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Heart-healthy grocery list
Vegetables, whole grains, fish, beans and olive oil, with less salt, organized by store section.
This heart-healthy grocery list turns the American Heart Association's eating advice into a week of groceries.1 It fills the cart with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, fish and liquid plant oils, and keeps salt, added sugar and processed meat low. You don't need special products: everything here is in a regular supermarket.
Heart-healthy grocery list
From chompshopper.com/shopping-lists/heart-healthy
What is a heart-healthy diet?
It's an eating pattern, not a single rule. The American Heart Association's 2021 guidance asks for plenty of fruit and vegetables, mostly whole grains, protein mainly from plants, fish and low-fat dairy, liquid plant oils instead of butter or tropical oils, and little salt or added sugar.1 The DASH eating plan, built to lower blood pressure, follows the same lines and keeps sodium to 2,300 mg a day or, for a bigger effect, 1,500 mg.2
Foods to buy more of
- Vegetables and fruit, fresh, frozen or canned
- Whole grains like oats, brown rice and whole-wheat bread
- Beans, lentils, nuts and seeds
- Fish at least twice a week (not fried)
- Olive, canola and other liquid plant oils
Foods to skip or limit
- Processed meats like bacon, ham, hot dogs and deli meat
- Salty packaged foods, soups and sauces
- Sugary drinks and sweets
- Butter, lard and coconut or palm oil as everyday fats
- Fried foods and ultra-processed snacks
Why people choose it: It's the pattern heart and blood pressure guidance points to, it uses ordinary foods, and the whole household can eat the same meals.12
This list is general information, not medical advice. If you have heart disease, high blood pressure or kidney disease, or take medicine for them, follow your doctor's or dietitian's advice on salt, potassium and fat, because your targets may differ.
Sample heart-healthy grocery list for one week
This list covers about 7 days for 2 adults, with fish twice in the week. It's groceries only: pick your own meals from what's here.
Produce
- Baby spinach2 bags (5 oz each)
- Romaine hearts1 pack of 3
- Broccoli2 heads
- Carrots2 lb bag
- Bell peppers3
- Tomatoes4
- Onions2
- Garlic1 head
- Sweet potatoes4
- Avocados2
- Bananas1 bunch
- Apples4
- Berries2 containers
- Lemons3
- Firm tofu14 oz
Meat & Seafood
- Salmon fillets1 lb
- Trout or cod fillets1 lb
- Skinless chicken breast2 lbs
Dairy & Eggs
- Eggs1 dozen
- Plain low-fat Greek yogurt32 oz
- Low-fat milk½ gallon
Pantry & Spices
- Old-fashioned rolled oats18 oz
- Brown rice2 lb bag
- Whole-wheat pasta1 lb
- Dried lentils1 lb
- Low-sodium vegetable broth32 oz
- Unsalted almonds or walnuts8 oz
- Extra-virgin olive oil1 bottle
Bakery
- Whole-wheat bread1 loaf
Frozen
- Frozen mixed vegetables (no sauce)2 bags
- Frozen berries1 bag
Canned & Jarred
- No-salt-added black beans2 cans
- No-salt-added diced tomatoes2 cans
Heart-healthy pantry staples
Pantry & Spices
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: plain, not the flavored packets
- Brown rice or quinoa
- Whole-wheat pasta
- Extra-virgin olive oil: the everyday cooking fat
- Canola oil: for higher-heat cooking
- Balsamic or red wine vinegar: flavor without salt
- Low-sodium broth
- Unsalted almonds or walnuts
- Ground flaxseed or chia seeds: stir into oatmeal or yogurt
- Natural peanut butter: ingredients: peanuts, maybe salt
- Salt-free seasoning blend
- Garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, Italian herbs
Canned & Jarred
- No-salt-added canned beans: or rinse regular ones
- No-salt-added diced tomatoes
- Canned salmon or tuna in water
Fresh and everyday foods to buy
Produce
- Lemons and limes: a squeeze replaces a pinch of salt
- Leafy greens: spinach, kale, romaine
- Broccoli, carrots and bell peppers
- Tomatoes and onions
- Sweet potatoes: white potatoes count less as a vegetable
- Berries, apples, bananas and oranges
- Avocados
- Firm tofu
Meat & Seafood
- Salmon, trout or other fish: fresh or frozen
- Skinless chicken breast
Dairy & Eggs
- Eggs
- Plain low-fat Greek yogurt
- Low-fat or fat-free milk: or an unsweetened fortified soy milk
Frozen
- Frozen vegetables without sauce
- Frozen fruit without added sugar
Shopping tips for the heart-healthy diet
Use the %DV on the label as a shortcut.
On the Nutrition Facts label, 5% of the Daily Value or less per serving is low and 20% or more is high. Look for low numbers on sodium, saturated fat and added sugars.3
Buy "no salt added" canned goods.
Canned beans, tomatoes and vegetables are cheap and keep for months. The no-salt-added versions let you season to taste, and rinsing regular canned beans washes some salt away.
Choose fish you'll actually cook.
Frozen salmon or cod fillets thaw overnight in the fridge and cost less than fresh. Canned salmon and tuna count too.
Swap the fat, not the flavor.
Cook with olive or canola oil instead of butter, and finish dishes with lemon, vinegar, garlic or herbs instead of extra salt.
Skip the processed meats.
Bacon, ham, salami and deli meats are high in salt. Roast a chicken breast on Sunday and slice it for the week's sandwiches.
Pick plain, then add your own flavor.
Plain oats, plain yogurt and unsalted nuts cost less than flavored versions and skip the added sugar and salt.
Beginner mistakes to avoid
Watching only the salt shaker.
Most of the salt Americans eat comes from packaged and restaurant food, not the shaker.1 Check bread, soups, sauces and frozen meals.
Trusting "heart-healthy" or "natural" on the front.
Front-of-box claims don't tell you the sodium or added sugar. The Nutrition Facts label does.
Cutting all fat.
The goal is better fats, not no fat. Olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado and fish belong in the cart.
Forgetting frozen and canned produce.
Frozen and canned fruit and vegetables count. Choose ones without added sauce, salt or syrup.
Making it all or nothing.
Swap a few items each week, like whole-wheat bread for white or beans for some of the beef, rather than changing the whole cart at once.
Make your own heart-healthy grocery list
We'll fill in this week's list for you. Remove anything you already have, add your own recipes, and get one list sorted by store section.
Make my listSources
- Alice H. Lichtenstein and others, American Heart Association, 2021 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health, Circulation 144, 2021. The ten features of a heart-healthy eating pattern.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, DASH Eating Plan, Sodium of 2,300 mg a day, or 1,500 mg for a bigger drop in blood pressure.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels, 5% DV or less is low; 20% DV or more is high.