Are these foods considered "processed"?

rose313

So a Chef Boyardee can of pre-made spaghetti that you just pop in the microwave is obviously processed, high sodium, lots of chemicals just not good for you.

When I go to the store and buy whole wheat pasta/noodles and a can of spaghetti sauce is that still considered processed since I didn't make the sauce myself?

Another example. I've been making homemade pizza instead of ordering from Dominos. I don't even like Dominos anymore, mine tastes great. But I don't make the wheat tortilla myself, I buy it from the store. I also buy the pizza sauce from the store and the cheese and mushrooms from the store.

These are definitely not things I have every day, once a month maybe. But I'm just confused as to where to draw the line between processed and not.

mcarter99

I don't think you need to draw a line. Just aim for eating less processed food, not 100% non-processed.

ixap

There's no line. It's a continuum.

Jar of pasta sauce and box of noodles are less processed than the Chef Boyardee cans; homemade sauce even less processed; substituting something like ribbons of fresh zucchini for the pasta would be even less processed; getting locally grown organic zucchini would be even less processed than conventional zucchini shipped cross-country; growing all the ingredients organically yourself in your own backyard would be the final extreme I think.

You just have to decide at each meal what is reasonable for you in terms of convenience / calories / other health concerns / the environment. Almost no one has the ability to make every single thing from scratch from produce and livestock they raised themselves, so it's always going to be a compromise.

tigersword

So a Chef Boyardee can of pre-made spaghetti that you just pop in the microwave is obviously processed, high sodium, lots of chemicals just not good for you.

When I go to the store and buy whole wheat pasta/noodles and a can of spaghetti sauce is that still considered processed since I didn't make the sauce myself?

Another example. I've been making homemade pizza instead of ordering from Dominos. I don't even like Dominos anymore, mine tastes great. But I don't make the wheat tortilla myself, I buy it from the store. I also buy the pizza sauce from the store and the cheese and mushrooms from the store.

These are definitely not things I have every day, once a month maybe. But I'm just confused as to where to draw the line between processed and not.

Unless you grow it yourself from seeds, or raise it yourself (cows, chickens, eggs, fish,) it's processed. I wouldn't even worry about the term, as it's been completely misinterpreted. Processing just means preparing. A cow isn't processed. A steak is processed. Cheese is processed. Vegetables at the store are processed. Even the stuff you buy from the farmer's market is technically processed.

If you want to be selective, worry about actual ingredients, and select products based on the ingredients lists. Don't worry about an arbitrary term like "processed."

debbiestine

I don't eat spaghetti anymore but spaghetti squash is better for you and you can add the sauce/parmesan.

I don't eat flavored yogurt anymore- just plain greek and I add cinnamon/frozen berries.

I guess as we find healthier substitutions- we try to replace them.

I do eat tuna/chicken out of a can sometimes...

quill16

I feel so much better with real foods than processed. I tried a gluten free frozen dinner the other day and felt awful. The closer you can get to the living plant/animal the better. I personally don't eat processed because of sodium and i have gluten allergy. It has changed me into a fresh food/perimeter store shopper at the grocery. Of course there are some time restaints and it may not always be possible for your lifestyle, but I deffinately consider jar sauce processed.

kitinboots

I don't think there's anything wrong with sauce from a jar once in a while. It's not like you're eating it everyday. My boyfriend's cooking is limited to 3 different meals so when he makes spaghetti bolognaise I'm just grateful to have someone cooking for me, I'm not going to refuse unless he makes sauce from scratch.

amnsetie

There is nothing right with sauce from a jar

Making your own sauce is easy.

Really

Elleinnz

Instead of the sauce in a jar I use the cans of chopped tomatos with nothing else added (especially all that salt and preservatives) and then use my own herbs and spices to flavor....

In the end though it is everything in moderation - including moderation - if you use a jar of pasta sauce - or even the pre-made spagetti once a month it is not going to be all that bad...