Why eat and what's it doin' ?

Food banks don’t always provide the basic ingredients, but they do provide a lot of food and items you can use to turn into multiple things to enjoy. If you get a bag of apples, you can turn them into apple sauce, apple crumble or pie. If you get a bunch of potatoes you can turn them into mashed potatoes, hashbrowns, French fries or roasted potatoes. 

But when you need that butter, flour, peanut butter or oats to finish the recipes. That’s when we have to go to the grocery store. The best way to tackle a grocery store without over spending while also finding healthy foods. Circle the outside walls first! Think of it like this, ingredients are all around you (the outside walls for fruit, dairy, meats, vegetables), then the ‘products’ created with those ingredients are the inside aisles like finished cookies, granola bars, juice, cereal). 

Those products pre-made and labeled as food are often highly processed or semi-processed foods. Sometimes these products can filter out into the healthy foods like smoothy mixes, frozen meals, yogurt. Use your best judgment on what you want to eat.

‘Highly processed’ breaks down to mean: Products that are no longer recognizable as their original ingredients. This can include, some cereals, fruit  snacks, donuts, potato chips, soda, candy, some frozen dinners. 

‘Semi-processed’ foods include a list of foods that are partially prepared. This can include canned vegetables/fruit, canned tuna, sauces (bbq, ketchup, mayonnaise, etc), broth soup cubes (chicken or beef broth), noodles, boiled rice, pre-made soup cups.

There is controversy over the general health of these food groups. High salt, fat or sugar content usually increases the palatability of these products to make them desirable or create  ‘addictive behaviors’. Our bodies are built for those three things, so that makes sense. Health issues including diabetes, blood pressure, liver or kidney issues, celiac, and other allergies can make it difficult to eat salt, fat and sugar. 

Please use your own best judgement on what you choose to purchase and consume. I have made a grocery list of the items I mentioned in the staple ingredients. If you would like to make some of the recipes on this website; you’re welcome to print it and bring it with you to the store to remember what you need to pick up. 

DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE (BRIDGINGMEALS.CA) DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE