ByAcademy of Culinary NutritionLast updated onReading Time: 13 minutes
Longstanding nutrition advice tells us that we should stick to the perimeter of grocery stores (where the fresh food is) and avoid everything in the center aisles. Generally speaking, this is solid advice – but there are a number of healthy packaged foods throughout the grocery aisles we can use to supplement our home cooking.
Sometimes, though, it can be extra challenging to make meals and work or school lunches without a little extra help, which is where carefully curating healthy packaged foods comes into play.
There are a number of reasons why someone might choose foods in packages, including:
Let’s talk about healthy packaged foods, what to look for and what to avoid in the supermarket aisles.
Healthy Packaged Foods: Label Sleuthing Tips
Highly processed foods that don’t support our wellbeing far outweigh the options for healthy packaged foods. To ensure you’re selecting a product that is health-supportive and meets your nutrition goals, the first step is to start reading food labels.
While conventional nutritionists tend to emphasize calories or grams of fat, culinary nutrition wisdom is about looking at the ingredient lists on products to determine what is actually in the food we’re eating and if those ingredients are beneficial to our health and wellness. Skip the nutrition facts panel and look at the ingredients instead.
Some things to avoid when buying pre-packaged foods include:
Bisphenol A (BPA). If purchasing canned goods or foods in plastic, look for cans and packaging that are BPA-free because BPA is a known endocrine disruptor. If a package doesn’t specifically state it’s BPA-free, it’s probably not.
Preservatives. There are many additives that preserve food and we tend to avoid sulphites, nitrites, sodium benzoate, BHA and BHT.
Canola And/Or Sunflower Oil. This is a common ingredient you’ll see on labels as canola oil is cheap, but it is also genetically modified and highly processed to the point where it is rancid. More on how to choose healthy cooking oils here.
Trans Fats/Hydrogenated Oils. Our bodies can’t actually recognize the chemical structure of trans fats, and this can lead to things like high cholesterol, heart disease and cancer. Look for ‘hydrogenated’ or ‘partially hydrogenated’ oils in ingredient lists to detect trans fats.
Refined Sugars. Sugars are habit-forming and can influence diabetes, mood disruption, hormone imbalances, cancer, cavities and cardiovascular disease. Sugar can present itself in many names, including sucrose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup, maltodextrin and more – get a list of other names for sugar here.
Added Sugars. Sometimes sugar appears in places you wouldn’t expect, like tomato sauce, crackers, salad dressing or bread. Check labels for added sugars.
Natural Flavours. “Natural flavours” is a broad term and they may be safe, or not. If you see natural flavours on a label, get in touch with the company to determine what they actually are.
Simple ingredient lists. A short ingredient list doesn’t always mean a product is healthy, but generally limited ingredients means that you’ll be consuming fewer of the ingredients mentioned above.
Whole ingredients. Look for whole, unprocessed ingredients. For example, look for whole, crushed, dried or chopped fruits and vegetables in packaged foods versus their powders, which have undergone far more processing and stripping of their nutrients.
BPA-Free. Look for this label on canned or plastic goods. Glass jars are also a good option to avoid BPA.
Organic. This ensures there will be no synthetic pesticides, GMOs and fewer heavy metals, plus organic farming is better for animals and the environment. Note: organic doesn’t always equal healthy – organic cookies are still cookies!
Wild. If purchasing canned fish, aim for wild options rather than farmed.
Low to moderate sodium. Salt is a very effective preservative, yet many packaged foods contain loads of white table salt, which is detrimental to our health. Look for healthy packaged foods that are low in sodium – you can always add better types of salt when you cook and serve your food.
Labels can definitely be confusing – more advice on how to avoid being fooled by the label here. You can find specific recommendations on what to look for in healthy packaged foods below!
What to Avoid: Most frozen berries or berry mixes should only contain berries – there really shouldn’t be any preservatives.
Plain Frozen Vegetables
Similar to fruits, frozen vegetables are frozen when they are fresh and are wonderful tossed into soups, dinner bowls and even smoothies.
