Hooray for you! You’ve made it another day into the second week, or Day 12 of the “Give-Back Diet.” I’m sure you’re feeling great, and making little changes that all add up. How did the extra walking time go? Please let us all know how you’re doing, and what you’ve “given back,” by posting a comment below.<\/p>\n
Let’s talk today about “convenience foods,” the pre-packaged sandwiches, or meals made days in advance, frozen, canned, or dried. They may be convenient, yes, but it’s always a trade-off, health wise. Here’s why:<\/p>\n
— Convenience foods are often mass-produced by machines in factories, and have the nutrition cooked out.
— They’re rarely fresh, having been made hours, days or even weeks in advance.
— Frozen convenience foods, and canned ones may theoretically have the same vitamins and nutrients as fresh, but the ” life energy” is dead in them.
— Manufacturers often add lots of extra fat, sugar and salt in order for them to taste good. They may also contain preservatives, and strange chemicals.
— They’re actually more expensive than making it yourself, as you’re paying for the convenience. You’re covering labor, transportation, storage, packaging, corporate profits and other costs.<\/p>\n
It’s much better to shop for food, and make it yourself, but I know that takes time. I do want to convince you to make your own food as much as possible. As I wrote yesterday, it helps if you can allocate 1 or 2 hours, 2 times a week at minimum to prepare foods in advance. It’s really worth doing.<\/p>\n
If you don’t have time to cook, and must have some convenience items, here are some ideas:<\/p>\n
— go to a supermarket instead of a restaurant or fast-food chain.
— Have the salad bar, choosing low fat and low calorie items.
— Ask the deli person to make you a sandwich or wrap, using whole wheat or whole-grain bread. Ask for mustard or relish instead of mayonnaise or fattening sauce. Add lots of vegetable toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, cucumber, peppers, etc., instead of cheese or extra meats.
— If you must buy pre-made food, choose a healthy wrap with vegetables, or lean meat. Or a frozen food that is healthier, like an Asian vegetable stir-fry, lean entr\u00e9e, turkey or veggie burgers, etc.<\/p>\n