A healthy grocery list

Start by checking your fridge, freezer and cupboards. Choose two or three meals you want to make, then buy the missing ingredients. This is a menu of ideas, not a list you need to buy in full.

Vegetables & fruit

• □ Carrots, leafy greens or cabbage
• □ Apples, bananas or seasonal fruit
• □ Frozen peas, mixed vegetables or berries

Protein foods

• □ Eggs, fish, chicken or tofu
• □ Tinned beans, chickpeas or lentils
• □ Plain yoghurt or a suitable alternative

Grains & starchy foods

• □ Oats and wholegrain bread
• □ Brown rice or wholewheat pasta
• □ Potatoes

Useful extras

• □ Olive or rapeseed oil
• □ Unsalted nuts or seeds, if suitable
• □ Tinned tomatoes, herbs and spices

Turn ingredients into simple meals

• Oats with yoghurt and fruit.
• Beans on wholegrain toast, with a vegetable you enjoy.
• Tofu, chicken or fish with rice and frozen vegetables.
• Lentil and tomato soup with bread.

Keep it flexible

Swap ingredients for allergies, culture and taste. Choose quantities based on the meals you plan to make. Frozen and tinned options can reduce preparation and waste; compare labels where useful.

A balanced eating pattern includes different food groups across the day or week. Each meal does not have to look perfect. See the NHS Eatwell Guide.

If you follow a prescribed diet, use your clinician’s or dietitian’s guidance when adapting this list.

Explore the Healthy Agers plate or read the meal-planning article.