I often talk about processed foods, and how we need to reduce them in our diet. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to cook everything from scratch every time you cook. I have lots of convenience foods in my house and this week I’ll share what they are!
What are processed foods?
Processed foods are foods that have been passed through a machine or process, that changes them from their original form.
There are three main types of processed foods.
- Level 1 – unprocessed (or minimally processed) items such as milk, frozen vegetables and fruits.
- Level 2 – processed culinary ingredients used to cook or for flavour, such as oil, sugar, butter, spices and beans.
- Level 3 – processed food with a prolonged life or preserved, such as dried fish and dried fruits.
- Level 4 – ultra processed foods that go through a series of INDUSTRIAL processes to limit natural nutrient, add additives to flavour and to enhance.
The most scary thing, is that 2 out of 3 calories in the UK are consumed from group 4, and they are not food!
Convenience foods
Thinking about foods that are not tampered with from level 1-3, is a wide range of products that you can stock your cupboards with to make life easier on days when you are busy.
Jars and tins are my favourites. There are lots of different types of beans and lentils, tins of tomatoes and jars of passata.
Prolonging the goodness
Frozen fruits and vegetables can be fresher than those in the supermarket as they are frozen at source.
Tinned fish is a great way of getting a good supply of Omega 3 when they are either not in season, or for those that live a long way from the coast.
Herbs and spices are not only a great way to improve the flavour of your meals, they can often add nutrition and health benefits too.
My links
What is your favourite store cupboard essential?