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Grocery Shopping 101: An Aisle-by-Aisle Guide for Easy Homemade Meals

Trying to break the take-out cycle, but don't know where to begin when it comes to grocery shopping? Follow our simple guide and fill your shopping cart the right way. Pick and choose from each category below and you'll have a pantry stocked up for healthy homemade meals. Plus, see the 3 surprising things you always need in your pantry (9 Photos)

Casey Barber on Sep 13, 2012 at 9:26AM

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Grocery Shopping 101: An Aisle-by-Aisle Guide for Easy Homemade Meals

Eisenhut & Mayer/StockFood Creative/Getty Images

How to Shop for Fruits & Vegetables

Root veggies like onions, beets and carrots, and hearty greens like kale, cabbage and chard have the longest shelf life – or, shall we say, fridge life – of all produce department options. Keep potatoes, onions and garlic in a cool, dark place to prevent sprouting, and wrap celery and scallions in aluminum foil to keep ‘em crisp for weeks. Pre-washed salad mixes can save you lots of prep time, but they can also be much pricier than a head of lettuce.

Shopping Tip We Love: Need pre-chopped or smaller quantities of vegetables than what’s available? Though many stores offer pre-cut vegetables in the produce section, the salad bar is a treasure trove of ready-to-go produce, especially lettuce. If you’re one of those people who end up pitching more lettuce than you consume, just buy what you need from the salad bar for single-serving meals.

3 Quick and Easy Vegetable Side Dishes:
Spiced Carrot Fries
Simple Sauteed Spinach
Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes