If you love eating healthy, you may have tried meal-prep services before, or maybe you’ve even bought your food storage containers and tried to plan your weekly meals yourself. Either way, we think there’s something that you aren’t considering when starting to eat healthy: prepared foods! Here are some ways that prepared foods can help you eat healthier and set you up for long-term success with your diet.
– Preservatives
One of the biggest health concerns with prepared foods is preservatives. Preservatives are added to food to extend its shelf life but can also adversely affect our health. Some preservatives have been linked to cancer, while others can cause allergic reactions or gastrointestinal problems.
However, not all preservatives are harmful to you. Some, like Vitamin C, can help preserve the nutritional value of food. If you’re buying canned goods and want to reduce your exposure to preservatives, look for products labeled no-salt-added because salt is used as a preservative in some canned goods.
Many companies list the preservatives included in their products on their website, so it’s always good to research before making a purchase. Even if you don’t have time to read through each ingredient label, learning about common preservatives will allow you to make smarter decisions about what type of food products you buy.
– Healthier Ingredients
Prepared foods often contain healthier ingredients than their packaged counterparts. For example, they may have less salt, sugar, and fat. They may also be made with whole grains packed with nutrients like fiber and protein. Plus, prepared foods typically contain more fruits and vegetables than processed foods. The key is to read labels on these products and purchase them when possible, as long as you limit your portions. – Reduces Calories: People eat fewer calories by cooking at home.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when people who followed an Eco-Atkins diet (primarily unprocessed plant-based foods) ate out instead of cooking at home, they consumed an average of 600 more calories per day. – Reduction in Packaging Waste: With all those fresh produce items coming into your kitchen, it’s easy to cut down on waste because there’s no need for excessive packaging.
– Easy Snacks
Do you find yourself snacking more often than you’d like? If so, you’re not alone. According to a recent study, the average American consumes nearly 27% of their daily calories from snacks. That’s why it’s essential to have healthy options on hand. The easiest way to do this is by stocking up on prepared foods. These products come in many different forms and are great for satisfying hunger cravings while still eating well. The best part is that they’re super easy to prepare and can last for days! Here are some popular items that we recommend:
-Prepared Salads: Throw together your favorite greens, veggies, protein, and dressing, then take it with you anywhere! Great for eating at home or taking on the go
-Prepared Wraps: These wraps make eating healthy quick and easy. They typically contain fillings such as roasted veggies, fresh spinach leaves, and hummus which can wrap up in a tortilla. Bakery Items: There’s nothing better than an assortment of pastries after dinner!
– Great for Lunch at Work
Packing your lunch is a great way to save money and eat healthier, but it can be hard to find the time to do it every day. That’s where prepared foods come in. By taking some time on the weekend to cook or prepare your food ahead of time, you can make healthy eating easier during the week. Plus, you’ll be less likely to make unhealthy choices when you feel rushed or Hangry. Here are some tips for prepping your meals for the week – Make sure you’re cooking enough for leftovers so that you don’t have to cook twice each night.
– Spend an hour or two at the beginning of the week preparing meat, grains, and veggies
– Freeze them in individual portions, so they don’t go wrong before they’re eaten
– Use apps like My Fitness Pal to plan out what you’ll need for the week and create a grocery list based on those recipes
– Store all ingredients separately from one another (think fruits, vegetables, meats) so that you know exactly what you have available for cooking
– Start making the dishes with more complex steps (soups and casseroles) so those dishes are done early in the week. And then move on to more simple words (like salads) as needed throughout the week
– Save Time and Money
In today’s busy world, it’s hard to find the time to cook healthy meals from scratch every night. That’s where prepared foods come in. Doing some of the work ahead of time can save time and money while still eating healthy. – Get What You Need: If you’re worried about finding healthy food choices at restaurants or convenience stores, don’t be! Most grocery stores carry an entire aisle devoted to prepared foods that are just as good for you as anything you would make yourself.
– Eat Healthier Food: When preparing your food, there is always a chance that something will go wrong–you might burn dinner or have no ingredients left to complete your dish. These mishaps will never happen with a pre-made meal because they have everything ready for you! All you need to do is heat up the food, open the package, or mix some ingredients. It doesn’t get any easier than that! The best part is that these items are typically much healthier than what you make at home because companies like to use natural ingredients rather than ones packed full of artificial flavors and preservatives.
– Low Carb/Keto Friendly
Finding foods that fit your lifestyle can be challenging when following a low-carb or keto diet. And if you’re trying to do it on your own, it can be even more difficult. That’s where prepared foods come in. By doing the work for you, prepared foods make it easy to stick to your diet and reach your goals. Whether you need high-protein foods to meet your macros or gluten-free options because of an allergy, these companies have covered you.
Meal prep services also give you more time to focus on things other than cooking and allow for the possibility of greater variety in your diet.
If those aren’t enough reasons to try them, here are three more: Prepared food has been shown to reduce caloric intake by 20%, lower sodium intake by 5%, and improve cholesterol levels after just four weeks.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a way to eat healthy without sacrificing taste or time, prepared foods are the answer. By choosing wholesome ingredients and cooking methods, you can create nutritious meals that are also delicious. And best of all, prepared foods can be just as quick and easy as unhealthy fast food.
So next time you’re looking for a healthy meal option, check the prepared foods section of your grocery store. You’ll be happy with what you find! We should all strive for a healthy diet to lead long, active lives. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables has many benefits, but it can be challenging to stick with this plan when we don’t have time to prepare our meals.
Prepared foods provide an alternative to eating out and fast food by offering many health benefits and convenience. With prepared foods, there’s no need to sacrifice nutrition for taste or time constraints because you can have both! As convenient as takeout may seem, processed food is rarely good for you because it doesn’t contain any nutrients like fresh produce.
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