How To Make Healthy Meals Using Packaged Foods

Let's face it.  Packaged foods are far less healthier than fresh ones.  Yet we cannot but resort to them when we are too time-pressed to cook from scratch.  Thus, with a sinking and conscieaare not really healthy. 

To ease our guilt and salve our conscience somewhat, arm yourself with the following skills, tips and tricks on how to make healthy meals out of packaged foods.  Yes, there are ingenious ways of cooking with convenience foods in such a way that salt, fat and sugar are reduced while enhancing the nutrient density of the finished meal.

Set a limit.

Rather than mindlessly opening the "nth" canned meal every time you are too busy to cook, set a limited number of times you can have packaged food for a day, week or month.  For some, the sensible limit would be 3 packaged meals per person per week and no more.  You can also schedule packaged meals on MWF (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) or weekends.  Setting a schedule helps you to keep track and limit the frequency of package food consumption.

Take note of serving sizes.

Already notorious for sodium, salt and fats, packaged foods can very easily load you up with the wrong substances if you ignore serving sizes and simply eat to your heart's content.  The healthy way is to take just one serving of a food and not consume the whole bag.

Mix with or add fresh foods.

By adding potato chunks to corned beef, you can lower the proportion of salt.  When you toss a salad green beside your TV diner, you are sneaking in more fiber and nutrients.  The idea is to avoid subsisting on packaged foods alone but to use it in conjunction with fresh ingredients.

Other healthy make-overs include adding potatoes, mushrooms, carrots and peas to packaged meals;  sprinkling tarragon on green beans and adding in more cheese to a Mexican dinner.