FOOD FUNDAMENTALS
Convenience foods
50
MILLION AMERICANS
ARE SERVED AT FAST
FOOD RESTAURANTS
EVERY DAY
Instant noodles
Just adding water to instant
noodles provides a tasty, filling
snack. However, they contain
few beneficial nutrients and
have been linked to increased
risk of obesity, diabetes, heart
disease, and strokes.
High in fat
In addition to the oil in the
noodles themselves, the noodles
are often fried to dry them,
making them high in fat.
High in salt and sugar
Lots of salt and sugar is
added to make the bland
noodles tasty. This can
often exceed our daily
recommended amounts.
Low in fiber and protein
There is little fiber or
protein in instant noodles,
so despite their high calorie
count, they won’t satisfy
you for long.
Convenience foods
With busy lives, many of us turn to ready-made
convenience foods. They are quick, easy, and tasty,
but not usually the healthiest option. So why are
convenience foods bad for us? And are there
healthier types we can choose?
What are convenience foods?
Convenience foods are preprepared or processed and include
prepackaged meals, cake mixes, snack foods, preprepared fruit and
vegetables, frozen ingredients, and canned food. Companies that
make and sell convenience foods usually focus on taste and shelf-life
rather than on nutritional value. By exploiting our evolved affinity for
sweetness and our desire for quick, easy, tasty, high-calorie food,
they ensure products sell in high quantities.
High in refined carbs
The flour used is refined and
processed, removing most of the
fiber and micronutrients, but
leaving the high calorie count.
WHAT MAKES
JUNK FOOD
SO MOREISH?
Most junk food carefully
balances sweetness, salt, and
fat – designed to give our
brains maximum pleasure
and keep us coming back
for more.
US_038-039_Convenience_foods_update.indd 38 18/01/2017 09:53
38
FOOD FUNDAMENTALS
Convenience foods
39
2000
1800
1894 Corn flakes
invented by Dr. John
Harvey Kellogg. This
was one of the first
ready-to-eat cereals
to be mass produced.
1953–54 The first
ready-to-eat meals
sold, in a metal tray
that could be heated
in an oven.
Late 1960s
Freezers and
frozen prepared
meals become
mainstream.
1970s Number
of women in work
increases, leading to
a rise in the popularity
of preprepared meals.
1810 Cans
first used to
preserve food
for sailors on
long voyages.
1930s Flash-freezing
invented, allowing
foods to be frozen
en masse and sold
to the public.
1967 Countertop
microwave ovens
introduced—but it
would be 20 years
before they were
common in the home.
1979 The first
chilled ready
meal, launched
by a supermarket
in the UK.
History of
convenience foods
Convenience food is not new. Food
can be preserved in many ways;
frozen, canned, dehydrated, or by
using additives. For some, this has
improved nutrition, but for others it
has made it worse.
Not all convenience foods are unhealthy. Canned and
frozen fruit and vegetables, or ready-made soups, are
good sources of nutrients and fiber—sometimes
containing more vitamins and phytochemicals than
their fresh ingredients (cooking tomatoes releases
lycopene). But sugar and salt are often added to
improve the taste and preserve the soup for longer.
GOOD CONVENIENCE FOODS
CARROT AND
CILANTRO SOUP
TAKEOUT
ROUTE BACK FROM WORK
HOME
TAKEOUT
ROUTE BACK FROM WORK
HOME
Modern eating habits
Ready-made food is all around us, from
sandwich shops to takeout to fancy
restaurants, and this affects the way we
eat. When working hours are long and time
for food preparation and cooking is short,
the appeal of instant, fast food rises.
However, there can be a trade-off between
convenience foods and health.
Influence of takeouts
A study has shown that people who are exposed to
more takeouts at home, near work, or on their route
between the two, eat more takeouts and are more
likely to have a higher body mass index.
Fewer takeouts
consumed
One, or a few, takeouts
passed on the way home
More takeouts
consumed
Many takeouts passed
on the way home
US_038-039_Convenience_foods.indd 39 03/02/2017 10:12
38
FOOD FUNDAMENTALS
Convenience foods
39
2000
1800
1894 Corn flakes
invented by Dr. John
Harvey Kellogg. This
was one of the first
ready-to-eat cereals
to be mass produced.
1953–54 The first
ready-to-eat meals
sold, in a metal tray
that could be heated
in an oven.
Late 1960s
Freezers and
frozen prepared
meals become
mainstream.
1970s Number
of women in work
increases, leading to
a rise in the popularity
of preprepared meals.
1810 Cans
first used to
preserve food
for sailors on
long voyages.
1930s Flash-freezing
invented, allowing
foods to be frozen
en masse and sold
to the public.
1967 Countertop
microwave ovens
introduced—but it
would be 20 years
before they were
common in the home.
1979 The first
chilled ready
meal, launched
by a supermarket
in the UK.
History of
convenience foods
Convenience food is not new. Food
can be preserved in many ways;
frozen, canned, dehydrated, or by
using additives. For some, this has
improved nutrition, but for others it
has made it worse.
Not all convenience foods are unhealthy. Canned and
frozen fruit and vegetables, or ready-made soups, are
good sources of nutrients and fiber—sometimes
containing more vitamins and phytochemicals than
their fresh ingredients (cooking tomatoes releases
lycopene). But sugar and salt are often added to
improve the taste and preserve the soup for longer.
GOOD CONVENIENCE FOODS
CARROT AND
CILANTRO SOUP
TAKEOUT
ROUTE BACK FROM WORK
HOME
TAKEOUT
ROUTE BACK FROM WORK
HOME
Modern eating habits
Ready-made food is all around us, from
sandwich shops to takeout to fancy
restaurants, and this affects the way we
eat. When working hours are long and time
for food preparation and cooking is short,
the appeal of instant, fast food rises.
However, there can be a trade-off between
convenience foods and health.
Influence of takeouts
A study has shown that people who are exposed to
more takeouts at home, near work, or on their route
between the two, eat more takeouts and are more
likely to have a higher body mass index.
Fewer takeouts
consumed
One, or a few, takeouts
passed on the way home
More takeouts
consumed
Many takeouts passed
on the way home
US_038-039_Convenience_foods.indd 39 03/02/2017 10:12
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