processed foods

BT1988
BT1988 Posts: 48 Member
edited October 5 in Food and Nutrition
How do you know if your food is processed food? I buy chicken breast from a local grocery store that is packaged there and I get turkey slices from the deli but I don't know if they are processed. What kind of chicken and turkey breast is not processed BUT affordable? whole foods kills my budget =(

Replies

  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    Buy chicken and turkey breasts, cook them and slice them yourself.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    If it's got an ingredient list of more than one thing, it's processed!
    Cooked and sliced meats are almost always going to be processed, ask for an ingredients list if you aren't sure.
    I hear that you can get chicken breast (raw) pretty cheap in the US, or look for chicken thighs or drumsticks, they are cheap where I live and if you take the skin off, they are pretty healthy too. Or, if you aren't worried about fat, leave the skin on.
    And look for recipes using beans (buy them dried, dirt cheap), rice, veggies (buy what is in season and on special).
    Buy cheap cuts of meat and cook them for longer (the crock pot is great for this).
    Search for budget recipes - on MFP and online, you'll find heaps of healthy stuff that is cheap to make. It usually takes more time, but saves you lots of money.
  • kiwi1855
    kiwi1855 Posts: 218 Member
    Good rule of thumb regarding meat - if there are ingredients other than the type of meat it is, it's processed. Buy raw, cook it at home, portion it out, as much as possible.

    As well, if there are ingredients in the list that are only easily pronounceable if you have college/university education in biology or chemistry, that's a clear indication that it is processed.
  • kylakesgal
    kylakesgal Posts: 952 Member
    Your best bet is to cook your own turkey or chicken at home, slice it up and eat that. Any of the sliced meats in the store are processed and packed with sodium! Another good alternate is to buy low sodium tuna (great protein) and make your own tuna salad. I also like to make my own chicken salad too and add fresh grapes, celery and walnuts. I love cheese and didn't realize before mfp just how much sodium it had it that too. Sodium is the devil for me, it will make me swell and hold on to every pound lol. Good luck to you.:)
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
    And sadly, Foster farms adds "seasonings" to the meat which is usually salt. I didn't check other brands of raw chicken breast, drumsticks, etc.
  • BT1988
    BT1988 Posts: 48 Member
    So the meat that is cut up at the grocery store is packaged (fresh meat) would that be still good or possibly processed? I always get raw boneless skinless chicken breast that the grocery store packages themselves. But, I will look at the ingredients and see whats up. How do I cook raw turkey breast? I only grill my chicken breast. I want to cook the turkey and slice it myself. If only the farmers market poultry wasn't so expensive...I just cannot justify to pay so much when I am already a poor college student lol. Thanks!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    So the meat that is cut up at the grocery store is packaged (fresh meat) would that be still good or possibly processed? I always get raw boneless skinless chicken breast that the grocery store packages themselves. But, I will look at the ingredients and see whats up. How do I cook raw turkey breast? I only grill my chicken breast. I want to cook the turkey and slice it myself. If only the farmers market poultry wasn't so expensive...I just cannot justify to pay so much when I am already a poor college student lol. Thanks!

    I would hope that it is unprocessed, but unless you read the label you won't know. If it is processed, I believe it should have an ingredients label to tell you what it contains (though I don't know if this applies where you live, it is the case in Australia).
    The only thing to do is to start reading labels, and if there isn't one, ask the staff where you shop.
  • 5starshelly
    5starshelly Posts: 43 Member
    Trader Joes has reasonably priced Organic Chicken and Reasonably priced Turkey. They also have reasonably priced Organic Milk and Free range eggs. All for much cheaper than whole foods.
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