Look, I get it. We’ve all felt that pang of guilt reaching for a frozen pizza after a long day or buying canned soup instead of making it from scratch. As someone who works in the food industry and is a very lazy cook sometimes, let me tell you a secret: processed foods aren’t the dietary demons they’re made out to be.
The food Processing Spectrum: It’s Not All Doritos and Hot Pockets
Something that blew my mind when I started studying this topic: that gorgeous farmers’ market honey you bought? Processed. Those fancy dried mushrooms in your risotto? Also processed. Your favorite olive oil? Processed, too. Those pickled carrots you made last summer? You guessed it – processed.
Processing is any method that changes food from its natural state. Sometimes, it’s as simple as washing and cutting lettuce. Other times, it’s turning potatoes into Pringles. It’s a whole spectrum.
The Good Stuff You Never Thought About
Some of my favorite “processed” foods are:
– Frozen berries (picked and frozen at peak ripeness – often more nutritious than “fresh” ones that traveled for weeks)
– Canned beans (because who actually remembers to soak beans overnight?)
– Jarred tomato sauce (fun fact: your body absorbs the good stuff in tomatoes better when they’re cooked)
– Greek yogurt (cultured dairy is processing at its finest)
And let’s be honest – without some processing, we’d all spend five hours a day just preparing food. Our ancestors figured out food processing because it kept them alive and made their lives easier. They were onto something.
When food Processing Goes Too Far
I’m not here to tell you to live on cheese puffs and soda. Ultra-processed foods—you know, the ones with ingredient lists longer than this blog post—are still worth limiting. These foods have been so transformed that they barely resemble their original ingredients.
Finding Your Sweet Spot
Instead of stressing about eating perfectly “clean” (whatever that means), try this: Pick your battles. You could make your own oatmeal in the morning but keep some frozen meals for busy days. You may cook most dinners from scratch but still enjoy the occasional boxed mac and cheese (I know I do).
Remember: Feeling guilty about eating processed foods is worse for you than eating them. Food should make your life better, not more stressful. Sometimes that means a home-cooked meal, and sometimes that means chicken nuggets. Both are okay.
Trust me—as someone who knows what goes into our food system, I still eat processed foods. The key is finding the right balance for your life, your schedule, and your health goals. There is no shame, no guilt, just food.
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