How to Eliminate Processed Foods From Your Diet
Foods are usually considered processed when they are manufactured in a way that cannot be replicated at home, and/or they contain additives and ingredients that you wouldn't include if making the food yourself. While processed foods may be fortified with vitamins and other nutrients, studies have shown that societies that eat primarily unprocessed, whole foods have fewer incidents of some diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. Processed foods are a huge part of the American diet, so removing them from your pantry can be a challenge. However, by taking small steps, you can integrate more whole, homemade foods into your daily life.
Instructions
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Evaluate how much processed food you eat. Do you regularly rely on ready-to-eat meals, frozen pizzas and boxed food mixes? Do you prefer to prepare homemade meals? In some cases, making your own food will be cheaper than purchasing food that's boxed or has already been prepared. If you want to push processed foods out of your diet, you and your family will need to commit the time and energy needed to prepare your own meals.
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Read the ingredient labels of the foods you regularly eat and purchase. Are there ingredients in the food that you can't pronounce or don't recognize? Would you add those ingredients to the food if you were making it from scratch? Unrecognizable additives and long lists of ingredients are often indicators of processed foods.
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Plan out your meals before you go grocery shopping. This will ensure you have all the ingredients you need to make the foods you want to eat and will help you avoid purchasing packaged foods. Choose meals that center on plant-based food, such as fruits, vegetables and grains.
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Stick to purchasing mostly fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy products. In most grocery stores, these are located around the periphery. Avoid purchasing food that comes in a box or package (unless you are sure it is a whole food, such as whole potatoes or rolled oats).
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To evaluate whether a food is processed, use author Michael Pollan's advice: Don't purchase or eat items that your great-great-grandmother wouldn't recognize. This could include yogurt in a tube, cereal and milk bars and even some store-bought bread.
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Try cooking one item you would have purchased in a processed, packaged form each week. This could be bread, fruit and grain bars, cookies, macaroni and cheese, granola or even ice cream. When you make them yourself, you know exactly what is in the items and run less of a risk of ingesting unpronounceable additives. As you get the hang of making these foods, you can better integrate them into your regular diet.
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Make large batches of homemade items you like and store them in your fridge or freezer. This applies to soups, sauces, dinners, meats, baked goods and any number foods.
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Consider taking a class if you don't know how to cook or bake. Many community centers and colleges offer affordable cooking classes to the public. If you don't have the time or money for a formal cooking class, use online videos to learn basic cooking techniques. You can find great videos on YouTube and a variety of cooking Web sites.
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Plant a vegetable garden to cut down on the costs of buying fresh food. If space is limited, plant a few items in small pots. Even just growing your own herbs can help you better control the foods you put into your body.
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Shop for fruits and vegetables that are in-season and local, if you can. These foods are likely to be the freshest and cheapest. Look for local farmers markets, or ask your grocer what produce items are in season.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid buying packaged foods that make health claims. A whole food is greater than the sum of its nutrient parts. Don't fall into the trap of thinking all organic foods are healthy. Many organic foods are highly processed. Foods with the word "natural" on the packaging are not necessarily unprocessed. Read the ingredient label to best determine whether the food is processed or contains additives.
