Athletes can stock the kitchen with high-carbohydrate, low-fat foods to eat healthier and save time and money. However, these grocery staples must be individualized to the athlete's preferences and lifestyle or the food will go to waste. The following sample grocery shopping lists provide ideas on how to stock "the athlete's kitchen."

For the Refrigerator:

Fruit: Pick up at least three different types of favorite fresh fruits from the grocery store. Eat two to four servings daily.

Vegetables: Select vegetables that don't require cooking and can be eaten raw or thrown into a salad. These can include preferred kinds of lettuce, celery, baby carrots, peppers, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Eat three to five servings daily.

Dairy Products: Emphasize non-fat or 1% fat milk and yogurt. Select cheeses that are lower in fat than Swiss and sharp cheddar such as parmesan, mozzarella made with part-skim milk, string cheese, gouda, low-fat cottage cheese and reduced fat cheeses. Grating a half-ounce of sharp cheddar or Swiss cheese on salads or sandwiches provides a great cheese taste without a lot of fat. Consume two to three servings daily of dairy products daily.

Protein sources: Egg protein has the highest biological value of any animal or plant protein. Eggs are an excellent, inexpensive protein source. Control egg intake, as they are high in cholesterol. Scramble an egg without fat in a non-stick pan with onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Place the mixture into a heated tortilla and add several tablespoons of grated cheese and salsa.

Condiments: Low-fat options such as mustards, salsa, light mayonnaise, horseradish, lemon and lime juice improve taste while adding little or no fat. Other good flavoring items include pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, pre-chopped garlic, and roasted red peppers.

Reduced fat salad dressings can be used for salads, dips, or sandwich spreads in place of higher fat dressings and mayonnaise.

For the Pantry

Breads: Grain products such as bagels, English muffins, corn tortillas, 100% whole wheat bread, sourdough, rye, pita bread, and sandwich buns and rolls are excellent sources of carbohydrate with little or no fat. Eat six to eleven servings daily of grain products.

Cereals: Stock up on oatmeal and varieties of higher fiber cold cereals such as Shredded Wheat 'n Bran, Bran Flakes, Fiber One, All-Bran with Extra Fiber, and Nutri-grain.

Carbohydrates and Starches: Have on hand potatoes, brown and white rice, packages of quick rice mixes, various pastas, and canned beans. These foods (except for potato, which is a vegetable) count as grain products. Beans are a low-fat, high-fiber, inexpensive source of protein.

Canned and Bottled Foods: Stock up on peanut butter (natural or reduced fat), low-sugar jam, tuna packed in water, salmon, beans (pinto, kidney, black-eyed peas, garbanzo, black, and fat-free or vegetarian refried beans), tomatoes, tomato sauce, marinara sauce, mushrooms, olives, green chilies, artichoke hearts, and evaporated skim milk. Peanut butter as well as tuna sandwiches provide ample protein, taste great, and are inexpensive.

Snacks: Low fat snacks include baked potato or corn chips, pretzels, popcorn (choose brands with no more than 3 gm fat per serving), corn and rice cakes, breadsticks, fig or date bars, reduced fat Triscuits or Wheat Thins, Rye Krisp, saltines, and dried fruit such as apricots or raisins. These snacks can count as servings of grain or fruit products.

Sauces: Soy and teriyaki sauce (reduced sodium if preferred), Tabasco, oyster, Worcestershire, barbecue and catsup are great for oven or outdoor barbecues.

Oils: Use unsaturated oils such as olive or canola. Cooking sprays help to keep food from sticking to pans and decrease the fat used in cooking.

Cooking Liquids: Vinegar (Balsamic, rice and red wine), broth, dry sherry, cooking wine, and lemon juice all add flavor without adding fat.

Herbs and Spices: Essential for great-tasting food. Have on hand peppers (lemon, cayenne, crushed red, garlic), powders (garlic and onion), basil, thyme, chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, dill weed, dry mustard, garlic cloves, ginger, nutmeg, oregano, paprika, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, and blends (such as Mrs. Dash and Italian seasonings).

For the Freezer

Freeze leftovers in individual portion containers to get several meals out of the time spent preparing food.

Reduced fat frozen dinners such as Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine Hearty Portions are good for quick meals, especially when combined with a piece of fruit and non-fat or 1% fat milk. Have on hand a variety of frozen vegetable blends to toss in the microwave or use for stir-fry.

Stock the freezer with chicken breasts, fish, and lean beef and pork. Pre-portioned and pre-cut meat, fowl, and fish are perfect for stir-fry.

Handy grain products to have in the freezer include tortillas, breads, pizza crust, and (microwave or toaster) waffles and pancakes. With the crust on hand, great tasting home-made pizza takes little time to prepare and quantities of the pizza toppings (cheese, sauce, vegetables, and meat) can be managed.

Frozen fruit mixtures (melons and berries) by themselves are a great desert. They can top off frozen yogurt, ice-milk, sherbet, or low-fat ice-cream. Keep on hand favorite fruit juice concentrates. Putting chocolate in the freezer and eating one piece (or an ounce) at a time is a good portion control method for chocolate lovers.