The Best Macro-Friendly Grocery List For Anti-Aging

Looking for an easy, macro-friendly grocery list that won’t lead you toward processed, inflammatory foods? Look no further!

As much as I love macro-counting to stay in shape, it’s so easy to default to packaged or processed foods.

Let’s face it – fast food and packaged foods are easier to track because nutrition labels are readily available. But that’s not always the best choice for our health.

Back in the day, I could live off Quest bars and protein snacks and hit my macro goals. Now in my 40s, I know I feel and look my best when I eat a whole-foods-based diet.

In this post, we’ve created the best nutrient-rich, whole foods to help you hit your macros, including antioxidant-rich produce, quality proteins, and healthy fats – the essential building blocks of a balanced and youthful diet.

This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you purchase a product through my link at no extra cost to you. All items are carefully curated by me and reflect my honest opinion.

Understanding Macronutrients

Macronutrients, often called “macros,” are the three main components of our diet that provide energy and are essential for overall health and fitness. These macros include:

Protein: Protein helps build and repair tissues, including muscles, bones, and skin. It also affects hormone production, enzyme function, and immune system support. Common protein sources include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Carbohydrates: Carbs are the body’s primary source of energy, providing fuel for physical activity, brain function, and various metabolic processes. They come in two forms: simple carbohydrates (sugars) found in fruits, vegetables, and sweets, and complex carbohydrates (starches and fiber) found in grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables like potatoes.
Fats: Fats are essential for maintaining cell structure, absorbing certain vitamins, and regulating hormone levels. They also provide a concentrated source of energy and support healthy brain function. Healthy fat sources include avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fatty fish, and coconut oil.

What Are Macro-Friendly Foods?

Macro-friendly foods provide a balanced combination of macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fats—while easily fitting within your daily calorie and macro targets.

When I consider something “macro-friendly,” it’s typically higher in protein, and I can easily add more or less of the food to adjust my macronutrient ratio to fit my goals.

These foods typically offer high nutritional value, keeping you satisfied and energized throughout the day. Examples include lean proteins like chicken breast or Greek yogurt, complex carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes and quinoa, and healthy fats like avocados and nuts.

Incorporating macro- and nutrient-rich foods into your diet is a great way to support your fitness goals.

What Are Anti-Aging Foods?

Anti-aging foods are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients that combat the effects of aging on your body and skin. Think whole, unprocessed foods that strengthen your body from the inside out. Adding anti-aging superfoods helps fight the signs of aging and gives you that radiant, glowing complexion.

In contrast, a typical “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM) diet often leans heavily on processed and packaged foods to hit macro targets. While these foods may fit your daily calorie and macro goals, they usually lack the essential nutrients and antioxidants in whole, unprocessed foods.

Whole foods are superior for anti-aging because they provide a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that support skin health, collagen production, and cellular repair.

By nourishing your body with nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats, you’ll help your skin stay firm, elastic, and youthful.

Additionally, anti-aging superfoods like berries, leafy greens, and fatty fish are rich in antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress, significant contributors to aging.

By adding these foods to your diet, you’re promoting skin health and supporting overall vitality and longevity.

So, in this macro-friendly grocery list, we’re skipping most processed snacks and opting for whole, nutrient-rich foods to keep our bodies running (and looking) optimally.

How to Calculate and Track Macros

Counting macros, or macronutrients, involves tracking the amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fats you consume to meet specific fitness or health goals.

To start, determine your daily calorie and macronutrient targets based on your body composition goals.

For step-by-step instructions, read “How to Count Macros the Easy Way: Complete Beginner’s Guide.”

As a quick guide for establishing how many calories you need:

1. First, calculate your daily calorie needs to maintain your weight by taking your current weight and multiplying it by 13 if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, 15 if you exercise at least 30 minutes a few times per week, or 18 if you’re active five or more days per week.

If you weigh 140lbs, for example, and are generally sedentary, 1,820 calories a day will keep you the same weight (140lbs x 13 = 1,820)

2. Adjust the calories based on your composition goal. Want to lose weight? If you’re mostly sedentary, multiply your body weight by 10-12. Aim for 12-14 times your body weight for moderate activity, and for high activity levels, shoot for 14-16 times your body weight. This should provide a solid calorie range to target for weight loss.

To gain muscle mass, you’ll want to eat above your baseline calories to create a surplus.

For this example, 140 lbs x 12 (weight loss goal / sedentary) = 1,680 calories.

