Key takeaways
- The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines focus on whole foods: protein at every meal, about 3 servings of vegetables and 2 of fruit a day on a 2,000-calorie diet, whole grains, and fewer highly processed foods.
- Pick lower-mercury fish, like salmon, sardines, shrimp and canned light tuna, for most of your seafood.
- Mix up your grains so rice isn’t an everyday food. When you buy rice, basmati and sushi rice tested lowest in arsenic in 2026.
- Spend your organic budget on the Dirty Dozen produce you eat most, and buy the Clean Fifteen conventional.
The basics behind this list
The federal Dietary Guidelines for 2025–2030 came out in January 2026. Their main message is to eat real, whole foods and cut back on highly processed ones.[1]
1.2–1.6 g
of protein per kilogram of body weight a day, or about 0.54–0.73 g per pound[1]
3 + 2
servings of vegetables and fruit a day, for a 2,000-calorie diet[1]
2–4
servings of whole grains a day, depending on your calorie needs[1]
This list adds one more layer: picks that lower heavy metals and pesticide residues, from the FDA, EPA and independent testing. Use it as a menu, not a rulebook. You don’t need everything on it every week.
Produce
Buy organic when you can (2026 Dirty Dozen)
- Spinach
- Kale, collard and mustard greens
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Peaches and nectarines
- Cherries
- Apples
- Pears
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Potatoes
Lower in residues, fine to buy conventional (2026 Clean Fifteen)
- Avocados
- Papayas
- Pineapple
- Sweet corn
- Onions
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Asparagus
- Carrots
- Mushrooms
- Bananas
- Mangoes
- Kiwi
- Watermelon
- Frozen peas
Also great
- Broccoli
- Bell peppers
- Tomatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Zucchini
- Oranges
- Lemons and limes
- Garlic
Organic berries and spinach are often easier to find frozen; compare unit prices, since frozen can cost less and cut waste. For the full rankings, see the 2026 Dirty Dozen.[2]
Protein
The guidelines call for protein at every meal, from both animal and plant sources.[1]
Seafood: lower-mercury picks
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Shrimp
- Canned light tuna
- Cod
- Pollock
- Tilapia
- Scallops
- Freshwater trout
Meat, poultry and eggs
- Eggs
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Lean beef
- Pork tenderloin
Plant protein
- Lentils
- Black beans
- Chickpeas
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Edamame
- Nuts and seeds
Skip the highest-mercury fish, like swordfish, shark, king mackerel and bigeye tuna.[3] More in mercury in fish. Beans and lentils can carry glyphosate, so buy them organic when it fits your budget. See glyphosate in food.
Dairy
Dairy
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Plain yogurt or kefir
- Milk
- Cottage cheese
- Cheese
The guidelines recommend dairy without added sugar, including full-fat options, at about 3 servings a day for a 2,000-calorie diet. They still cap saturated fat at 10% of daily calories.[1] Plain yogurt with fruit has no added sugar. Flavored yogurts vary, so check the label.
Grains
Whole grains to rotate
- Oats (organic or residue-free)
- Quinoa
- Whole-grain (hulled) barley
- Whole-grain farro
- Bulgur
- Whole-wheat bread
- Whole-wheat pasta
- Whole-grain corn tortillas
- Popcorn
Rice: choose and cook with care
- Basmati
- Sushi rice
- Brown rice, cooked in extra water
Rice takes up more arsenic than other grains. Rotating grains and cooking rice in extra water both help.[4] In Consumer Reports’ 2026 tests, basmati and sushi rice had the least inorganic arsenic.[6] See arsenic in rice and glyphosate-free oats.
Pantry, fats and drinks
Pantry
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Nut butter without added sugar
- Canned beans
- Canned tomatoes
- Low-sodium broth
- Vinegar
- Herbs and spices
- Chia or flax seeds
Drinks
- Water
- Sparkling water
- Unsweetened tea
- Coffee
Buy less often
- Soda and sweet drinks
- Chips and cookies
- Candy
- Foods with artificial dyes
The guidelines name water as the main drink and list chips, cookies, candy and sugar-sweetened drinks as highly processed foods to avoid.[1]
Questions people ask
- What should be on a healthy grocery list?
- Vegetables and fruit (about 3 and 2 servings a day on a 2,000-calorie diet), a protein for each meal (fish, eggs, poultry, meat, beans, lentils or tofu), dairy without added sugar, whole grains, healthy fats like olive oil and nuts, and water as your main drink. Buy fewer highly processed snacks and sweet drinks.
- Which produce should I buy organic?
- If you can’t buy all your produce organic, focus on the Dirty Dozen items you eat most. In 2026 those are spinach; kale, collard and mustard greens; strawberries; grapes; nectarines; peaches; cherries; apples; blackberries; pears; potatoes; and blueberries.
- Which fish are best to buy?
- Salmon, sardines, shrimp, canned light tuna, cod, pollock, tilapia, scallops and freshwater trout are all on the FDA and EPA best-choices list for low mercury. Avoid swordfish, shark, king mackerel and bigeye tuna.
- How can I eat healthy on a budget?
- Lean on low-cost staples like eggs, oats, canned beans, lentils, frozen vegetables and canned light tuna. Put your organic budget toward the Dirty Dozen foods you eat most, and compare unit prices on frozen and fresh produce.
Sources
- [1]U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030. January 2026.
- [2]Environmental Working Group. EWG’s 2026 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. March 2026.
- [3]U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency. Advice about eating fish. revised October 2021.
- [4]U.S. Food and Drug Administration. What you can do to limit exposure to arsenic. accessed October 2026.
- [5]U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA alert concerning certain cinnamon products due to presence of elevated levels of lead. March 2024.
- [6]Consumer Reports. Arsenic in rice: how to reduce your risk. July 2026, updated August 2026.
This article is for general information. It is not medical advice and does not replace a doctor, dietitian or pediatrician. Purus gives estimates for general information; it is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat or prevent any condition.
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