One of the easiest ways to prep a meal or snack is by purchasing foods that are pre-packaged. Unfortunately, in many cases, the tradeoff comes at the cost of freshness, quality, and flavor. Below are eight foods you should not buy pre-packaged, with healthier and tastier alternatives provided for each:
1. Pre-Packaged Salad Mixes
Salad mixes save you time but generally are more expensive and less fresh in their packaging compared to buying all the ingredients yourself. Pre-cut greens will wilt sooner, and bagged salads tend to contain preservatives, which not only taste worse but are less healthy. Many of them have worthless dressings as well, full of fats and sugar. Replace salad mixes with fresh vegetables and whole lettuce heads for a much crisper taste. You can make them with a few touches in the comfort of your own kitchen, where they are bound to last longer in your fridge.
2. Sliced Cheese
Prepackaged cheese slices almost always contain preservatives and anti-caking agents that detract from the flavor and texture of the cheese itself. Many such products are laced with enhancements like modified food starch, which reduces the quality or purity of the cheese. Obviously, purchasing a block of cheese and cutting it oneself enhances the taste of this food; one is able to control portion sizes and freshness. Besides, cheese that has just been sliced melts much better and offers a creamier texture in sandwiches or burgers. One block of good-quality cheese can go quite a long way in elevating meals.
3. Pre-Cut Fruit
The convenience of reaching for a container of pre-cut fruit seems like an excellent timesaver, but it is not worth the cost or the sacrifice in quality. Pre-cut fruit deteriorates rapidly, with individual pieces becoming soggy and less flavorful. More often than not, fruits like apples and pears go brown and spoil faster because of the process of oxidation. Buy fruits whole and cut them on the spot. Whole fruits stay fresh longer and are richer in vitamins; thus, you will get better taste and nutrition without the hefty price markup.
4. Packaged Guacamole
Pre-made guacamole often includes preservatives and artificial flavorings, which allow it to have a longer shelf life at the cost of the natural flavor that avocado has. The texture may also be off from what guacamole should be, being less creamy and smooth. Homemade guacamole is ridiculously easy and allows for personal taste in seasoning. Just mash up some fresh avocados and add some lime, garlic, and herbs for a fresh, preservative-free dip. This will not only ensure freshness in flavor but also give you full control over what goes into your food.
5. Jarred Tomato Sauce
Most jarred tomato sauces are filled with hidden sugars, salts, and preservatives that make them not as nutritional. These sauces are often overly processed and not as sweet naturally as a fresh tomato would provide. When you make a simple tomato sauce with fresh or canned tomatoes, garlic, and herbs, you have complete control over the flavor and the nutrition. Home-made sauces are deeper in flavor, and you are free to experiment with ingredients like basil, oregano, or chili flakes for varying tastes. It is worth the extra effort, considering how great that can taste along with all the health benefits accompanying it.
6. Packaged Pancake Mix
Most packaged pancake mixes come with a lot of unnecessary additives such as added sugar, added salt, and preservatives. Most of them even include artificial flavors and colorings that detract from the taste of a homemade pancake. Stay clear of the store-bought mixes by making a mix of basic components such as flour, baking powder, eggs, and milk yourself. This in turn gives you leeway for variation in flavors, and with slight changes in ingredients, you can make gluten-free or dairy-free pancakes. Besides, homemade pancakes are way fluffier and more delicious without that chemical aftertaste.
7. Canned Soup
Canned soups are highly dominated by sodium, artificial preservatives, and flavorings that at once deprive them of their good taste and nutritional value. They can also tend to be low in vegetables and proteins but rely on fillers to create bulk. By making your own soup out of fresh ingredients you can lower the level of sodium, nutritional content, and heartier meal you get. Homemade soups freeze well for future uses; this gives the same convenience as canned soups but with much better flavor and health rewards.
8. Pre-Packaged Oatmeal
Most instant oatmeal packets pre-flavored this way contain a high amount of added sugar, artificial flavorings, and other useless additives. They could be a bit lower in fiber compared to the whole oats themselves, probably because a higher degree of processing is required to provide their faster cooking nature. Instead, use whole rolled oats or steel-cut oats and flavor them naturally with fresh fruits, honey, or spices. Homemade oatmeal allows for a lot more customization, is far healthier, and in general, is a much better way to start off the day without the excess sugar and preservatives.
Choose Fresh and Skip the Preservatives
The advantages of pre-packaged foods are very few and small, considering all the hidden costs: flavor is compromised, preservatives are added, and the cost is a little higher. It pays in the quality of your meals to be able to control your cooking with fresh, whole ingredients that raise the bar both in taste and nutritional value.