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Most of us are trying to get away from unhealthy processed foods, but the reality is that, for so many of us, cooking from scratch is pretty much impossible. Processed foods that, as the name suggests, have been changed somewhat by being baked, dried, canned, frozen, or milled can take away their natural form. We need to eat closer to nature, but this is not always so easy. How can we eat fewer processed foods?

Cooking at Home

Of course, it's not always possible to cook from home. You may benefit from getting into the habit of having a baking session in the kitchen on a Saturday with the family. This rustic bread recipe is a great place to begin because it has four ingredients. Cooking at home doesn't have to take hours; it’s about finding the right recipes that everybody likes, but also about finding the right ways to cut corners. For example, you could start putting food in a crock pot. Having a slow cooker in the kitchen means that it does the job for you while you are out and about and you've got a healthy and nutritious meal at the end of the day. You can make a variety of meals in a slow cooker, not just soups, but casseroles, chili, bolognese, and so much more.

Being Smarter With Your Shopping

The big mistake people make is thinking that whole foods are too expensive. They can be expensive, but whole foods are more filling than processed foods. When we have a plate that is approximately 40% vegetables, this will make us feel fuller. If you've got children who are eating machines, you can easily help them to feel fuller by drizzling vegetables with olive oil. It's a high-quality fat that increases calorie intake and is incredibly tasty to boot! When you start buying whole foods and slowly reducing the amount of processed ones, you will start to feel better due to the higher nutrient quotient.

Whole Food Alternatives

Snacks can be highly processed. Therefore, if you are looking for alternatives to potato chips or chocolates, opting for nuts, seeds, plain yogurt, and fruit are all far more filling options.

How Processed Are the Foods You’re Eating?

Some people are “process purists.” If anything has been processed, they won't dare touch it. But it's important to remember that most foods undergo a process of sorts. Fruit and vegetables that are in cans may have undergone a process in order to preserve them. Frozen vegetables are minimally processed because they've been frozen and will actually contain more nutrients than their unfrozen counterparts. It's important that we be realistic. When we start to decrease the number of processed foods in our lives, we are naturally going to feel better. Convenient foods that are also processed can be very useful when we are living a busy life. 

It's not always easy to cook meals from scratch at home, but as long as we start incorporating more whole foods into our lives, this can make a big difference.