Where do you draw the line on processed food?

[XCChamps]

I like food and I like cooking, so generally (I thought) we don't have much processed food.

However, I have realised that there are a number of things from my childhood that I don't really consider processed, but clearly are e.g:

• sausages
• fish fingers/breaded fish
• breakfast cereals
• ham/salami
• pork pies
• tinned fish (tuna, sardines, anchovies)

So I don't do modern processed food like cheese strings and ready meals, but I do , in fact, do "traditional" processed food

If you avoid processed foods, what do you consider processed food to be?

Ready meals are the absolute no-no. Most food in the supermarket these days is processed. Everything in your list I would classify as fine.

But someone will be along shortly to tell you fish fingers are the work of the devil and can be knocked up in seconds

I know - when people talk about "cooking from scratch" I always wonder what that is. I'd also add to your list of queries
bread / bread products
baked beans
tinned tomatoes

Processed doesn't necessarily mean "bad for you".

Cheese is processed milk, it doesn't come about naturally.

I mostly cook from scratch but I do use cheats like frozen veg and tinned tomatoes. I even have the occasional ready meal if it's just me at home and I'm in a hurry. I draw the line at those rustlers microwave burger things which cannot ever under any circumstances be good for you

A flexible store cupboard ought to include tinned fish, beans, cans of sweetcorn, preserved veg such as peppers and canned tomatoes. Canning and freezing can preserve nutrients when done with fresh ingredients, swiftly.

I don't mind fish sticks, frozen veg, fish cakes, packets of flavoured noodles etc. The important thing is that they are part of a balanced diet and who has time to ALWAYS bake fresh crackers for cheese, rice cakes, Krisp breads and similar packaged goods?

I check for palm oil and corn syrup because these really do have health and
environmental Consequences.

Ban something and you'll make it desirable. Take prohibition as your example.

Tuna and chopped tomatoes are as bad as sausages?? Really?

I don't think anyone's said tuna or tomatoes are "bad"? Or sausages for that matter.

Is frozen veg a cheat?? A lot of frozen veg has more vitamins preserved in them than some "fresh" veg that has been languishing in a shop for days on end.

I don't draw the line particularly. I guess I wouldn't buy chicken dippers but that because they are just so cheap I can't imagine how crap the contents must be. I love a sausage though and buy ready meals readily.

Ok but when I think of processed foods in general I think of them being bad. I think sausages are pretty bad when all is said and done. I never realised tinned tuna and chopped toms were considered processed tbh. And seeing as I think of processed as bad, I was surprised.

Fresh sausages made by a Butcher with high meat content, ground from actual cuts of pork on the premises are NOT bad.

I use the adage that if it has a list of ingredients it is processed or prepared (so for me sausages/fish fingers would be, but cheese or plain yogurt wouldn't be. Having said that I buy nearly everything on the OP'S list, although not much cereal. We mostly have eggs/toast/pancakes with fruit.

I always wanted to invent a diet that basically said you couldn't eat anything that came into your house consisting of more than three ingredients already mixed - which would allow dried pasta / frozen veg / tinned toms/tuna, for example. I reckon you'd lose weight like anything

I also kind of like the guy whose food 'rules' say you shouldn't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't have recognised as food (luckily I think I have an Italian great grandmother in there somewhere amongst the various Irish/Englishones, so I'd be allowed olives & olive oil . . .)

I just try and buy things as close to its natural state as is reasonable and convenient for me
Ie I wouldn't buy a ready made lasagne but I would buy ready made lasagne sheets as I don't have the time to make my own but I do make my own lasagne sauce and white sauce rather than jars. I do use tinned tomatoes to save time.

I buy sausages as I don't have a sausage machine etc buti wouldn't buy preprapared chicken breasts already coated in seasoning etc as I would add that my self.

Cooking food is processing it so even if you buy raw ingredients you are still processing it!

I know someone who "won't touch" processed food, and told me that while drinking a cup of instant decaf coffee.

Most food is processed in some way.

We have bread, pasta etc. Frozen veg and tinned tomatoes are brilliant.

I heard stuff like sausages, bacon etc aren't great for your colon so I don't buy them as often anymore.

I generally don't buy stuff like pasta sauces anymore because I make and freeze my own, but then sometimes I get ready meals if we need an easy dinner.

To me processed food is anything which has come through a factory, ie been processed. I guess where I draw the line is whether it has a list of ingredients. So plain yoghurt, cheese, oats, rice etc are ok. Tinned food too although that breaks the rule as there is often water too - I'm thinking about tinned beans, sweetcorn, etc. As someone else said, as close to its natural state as possible. I'm not sure what my motivation is - partly health but mainly political to be honest. I don't like the food industry and the money behind it.

Yes to oven chips, no to smiley faces and alpha bites.

Yes to stuffed fresh pasta, no to tinned ravioli.

Yes to skinless chicken breasts, no to ones already marinaded or breaded.

My line is fairly wonky and random. And a bit blurred.

I don't like ready meals or dried pot foods- pot noodles or mug shot things. Crumbed meat & fish are OK but it has to be fillet not minced up sort.
I don't buy jars of pasta sauce but do buy curry cook in sauce.
Sausages are eaten but try not to because of fat not the process.

Don't have ready meals, cook-in sauces, frozen chips, smiley faces/nuggets/dippers etc.

We do have good quality fish fingers, 90% meat sausages and pesto sauce (not pasta sauce), filled pasta.

We don't eat much bacon but do have a lot of ham, which I realise is processed too.

We also have bread, bread products, yoghurts and ice cream, all processed.

I would consider the fish fingers/breaded fish and oven chips to be too processed for me but I'll use canned tomatoes, frozen peas. I cheat with Pataks curry pastes, chipotle paste, red curry paste, I'm quite particular about the ingredients in these products. I don't really like using them often but sometimes it just can't be helped.