“Whole foods” that are nutrient dense rather than “processed foods” that are energy dense. What is the difference between the two? Well, nutrient dense foods provide nutrients for your body such as fiber, vitamins and minerals with low added sugar and fat, while energy dense foods, or high calorie foods, provide many calories with little value to your body. 

A whole food would be considered, ideally, as a food with only one ingredient i.e. corn, apple, chicken or a cucumber, a broccoli. These foods will assist you in reducing your cholesterol, regulating your blood sugars and reducing risk for diabetes while also assisting you in maintaining your weight. A processed food is any food with more than one ingredient, and food companies typically add additional sugars, preservatives, dyes and “bad” fats such as saturated and trans fats. 

A perfect example would be a baked potato (one ingredient) compared to instant mashed potatoes containing POTATO FLAKES (SODIUM BISULFITE, BHA AND CITRIC ACID ADDED TO PROTECT COLOR AND FLAVOR), CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: MONOGLYCERIDES, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, NATURAL FLAVOR, SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, BUTTEROIL
See below for foods to look for at the grocery store, and foods to avoid:

Fruits and Vegetables
Whole foods: fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables, frozen fruits, unsalted nuts
Processed foods to avoid: fruit or vegetable juices, fruits canned in heavy syrup, fruit snacks/fruit roll ups, veggie or potato chips, salted/seasoned nuts

Meats
Whole foods: fresh lean meats, fresh fish/shellfish, eggs
Processed foods to avoid: bacon, sausage, chicken fingers, fish sticks, hot dogs, deli meats, potted meats and spam

Dairy
Whole foods: low-fat milk (skim or 1%), plain yogurt, low-fat cheese and cottage cheese.-WTN