What to Look For: Non-GMO vegetables with single ingredients – eg. carrots, or carrots, peas and broccoli if you are buying a vegetable medley. If you are being selective about organics, reference the dirty dozen list to know which organic vegetables to purchase. You can also find pre-shredded frozen cauliflower rice or spiralized veggie noodles these days; there isn’t anything wrong with these options but they will be much more expensive.
What to Avoid: Veggies that have been pre-roasted and then frozen (they don’t taste great).
Nuts and Seeds
Whether buying in bulk or in small packages, nuts and seeds are wonderful plant-based sources of protein and are rich in nutritious fats, vitamins and fibre.
What to Look For: Raw, organic or unsalted.
What to Avoid: Roasted nuts, as the fats in nuts and seeds can go rancid when exposed to heat, light and air. It’s better to toast or roast them yourself. Also avoid any unhealthy cooking oils, which can be added to roasted nuts.
Gluten-Free Grains
Plain gluten-free grains such as rice, wild rice, quinoa, millet, sorghum, teff and amaranth are perfect for side dishes, burritos, in stir-fries or other one-pot meals, or to bulk up veggie burgers. Learn how to optimally cook them (no more mushy grains!).
What to Look For: Single ingredient grains.
What to Avoid: Packaged rice with seasoning packets, as these often contain natural flavours, excess sodium, unhealthy oils, and MSG.
What to Look For: Whole oats, either steel cut, quick cooking or rolled.
What to Avoid: Most instant oatmeal packets, though some are better than others. Watch out for natural flavours, colours and preservatives. If you are gluten-intolerant or are celiac, purchase certified gluten-free oats.
Gluten-Free Pasta
Gluten-free pasta is an excellent pantry staple – when cooking with it, we like to use less pasta and load it up with nutrient-dense veggies.
What to Look For: There are many varieties and shapes of gluten-free pasta, including those made with rice, quinoa, corn, chickpeas, black beans, lentils and more. Any of these are good options depending on your preference. Most pastas should be made from a grain/bean and water.
What to Avoid: Mono and diglycerides, which contain trans fats.
What to Look For: Single ingredient dried fruit, or dried fruit sweetened with applesauce.
What to Avoid: Sulphites, flour, canola and/or sunflower oil (the former prevents discolouration, the latter prevents the fruit from sticking together), and added sugars.
Beans – Canned and Dried
Beans and legumes are a wonderful way to add more fibre, vitamins and protein to your diet and they can be added to a wide range of dishes.
What to Look For: If purchasing cooked beans, choose BPA-free containers and check labels for sodium levels. If buying dried, the only thing listed should be the specific bean or legume in the package.
What to Avoid: Refried or baked beans that contain added unhealthy cooking oils, preservatives and refined sugars.
Tomatoes and Tomato Paste
Tomatoes are a good source of cancer-preventative lycopene and are a versatile kitchen ingredient, great in pasta sauce, on pizza, in salsa and other condiments, soups, or stews. Tomato paste adds a rich flavour and thickens up the texture of your dishes.
What to Look For: Optimally, organic and fair-trade chocolate. If that isn’t available, aim for the darkest chocolate you can find – the darker it is, the less sugar it will have.
What to Avoid: Milk chocolate, dark chocolate with milk ingredients, artificial flavours, soy lecithin, artificial colours/food dyes.
Trail Mix
Often a combination of nuts, seeds, dried fruit and chocolate, trail mixes make a great snack when you’re on the go.
What to Look For: Plain trail mixes with fruit and nuts/seeds – raw nuts/seeds if you can, organic, unsalted.
What to Avoid: Canola oil, soybean oil, sulphites, hydrogenated oils, milk ingredients or modified ingredients, sugar, icing sugar, corn syrup, or other refined sugars, natural flavours, artificial colours, shellac. If you have a peanut allergy, watch for peanuts.
