wanting to give up processed foods
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how many and which cookbooks do you have? Life will begin when you start cooking from scratch, and not depend on prepared foods! I pretty much use roasted/crushed/diced tomatoes in cans, I have beans in cans although usually cook my own, and pastas/rices etc that come packaged.
What are you using that you want to cut down? I know getting rid of everything that had high fructose corn syrup was important to me, so now I use hunt's ketchup, log cabin syrup (for the family), no BBq sauces which have it in it, and I buy cereals and crackers which are whole grain and don't contain it.
Give us a little more info....but like Ahimsa said, buy fresh foods and start cooking, and make leftovers so you have other lunches or dinners.
What are you using that you want to cut down? I know getting rid of everything that had high fructose corn syrup was important to me, so now I use hunt's ketchup, log cabin syrup (for the family), no BBq sauces which have it in it, and I buy cereals and crackers which are whole grain and don't contain it.
Give us a little more info....but like Ahimsa said, buy fresh foods and start cooking, and make leftovers so you have other lunches or dinners.
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Quote:
Yup.Originally Posted by *AHIMSA*
Yeah, cooking most if not all of your own food is the way to go for me too.
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Honey, getting rid of processed foods is pretty simple if you can cook everything yourself. If you're a college student, that might be hard (I remember having to subsist off of a microwave..) but it is doable. Check out the recipe section for some yummy things to try. And don't go crazy all at once. Try a few simple things at first, like stir-frys and pasta dishes, to get the hang of the basics. Once you have a handle on things, start exploring spices and herbs. It is really quite amazing, the foods and flavors vegans and vegetarians have available. My diet was so boring as an omni.. the world opened up like new for me when I became vegetarian. Good luck on your quest, and let me know if you have any questions.
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I certainly haven't given up processed foods, but actually all my main meals are made from scratch. My advise would be just stock up on lots of great recipes and follow them ! I know it sounds simple but that really is because it is!
Instead of saying "what foods should I buy?" I go through recipe books, find seven meals, write down what I need for them, and buy my shopping that way. You'll quickly get to learn what things you'll be buying differently without processed food and it will become more natrual, but that way you wont be overwhelmed in the supermarket not knowing what to buy now you're changing your eating habits!
I also agree to start off simple, stir frys, pasta dishes, casseroles, curries, things like that. Don't be daunted by lists of ingrediants though, because a recipe might have loads of spices or herbs in it - but that doesn't nessersairly make it difficult (read through the instructions to see), but if you avoid recipes with lots of spices/herbs/other-flavourful-things they'll be bland and you might get disheartened! I have a favourite recipe with a list of ingrediants as long as my arm, but you litereally just chuck it all in a pot, you don't even fry the onion first! So yes, don't be daunted.
Also, it's up to you of course, but you don't have to go all-or-nothing, if you just reduce the amount of "processed"/junk food you eat that's really good, but you might find it easier to keep the occasional treat/lazy-day-meal!
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I have a feeling that if I deprive myself of something (like chocolate, which I'm deffinatly not up to making myself!) I'll just want it more.
Anyway if you're more specific we may be more help, but that's just some general experience of mine
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Instead of saying "what foods should I buy?" I go through recipe books, find seven meals, write down what I need for them, and buy my shopping that way. You'll quickly get to learn what things you'll be buying differently without processed food and it will become more natrual, but that way you wont be overwhelmed in the supermarket not knowing what to buy now you're changing your eating habits!
I also agree to start off simple, stir frys, pasta dishes, casseroles, curries, things like that. Don't be daunted by lists of ingrediants though, because a recipe might have loads of spices or herbs in it - but that doesn't nessersairly make it difficult (read through the instructions to see), but if you avoid recipes with lots of spices/herbs/other-flavourful-things they'll be bland and you might get disheartened! I have a favourite recipe with a list of ingrediants as long as my arm, but you litereally just chuck it all in a pot, you don't even fry the onion first! So yes, don't be daunted.
Also, it's up to you of course, but you don't have to go all-or-nothing, if you just reduce the amount of "processed"/junk food you eat that's really good, but you might find it easier to keep the occasional treat/lazy-day-meal!
Anyway if you're more specific we may be more help, but that's just some general experience of mine
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We eat a mostly whole-foods diet. I don't make my own bread or pasta (usually! sometimes I do), but most everything I do from scratch. I think it's less expensive and healthier that way! What sort of processed foods are a regular part of your diet now?
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