Here are few quick tips to help you make nutrient-rich choices at the supermarket.

Shop the Perimeter of the Supermarket — This is where most nutrient-rich foods are found. Nutrient-rich foods are foods that provide high amounts of beneficial nutrients compared to the calories they provide. Nutrient-rich foods are:

• Brightly colored fruits and 100% fruit juices
• Vibrant-color vegetables
• Whole, fortified and fiber-rich grain foods
• Fat-free and low-fat milk, cheese and yogurt
• Lean meats, skinless poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts

In today's trouble economic times, nutrient-rich foods, such as milk are an economic and nutritional bargain. Per serving, they are relatively inexpensive and provide a powerful nutrient package. Check labels to find choices that provide beneficial vitamins and minerals, but are moderate calories.

Enjoy a Rainbow of Colors — Take advantage of the array of colorful fresh fruits and veggies that are available year round! Look for weekly specials at local farmers' markets or in the produce aisle. Deeply colored fruits and veggies provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals that promote health and help prevent diseases, such as cancer.

Choose Milk, Cheese and Yogurt for Calcium — With so many calcium-fortified beverages on the market, it's tempting to substitute them for milk. Calcium-fortified juices, drinks, and soy or rice beverages don't contain the package of bone-building nutrients provided by milk. Yogurt and cheese provide the same bone-building calcium and eight essential nutrients provided in milk. For the most nutrition for the fewest calories, choose low-fat or fat-free products. Penny for penny, dairy is one of the best nutrition values of any food group.

Go for the Whole Grains — Whole grains provide more fiber, vitamins, minerals and other protective substances than their refined cousins. From breads to pastas, the choices are endless. Choose foods that name one of the following whole grain ingredients first in the ingredient list: bulgur, whole grain corn, whole oats, whole rye, whole wheat, graham flour, oatmeal, brown rice, whole oats, whole grain barley, or wild rice. For the most nutrient-rich choices, opt for breads made with little or no fat, such as sandwich breads, pita breads, English muffins, bagels and bread sticks.

Buy 100% Juices — Look for 100% on the label. These juices provide nutrients not found in fruit drinks. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting children's juice intake to no more than 4 to 6 ounces for 1 to 6 year-olds, and 8 to 12 ounces for 7 to 18 year-olds. Beyond this amount, kids should eat whole fruits for fiber and other nutrients that juices don't provide.

Shop for Travel-Friendly Options — Shop for easy-to-pack, nutritious foods to keep on hand for trips to the park, errands or day trips. Check the dairy case for single-serve yogurt, pudding, string cheese; the produce aisle for "packables" that don't bruise easily and pre-cut veggies; the bakery aisle for bread sticks, bagels, animal crackers, rice cakes and the deli case for lean, ready-to-eat meats, such as roast turkey.

Make Shopping a Teaching Experience — Let kids help you make the weekly grocery list, and if they are old enough, organize it by the MyPyramid Five Food Groups. Add some fun to your shopping expedition with a game of "Nutrition I Spy." When you get home, unpack groceries together and talk about nutrient-rich choices as you put foods away.

Let Kids Choose — Help children choose one or two nutrient-rich snacks to pack in their lunches or to eat after school. Or find a "food of the week," such as whole-grain flat bread, a new yogurt flavor or a new whole-grain cereal to try for a snack or a family meal.