Produce: Avg PS under 1.5
Meat and Seafood: Avg PS 1.5 - 3.0
Dairy (plain items): Avg PS 2.0 - 4.0
Bakery (fresh-baked): Avg PS 4.0 - 8.0
Ultra Processed Food Shopping Guide
A complete, store-by-store and department-by-department strategy for navigating any grocery store while minimizing ultra-processed foods in your cart.
12 min read•Shopping Guide•Store Navigation
The Perimeter Principle: How Grocery Stores Are Designed
Nearly every grocery store in North America follows the same basic layout, and understanding it is your single biggest advantage. The perimeter -- the outer ring of the store -- houses fresh produce, dairy, meat, seafood, and bakery departments. These sections contain foods that require refrigeration or have short shelf lives, which almost by definition means they are less processed. The center aisles, by contrast, are engineered for shelf stability: the longer a product can sit on a shelf without spoiling, the more processing it has generally undergone.
This does not mean everything on the perimeter is minimally processed or everything in center aisles is ultra-processed. Flavored yogurts on the perimeter can score above 10 on our Processing Scale, while canned beans and dried lentils in center aisles score a perfect 1.0. The perimeter-first approach is a starting framework, not an absolute rule. Use it to structure your trip, then apply ingredient-level scrutiny within each department.
Perimeter Departments
Center Aisle Traps
Snack aisle: Avg PS 10.0 - 16.0
Frozen meals: Avg PS 9.0 - 14.0
Breakfast cereal: Avg PS 7.0 - 13.0
Candy and confections: Avg PS 12.0 - 20.0+
Pro tip: Start your shopping trip in the produce section and work counterclockwise around the perimeter. By the time you reach center aisles, your cart is already half full of whole foods, which naturally limits how much processed food you add. This simple routing change can reduce your ultra-processed food purchases by 30 to 40 percent without any other behavioral changes.
Store-by-Store Overview
Not all grocery stores are created equal when it comes to minimally processed options. Each retailer has different store brand quality, product curation standards, and departmental strengths. Below is an overview of the six major US retailers with links to our in-depth store-specific guides.
Whole Foods Market
Store brand 365 Everyday Value averages a Processing Score of 3.9 across nearly 5,000 products. Strongest in frozen vegetables (PS 1.3), nuts and seeds (PS 3.5), and dairy (PS 2.3). Premium pricing, but unmatched product curation standards that ban over 250 ingredients outright.
Read the Whole Foods Guide →Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's store brand averages a Processing Score of 4.2 with an above-average Nutrition Score of 5.7. Smaller store footprint means a more curated selection. Particularly strong in frozen meals that use fewer additives than national brands, and in nuts, dried fruits, and pantry staples.
Read the Trader Joe's Guide →Costco
Kirkland Signature averages a Processing Score of 4.2. Bulk buying works in your favor for minimally processed staples like olive oil, nuts, frozen fruit, and canned goods. The key risk at Costco is oversized packages of highly processed snacks and convenience foods.
Read the Costco Guide →Target
Good & Gather averages a Processing Score of 4.3 across over 9,000 products, making it one of the largest and most competitive store brands. Strong in dairy, frozen vegetables, and pantry staples. The grocery section has expanded significantly and now rivals traditional supermarkets.
Read the Target Guide →Walmart
Great Value averages a Processing Score of 7.5 across 21,000+ products. Higher overall processing reflects the massive product range including heavily processed categories. However, Great Value excels in basics: frozen vegetables (PS 1.9), beans (PS 4.4), rice, and cooking oils (PS 1.2).
Read the Walmart Guide →Aldi
Aldi's private label brands offer competitive pricing with a curated selection. The smaller store format means less temptation from endless snack aisles. Strong in produce, dairy staples, and frozen vegetables. The Simply Nature organic line provides solid minimally processed options.
