It’s Saturday morning again and here is another update! The challenge has gone well this week and as always, I’ve learned something new!
I was asked by a friend to define exactly what I consider to be processed foods. Basically anything canned, frozen or boxed! Anything with loads of chemicals and preservatives. Are there exceptions? Of course, there are always exceptions! I still eat canned tuna (in water, not oil). I still eat ketchup (my favorite!) but I have switched to the organic kind with no high fructose corn syrup and I limit my proportions. And I use frozen vegetables – but not the kind drenched in sauces and such. Pure vegetables, individually quick frozen. It’s a huge time saver for a busy woman like myself.
I’m sure as the challenge continues, I may redefine my idea of processed, but that was the whole point of my goal. The exercise is going great, my sister and I completed our first two mile run on Friday morning! Until next week, keep healthy!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Good for you for being extra mindful of the nature of the foods you eat!
Rather than “unprocessed,” I like to use the term “first-order foods,” which means any food that comes to you in its original form. Examples are things like dried beans and lentils, fruits and veggies from the produce section, etc.
The other category I call “second-order foods”–these are foods made from first-order foods by applying energy, processing, branding and advertising, etc. And because of these extra steps, second-order foods are almost always much more expensive–and of course it’s always the consumer who ends up bearing the cost of any branding or added process steps.
My solution is to bias my diet toward first-order foods and away from second-order foods. It’s a helpful framework to help me make my diet healthier AND less expensive!
Dan
Casual Kitchen
That is a great way to look at it, Dan! I will keep the first-order and second-order foods in mind this week.