Covenience food - convenient is not always unhealthy

Today, more than half of our calorie intake comes from processed food, also known as convenience food. The English term translates as «convenient food». And the name says it all: for those who can't or don't want to take the time to cook, convenience products offer a convenient solution to catering for stressful everyday life.

Convenience products are usually associated with ready-made pizzas, frozen chips and the like. The assumption that convenience foods contain large amounts of fat, salt and flavour enhancers is also firmly anchored in people's minds. So it seems plausible that they are particularly popular with children - after all, we humans have an innate preference for sweet and fatty foods. So do convenience products rightly have such a bad image?

Product group with major differences in quality

Firstly, the term convenience food needs to be clarified. It is an umbrella term for product types, which in turn are divided into five categories. The first category, ready-to-cook products, includes pre-washed vegetables, frozen vegetables and frozen fish fillets.

The second category includes ready-to-cook products such as pasta, baked rolls or frozen fries. And ready-to-mix or ready-to-prepare products are when the product needs to be supplemented with other ingredients, such as the famous stocki powder with milk or butter.

The fourth category includes ready-to-eat meals, i.e. completely pre-prepared dishes that only need to be heated in the oven or microwave. The fifth category consists of ready-to-eat products such as ready-made salads and sandwiches, as well as yoghurts and smoothies that can be consumed immediately.

There are big differences between and within these categories in terms of quality, wholesomeness and freshness. Dishes with deep-fried or gratinated components - whether convenience or not - are very substantial, so we should enjoy them in moderation rather than en masse.

Vegetables that are shock-frozen immediately after harvesting contain up to 50 per cent more vitamins than market vegetables sold the next day.

It is also a fact that in the past, goods of inferior quality often ended up in ready-made products. In order to extend their shelf life and improve the flavour, the food industry usually added large quantities of preservatives, flavour enhancers, salt and sugar. However, this approach has changed considerably in recent years, especially in Switzerland.

Conscious nutrition and convenience: no contradiction

Many food producers are paying more and more attention to gentle preparation methods and high-quality basic ingredients. Most have also gradually reduced the amount of salt and sugar added so that our palate can get used to the changed flavour. In addition, many ready meals have a much more balanced composition and thus ensure longer-lasting satiety and an improved supply of nutrients.

For reheated dishes, for example, increase the vegetable component and reduce the fat in sauces. Takeaway dishes include delicious poké bowls with rice, vegetables and fish, salads with quinoa and a boiled egg or wraps with hummus and salad - all good examples of a balanced treat.

Ready-made tomato sauces are also a practical time-saver in the kitchen.

Another example of healthy convenience food is frozen vegetables - contrary to the persistent prejudice that they contain hardly any vitamins. The exact opposite is the case: vegetables that are shock-frozen immediately after harvesting contain up to 50 per cent more vitamins than market vegetables sold the next day, depending on the variety.

Another advantage of frozen vegetables is that you can enjoy them out of season without having a guilty conscience. Ready-made tomato sauces are also a practical time-saver in the kitchen. Many people don't have time to spend hours cooking sauce for the family in the evening after work. In combination with a balanced diet, such products can easily be included in the daily menu.