My last semester of my Dietetics program has started and I hit the ground running. I am going to clinicals, working, studying for the RDN exam and cramming in ice time where ever I can. And on some nights I just want something quick and easy. I don’t have the time to be chopping vegetables or thawing meat so recently I have been doing a lot of frozen and canned items. I also have been having boxed instant rice (dun dun dun!) I know some people cringe at the thought of instant rice. I guess it’s the same with Italians and jarred sauce, sorry Nona. It’s really not bad and comes in handy when it’s late and you’re super hungry.
I think people don’t know how to work with some processed foods and just automatically deem them as “bad.” Yes, of course you want to lean more towards whole foods in your eating but there is also a place for processed foods. Not to mention, there is a spectrum of processing. For example, you take a fresh apple and cut it into slices, that apple is has now been processed. Is the apple now an unhealthy choice? No. You have to find that balance, figure out which foods that work best for you that can be incorporated into a healthy diet. And not to mention foods that work best for your schedule and budget. For instance, I have to pay for parking for my current rotation and shopping for these cheaper processed alternatives at a discount grocery store has been my best friend.
Also foods, like fruits and vegetables, that have been canned or frozen at it’s peak retain their nutrients versus eating them fresh. Think about it. You buy a fresh head of broccoli and you don’t use it until the end of the week. That head of broccoli is not frozen in time so it will continue the process towards plant death, and loose nutrients as it sits in the fridge. And the broccoli will get all moldy if you do wait until the last minute to use it.
Some healthy processed items include:
canned beans (without added seasonings)
canned tuna in water
multigrain crackers
frozen fruits and vegetables
instant rice and quinoa
canned fruits in juice or water
instant boxed mashed potatoes (just potato spuds)
canned chicken
pasta
Low sodium/sugar jarred sauce
Here is a picture of one of my processed meals I had the other day. Almost everything was out of a can or a box. I used the cringe worthy instant rice, a fairly low sodium vegetable Tikka Masala package and added canned chickpeas for protein.
Yes, I could’ve added a side salad or cup of fruit but I was tired from ice dance. I think next post I will put up some quick prep meal ideas to show case how to use processed foods for a healthy meal.
Foodie On Ice 