Field Guide to the Grocery Aisles

Some great tips for navigating the grocery aisles and maximizing time, money, and nutrition in the NYTimes Dining section. Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, shares aisle-by-aisle advice in her book "What to Eat."

According to the article "The new book is for anyone who has read a food label; been annoyed at how often their children nag them for certain cereals; wondered about the difference between natural and organic; or questioned who is minding the store when it comes to nutrition and food safety."

Some tips and tidbits:

• eat locally and, if possible, organically; keep it simple; concentrate on vegetables and fruits and make meat a condiment; and forget about processed foods.
• No matter what their labels say, margarines are basically the same — mixtures of soybean oil and food additives. Everything else is theater and greasepaint."
• She also advises parents who want their children to eat healthfully to stick to the periphery of the store. That's where the fresh, unprocessed foods are. "Don't set foot in the center aisles," she cautions. The chapters are divided by aisles: produce section, dairy section and so on. Safety and nutrition are addressed in detail.