by Sheryl Swan

Created on: January 27, 2007   Last Updated: May 12, 2007

I avoid processed foods whenever possible because they tend to be laced with salt, sugar, and chemicals, all of which do not add any nutritional value to the food and can lead to weight gain and other problems. My goal is to eat healthy which to me means eating and preparing food from scratch. But this is a challenge in this busy life, since it is not always practical to spend a lot of time preparing meals. Here are a few tricks to help simplify the preparation of food.

1. For healthy and filling breakfast, try some cottage cheese with berries and add some homemade granola. Homemade granola can be made by mixing in a container with a lid, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, oats, and dried fruit and storing in a dry place. Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to the breakfast for additional omega 3 and a delicious, nutty flavor.

2. For lunch, you can prepare delicious, nutritious salads in advance and refrigerate. To save time, buy salad green mixes at the grocery store, shred cabbage in advance and use as needed, prepare a bean salad in bulk. Add some leftover meat, cold cuts, or canned tuna on top of the salad and tuck in a slice of homemade bread and there you have an easy and nutritious lunch. If you are on a diet, this is a great way to get your vegetables and keep the calorie count down.

3. For dinner, prepare double or triple batches of dishes and freeze the leftovers for another day.

4. You can avoid eating factory processed breads buy making your own. A bread machine is easy to use and can be used to make literally hundreds of varieties of bread. Just add the ingredients in the order recommended by the manufacturer then turn it on. No kneading, no stirring. In 2 to 4 hours a wonderfully tasty loaf pops out and you controlled the ingredients. To keep it fresh, slice and keep in the freezer, taking out slices only as needed and defrosting either naturally or by using the microwave.

5. For snacks, keep on hand a variety of dried fruit like apple slices, dates, figs, and raisins, as well as nuts like almonds and cashews, avoiding salted varieties, all of which are nutritious and filling. Cheese is easy to cut up and a good source of protein and calcium. If you are on a diet, eat in moderation since these snacks are dense and caloric.

These are a few tips for saving time while avoiding processed food.

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