What to Look For: Single ingredient, certified gluten-free flours to ensure there hasn’t been any cross-contamination. We really like Bob’s Red Mill, which is widely available in North America.
What to Avoid: Gluten-free flour mixes that contain a ton of starches like corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch and white rice flour. These flours are better when used in small amounts, but are often predominant in many flour mixes. If you have digestive issues, you may want to avoid mixes with xanthan gum.
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What to Look For: Organic, non-irradiated spices, either ground or whole. We like to purchase many spices whole and grind them ourselves to maintain their freshness and volatile oils.
What to Avoid: We prefer buying spices in jars or small cardboard boxes rather than plastic, and store them in a cool dark place.
Applesauce
Great as a snack or used as an egg substitute in baking, applesauce is a healthy packaged food that is rich in a variety of vitamins, minerals and fibre.
What to Look For: Organic applesauce, as apples are high up on the dirty dozen list, in jars if you can find them. You can buy plain applesauce or ones mixed with other fruits.
What to Avoid: Applesauce with added sugars, refined sugars, natural or artificial flavours.
Coconut Milk and Shredded Coconut
Coconut is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial, plus it contains medium-chain fats that balance blood sugar, fuel the nervous system and is easy for us to digest and use. Creamy coconut can swing both sweet and savory!
What to Look For: Coconut milk in BPA-free cans or cartons, unsweetened shredded coconut.
What to Avoid: Sulphites, preservatives, refined sugar or added sugars, guar gum or xanthan gum if you are sensitive to them (they can cause digestive upset in some people).
Salsa
Whether you opt for mild, medium or super spicy, salsa is a wonderful condiment for chips, veggies, or burrito bowls.
What to Look For: Salsa in jars rather than cans (the acidity of tomatoes eats away at the lining of cans or plastic), organic salsa.
What to Avoid: Natural flavour, added sugars, artificial colours/food dyes.
Soup
When you don’t have time to make a hot pot of soup, a high-quality store-bought variety can help you create an easy one pot meal – especially if you bulk it up with gluten-free grains, extra vegetables, or a source of protein.
What to Look For: Organic varieties if they are in your budget, BPA-free cans or cartons, low sodium. Many grocery stores will also have house-made soup in the hot foods section or refrigerated section to take home without preservatives, but check labels for ingredients like added sugars or canola oil.
What to Avoid: Colours and food dyes (caramel colour is often in soups), high sodium, glutenous flour or pasta, butter, cream or milk, canola oil, hydrogenated oils, added sugars, soybean oil, yeast extract.
Sauerkraut and Pickled Vegetables
There is a difference between sauerkraut and pickles that have been fermented with a salt and water brine, and pickled foods that use a heated vinegar brine to create the sour flavour. We much prefer the former, for both the taste and the health benefits.
What to Look For: Look in the refrigerator case for true fermented vegetables that should only contain water, salt and spices.
What to Avoid: Artificial colours, sulphites, white vinegar, sugar, preservatives.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a versatile oil in the kitchen – it can be used in everything from medium-temperature baking or roasting to stovetop cooking to condiments like salad dressings, dips and hummus.
What to Look For: Cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil, organic, in a dark bottle.
What to Avoid: Olive oil that has been adulterated with cheaper, low quality oils. Learn how to suss out rancid olive oil here.
Pasta Sauce
No time for simmering? Grab a jar of store-bought pasta sauce for pasta dishes, pizza, soups or stews.
What to Look For: Pasta sauce in glass jars or BPA-free cans, organic, low sodium.
What to Avoid: Natural flavours, hydrogenated oils, canola oil, added sugars, refined sugars, artificial flavours, sauce in plastic containers or BPA cans.
Healthy packaged foods aren’t always easy to navigate, but with these guidelines, you can begin to determine which ones fit into your lifestyle, as well as when it’s worth it to take a shortcut. Once you figure out the healthy pre-packaged foods you enjoy, they can be great companions to your cooking.
Image Credit: iStock/Kwangmoozaa
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