Healthy Foods to Keep in Your Kitchen
Eating healthy can take some planning. But stocking your kitchen with healthy foods can help.
Before you head to the store or put in a grocery order, think about some healthy recipes and meals that you and your family enjoy. Look at the ingredients you will need and add them to your shopping list. Also, plan to get some healthy snacks and anything you might need to make quick meals on busy days.
As you prepare your shopping list, think about small changes you can make to meals to make them healthier. For example, you can add more veggies to your dinner plate or use beans instead of red meat in a recipe. These improvement can help lower your risk of cancer and other health problems.
Fruits and vegetables
- Whole or chopped vegetables in a variety of colors
- Green, leafy vegetables
- Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruits
- Onions
- Potatoes
- Canned or fresh tomatoes
- Tomato sauces
- Salsa
Proteins
- Chicken
- Ground turkey breast
- Fresh, frozen, or canned fish and seafood
- Canned or dried beans, peas and lentils
- Tofu or tempeh
- Nuts and nut butters
- Eggs or egg substitute
Dairy and dairy alternatives
- Low or non-fat milk or soy-based milk alternatives
- Low or non-fat yogurt
- Reduced-fat cheeses
- Reduced-fat sour cream
- Low-fat cream cheese
Whole grains
- Whole-grain pasta
- Brown rice or wild rice mixes
- Whole-wheat or corn tortillas
- Whole-grain breads
- Whole -grain crackers
Ingredients for recipes
- Reduced-salt chicken broth
- Vegetable broth
- Garlic
- Healthy oils like olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil
- Non-fat cooking spray
- Vinegars
- Herbs and spices or other low-salt flavorings
- Written by
- References
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Choose Healthy Fats. Eatright.org. Accessed at https://www.eatright.org/food/food-groups/fats/choose-healthy-fats on August 4, 2025.
US Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. Accessed at https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/ on August 18, 2025.
US Department of Agriculture, Eat healthy with MyPlate. Accessed at https://www.myplate.gov/ on August 18, 2025.
Last Revised: August 20, 2025
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
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