Read the Aldi Guide →Key insight: The gap between the best and worst store brands is dramatic. 365 Everyday Value (PS 3.9) scores nearly half the processing level of Great Value (PS 7.5). But even at higher-scoring stores, specific departments and product categories offer excellent minimally processed options. The store matters less than knowing which aisles and products to target within it.
Store Comparison: Best Departments by Retailer
This table highlights which stores offer the strongest minimally processed options in key departments. Use it to decide where to shop for specific categories, or to prioritize departments at your regular store.
| Department | Whole Foods | Trader Joe's | Costco | Target | Walmart | Aldi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Produce | Excellent | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good |
| Frozen Vegetables | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Good | Good |
| Dairy | Excellent | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Good |
| Bakery | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Poor | Fair |
| Snacks | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Poor | Fair |
| Beverages | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Poor | Fair |
| Pantry Staples | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Good | Good |
Reading the table: "Excellent" means the store's own brand products in that department average a Processing Score under 3.0. "Good" is under 5.0. "Fair" is under 8.0. "Poor" means the department average exceeds 8.0, indicating widespread ultra-processing. Even stores rated "Poor" in a department will have individual products that score well -- use our product search to find them.
Department-by-Department Strategy
Regardless of which store you shop at, these department-level strategies apply universally. Each department has predictable patterns for where minimally processed options cluster and where ultra-processed products dominate.
Produce Department
The safest department in any store. Whole fruits and vegetables are inherently minimally processed. The only items requiring scrutiny are pre-cut, pre-washed, and packaged salad mixes, which may contain preservative rinses, and fruit cups packed in syrup. Stick with whole, unpackaged produce whenever possible. Frozen produce is equally nutritious -- often more so, since it is flash-frozen at peak ripeness -- and contains no additives.
Best picks: Any whole fruit or vegetable, bagged frozen vegetables and fruits (check for no added sauces), fresh herbs.
Dairy Department
Dairy varies enormously. Plain milk, butter, plain yogurt, and block cheese are minimally processed. Flavored yogurts, processed cheese slices, flavored creamers, and whipped toppings can be heavily processed with added sugars, artificial flavors, gums, and preservatives. The key rule: the plainer the dairy product, the lower the processing score. Check out our analysis of whether yogurt is ultra-processed for a detailed breakdown.
Best picks: Plain whole milk yogurt, block cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, swiss), butter (cream and salt only), plain milk or cream.
Bakery Department
One of the trickiest departments. Even "fresh-baked" bread from the in-store bakery frequently contains dough conditioners, preservatives, and emulsifiers like DATEM and mono- and diglycerides. Commercial bread is one of the most consistently ultra-processed staple foods. Look for breads with 5 or fewer ingredients: flour, water, yeast, salt, and possibly olive oil or honey. Our analysis of whether bread is ultra-processed reveals that even whole wheat breads at major retailers average a Processing Score above 9.0.
Best picks: Sourdough from artisan bakeries, tortillas with 5 or fewer ingredients, bakery-fresh items with short ingredient lists.
Frozen Department
The frozen section is a tale of two extremes. Plain frozen fruits and vegetables are among the least processed foods in the entire store, averaging a Processing Score of 1.5 to 2.5. Frozen dinners, pizzas, breakfast items, and ice cream, on the other hand, are among the most processed, frequently scoring above 12.0. Navigate this department by heading straight for the plain frozen produce and ignoring the prepared meal aisles unless you have specific vetted products.
Best picks: Frozen berries, frozen vegetable medleys (no sauce), frozen fish fillets (plain), frozen shrimp (plain).
Snack Aisle
The highest-risk department in any grocery store. Chips, crackers, cookies, candy, and granola bars almost universally contain multiple ultra-processing markers: artificial flavors, preservatives, emulsifiers, and industrial sweeteners. If you must shop this aisle, look for products with short ingredient lists where you recognize every ingredient. Nuts, seeds, dried fruit without added sugar, and simple popcorn (kernels, oil, salt) are the exceptions.
