Do You Eat Processed Food?

I eat processed foods all the time I am a busy graduate student on EBT so I have to stick to certain foods that are covered by this.

They are easy and convenient. I got in the habit when I was living somewhere that didn't have a kitchen but only a toaster oven and microwave. I try and eat non-processed when I can but I gravitate toward a lot frozen Smart One's meals, canned black beans, canned corn, deli meat, prepacked chicken etc...

I've lost 30+ pounds, have perfect cholesterol and blood pressure and a BMI of 19.5 and can run 10 miles so I'm in good shape too. I eat fast food a few time a month, eat out to dinner a couple times a week when I'm grabbing food between classes & work and allow myself on cheat day a week.

I've had success this way.

I try to avoid it much as possible, but it's VERY hard when you don't live by yourself/ aren't the main food purchaser & cook of your household! To compensate, I don't drink anything but water & I try to limit processed foods as much as possible. Once I'm on my own, only natural foods for me!

In terms of weight loss yes it will work. I personally try to cut it all out because i have medical issues that can be effected by the stuff they put in those kinds of foods, so i stay clear of them as much as possible. This is easy for me though because i like to cook and it isnt just about weight loss, i want the healthiest body i can give myself. I dont think it's bad if you eat processed stuff necessarily, i think it is more in the quantity of which you eat it. You should have a balance and try and get some good fruits and veggies in, just to ensure you are getting enough nutrients. I have seen people on here who's diaries are filled with junk and all processed foods, no produce or healthy things. I do not believe that is good. There is a difference between this person and someone who balances their eating. Just try to incorporate some fresh fruit maybe some veggies easy things where you dont have to cook. Good luck to you!!

I stopped eating processed foods in 2004, and have pretty much really eliminated them from my diet. It is a definity lifestyle change for the better.

I have a mix of both. Mainly from scratch though because it's amazing!! Especially if you have a food processor.

I eat granola bars, chips, ramen soups, diet coke ect but its not the cheapest stuff. I buy everything organic, chemical free, vegan friendly. It costs a lot more then regular but it's very yummy and complements my epic meals!

I eat processed foods. I lost 10 pounds in 6-8 weeks and then plateaued. Everyone says clean up your diet, for those last few stubborn pounds. I haven't so far, we'll see how things end up turning out.

I eat processed foods too. Not an every meal, all processed all the time kind of thing. Some lunch meats, hot dogs, pizza and stuff like that once in a while. If I eat too much crap food like that my body doesn't like it (bloating, constipation, etc.). I do cook a lot more than I had for quite a while. For me it's less about the type of foods than being aware of what I eat, proper portions and keeping a wide variety in the things I eat. While the quality of your diet plays a huge roll in your health and continuing weight loss, but eating processed foods does not stop you from losing weight.

I tried eliminating almost all processed food, but found it quite limiting, given I don't really cook, and I ended up binge eating, probably as a result of a lack of variety in my diet (think poached or boiled salmon, boiled tuna steak, vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, cottage cheese and greek yoghurt).

Now I have low calorie jelly, diet hot chocolate drinks, the occasional ready meal (eg moroccan vegetables with quinoa or soya sausages) and sometimes even a sandwich while out. But I do sort of question if this is going to really negatively impact my body and do find myself feeling guilty and worried about the less clean items I am eating.

How many here are maintaining good health and fitness while still eating processed foods/some artificial sweetners?

I almost only eat processed food lol oh well I am healthy and leaner than I was. No issues. :] I try to add in some fresh veggies and fruit, but they're expensive and we dont have our own place, so I cant cook beans for hours at a time either. I just do what I can to stick to my macros.

I don't eat ready meals ever, can't get them here anyway. Can't think of much that I eat that comes in a box... don't use sugar or sweetners much - not much of a dessert person, thank god. I do rely heavily on canned foods for cooking (beans, tomatoes, corn, lentils etc) and I guess those count as processed.

Can you define "processed" please?


Unlesss you grow it, hunt it and/or kill it yourself, most food has some element of "process" in its manufacture

Basically anything not in it's natural state. So any cold cereals - cheerios, bran flakes, special K included. Snack/meal bars of pretty much any kind besides the ones that only contain fruit & nut pieces. Any packaged frozen meals.

I think in this day and age eliminating processed food completely is not only difficult, but almost pointless in a way. Processing has sped up things dramatically, even those who cook from scratch may still use tins/the odd pre-prepared salad/pre-cooked meats/pre-packed spices/sauces.

Not everything processed can be automatically put into the 'bad for you pile'- and even if we exclude items like tins from being processed, some ready meals are fantastic now. All you have to do is walk down the isles in a big supermarket, they have everything from cous cous salads to sale, to pots packed full of veg + chicken in teriyaki sauce (which even then is packed separately in a bag if you're worried about sodium). Gone are the days where frozen ready meals have no nutritional (good nutrition that is) worth at all.

Anyhoo, that's just my two pence piece. I mostly cook from 'scratch', but I'm still happy to use tins/pre-packed spices and I'm not shy to say that some nights I'm downright lazy and we have 'healthier' ready meals in the freezer (think quiches etc).

If you can't cook it would be almost impossible to stop eating processed food. MFP has a recipe board.

Where? I can only access those recipes that I have created myself.

Yep I do.

I do try and balance it out though.

There is nothing wrong with allowing yourself to have processed foods. It is about your diet overall, fit it into your calories and macros for the day while getting sufficient micros.

I hope you know that cottage cheese and greek yogurt are also processed foods... so in reality, you didn't cut them all out.

Personally, I eat a lot of processed foods.. and I do fine. The reason why I'm maintaining so well is because I eat the same damn foods everyday.... and since I already know the calorie count in them, I know I'm not going over.

The only processed food I strive to eat are only salt free or very low sodium products. I am striving to keep my sodium levels at or under 2000. To me, this means a lot of canned, premade meals, and chain restaurants are out. I don't mind because I focus on what I can have, not on what I can't have. I like to bake and slow cook, so I find there are a lot of meals I can make for myself and my active lifestyle.