Is a healthy food just about the nutritional label? Many would say "yes," but a group within the non-profit Prevention Institute says "no." In it's hot-off-the-press report, Setting the Record Straight: Nutritionists Define Healthful Food, the organization offers up a new working definition of healthful food, and it has nothing to do with those 'low-fat' labels in the grocery store.

Over at Food Politics, nutritional expert Marion Nestle recently explained the new definition operates around three principles -- namely, healthful food should be:

• Wholesome
• Produced in ways that are good for people, animals and natural resources
• Available, accessible and affordable

Makes perfect sense to me, but how can this definition transfer to real policy change to re-tool the food industry, or influence how we shop in the grocery store? I shot off an e-mail to Nestle with a similar question. She sees the new definition as "the opening salvo in the anti-processed food movement." Nestle explained in an e-mail that the new definition requires us to rethink food choices, tying what we put in our mouths to climate change, environmental degradation and poverty. Yet tossing solely Wholesome choices in the grocery cart isn't always possible for my family -- three to four nights a week, I'm handing the kids off to my husband and rushing off to grad school, work or Scouts. While I primarily cook with Wholesome ingredients, a frozen/processed rectangle is slid into the oven on occasion.

Seems like a lot to consider, but in a mere three weeks since the definition was put forth, more than 200 health and nutrition professionals have stepped forward with their endorsement. Most of the goals moving forward are to sway the government, healthcare industry and Big Food to change how they market food -- but what about us?

In the new definition, Wholesome jumps out at me most. Organic is out of the question for our budget, except for hormone-free milk. However, we can nail Wholesome by shopping the perimeter of the grocery store and meal plan surrounded by recipe books. I'm good at keeping the fruit bowl full, but this summer I'm heading to the Farmer's Market weekly. You might also consider starting a small garden plot for fresh tomatoes, lettuce and herbs on-the-ready, or buy a no-work share in a local Community Supported Agriculture garden. If more of us go Wholesome, maybe foods fitting the new definition will actually become more available, accessible and most importantly, affordable.