Best picks: Plain nuts and seeds, air-popped popcorn, dried fruit with no added sugar, dark chocolate (70%+ cacao with 3-4 ingredients).
Beverage Aisle
Sodas, energy drinks, flavored waters, and juice "cocktails" are consistently among the most processed items in any store. Even products marketed as healthy -- vitamin waters, sports drinks, kombucha with added sugar -- frequently contain artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and artificial colors. Stick with water, plain sparkling water, plain tea, and black coffee. If you drink juice, choose 100% juice with no added ingredients.
Best picks: Water, plain sparkling water, unsweetened tea, 100% fruit juice (in moderation), plain coffee.
Shopping Under Time Constraints
The number one reason people reach for ultra-processed foods is convenience. When you have 20 minutes to shop after work, reading every ingredient list is not realistic. The solution is preparation and systems, not willpower.
The 15-Minute Shopping Trip
- 1. Head straight to produce. Grab 3-4 vegetables and 2-3 fruits. (3 minutes)
- 2. Hit the dairy wall. Plain yogurt, block cheese, eggs, butter. (2 minutes)
- 3. Frozen vegetables aisle. Grab 2-3 bags of plain frozen vegetables or fruit. (2 minutes)
- 4. One targeted center aisle trip: beans, rice, pasta, olive oil. (3 minutes)
- 5. Meat or seafood counter if needed. Plain cuts only. (3 minutes)
- 6. Checkout. Skip the impulse buy zone entirely. (2 minutes)
Build Your Safe List
A "safe list" is a personal roster of 20 to 30 products you have already vetted and can grab without reading labels each trip. Maintain it as a note on your phone. A strong safe list should include:
- 5-7 produce staples you always buy
- 3-4 proteins (fresh or frozen)
- 3-4 dairy items (plain, minimal ingredients)
- 4-5 pantry staples (beans, rice, pasta, oil)
- 2-3 frozen vegetable varieties
- 2-3 approved snacks (nuts, dried fruit, etc.)
Use our product search to find and vet products before your next trip.
Warning: The checkout aisle is engineered to trigger impulse purchases of candy, chips, and sodas -- all ultra-processed. Most stores now offer candy-free checkout lanes. Seek them out, or simply keep your eyes on your phone while waiting in line.
Budget-Friendly Strategies
A persistent myth holds that avoiding ultra-processed food is expensive. In reality, the least processed foods are often the cheapest per serving. The perception of expense comes from comparing processed convenience foods to whole foods without accounting for servings per dollar. A bag of dried lentils costs under $2 and provides 12+ servings. A box of frozen processed dinners costs $5 and provides one serving.
For a comprehensive analysis of budget-friendly shopping strategies, including store brand comparisons and specific product recommendations, see our Budget Healthy Shopping Guide.
Cheapest Minimally Processed Foods
Dried beans and lentilsPS: 1.0
Rice (brown or white)PS: 1.0
Oats (rolled or steel-cut)PS: 1.0
Whole wheat pastaPS: 1.0
Frozen vegetablesPS: 2.2
Canned beans (no additives)PS: 3.9
EggsPS: 1.0
Bananas and seasonal fruitPS: 1.0
Budget Strategy Principles
- Buy in bulk: Costco and warehouse stores offer the best per-unit prices on staples like olive oil, nuts, and grains.
- Store brands win: Store brand staples (beans, rice, frozen vegetables) are typically identical to national brands at 30-50% lower prices.
- Seasonal produce: Buy fruits and vegetables in season for the lowest prices and best flavor. Freeze extras for later use.
- Skip processed snacks: A $4 bag of chips provides empty calories. That same $4 buys 3 pounds of bananas or 2 pounds of dried beans.
- Batch cook: Preparing beans, grains, and soups in bulk on weekends is cheaper and less processed than any convenience food.
The math: A week of meals built around rice, beans, frozen vegetables, eggs, and seasonal produce costs $25-35 for one person with average Processing Scores under 3.0. The same person eating convenience foods (frozen dinners, packaged snacks, fast food) spends $60-80 with average Processing Scores above 10.0. Eating less processed is literally half the cost.
