I have no doubt the title of this blog raised some eyebrows as many of you are aware of my thoughts on prepackaged and processed foods. The average nutritionist would say everything that comes in a package isn’t the healthiest choice, however that is not the case. Even me, “Super Chef”, a nickname someone gave me, has resorted to using prepackaged food on occasion.

The term processed can be confusing, there are some processed foods that can actually make eating healthy easy. What you need to stay away from are ultra-processed foods, such as white bread, deli meat, and sugar loaded drinks. They contain a lot of refined flour, added sugars, sodium, and other ingredients you wouldn’t cook with at home. Examples are flavors, colors, emulsifiers and other additives. Check the label, if there are long words that you cannot pronounce or identify the product is ultra-processed.

Healthy packaged foods have less sugar or artificial sweeteners, refined grains, and rambling ingredient list. They have more whole grains, protein, fruits, and vegetables. Now that you are aware of the difference, stack your pantry with some of the examples that follow.

Canned or pouched fish, such as tuna, salmon, and sardines are an affordable way to get protein and essential omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower blood pressure, inflammation, and triglycerides. Sardines and wild or pink salmon have more omega-3s than chunk light tuna, so rotate the types of packaged fish you eat. It’s your preference if it is packed in water or oil, but skip the sauced, or seasoned packets of salmon or tuna, they are higher in sodium, and may contain additives.

Try mixing tuna with shredded carrots and red cabbage, sliced radishes, green onion, lime juice and a drizzle of sesame oil, wrap in lettuce for lunch. Add sardines to marinara sauce and serve over pasta for a quick protein-rich meal. Mix salmon chopped onions and peppers, cooked chickpeas, lemon juice and a little parsley, for a Mediterranean type of meal.

Canned or boxed soups are another quick base for a meal. Choose veggie or bean-based soups. Be aware of tomato soup, 1 cup contains 700 mg to more than 1200 mg, way too much sodium. Low sodium minestrone soup contains 140 mg or less of sodium. To bump up the bland taste add 1/8 teaspoon of salt per cup, the flavor is improved for just 295 mg of sodium.

Add beans or fresh or frozen vegetables to the soup, for added protein and fiber. As well, the addition can stretch the serving size of a can or box to two.

Consuming more whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, farro, and barley, supports a healthy digestive system and helps control inflammation, which plays a role in type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Cooking whole grains from scratch is easy but can take up to an hour and may not be worth the effort for one or two people. You can find pre-cooked whole grains on your market shelf next to rice products. Microwave the pouch or box and the grains will be ready in 90 seconds.

Look at the label, the first ingredient should be whole grains, and the product should contain little or no added salt, sugars, or additives. Frozen cooked grains, such as Trader Joe’s Rice Medley with brown rice, red rice, and black barley often have no sodium.

Use whole cooked grains as a base for a main course. Add some nuts, cheese, dried fruit, a can of legumes, or frozen vegetables to pull together a quick meal. One of my faves is black bean and avocado tacos. Adding some chunky salsa and feta cheese and lightly frying in a saucepan produces a filling protein and fiber dish. You can also use cooked grains in soups or salads.

Legumes such as tofu, edamame and canned kidney beans are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber. It takes a while to cook dried beans, buying canned ones save a lot of time. Choose canned beans and peas that are lower in sodium. Draining and rinsing canned beans under cool running water can reduce the sodium content as much as 41 percent. You may also find cooked packed beans in the freezer section without any added salt.

There are a variety of ways to use beans, combine kidney beans with precooked brown rice and spices. Sauté chickpeas with dark leafy greens, or mash black beans into a burger. Add quick cooking lentils to soup or mash pinto beans with salsa to make easy refried beans with eggs. Use cubed tofu and frozen vegetables for a quick stir fry. In place of peas use frozen edamame in recipes or to make a healthy dip you can serve with whole grain pita and sliced vegetables.

Just about every supermarket has rotisserie chicken, however you can find precooked chicken in the meat case and frozen food aisle. Check the sodium content and compare it for all these products. Plain fresh or frozen chicken will have some sodium and rotisserie chickens are sometimes injected with a sodium solution. The chickens at Whole Foods are not, the plain organic chicken has just 70 mg of sodium in 3 ounces.

Use cooked chicken in salads or pasta dishes for added protein. Shred chicken breasts and wrap in a corn tortilla with chopped tomatoes, scallions, cheese and crunchy lettuce. Make a sweet grain bowl by combining it with pineapple and red bell pepper chunks over brown rice or quinoa.

So yes, there are healthy options in prepackaged foods and having some stocked in your pantry can be a lifesaver for those days when your time is limited. Please keep in mind the Cardinal rule, check the labels if the ingredient list is long and there are unpronounceable words, put it back on the shelf.

Until next time

Love, Peace, and Blessings💖