While there is a trend toward eating “clean” -- avoiding packaged foods full of preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients -- never eating out of a package is not realistic for most people. If you eat on the go even once in a while, knowing how to choose healthy packaged foods is key to your health and waistline. Frozen and canned (BPA-free) foods also help when preparing a last-minute meal. “I am glad to see the trend toward ‘real food’ and avoiding highly processed foods. While it is ideal to strive to eat a mostly whole-foods diet, enjoying a moderate amount of packaged foods with clean ingredients is still an acceptable and good way to go,” says Michelle Dudash, RDN, author of “Clean Eating for Busy Families.”
To help you navigate the overwhelming supermarket shelves, here are nine packaged products in different categories that taste good and are good for you -- providing a simple, quality, whole-food ingredient list.