What can you say about instant foods and canned meals?

@manong05 (5027)
Philippines
October 17, 2009 8:39am CST
Some food businesses are capitalizing on a fast paced societies' lifestyle making a lot of money selling instant meals like noodles, canned meat and vegetables. They are cheap and doesn't need a lot of time to prepare. I personally avoid it if I can. I would rather prefer a well cooked and fresh meal rather than instant ones. I have instant noodles sometimes for snack. Other than time, I am not really a fan of instant foods. How about you?
2 people like this
36 responses
@Lucky09 (1763)
• Philippines
17 Oct 09
hi manong^^;; our society is really getting busier everyday and people will no longer bother to prepare meals from fresh food but rely on these manufactured ones. I admit i am lazy to cook since i live alone and i have to one to share my meal with but surely i avoid pre-cooked ones. it's really unhealthy. i would rather have fruits with me to sustain my hunger but wouldn't choose such if i have other options. i do have some noodles at home but eat it rarely. oh sorry, the only instant i don't run out of is oats.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
I have oatmeals for breakfast too and I think they are natural foods rich in fiber and not really processed with chemicals. enjoy life!
@Lucky09 (1763)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
yes manong, oats is really rich in fiber. i forgot to say natural instant hehe because i buy the ones that don't need cooking. only pour hot water and let it stand for 3minutes before eating..i know the original ones are again better but i think it's not bad at all for the instant oats.
@jndlponti (2402)
• Philippines
17 Oct 09
I myself is not a fan of instant food if it would be for a meal, maybe on a snack it could be. But I tried to avoid it for it lacks nutriens, sometimes what you just get is much more of a carbohydrate. But other people with a busy lifestyle would prefer such food.Aside from being easy to prepare it is cheaper than fast food.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
17 Oct 09
Yes, it's usually the busy people in the fast lane that consumes lots of instant foods. They don't have the luxury of time to prepare a decent meal. cheers!
@jndlponti (2402)
• Philippines
18 Oct 09
Yes but their is a saying that goes "a busy person has a time for evrything" it is just simply time management that they need. Or maybe, just maybe they really don't give much care wether the foods they are eating are giving them nutrients or not. All they care about is that they were able to eat, get full and was satisfied with the food, that's it! I hope more people will be more health consious especially this generations now.
18 Oct 09
I have heard a lot of bad stories beyond instant foods and canned meals. A lot of people claim instant foods as an easy way to have a problem with your health. While some claimed instant foods are not hazardous to our body. I notice that some scientific research has been conducted due to debate of this kind of food. But I don't follow the result that better. =) And about canned meals, if I way write my own point of view, I really suggest to buy the fresh one rather than a canned one. Can is made upon chemical process and (especially) liquid inside it can just react to form some other chemical compounds.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
Yes packaging can cause problems too. The inner part of the tin cans is covered with food grade lacquer and once the tin is dented it causes chemimal reaction that results to contamination of the food inside. Good point. cheers!
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
18 Oct 09
Hi manong, I don't use any processed foods really at all as I cook from fresh. The only canned things I keep in are tomato juice which I love in the summer but comes in no other form here than cans, and tinned tomatoes to add to sauces. They have started to sell the odd ready meal frozen at the supermarkets in town but they cost far more than making ones one for a fraction of the size of a homemade one which can be cooked in a larger quantity and frozen for another day as a homemande instant meal.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
Packed meals in styro and cardboard are also becoming popular here and like what you said, they are expensive and one can actually have a decent home cooked food with the amount and in a much larger quantity too. cheers!
@shilley (155)
• India
18 Oct 09
I avoid instant foods to the maximum.Instead i prefer relying on fruits and fruit juices to fill my stomach when hungry than going for instant foods.It is also true that instant foods and canned foods are beneficial when runs short of time to cook food due to hectic schedule,but nutrition wise it takes a back seat.The manufacturers may claim it contains so and so nutrients in so and so proportion each but again it lacks the fresh taste of home cooked food.It is always no from me for instant foods..
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
Some say they are fortified with vitamins and minerals but I don't actually take that seriously. Maybe there are in small amounts but the accompanying chemicals are much much more. enjoy life shilley!
18 Oct 09
instant and canned goods are for me junk foods and they don't contribute to our health. however, we can not avoid eating it because sometime we are in a hurry, we just like the taste of it, or we have nothing to eat because they affordable. i think we should manage our time well so that we wont eat this kind of foods, this is also for our own benefits because we would be more health if we prepare the healthy meals for everyday.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
Yes they have less food value and the added flavor enhancers make them actually unhealthy comparable to junk foods. Nothing can be like a well-cooked food. enjoy life!
@weasel81 (2496)
• Australia
17 Oct 09
i only really use canned tuna, but even then it's not that often. if i'm using something canned it's for being added to a salad, we don't go for canned meat like spam, cornbeef etc. the microwave meals, there's a few there but they are usually for lunch, when i can't be bothered doing anything about it. i manage to over cook them any way, but a lot of the quicker stuff is more a snack or quick lunch.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
They say that even canned tuna is rich in omega3 which is good for the heart. I sometimes use it too for preparing sandwiches. cheers!
@lazeebee (5461)
• Malaysia
18 Oct 09
Yup, I usually take instant noodles and canned food when I'm too lazy to cook or I'm eating alone. These are easy to prepare, and I must say they taste quite good as well!
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
They are full of flavor enhancers that's why they taste good but very little food value. cheers!
