Many people want to eat more whole foods and less processed food now than they did a few years ago. Sometimes, you need something quick and easy. Packaged foods are nowhere. If you like to remain healthy, you should still eat whole foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and some diet and dairy.

 

Packaged foods get a bad rap because they have long ingredient lists, trans fats, and a lot of salt. Not all packaged foods are the same. Today, there are more healthy options than just a few years ago, thanks to health-conscious people who want things to be easy.

 

Here’s how to buy packaged foods that you can feel good about giving your family. For even more ideas, we asked registered dietitians (RDs) to tell us which packaged foods they like best and what to look for when you’re shopping for healthy food. If you want, go ahead and make your life a little easier now.

 

Bread

 

The bread aisle has come a long way in the last ten years. Today, more whole-wheat options have a lot of fiber, which most Americans don’t get enough of. On the other hand, some wheat bread has long ingredient lists and hidden salt and sugar.

 

Here are two high-fiber pieces of bread that you can read and trust:

 

  • Ezekiel 4:9 bread made by Dave is from Food for Life (typically found in the frozen section)

 

Crackers

 

Often, the best trackers aren’t even in the cracker aisle at all but in the health-food gallery. You should look for crackers with a lot of fiber and protein, but not much sugar or sodium, just like bread. Keep an eye on the serving size, too. Make sure there are at least 3 grams of fiber in each serving, as well. To get 3 grams of fiber, do you need to eat a dozen crackers? Or can you get it with just five? It’s easier to get more yarn for your money if you eat less.

 

You’ll be complete with these brands:

 

  • Mary’s Gone Crackers
  • Wasa
  • Triscuit

 

Frozen Veggie Burgers

 

There are moments when you require something quick. Making your veggie burger is great, but sometimes you need something quick. Shopping for frozen veggie burgers is very important because some are filled with cheap fillers to make them more affordable. It could benefit you if you were looking for a product with real food ingredients instead of cheap fillers to save money. Start with these:

 

  • Praeger’s California Veggie Burgers
  • Engine2 Plant-Strong Poblano Black Bean Burger

 

Pasta

 

It’s time for wheat pasta to move out of the way. Even though there are a lot of pasta alternatives that don’t have wheat in them, we still love you. The pasta aisle is full of pasta made from lentils, black beans, and chickpeas. This is excellent information for somebody who can’t eat wheat, and for the rest of us, it means more options for better-for-you pasta.

 

They still are good for you, but bean-based pasta has more protein and fiber than whole-wheat pasta, which is still good for you. Start with these brands to find the one you like:

 

  • Banza is the name of the game (chickpea-based)
  • Tolerant of simple legumes (bean- and lentil-based)
  • Explore food (edamame-based)

 

You can also buy dried pasta, but frozen or refrigerated ravioli is also a good choice. In Patricia Bannan’s book Eat Right When Time Is Short, she says that ready-made ravioli is a simple way to get restaurant-quality results with far more control over sodium and calories than if you had to make your ravioli from scratch.

 

Depending on how many people you’re cooking for, you can also make as much or as little as you want. Ravioli cooks very quickly, and you can create as many or as few as you want. Your meal isn’t done if you add some veggies like spinach or zucchini. You can also top your meal with store-bought pesto or marinara sauce (look for low-sodium options with minimal or no added sugar).

 

Nut Butter with a flavor

 

Take a look at nuts and nut butter, and don’t worry about the fat. Almost all of it is poly and monounsaturated, good for your heart and brain. Flavored nut butter can be just what you need when you’re in the mood for something a little extra. It has very little sugar in it. Amy Gorin, M.S., RDN, a nutritionist in Connecticut, says that many people don’t know how to eat healthily. Her favorite is salted caramel cashew butter with just 2 grams of added sugar.

 

When you compare it to Nutella, which has 19 grams, you’ll see how small it is. As a bonus, you’ll get 4 grams of protein, which is good for you. When you shop, you should look for butter that has only a few ingredients, like nuts, cane sugar, and sea salt. Spread it on apple or pear slices, mix it into oatmeal, or stir it into Greek yogurt.

 

Canned Beans

 

Beans in cans are one of the cheapest and good packaged foods you can buy. A lot of people know beans can lower blood pressure and cholesterol. They also have a lot of fiber (about 9 grams in a half-cup serving) and protein, making them a good source of both. If you survive in the United States, just 8% eat them every day.

 

Rinse canned beans in a colander before cooking or serving them, and you’ll get rid of the extra salt that comes with them. You can also buy low-sodium beans, but you should still rinse them to get rid of excess sodium. To make a dish, you’ll be able to forget that canned beans are less salty than fresh ones. If you like to consume a lot of beans, you should mix them up. All beans are high in protein and fiber.

 

Chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and navy beans are some of our favorite foods, but we also like many other things. Try canned chili beans if you want beans that have been cooked. These tasty, heat-and-eat legumes are a great side dish that makes getting your bean to fix a breeze. They are cooked, spiced, and sauced.

 

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