List of Processed Foods

You can evaluate how processed a food is by reading the label's ingredients list to see the names, number, and type of ingredients. Large numbers of ingredients, with names that you don't recognize, indicate a highly processed food.

More generally, virtually every food that has a label is processed. Virtually every food that comes in a box, bag, jar, or can is processed.

For more information see the pages on processed food and whole foods.

Baked goods
White flour
White rice
Salt
Baking powder
Bread
Macaroni
Pasta
Cakes
Cake mixes
Pies
Pie crust mixes
Cookies

Processed fruits
Canned fruit
Frozen fruit
Fruit sauces
Jellies
Jams
Pie fillings
Fruit juice

Processed vegetables
Canned vegetables
Frozen vegetables
French fries

Convenience foods
Pizza
Precooked foods
Frozen dinners
Breakfast cereal
Granola
Energy bars

Processed meat
Canned meat
Cured meat
Ham
Lunch meat
Sausage
Bacon
Gelatins
Fresh meat with additives

Processed Dairy Foods
Cheese
Cheese food
Milk (homogenized, pasteurized, skim, low-fat, etc.)

Processed fats and oils
Refined oils
Cooking spray
Margarine
Salad dressing
BBQ sauce
Mustard
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Peanut butter

Drinks
Soft drinks
Fruit drinks
Instant breakfast drinks

Confections
White sugar
Brown sugar
Corn syrup
Rice syrup
Honey (unless raw)
Syrups
Candies
Soft candies
Pudding
Dessert mixes
Ice cream
Frozen desserts
Whipped cream
Chocolate
Marshmallows
Shredded coconut
Sugar substitutes