For many of us, junk food is much more tempting when it’s within easy reach. If it’s out of sight, it is probably out of mind – and won’t be calling your name every time you walk past it. So go take a deep dive into your kitchen and get rid of all the junk that your body doesn’t need, and trade up for something healthier that is deserving of permanent citizenship in your home!

Grain Products

Toss these:	Why?	Stock these instead:
Commercially baked products (e.g., store-bought muffins and pies)	high in fat and sugar  likely contains trans fats  low in vitamins and minerals	100% whole wheat bread(4g fiber per serving would be ideal)
Sugar-laden cereals (e.g., fruit flavored hoops, “frosted” cereal)	high in sugar  likely to be low in fiber	quick-cooking oatmeal  whole grain cereal (ideally less than 4g sugar and more than 5g fiber per serving)
Instant noodles	high in sodium  likely high in fat  low in any nutrients	non-fried Asian noodles(e.g., soba, multi-grain udon)
Ready-to-bake mixes	likely contains trans fat  lots of additives	whole wheat flour (to make your own from scratch)
Boxed macaroni	high in fat  high in sodium  likely contains trans fat	whole wheat pasta

Meat and Alternatives

Toss these:	Why?	Stock these instead:
Deli meats (e.g., salami, bologna, pepperoni)	very high in sodium  very high in total and saturated fat	frozen cooked meat (e.g., chicken breast)  fat-free turkey breast (enjoy occasionally due to high sodium content)
Frozen beef patties	high in total and saturated fat	extra-lean ground turkey  extra-lean ground beef  veggie burger patties
Wieners and other sausages	high in total and saturated fat  high in sodium	fat-free 100% turkey or beef franks  extra-lean turkey bacon, lean smoked turkey sausage, or lean turkey kielbasa (all items in this category are high in sodium, so serve occasionally)
Luncheon meat, corned beef	high in sodium  high in total and saturated fat	frozen cooked meat  canned baked beans (choose lower sodium varieties)
Regular bacon	high in sodium  high in total and saturated fat	extra-lean turkey bacon
Fish canned in oil	high in fat	low-sodium fish canned in water

Dairy and Alternatives

Toss these:	Why?	Stock these instead:
Yogurts made with more than 5g sugar per oz	high in sugar	plain yogurt + fresh fruits
Sweetened non-dairy beverages (e.g., soy, rice, almond, hemp, etc)	high in sugar	unsweetened non-dairy beverages
Whipped dessert topping	likely source of trans fat  may contain high fructose corn syrup  lots of additives	use real whipping cream if you must, and use sparingly
Processed cheese	high in sodium  lots of additives	frozen cooked meat  natural cheese

Fruits and Vegetables

Toss these:	Why?	Stock these instead:
Fruits canned in thick syrup	high in added sugar	fresh fruits  dried fruits  frozen fruits  fruits canned in water or juice
Pickled or preserved vegetables	high in sodium	fresh vegetables  frozen vegetables

Snacks

Toss these:	Why?	Stock these instead:
Chips	high in calories  high in fat  high in sodium  likely contains trans fat	baked chips or baked tortilla chips  unsalted nuts and seeds  plain popcorn
Crackers and cookies	possible source of trans fat  can be high in sodium  high in calories  high in fat  high in sugar	low-fat whole graincrackers  brown rice cakes (unsalted or lightly salted)
Candies	empty calories  high in sugar	dried fruits
Chocolate and candy bars	high in calories  high in sugar  high in fat  likely a source of trans fat  lower in antioxidantsthan dark chocolates	pure dark chocolate squares
Flavored microwave popcorn	high in sodium  lots of additives  high in fat	plain popcorn
Fruit bars	contain more sugar than real fruit	fresh fruits

Condiments

Toss these:	Why?	Stock these instead:
Shortening, or margarine that contains hydrogenated fats	contains trans fat	margarine made with non-hydrogenated fats  olive oil + balsamic vinegar
Coffee whitener and other artificial coffee creamers	contain trans fat  lots of additives	skim milk  dried skim milk powder

Beverages

Toss these:	Why?	Stock these instead:
Fruit drinks	high in added sugar  contain artificial flavoring and coloring	100% fruit juices
Sodas	very high in sugar  may contain high fructose corn syrup  contain artificial flavoring and coloring	sparkling water  100% fruit juices
Sweetened drink mixes (e.g., iced tea mixes, flavored coffee mixes, and 3-in-1 coffee mixes)	high in sugar  may contain trans fats (for flavored coffee mixes)  contain artificial flavoring and coloring	tea leaves/bags  coffee

The Bottom Line

If you haven’t already noticed, we are a big proponent of simple and fresh ingredients for homemade wholesome goodness. The less often you choose processed foods the better, but if you must buy them for convenience, choose ones with the least number of ingredients. Don’t forget to also check the label for total fat, trans fat (or the presence of hydrogenated fats/oils in ingredients list), sodium, and sugar – less is truly more.

Owennie Lee, RD

Alumni: University of British Columbia – Owennie is a registered dietitian with a soft spot for chocolate and coffee. She is a believer in balance and moderation, and is committed to keeping healthy eating enjoyable and fun. Owennie received her dietetics training in Vancouver, and is a member of Dietitians of Canada and the College of Dietitians of British Columbia. She has experience in a wide variety of settings, such as clinical nutrition, long-term care and outpatient counseling. Owennie has also worked for a community nutrition hotline and participated regularly as a guest radio host, where she enjoyed sharing her passion and knowledge about food and nutrition with people.