.jpg)
Photo from blisstree.com
Cooking from scratch is a lost art, especially in our fast-paced, here-in-an-instant world. Every day, we're bombarded with images of processed foods, from hot dogs, canned meats and fish, to instant noodles and hot cereals. These are often labeled “enriched” or “fortified” supposedly with vitamins, which only means that they've been nutritionally-enhanced in the process. Even so, processing already destroys whatever nutritional benefits these foods had when they were in their whole form. I don't know about you, but I'd rather drink a homemade carrot-orange smoothie than eat a collagen-fortified chocolate cookie--wild guess as to which one is better for my skin!
Also, bear in mind that just because you are buying something from a “health food” grocery or specialty store does not mean that it is good for you or your kids! Even if these shops offer “natural” or “organic” options, many of these instant, packaged items are mixed in with other highly-processed products, just like any other product in the supermarket. The truth is that they are still produced in factories, using refined ingredients that you wouldn't use yourself if you were making these foods from scratch at home.
Fact: Whole foods - those that have not been altered to be “instant”, fortified foods - will always be superior. Here are some whole food alternatives to common instant foods we're used to preparing for our kids. And while they take a bit more time to prepare and cook, remember that you are investing time and good quality food on your kids’ health, something that you should never scrimp on.Click "View Gallery" to find healthy substitutes for instant and processed food.
Photos from flickr creative commons
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW-
Viewing as List
Launch Gallery-
Photo 1 of 5Homemade noodles with vegetables INSTEAD OF Instant noodles, instant pancit canton Instant noodles are seriously evil: They are high in carbohydrates, low in fiber, and lack vitamins and minerals. They also have high levels of salt, saturated fat and trans fat, and depend largely on MSG as a flavor enhancer. MSG has been linked with several negative effects, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as seizures, brain cell damage, allergies, rashes, asthma attacks, headaches, and tumors. Make noodles at home, without the additives and other culprits. Cook rice noodles (a better alternative to instant ramen or mami noodles) and toss them with cooked vegetables, chopped chicken breast or sliced beef. Try a yummy combination of thin sliced beef, garlic, onions, scallions, chopped kamote (sweet potato greens), sesame oil, soy sauce and brown sugar tossed in some cooked rice noodles - a simple version of beef ho fan. It's tasty and hearty so kids will love it, plus, it doesn't have any of those nasty artificial ingredients. -
Photo 2 of 5Homemade soup from scratch INSTEAD OF instant soups in cans and packets Like instant noodles, instant soups in cans and packets have virtually no nutritional value. Make soup easily and from scratch by keeping good basics in your kitchen. Make homemade chicken or vegetable broth and store them in your freezer (Stock making is easy; just follow any of these recipes). Use them as a base of several soups that your kids will enjoy. Try serving a creamy squash and leek soup served with wholewheat breadsticks, or a chunky vegetable soup with pasta shells. Make chicken noodle soup from scratch, easily: Just boil a whole chicken breast for 20 minutes in 1.5 liters of homemade chicken stock. Remove the chicken and shred the meat, then place back in the broth with 100 grams of pasta shells, a half-cup of pureed cauliflower and half-cup of pureed sweet potato. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer for about five minutes - instant chicken soup that's filled with veggie goodness (and perfect for soothing colds and fevers, too). -
Photo 3 of 5Oven-baked crackers INSTEAD OF processed soda crackers, cheese crackers Store-bought crackers and snacks are usually filled with all sorts of toxic ingredients, such as hydrogenated oils, artificial coloring and preservatives. Did you know these ingredients can contribute to a number of debilitating diseases such as cancer, diabetes and liver disease? Instead, try making savory, oven-baked crackers at home. This easy, doable recipe from Good Cheap Eats is a great alternative to store-bought savory crackers, and can be easily made from scratch. They can keep well in an airtight container. All it takes is some flour, cheddar cheese, salt, garlic powder and butter! You can keep the cracker dough in the freezer until you're ready to bake these crispy crackers, which just take 15 minutes in the oven. (Try these other recipes, too, for homemade crackers: Sesame Seed Crisps. -
Photo 4 of 5Oven-baked veggie or potato chips INSTEAD OF junk food, fast-food fries Junk food truly lives up to its name. It's not a hidden fact that junk food has zero beneficial values; it's even one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide. It's also a leading cause of allergies, conditions such as skin asthma, diabetes and obesity. Think again the next time your kid begs you for that pack of potato chips! Instead, make homemade chips out of whole vegetables. Making these snacks from scratch takes a bit of preparation, but you can use any vegetables you'd like. Personally, I find starchy ingredients such as potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots very effective. To make home made chips, preheat an oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Scrub and rinse your potatoes or carrots (or both) and slice them into matchstick-size sticks. Dry them with a clean dish towel and toss them around with some olive oil, sea salt and a tiny bit of fresh ground pepper. Spread the sticks on the baking sheet (make sure they're not piled on top of one another) and bake, tossing them around with tongs evey 10 minutes, and then every 5 minutes. After about 20 minutes, you'll have warm, crispy veggie fries. -
Photo 5 of 5Homemade chicken nuggets and cold cuts INSTEAD OF Hotdogs and processed meats This includes everything from sausages and ham to fish balls and ready-to-fry chicken nuggets. Processed meats such as these are filled with all sorts of chemicals that are cancer-causing, like nitrates, and have huge quantities of salt as well. Try these healthier alternatives. * Chicken nuggets substitute: Homemade chicken strips. Cut some strips of boneless chicken breast into thin strips; salt and pepper them. Roll them in a bit of beaten egg, then toss them in a mixture of Japanese bread crumbs, ground flaxseed, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and grated cheese. Heat up a shallow, nonstick pan with less than an inch of lauric oil and fry the strips until they're golden brown; serve this with some homemade honey-mustard dip (Just mix equal amounts of mustard and raw honey.) * Cold-cut substitute: Chicken fillets. Buy boneless chicken thighs and flatten them slightly with a mallet. Season them in salt and pepper, and marinate in some olive oil, a few garlic cloves and a pinch of dried rosemary. Bake them in a lightly-oiled baking tray in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes, or sear them in a grill pan. You can refrigerate these up to three days and use them in sandwiches instead of ham.
-
