When trying to eat less processed food, it helps to start with a few common items that tend to be higher in refined ingredients, added sugars, sodium, or additives. The goal is not perfection or fear around food. It is simply to better understand what these foods are made of and where there may be easier, less processed alternatives.
These foods are often a practical place to start.
FRENCH FRIES
French fries are a popular side dish, but restaurant and fast-food versions are usually deep-fried in refined oils and can add a lot of extra fat and calories to a meal. They also tend to be one of the more heavily processed potato options, especially when eaten often or alongside other fast-food items.
Potatoes themselves are not the issue. The bigger concern is how they are prepared and what they are cooked in. Click here to read about refined oils and you’ll understand why this is such a big deal.
A better option is to make oven-roasted potatoes or homemade fries at home, where you have more control over the ingredients and cooking method. We prefer making our Perfectly Roasted Steak Fries ourselves!
CHICKEN NUGGETS
Chicken nuggets are convenient and kid-friendly, but many packaged and fast-food versions are heavily processed. They are often made with breading, refined oils, added sodium, and other ingredients that make them quite different from simple chicken prepared at home.
That does not mean they can never fit into a meal, but they are one of those foods that can quickly become a regular habit without offering much nutritional value in return.
If you are looking for a less processed option, homemade baked chicken bites, grilled chicken, or simple breaded chicken made at home can be a better choice.
HOT DOGS
Hot dogs and other processed meats are another food many people choose to limit. They are often high in sodium and commonly contain preservatives, which is part of why processed meats come up so often in conversations about everyday food choices.
For an occasional cookout or ballgame, hot dogs may still be part of the picture. But as an everyday staple, there are usually better options.
When possible, less processed protein choices like grilled chicken, burgers made from whole ingredients, or other simpler meals can be a better fit.
WHITE BREAD
White bread is made from refined flour, which means parts of the grain have been removed during processing. Many store-bought versions also include added sugars, preservatives, and dough conditioners.
It is common, convenient, and familiar, but it is also one of the easier places to make a small upgrade.
Whole grain breads, sourdough, or homemade bread can be a better option for people trying to rely less on refined ingredients. We have the most amazing Brioche Bread recipe that does not use a bread machine.
A Practical Place to Start
You do not need to eliminate everything overnight. For many people, eating less processed food starts with paying attention to ingredient lists, cooking more at home, and making a few simple swaps where they make sense.
If you are looking for a realistic place to begin, these foods are a helpful starting point. The goal is not perfection. It is making more informed choices, one meal at a time.
The top 3 other ingredients in these foods. Palm Oil(modified) calcium chloride, & Mono- and diglycerides. Costco’s croissants is the silent reaper that makes obesity worse.
Great read. Makes sense! This explains why lots of kids are obese
Im not sure if I will still get a response… But here goes…
So even if I picked “healthy” chicken nuggets, hotdogs, luncheon meat without any transfat, added sugar… Its still one of the worst foods due to the added sodium nitrate?
i’m not really sure what a healthy hot dog looks like and yes all those items you just mentioned are still processed, especially the luncheon meats and hotdogs. there are many reasons they are the worst foods to eat, nitrates only being a part of the problem.
So in reading this, I give my toddler 3 out of 5 of these every week. She LOVES hot dogs, just began to eat chicken nuggets, and if I put fries in front of her (which is actually rare), she will scarf them down and eat nothing else. However, I only buy Applegate Turkey Hot Dogs and chicken nuggets from Whole Foods. When she eats fries, it’s maybe 2 times a month. Soooo…. are the options above as bad as the ones you are talking about in your post. And if so, what is your suggestion for picky toddlers?
it would depend on the ingredients. Mainly, what oil is used, what preservatives are used and how they’re processed. So generally speaking yes they are bad because it is processed and I’m sure you don’t have all the ingredients listed. Go for organic, with as few (known) ingredients as possible.