One of the most important parts of any healthy meal planning routine is creating the grocery list and going grocery shopping. If you’re new to eating healthy or trying to get more organized in the kitchen, perfecting your grocery list is easily one of the most practical ways you can change your eating habits. That’s where this ultimate healthy eating grocery list printable comes in. This ultimate healthy eating grocery list provides a framework for your grocery store trips. It’s time to stop feeling lost and overwhelmed at the store. Create a well-planned list (using this template) and take control of your trip.
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Not only does this list include fruits, veggies, and fresh meats, but I have also included a few (minimal/basic ingredients) convenience foods that I would buy when time and getting SOMETHING on the table are more important for my family than the extra money or preparing a 100% home-cooked meal.
Anyway, this healthy eating grocery list is perfect for beginners and those that are new to healthy eating. It will even help those who know the concepts but are looking to get more organized in their method or simply need a place to start creating their menu plan.
Note: Be sure to grab the free healthy grocery list pdf below. It’s set up to help you navigate the grocery store with success!
Here’s how the FREE PRINTABLE PDF is organized to help guide you in your meal planning and grocery shopping!
This ultimate shopping list is categorized by grocery store section including PRODUCE, PANTRY STAPLES, and FRIDGE/FREEZER. Each category is further broken into sections such as meat/eggs, packaged snacks, oils, and condiments, etc.
Do you want to limit your pesticide exposure, but want to stay within budget? Utilizing EWG’s Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen lists will help you know when to invest in organic and when to save your money. The clean fifteen list includes those items that have been tested to show fewer amounts and less likelihood of pesticide use, whereas the dirty dozen are the 12 foods that will give you the most bang for your buck by buying organic and avoiding pesticides.
The clean fifteen items on the ultimate clean eating grocery list are designated with a small C15 beside them and dirty dozen items are labeled D12. This helps you make educated decisions in the grocery store and will help you to budget your grocery money more effectively.
For example, avocados are at the top of the clean 15 list with studies showing fewer than 1% of samples having pesticides. Similarly, less than 10% of conventional onions showed pesticide residue.
On the other hand, strawberries take the number one spot on the dirty dozen list with 1/3 of all conventional strawberries containing 10 OR MORE pesticides. One sample of strawberries actually had 22 different pesticides! Spinach lands in number 2 spot on the dirty dozen list with 97% of samples containing pesticide residue and high concentrations of permethrin, a neurotoxic insecticide.
I’ve found one the biggest ways we can eat healthy day in and day out is to be prepared for anything. For me, that includes having a few convenience items on hand that I enjoy.
Do you like salad dressing, but don’t have time to take make your own? No worries! I’ve got recommendations including the brand of salad dressing I buy when I am tired of oil and vinegar or don’t feel like making my own. The list even includes some packaged foods like protein bars and frozen foods I buy for MY family (even frozen foods like the Dr. Praegars spinach littles that I occasionally fix my 15-month-old!)
This list is perfect if you are just getting started with choosing minimally processed foods as it goes through every category.
Eating healthy or “clean eating” on a budget can be a challenge, especially when buying higher quality products. However, you can certainly eat healthfully and follow a budget. In fact, it’s possible to even save money and eat healthier, especially if you have been purchasing a lot of convenience foods or eating out frequently. Here are a few steps you can follow when utilizing this grocery list on a budget:
Having a plan for your grocery shopping trip will help you to reduce impulse and last-minute purchase decisions as well as food waste. A well-thought-out grocery list is a great place to start in being intentional with your grocery budget.
Basically, it should include everything you are going to eat for the week. The ingredients you need to make meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and snacks. Making a detailed list will help you stay on track at the store and save on your grocery budget by not purchasing foods off the menu. In short, it should include a good mix of produce (veggies and fruit) for meals, proteins (meat or plant-based protein), and of course pantry staples. As you can see from my list below, I also purchase a few convenience items for those times when we get off our original plan or are truly short on time.
In general, when someone refers to clean eating they are choosing whole foods and minimal ingredient products. Think of your grocery basics like fruits, veggies, meat, and minimally processed packaged foods. When presented like this, it’s a healthy way of eating that can be easy to understand and simple to follow. This list could be considered a clean eating grocery list.
A note on clean eating: A clean eating can mean different things to different people. Describing the way we eat can be challenging since there aren’t necessarily universally agreed upon terms. However, we often have to choose a label anyway so that we can communicate! Even the term “healthy” can vary from person to person. Some experts prefer not to use the term “clean eating diet” as it can lead (not always, but it does happen) to a feeling that foods that aren’t perfectly whole or minimally processed are “dirty” or “unclean.” This can domino into disordered thought patterns and even create feelings of guilt when eating a treat or something off your usual path.
I am a huge proponent of balance, moderation, and joy with eating. I believe healthy food can should be delicious and I believe you should make peace with food. In general, I’m not one to get caught up in worrying over terminology and labels.
Enough about technicality, go get your ultimate/healthy/clean eating/real food grocery list!
Now, you may be wondering how you will start adding more healthful foods and making better choices at the store. Trust me I know, once you get in the grocery store or actually start meal planning it’s easy for ideas and motivation to fly out the window. That is why I’ve created a downloadable COMPLETELY FREE healthy grocery list for you!
Be sure to grab my ULTIMATE CLEAN EATING GROCERY LIST by clicking below.
Note on canned/packaged goods: read ingredient list when choosing products. Many may contain hidden sugar.
Note on dairy products: Choose grass-fed and organic when possible. If you know a local farmer with good farming practices this is even better.
