber
• No more than 210 mg sodium

Best Sorbet (per 1/2 cup)

• 120 calories or less
• No fat
• No more than 28 g sugar
• Ingredients list fruit before sugar
• No artificial sweeteners

Best Ice Cream (per 1/2 cup)

• 120 calories or less
• No more than 4.5 g fat
• No more than 2.5 g saturated fat
• No artificial sweeteners

Best Pop (per serving)

• 120 calories or less
• No more than 4.5 g fat
• No more than 2.5 g saturated fat
• No artificial sweeteners

Best Veggie Burger (per patty)

• 150 calories or less
• No more than 1 g saturated fat
• At least 10 g protein
• No more than 350 mg sodium

Best Frozen Veggie Meal (per meal)

• 300 to 400 calories
• No more than 12 g fat
• No more than 3.5 g saturated fat
• At least 5 g fiber
• At least 8 g protein
• No more than 700 mg sodium
• Contains at least 20 percent of the RDA of two (or 10 percent of three) of the following: vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium

Best Frozen Meat Meal (per meal)

• 300 to 400 calories
• No more than 12 g fat
• No more than 3.5 g saturated fat
• At least 6 g fiber
• No more than 700 mg sodium
• Contains at least 20 percent of the RDA of two (or 10 percent of three) of the following: vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium

Best Frozen Seafood Meal (per meal)

• 200 to 450 calories
• 16 g fat
• 3.5 g saturated fat
• At least 5 g fiber
• 700 mg sodium
• Contains at least 20 percent of the RDA of two (or 10 percent of three) of the following: vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium

Best Sausage (per 2 patties or links)

• 120 calories or less
• 7 g fat
• 2 g saturated fat
• At least 8 g protein
• 500 mg sodium

Best Frozen Pizza (per serving)

• 350 calories or less
• 11 g fat
• 4.5 g saturated fat
• 700 mg sodium
• At least 4 g fiber

Best Frozen Waffle (per 2 waffles)

• 200 calories or less
• No more than 0.5 g saturated fat
• No more than 4 g sugar
• At least 3 g fiber
• No more than 350 mg sodium
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)
• Whole grain is the first ingredient after water.

Snacks and Treats

Best Potato Chip (per 1 oz)

• 140 calories or less
• No more than 7 g fat
• No more than 2 g saturated fat
• At least 2 g fiber
• No more than 140 mg sodium
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)

Best Pretzel (per 1 oz)

• 120 calories or less
• At least 3 g fiber
• No more than 300 mg sodium
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)

Best Granola Bar (per serving)

• 50 calories or less
• No more than 5 g fat
• No more than 1.5 g saturated fat
• No more than 7 g sugar
• At least 2 g fiber
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)
• Whole grain is the first ingredient.

Best Candy (per serving)

• At least 10 pieces per 100 calories
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)

Best Veggie Chip (per 1 oz)

• 150 calories or less
• No more than 1 g saturated fat
• At least 2 g fiber
• No more than 250 mg sodium
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)

Best Nut (Sweet and Savory) (per 1 oz)

• 170 calories or less
• No more than 16 g fat
• No more than 1 g saturated fat
• No more than 6 g sugar
• No more than 120 mg sodium
• No cottonseed oil
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)

Best Popcorn (per 3 tbsp unpopped)

• No more than 2.5 g fat
• No more than 1 g saturated fat
• No more than 300 mg sodium
• No diacetyl
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)

Best Cracker (per 1 oz)

• 120 calories or less
• No more than 5 g fat
• No more than 1.5 g saturated fat
• At least 3 g fiber
• No more than 150 mg sodium
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)
• Whole grain is the first ingredient.

Best Tortilla Chips (per 1 oz)

• 140 calories or less
• No more than 7 g fat
• No more than 2 g saturated fat
• At least 3 g fiber
• No more than 140 mg sodium
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)

Best Chocolate

• At least 60 percent dark chocolate
• Contains nuts and/or fruit

Best Cookie

• At least one cookie per 150 calories
• No more than 2 g saturated fat
• At least 1 g fiber
• No trans fat (no partially hydrogenated oils)

Best Trail Mix (per 1/4 cup)

• No more than 10 g sugar
• Contains no candy, chocolate, honey-roasted nuts, etc.

Best Coffee

• Fair trade
• Organic

Best Tea

• Organic

Refrigerated Foods

Best Juice (per 8 oz)

• Contains at least 30 percent of the RDA for calcium
• Contains at least 25 percent of the RDA for vitamin D
• Contains nothing other than orange juice

Best Soymilk (per 8 oz)

• 90 calories or less
• No more than 7 g sugar
• Contains at least 30 percent of the RDA for calcium
• No artificial sweeteners

Best Plain Yogurt (per 6 oz)

• 100 calories or less
• No more than 1.5 g fat
• No more than 1 g saturated fat
• No more than 12 g sugar
• Contains at least 30 percent of the RDA for calcium

Best Fruit Yogurt (per 6 oz)

• 130 calories or less
• No more than 1.5 g fat
• No more than 1 g saturated fat
• No more than 30 g sugar
• Contains at least 18.75 percent of the RDA for calcium

Best Margarine (per 1 tbsp)

• 45 calories or less
• No more than 5 g fat
• No more than 1.5 g saturated fat

Best Light Cheese (per 1 oz)

• 80 calories or less
• No more than 3 g saturated fat
• No more than 5 g fat
• No more than 200 mg sodium
• Contains at least 20 percent of the RDA for calcium

Best Applesauce (per 3.9 oz serving)

• 60 calories or less
• o more than 11 g sugar
• At least 1 g fiber
• No artificial sweeteners

Best Hummus (per 2 tbsp)

• 70 calories or less
• No more than 6 g fat
• No more than 1 g saturated fat
• No more than 130 mg sodium

Best Bacon (per 1 slice)

• 45 calories or less
• No more than 4 g fat
• No more than 2 g saturated fat
• No more than 200 mg sodium

Best Lunch Meat (per 2 oz)

• 100 calories or less
• No more than 1.5 g fat
• No more than 1 g saturated fat
• No more than 360 mg sodium

Best Faux Lunch Meat (per slice)

• No more than 1 g fat
• No saturated fat
• At least 2 g protein

Here's your full shopping list;
http://www.self.com/fooddiet/2009/09/healthy-food-awards-shopping-list

Good list.  thanks for sharing