We all know the health hazards of eating processed foods, yet somehow usually end up eating more than we’d like. Over the years, I have really cut down on my processed food intake and picked up some healthy alternatives along the way – so come along as I walk you through some easy and realistic tips to cut down on processed foods.
For the longest time, every time I would be hungry or feel like a snack, I would reach straight for a pack of chips. It is delicious, would give me the crunch I needed, and also moderately fill me up until it was time to have a proper meal. It was only after my kids were born that I became more intentional about reducing the number of processed foods that came into my home.
What does processed food consist of?
In broad terms, any food that has been altered from its original state is processed. This consists of all the foods that have either been frozen, precooked, canned, dehydrated or packaged and come under the blanket of processed foods.
Why is processed food bad?
When a food is processed, say for example, grains are converted to make bread, or potatoes to make chips, a lot of Ingredients such as salt, sugar and fat are added to it. This is done to enhance the flavours as well as extend their shelf life. An excess of sugar, salt or fat in any food is not good for our health, making them quite harmful.
Are all processed foods bad?
Nope! A lot of frozen, canned or fried items, like frozen veggies, canned or dried beans, and even milk that needs to be pasteurized to make it safe for consumption are not bad at all. These foods are considered to be minimally processed, meaning that they still retain a majority of their nutrients and vitamins.
While I still enjoy my occasional biscuit with my chai or a pack of chips, it’s become much less frequent. And that’s what I want to share with you. Here are some tried, tested and realistic things I have done to cut down on processed foods –
7 easy tips to cut down on processed foods
- Stock up on healthy snacks: One thing that’s helped me cut down on processed foods is not buying unhealthy snacks anymore. Instead of munching on chips or other packaged snacks, I now keep more wholesome and healthy options like chopped fruits, roasted makhana nuts and seeds, hummus and veggies, etc.
- Get creative in the kitchen: Making fresh, homemade snacks right in my kitchen is another one of my favourite ways to cut down on processed foods. Some things I always keep on hand are some sort of veggie chips, my air fryer papdi and homemade granola bars for me and the kids to snack on during the day. Making your own snacks at home is awesome because you know exactly what’s going into it. Plus like I always say, even fried food is healthier if it’s made at home.
- Drink more water: It’s so easy to grab a can of soda or soft drink to sip on with your meals. But those things are loaded with sugar and hence, extremely unhealthy. Try to replace them gradually with water. If plain water isn’t your thing, try making some lemonade. You can even make a jar of infused water to stay hydrated and cut down on sugary drinks.
- Meal plan and prep: Having meals and snacks prepared in the fridge can significantly reduce your chances of reaching for processed and packaged foods. I love keeping some chopped cucumbers and carrots to snack on with some creamy hummus. I also keep some chopped fruits, frozen spring rolls, extra rotis and rice to make quick quesadillas and fried rice for those random snack cravings.
- Eat more veggies: Including more veggies in your diet is the best way to include so many essential vitamins and nutrients in your diet. Plus the natural fibre content in veggies helps you stay full much longer, thereby reducing the craving to snack on processed foods.
- Cut down on processed meats: Instead of stocking up on processed meats such as ham, bacon, or sausages, which are loaded with fat and salt, I just prefer to buy whole meat and then process it at home depending on the recipe. This way I know exactly what’s going into my and my family’s bodies, but it’s also a great way to reduce the consumption of extra additives that a lot of processed meat tends to carry.
- Be mindful when shopping: I don’t go to the snack or packaged food section at the supermarket anymore when buying groceries. For me, the out-of-sight-out-of-mind rule works well, so I just stick to the whole foods section now. This significantly reduces the temptation of adding packs of packaged snacks and drinks to my cart.
Some simple food swaps you can try
- Sweetened boxed cereals for homemade oats. Oats are easy to make and come together really quickly. Plus there are so many different ways you can eat oats, so it’s hard to get bored.
Some of my favourite fast and easy oat recipes that you should try are – rose and honey flavoured oats, savoury garlic oats, savoury oatmeal breakfast ideas, apple pie oatmeal breakfast bowl, and healthy strawberries and cream breakfast oatmeal.
- Instead of buying flavoured yoghurt, most of which is filled with sugar, buy plain yoghurt and customise it at home by adding your own fruits, nuts and other toppings.
- Consider making your own bread at home or buying sourdough from a local, small bakery instead of the packaged, sliced stuff.
- Instead of snacking on chips, try keeping a jar of homemade hummus that you can eat with sliced cucumber and carrots for a filling and healthy snack.
My 80/20 Rule
Cutting down on processed foods usually looks like making a few smart swaps, and some amount of mindset shift. I personally prefer to follow the 80/20 rule, which means that I try to eat healthy, whole foods for 80% of the time, and the other 20% I allow myself to fully enjoy my love for food, without guilt. This little shift in the way I approach healthy eating has truly made me stay on track with my fitness goals while also majorly reducing cravings for processed foods.