3. Calculate your protein macros. Protein is the primary macro we want to focus on. Aim for .8-1 gram per pound of body weight for protein.

So, if you’re 140 lbs, you’re looking at 140 grams of protein (give or take). Since protein has 4 calories per gram, 4×140=560 calories total. You now have 1,120 calories left to allocate to carbs and fats.

4. Determine your carb and fat macros. I like to go higher on fats because I prefer them over carbs, but you can do whatever your preference is. I’ll take 1,120 calories and multiply by 40%, giving me 448 calories.

Since fat has 9 calories per gram, I divide 448 calories by 9 and get 50 grams of fat.

We have 672 calories left, and since carbs are 4 calories per gram, 672/4 = 168 carbs.

Total macros are:

1,680 calories
140 grams of protein
50 grams of fat
168 grams of carbs

Alternatively, there are TONS of macro calculators online.

Here’s the thing, though: your starting macros are just a baseline. You’ll need to track your weight or body measurements weekly to see if you’re seeing your desired changes.

Record your meals and snacks using a food tracking app, like MyFitnessPal, to monitor your daily macro intake.

To keep it easy, focus on hitting your protein target, then adjust your carb and fat intake to stay within your overall calorie limit.

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Benefits of Creating a Macro-Friendly Grocery List

Want to know a sure-fire way to fail at a macro-based diet and feel like giving up entirely? By just tracking your food, hoping you reach your macros by the end of the day.

I’ve been there and had many days of needing to cram 40 grams of protein in at the end of the night because I didn’t plan out my meals. Ugh.

By thinking through your favorite go-to foods and pre-planning a few meal ideas, you’ll set yourself up for success.

A well-thought-out grocery list also helps you make healthier choices at the grocery store, reducing the temptation to impulse buy processed or unhealthy foods.

With a macro-based approach, you’ll also have greater flexibility and variety in your meals, making it easier to stick to your goals.

How to Build A Healthy, Macro-Friendly Grocery List

Instead of leaving our macro and calorie intake to chance, let’s take a proactive approach by loosely planning a few healthy meals and snacks ready to go.

Start by dividing your macros among the number of meals you typically eat in a day.

The beauty of counting macros is that your food timing doesn’t matter. As long as you consistently hit your macros daily, it doesn’t matter how or when you get them in.

Using the same example above, our macros are:

1,680 calories
140 grams of protein
50 grams of fat
168 grams of carbs

If you aim for three meals and two snacks daily, divide by five meals. This means each time you eat, you should aim for:

336 calories
28 grams of protein
10 grams of fat
33.6 grams of carbs

Each meal may vary slightly, but this is a good rough guideline.

Now, take a few moments to list out your favorite protein, carb, and fat sources with various meal combinations.

Each week, I like to pick 2 to 3 main proteins (like chicken and lean ground beef), 2 carbs (like potatoes and rice), and fat sources (olive oil for salad dressing, avocado, etc). I’ll prep as much as possible and use them in various meals throughout the week.

I can make quick salads, stir-fries, omelets, nourishing bowls, etc., by having my main ingredients prepped and ready.

Macro-Friendly Grocery List Staples

I love counting macros because they are flexible. You can incorporate anything into your diet if you balance it throughout the day.

As I get older, I appreciate high-quality foods that contribute to healthy aging and give me optimal energy levels throughout the day. Here are my go-to macro-friendly staple foods:

High-Quality Proteins

I opt for organic and grass-fed protein sources whenever possible, but this is entirely optional. You can still build a healthy, macro-friendly, anti-aging diet around non-organic foods.

Organic Chicken Breast
Organic Chicken Thigh
Organic Pre-Made Rotisserie Chicken (such a time saver)
Organic Ground Turkey
Organic Turkey Breast
Wild Salmon
Wild Smoked Salmon
Canned Tuna in Water
White Fish (Mahi Mahi, Cod)
Wild Shrimp
Organic Pasture Raised Eggs
Organic Egg Whites
Organic Hard Boiled Eggs
Grass Fed Beef
Ground Bison
Grass Fed Sirloin
Organic Greek Yogurt
Organic Ricotta
Organic Cottage Cheese
Clean Protein Powder (I like Sun Warrior Vegan Protein Powder)
Collagen Peptides (My favorite is the Vital Proteins Collagen Powder)

Clean Carbs

Carbs give us energy and fuel workouts. Don’t be afraid of carbs! It’s important to note that carbs can come from grains, fruits, and even candy. I build my “base” meals around whole grains and clean, simple carbs. Then, I leave a little room for a few fun snacks like rice cakes, tortilla chips, etc.

