Processed foods can be a healthy part of your child’s diet. It might be an unpopular opinion, but I’m here to tell you that processed foods are nothing to be afraid of and you are not a bad parent for needing to use them to feed your kids and yourself.
Let’s start with the word itself. I hate that the term “processed” has taken on such a negative connotation. Unless you grow your own food and eat it raw, unwashed, and whole, your food is processed. Processed means that a food has been changed from its natural state. If you wash, slice, can, freeze, cook, or even just added a little olive oil, it has been processed. Everyone eats processed food. Even Facebook Karen with her organic, unrefined, cold-pressed virgin coconut oil. It wasn’t simply scooped out of a coconut. Processing does not make a product healthy or unhealthy. It’s the ingredients and corresponding nutritional values that matter.
I once worked with a customer who wanted a short ingredient list that was minimally processed and clean. She wouldn’t even let me use oil to adhere seasoning to her snack product. No sugar (because she said it was highly processed), but crystalline fructose was ok. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that “fructose” on a food label is dried high fructose corn syrup. Yep, it’s even further processed. In her mind and many consumers minds, it’s somehow magically extracted from fruit. Guess what? Your body doesn’t care. Fructose is fructose to your body. Sugar is sugar.
Ultra-Processed
Are there different levels of processing? Yes, of course. Breakfast cereals, for example, are often referred to “ultra-processed”, because they undergo many different processes to get to the final product. The, result, however, can be pretty healthy if you choose the right product. Cheerios are a great choice for kids because they are made with whole grains oats, low in sugar, and contain substantial amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. A 20g cup serving of cheerios (for 1 to 3-year-olds) contains only 2g of sugar, but has 14%DV of fiber, 8% DV of protein, and 90% DV of iron. Add milk and some fresh fruit to it and you have a nutrition packed breakfast.
Food processing has a lot of benefits too. Pasteurizing milk eliminates harmful bacteria. Fermentation, canning, and drying preserve food to make it safer and last longer. Processing is also a way to add nutrients to fortify foods and make them more nutritious. Homemade almond milk has very little nutritional value. If you buy it at the supermarket though, the product will contain added vitamin A, D, and calcium. Take advantage of those added vitamins and minerals. And guess what, that homemade almond milk? Well, you’ve just created your own processed food anyway.
Chemicals
But wait, aren’t processed foods full of chemicals? Yes, they are. Dihydrogen monoxide (water), sodium chloride (salt), acetic acid (vinegar), ascorbic acid (vitamin c). Everything is made of chemicals and everything is toxic in high enough doses. See my post on chemicals in food for more information on why you shouldn’t fear them.
Choosing Processed Foods
What to keep in mind when shopping:
- Processed ≠ less nutritious. It depends on the product
- Organic ≠ less processing, more nutritious, safer, pesticide free, or better for the environment
- Non-GMO ≠ less processing, more nutritious, safer, pesticide free, or better for the environment
- “Natural” on a label ≠ less processing, safer, more nutritious, pesticide-free, organic, or non-GMO. There is no legal definition for “natural” on a label under the FDA
- Be mindful of salt and sugar. They can be high in snack foods that aren’t specifically made for toddlers/young kids. Don’t just focus on added sugar though. Sugar is sugar. A serving of apple juice technically has no added sugar, but one cup contains 28g. If that same apple juice is used to sweeten a snack bar, it is considered added sugar.
If you feel better about feeding your family organic, non-GMO, etc. that is certainly your choice. Just know that science does not support those products being any healthier or safer and they generally just cost more. As always, speak with a registered dietitian for advice on nutrition and any major diet changes.
Obviously I’m not suggesting you should feed your children a diet of Oreos and Twinkies, but it you want to buy Gerber baby food, boxed cereal, and Goldfish Crackers, there is no need to feel guilty. The most important thing is that your child is fed and healthy, right? Here are a few of my favorite packaged foods that I always have on hand for my family.
- Frozen fruits and vegetables -equal to or even more nutritious than fresh because they are picked and frozen at peak freshness
- Dairy products – milk, yogurt, and cheese are processed foods too.
- Dried and canned beans
- Dried pasta and rice
- Dried fruits and vegetables- freeze-dried peas, broccoli, and edamame are how I get my son to eat vegetables these days
- Breakfast Cereal – just watch the sugar. Cheerios and Kix are my toddler’s favorites
- Baby/toddler food pouches– the processing isn’t really that complex or different from what you would do at home. It’s time vs cost in my opinion. I choose the ones with more vegetables in them. We try not to use them too often, but sometimes if he won’t eat dinner we pull them out.
- Toddler snacks – Bamba peanut butter puffs, Goldfish Crackers, Gerber Yogurt Melts,
So please, stop the mom shaming and guilt. Your children will be just fine if the grow up eating processed foods . If you can make your own baby food, homecooked meals and snacks every day, that’s fantastic! But most of us don’t have the time or energy. Give yourself a break!