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
18 Oct 09
Most pre-prepared foods high in fat and sodium, MSG, and sugar. They tended below and nutrients and if you are lucky they are fortified to make up from the nutrients that are lost in processing and storage. And those well they frequently have chemicals added to improve shelf life, manufacturing processes, taste and texture. I am sure we prepared foods are okay once in a while but I think a lot of people depend on them for their main diet to their own detriment. If you can get fresh foods fresh from the farm or grower then you'll probably be better fed however this is not always possible and frozen and canned foods are good substitute if you choose wisely. I am sure if you read the label of those instant noodles you will find there is nothing much to them and they are full of chemicals. Human brains seem to be wired to like sugar and salt so manufacturers always include it in their products. We only need a fraction of the salt that most people consume in a day, and the majority of this excess salt comes from processed foods. I know when I cook I generally only add a pinch of salt. If I have to add any processed foods I find I do not need any salt at all. If I have to add canned foods, bacon or ham the dish seems to have lots of salt. I do not see anything wrong with using already prepared foods in your diet providing they are used judiciously and part of an overall mix when necessary.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
good point mariposa man. It's wise to check the nutrition label to have a good idea of the contents. But by and large, instant noodles have very little food value. They are full of flavor enhancers and chemicals. cheers!
@BlueGoblin (1829)
• United States
17 Oct 09
I'll eat whatever. Why complain about food in your belly? You should be so lucky!
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
Yes, why not if your body metabolism is that good. You are lucky to have one. enjoy life!
• United States
18 Oct 09
Noodles are good when your broke but they really dont fill you up you seem to be still hungry so I guess thats why they are cheap.I would prefer a well cooked meal as well even a good homemade potato soup or homemade chicken soup!!!!!!!!!!!!I can make the potato soup but i really dont know how to make the chicken soup do you?I heard its good when you are sick.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
It's not really that difficult to prepare soups, one of my favorites. You may want to check the net for easy soup recipes. enjoy life!
@1boerseun (124)
• South Africa
17 Oct 09
I stay away from fast foods. These are sometimes prepared with oils that was used over and over, which make it actually poisonous and carcinogenic and you also don't know precisely what is really included in the food you eat. Also with all the additives included in canned meals, it also becomes very unhealthy. With a typical first world fast food diet, when you die, you don't actually need to go to the morgue and be refrigerated for the first few days, because your body would be 'embalmed' with all the poisons stored in the body.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
I agree. So much toxins and carcinogenic ingredients present in fast foods. They can not only embalm you but probably mummify you as well. enjoy life Iboerseun!
@nijolechu (1842)
• Canada
18 Oct 09
I do have canned foods and instant foods too. I use them in my emergency kit. They are really good things to have to prepare for a disaster like an earthquake. I do have them sometimes but they are really high in sodium. I too would just prepare my own meal rather than have it instantly made.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
good idea, especially now that we are faced with so many natural and man-made calamities. cheers!
@irene3184 (898)
• Philippines
18 Oct 09
My parents when I was still a child does not allow me to eat instant foods and canned meals because it has preservatives and not healthy anymore. So, I put it in my mind since then.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
Good for you Irene, you have learned the importance of a healthy diet at a very early age. enjoy!
@TheCatLady (4691)
• Israel
12 Dec 09
Yuck. I don't like most packaged foods. Some dehydrated soups and soup bases are ok, and canned tomatoes and canned beans are great time savers, but other than that I stay away. I hate instant noodles. I would rather buy regular thin ones that only take a few minutes to cook.
@dlr297 (5409)
• United States
17 Oct 09
Instant foods are not good for you and i stay away from them, I always cook my meals fresh with organic ingredients. I also stay away from fast food places.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
17 Oct 09
You appear to have a good and healthy eating habits. Keep up the good work dlr, that's commendable. Going organic is the best way to do it. cheers!
@Zhizho (1350)
• Indonesia
17 Oct 09
Hi..I am a people who consume instant foods or canned fish.Honestly,I know that it's not good for helthy but I try to avoid it by minimalization to comsume it.But difficult to me if talk about instant noodles.So,I counterbalance with add the noodles some vagatbles or consume some food that contain anti oxidation.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
17 Oct 09
I agree, you can take it in moderation. The idea of balancing it more healthy food is a good idea. cheers!
@shia88 (4571)
• Malaysia
17 Oct 09
HI Manong, I do eay instant noodle and canned foods sometimes,of course,not everyday. Maybe three times a month. Normally, I will buy Maggi instant noodle,Gulong luncheon meat,Ligo canned kernel corn and yeos baked beans.THose are mostly I bought every month during my grocery shopping. It is not good to eat instant noodle and canned foods everyday,but once awhile,it should be fine. Having instant foods at home will help us during the emergency period at home. Sometimes, when we really run out of food at home, it can be served as a food for our hunger.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
17 Oct 09
Keeping instant foods for emergency needs is a good idea. We never know it will come handy sometime especially now when there are many natural calamities happening around us. It is good for unexpected guests too. At least we can serve them something to eat without having too much trouble. cheers!
@Graceekwenx (3160)
• Philippines
17 Oct 09
Me too. Canned food or instant noodles are rich in sodium and low in nutrients. I dont really believe it even if it states in the bottle "fortified with vitamins." I always believe that if you really are after nutrition, it has to be real food and not processed. But you know... when i was a kid, i am addicted to instant noodles. I used to snack on them twice a day until my mom hid them from me.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
17 Oct 09
Hi Grace, Yes, we see lots of "come ons" in the packaging like fortified with vitamins, for me, they don't really mean anything. enjoy!
@fhem10 (13)
• Philippines
5 Dec 09
I am also fun in eating instant goods espacially pancit canton, because it is delicious., but I can only say about instant goods are this are goods that you must cook while canned goods are ready to eat, but sometimes it must also cook.