Organic Oats
Potatoes (all kinds)
Beans and Legumes (all kinds)
Rice (all kinds)
Quinoa
Sourdough Bread
Ezekiel Bread
Brown Rice Pasta
Brown Rice Crackers (Mary’s Gone Crackers are my favorite)
Plain Popcorn
Siete Tortilla Chips
Birch Benders Paleo Pancake Mix
Plain Rice Cakes (I also love Quaker’s caramel rice cakes for a sweet treat)
Fresh Berries
Frozen Berries for Smoothies
Pomegranate Seeds
All Fruit
Dried Fruit (no sugar added)
Medjool Dates
All Vegetables and Leafy Greens (negligible amount of carbs)

Nourishing Fats

Incorporating healthy fats into a macro-based diet is essential for hormone balance, energy production, and satiety. These foods have the essential fatty acids to keep your hair, skin, and nails looking great, too.

Avocados
Olive Oil
Avocado Oil
Coconut Oil
Olives
Raw Parmesan Cheese
Gress-fed Butter
Organic Peanut Butter (Natural, no added sugar or oil)
Organic Raw Almond Butter (Natural, no added sugar or oil)
Walnuts
Almonds
Brazil Nuts
Chia Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Hummus
Dark Chocolate (Favorite Brand: HU Chocolate)

Extra Foods

Some other items that don’t quite fit into a macro but I like incorporating into my daily diet:

Kimchi
Sauerkraut
Pickles
Green Tea
Organic Coffee
Sparkling Water for Mocktails (Related: The Best Low-Sugar Mocktails With Guaranteed Anti-Aging Benefits)
Lemons/Limes
Honey
Stevia
Organic Maple Syrup
Fresh herbs and spices
Tumeric
Ginger

Macro-Friendly Meals

Now that you have a solid list of food choices, begin picking your favorite foods and create meals based on your specific needs.

For meal planning, I choose a couple of proteins and carbohydrates and rotate fresh produce based on the season. I like to start with a high-protein selection and then layer in my carbs and fats.

Here are some great options for go-to balanced meals and snacks:

Greek Yogurt + Berries + Chia Seeds
Protein Overnight Oats: Greek Yogurt + Oats + Protein Powder
Smoothie: Protein Powder + Yogurt + Berries + Greens
Eggs + Ezekiel Bread + Nut Butter
Chicken + Rice + Avocado + Kimchi
Lean Ground Beef + Salad Mix + Rice + Avocado
Grass Fed Beef Burger + Sweet Potato Fries + Salad with Olive Oil
Grass Fed Beef + Roasted Potatoes + Green Beans
Ground Turkey Meatballs + Rice + Mixed Vegetables
Teriyaki Salmon + Rice + Edamame + Avocado
Chicken + Orzo Rice + Feta Cheese + Greek Olives + Broccoli
Cilantro Shrimp + Rice + Black Beans + Salad

Pick your favorite marinades or low calorie sauces, and you can create endless delicious meals.

Macro Diet Tools and Resources To Help You Stay On Track

Planning and preparation is the key to staying consistent and seeing results.

I’ve found that when I’m busy or fail to plan my meals, I tend to snack aimlessly and lose track of my macros for the day.

With over 15 years of experience counting macros, here are my favorite tools and strategies for staying on track.

Macro Counting App: MyFitnessPal (free). I use the paid version, which gives you an ad-free experience and better tracking ability. The free version is great, though.
Macro Calculator: I use this as a starting point and then adjust up or down after 2-3 weeks if I’m not seeing results.
Food Scale: This is a must for tracking your portion sizes, especially in the beginning. Once you get used to your portion sizes, you can estimate. Accuracy is key if you’re serious about changing your body composition.
Blender: A must-have for protein shakes, sauces, soups, and more.
Meal Prep Containers: I love these for proportioning meals throughout the week. When I’m ready to eat, I grab a pre-made meal from the fridge – easy!
Body Weight Scale: Nowadays, people say toss the scale away. I disagree. While I don’t obsess over the number, weighing myself daily and then averaging the weekly # tells me if I’m on track with my goals. It’s simply a consistent data point.

Building a macro-friendly grocery list for anti-aging is a simple way to fuel your body from the inside out. Stick with nutrient-dense foods packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and healthy fats to boost your fitness, health, and skin. Stay consistent, and you’ll see the results.

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