Here is a new handout that gives folks an essential healthy shopping list for a healthy eating plan.

• It uses common, inexpensive ingredients that are minimally processed.

• A food group layout helps folks understand how to make a balanced eating plan.

• It can be a checklist to see what you need for the week.

• It is easy to mix and match items from each food group to make a MyPlate meal.

• Items are relatively inexpensive in most markets.

• Sauces and cooking methods can be adopted for cultural preferences and diversity.

• If these items are purchased as unprocessed ingredients, most are low in sodium, too.

Click the image below to download the printable PDF Healthy Shopping List.

Here are a few meals you can make with these items.

1. Roasted: roast a chicken with yams and brussels sprouts (seasonal choice) and in about 1-1.5 hours all items are done together.

2. Chili - combine tomatoes, onions, beans, and lean poultry or meat to make a delicious chili. Serve over brown rice.

3. Omelet - make a large vegetable omelet for dinner. Serve with whole-grain toast.

4. Stir fry dinner - stir-fry veggies, peanuts, soy sauce, and lean protein. Serve over brown rice.

5. Baked seafood. Bake fish, and cook quinoa according to package directions. Steam veggies in the microwave.

6. Large entree salads with chopped veggies, cooked protein, leftover potatoes, or grains.

7. Sheet pan meals where you roast many items with similar cooking times on a pan.

8. Soups featuring veggies, grains, and protein. Minestrone or chowder is one example. But bean soups are so delicious, too.

The key to simple, healthful meals is to have a variety of ingredients on hand. Choose an item from each food group, cook, serve, and enjoy!

Want more resources? Here are menu planning tools in the Nutrition Education Store: