Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
I think it's a matter of opinion, what counts as processed. Also, how processed it is.
for me, a bag of frozen green beans or peas or whathaveyou is not processed and almost as good as fresh. Most canned veggies (which I do NOT buy except tomatoes and beans) and canned/jarred fruits are minimally processed and are "all right". A loaf of whole grain bread is all right, but Wonder Bread-style is NOT (read: highly processed). Most packaged cookies are highly processed, whole grain crackers and cereals are meh, and something like rolled oats is minimal. Butter is minimal and very good...margarine is AWFUL and is highly processed. Bacon is bad (but soooo tasty) but chicken/beef/pork is probably okay.
Homemade just about anything, when made with decent ingredients, is going to fall under the "GREAT!" category to me. So, waffles/pancakes/muffins/et are a perfectly healthy breakfast when made homemade (super easy!)--with whole grain flours, real milk, real butter. If you use Bisquick or jiffy muffins...well...that's highly processed. Buying a package of muffins at the bakery is highly processed...but making them at home is not.
Does that help at all?
We found a butcher that makes nitrate and preservative free bacon and deli meats. He salt cures the bacon (like the olden days :P ) and the deli meats are just freshly shaved whole cuts of ham, roast beef, and turkey. He was SUCH a find as we'd been "off" bacon for nearly a year due to the chemicals in it normally.