Ginevra Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I'm really stumped, actually. Dh and I were talking about processed foods and as I described what that means to me, he said, "So are those cookies you made a processed food? Is the homemade bread?" I defended my baking. :tongue_smilie: But, maybe wrongly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Processed food is made in a factory. Unless you live in a factory, I'd say you have homemade food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Well, any food that is no longer in its raw state is technically "processed". Once you've cooked broccoli, it's been processed to a degree. But I think what people are generally referring to when they talk about processed foods is packaged food (e.g. packaged mac and cheese, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Well, if your cookies were made from store bought pillsbury dough then they are a processed food. If you made the cookies from scratch they are not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Well, any food that is no longer in its raw state is technically "processed". Once you've cooked broccoli, it's been processed to a degree. But I think what people are generally referring to when they talk about processed foods is packaged food (e.g. packaged mac and cheese, etc.). That's what I ended up saying. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Well, if your cookies were made from store bought pillsbury dough then they are a processed food. If you made the cookies from scratch they are not. :svengo: Perish the thought. That would be grounds for divorce! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songsparrow Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I don't think homemade food is processed food. The problem I have with processed foods is all of the chemicals and preservatives that the food is subjected to in order to extend its shelf life. This includes some processes that are not even included on the labels, like the BPA in the linings of metal cans, pesticides in the plastic bags that cereals come in, meat glue, etc. I assume that foods that were processed in a factory were subjected to any number of processes that would not happen in your home kitchen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Here's the official definition of processed food: The United States Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, Section 201, Chapter II, (gg) defines processed food as "any food other than a raw agricultural commodity and includes any raw agricultural commodity that has been subject to processing, such as canning, cooking, freezing, dehydration, or milling." This definition establishes parameters for the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, to regulate quality and safety in the food processing industry. Read more: http://www.livestron.../#ixzz2I64wd4nR So there ya have it.... Your homemade bread and cookies are processed food. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Lalalalalala...I can't hear you, Julie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Lalalalalala...I can't hear you, Julie! LOL.... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I would not consider homemade food "processed". Processed is a relative term though. Technically a cooked carrot is *more* processed than a raw one, but either is way less processed than a BigMac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabeline Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Yes, to me homemade is made with whole ingredients, for example flour, sugar, veggies, even canned beans. Processed is packaged and boxed, for example dry mixes, boxed cookies, and cereal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Homemade is technically processed. But I don't count it as *processed* food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 In the current vernacular, I would think "processed" refers to packaged (or prepared) foods that do not contain items you would find in your pantry: stabilizers, artificial colors, added chemicals. In reality (as in the USDA definition), when I put up tomatoes, they're "processed" in a hot canner bath. That kind of processing, I think, is just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reya Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I'm really stumped, actually. Dh and I were talking about processed foods and as I described what that means to me, he said, "So are those cookies you made a processed food? Is the homemade bread?" I defended my baking. :tongue_smilie: But, maybe wrongly. They ARE processed. They are home-processed rather than pre-processed. Processing doesn't always make things bad for you! After all, every cooked meal you put on the table is processed. But a lot of times, the processing that they do before food hits shelves does make it worse for you because it's meant to improve the saleability/taste with no or little regard to the health, and given the way things have to be stored, freshness alone takes a big hit in the taste department, so it's usually made up for with lots of fats (and salt, but salt isn't bad for 95% of people). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 I would say it depends on what the homemade food is and how it was prepared. I like the definitions on the blog 100 days of real food and we've been trying to move towards the definition given there of unprocessed. We have good weeks and bad weeks but we're working on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Eh. My homemade meals probably contain just as much "bad" as a lot of prepackaged processed foods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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