Online Grocery Shopping Tips
Online grocery shopping offers a significant advantage for avoiding ultra-processed foods: you can read ingredient lists carefully at home without time pressure, build and save reusable shopping lists, and avoid the impulse purchases that physical stores are designed to trigger. However, it also introduces new challenges, primarily around produce quality and substitutions.
Advantages of Online Ordering
- No impulse buys: You do not walk past the candy aisle, the chip display, or the checkout temptations. Research shows online shoppers buy 20% fewer snack and convenience items.
- Ingredient checking: Most online grocery platforms display full ingredient lists. You can research products at your pace instead of squinting at tiny labels in a crowded store.
- Saved lists: Build a master list of vetted products. Reorder your safe list with one click each week, adding only fresh produce and specific needs.
- Comparison shopping: Easy to compare ingredient lists between brands before committing.
Watch Out For Substitutions
When your chosen product is out of stock, the store or shopper will substitute a similar item. A plain yogurt might get swapped for a flavored one. Whole wheat bread might get replaced with white bread. Always set your substitution preferences to "no substitution" for products where the processing level matters to you, or add notes requesting only items with similar ingredient profiles.
Seasonal and Local Options
Farmers markets, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) boxes, and seasonal buying are among the most reliable ways to fill your kitchen with minimally processed food. Local and seasonal produce requires no preservatives, no wax coatings, and no long-distance shipping -- it goes from farm to table in days rather than weeks.
Farmers Market Strategy
- Arrive early for the best selection of seasonal produce
- Buy direct from producers who can tell you exactly what is in their products
- Look for local dairy, eggs, and meat with transparent sourcing
- Many markets accept SNAP benefits and offer matching programs
- Bring your own bags and a cooler for dairy and meat purchases
CSA Boxes
- Weekly or biweekly boxes of seasonal produce delivered or available for pickup
- Forces variety and seasonal eating -- both linked to lower processing
- Often cheaper per pound than grocery store organic produce
- Some CSAs offer add-ons: eggs, bread, dairy, and meat from local farms
- Great for building meals around what is fresh rather than what is convenient
Preservation tip: When seasonal produce is abundant and cheap, buy extra and preserve it yourself. Blanching and freezing vegetables, making jams with minimal sugar, and dehydrating fruits gives you minimally processed options year-round. Home preservation with known ingredients will always score lower on processing than commercial equivalents. Browse our category pages to see processing scores for canned and preserved commercial products.
Building Your Personal Safe List
The most effective long-term strategy for avoiding ultra-processed foods is not memorizing every bad ingredient -- it is building a reliable roster of products you trust and can repurchase without thinking. We call this your "safe list." Once established, grocery shopping becomes fast, stress-free, and consistently low-processing.
Step 1: Audit Your Current Purchases
Look at the last 10-15 items you purchased. Use our product search to check their Processing Scores. You will likely find that some of your regular buys score well (under 5.0) and others score poorly (above 10.0). Keep the good ones. Replace the bad ones using the label reading guide to evaluate alternatives.
Step 2: Find Replacements Category by Category
Do not try to overhaul your entire diet at once. Pick one category per week and find a better alternative. Week one: replace your bread. Week two: swap your yogurt. Week three: find a better snack. Within two months you will have rebuilt your entire regular shopping list with lower-processing options. Use the ingredients to avoid guide to know what to watch for.
Step 3: Lock In Your List
Once you have found 20-30 products that meet your standards, save them in a note on your phone or use your grocery store's app to create a saved list. Reorder this same list each week, only adding fresh produce and proteins as needed. This approach eliminates decision fatigue and makes avoiding ultra-processed food automatic rather than effortful.
Sample Safe List Template
Produce (7-8 items)
- Bananas
- Apples
- Spinach or mixed greens
- Broccoli
- Sweet potatoes
- Onions
- Garlic
- Seasonal fruit
Pantry (6-7 items)
- Brown rice
- Whole wheat pasta
- Canned black beans
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Rolled oats
- Dried lentils
Refrigerated (6-7 items)
- Plain whole milk yogurt
- Block cheddar cheese
- Eggs
- Butter
- Chicken breasts or thighs
- Frozen vegetable medley
- Frozen berries
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the single most effective strategy for avoiding ultra-processed foods while grocery shopping?
Shop the perimeter first. In virtually every grocery store layout, the least-processed foods line the outer walls: fresh produce, dairy, meat, seafood, and bakery. The center aisles hold the majority of ultra-processed packaged goods. Starting your trip on the perimeter ensures the foundation of your cart is whole and minimally processed food. Then make targeted trips into center aisles only for specific staples like canned beans, rice, oats, and oils where you already know which brands and products meet your standards. Our analysis of nearly 2 million products confirms this pattern: perimeter department products average a Processing Score under 4.0, while center-aisle snack and convenience categories average above 10.0.
Which grocery store is best for avoiding ultra-processed foods?
Whole Foods consistently offers the lowest average processing scores across its store brand products, with 365 Everyday Value averaging a Processing Score of 3.9. However, every major retailer has minimally processed options if you know where to look. Trader Joe's store brand averages 4.2, Costco's Kirkland Signature averages 4.2, and Target's Good & Gather averages 4.3. Even Walmart's Great Value brand, which averages 7.5 overall, scores excellently in staple categories like frozen vegetables (1.9) and canned beans (4.4). The best store for you depends on your budget, location, and which departments you shop most. Use our store-specific guides for detailed breakdowns.
How can I shop for less processed food on a tight budget?
The least processed foods are often the cheapest per serving. Dried beans, lentils, rice, oats, and whole wheat pasta all score perfect or near-perfect Processing Scores of 1.0 and cost pennies per serving. Frozen vegetables are flash-frozen at peak freshness with no additives, scoring an average Processing Score of 2.2, and cost significantly less than fresh produce with virtually no nutrient loss. Store brand staples regularly outperform expensive national brands on processing scores. Our budget shopping guide shows that a week of minimally processed meals for one person can cost as little as $25 by building around these foundation foods.
How do I handle time constraints when trying to avoid ultra-processed foods?
Build a "safe list" of 20 to 30 go-to products you can grab without reading labels every trip. Maintain a running list on your phone of products you have already vetted. Use batch shopping to stock up on shelf-stable staples like canned beans, rice, and frozen vegetables so you always have minimally processed options at home. For truly rushed trips, focus on single-ingredient items -- a bag of apples, a block of cheese, a can of beans -- which are always minimally processed. Online grocery ordering also helps because you can build and save shopping lists at home without the time pressure of being in-store.
Are organic products always less processed than conventional ones?
No. The organic label certifies how ingredients were grown or raised, not how much industrial processing the final product underwent. An organic cookie made with organic cane sugar, organic palm oil, organic soy lecithin, and organic natural flavors is still ultra-processed. Our data shows that organic store brands like O Organics (Processing Score 3.4) do tend to have lower processing scores on average, but this reflects a product selection bias -- organic brands tend to focus on simpler products. Always check the ingredient list regardless of organic certification. A conventional product with 3 recognizable ingredients is less processed than an organic product with 15 ingredients including emulsifiers and flavors.
Continue Your Shopping Education
How to Read Food Labels →
Master the full nutrition label with practical tips and real product examples
How to Reduce Ultra Processed Food →
Step-by-step plan for gradually lowering UPF in your daily diet
Budget Healthy Shopping →
Detailed store brand comparisons and the cheapest minimally processed products
Disclaimer: All tools and data visualizations are provided for educational and informational purposes only. They are not intended as health, medical, or dietary advice. Product formulations change frequently — always check the actual label for current ingredients and nutrition facts before making purchasing decisions. Consult healthcare professionals for personalized dietary guidance.