Saturday 4 October 2008

Low Sodium Convenience Foods

Processed foods tend to be high in salt. Not just microwave meals, but anything that has been processed at all, even sausages and baked beans. Some "healthy" options which are low in saturated fat are high in sodium, and even some desserts. Since we started on this low sodium thing, I've been cooking from scratch every night, but with a full time job, two kids, packed lunches to do and (occasionally) a social life as well I simply can't do that every night for ever.

So I've been looking for low salt "convenience"/processed food options, for those occasions when a nice sit down and a glass of wine appeals more than spending an hour cooking. This isn't going to be a very long list, but I hope it will be a useful one, and I will add to it when I discover more.


1. Frozen fish things - I have found a few low and low-ish sodium options in this section of the supermarket freezers, for example Birds Eye Fish Finger Megas.


2. Emmental - this has become the "everyday" cheese in our house. It's the lowest sodium cheese I can find of the sort that works melted on toast, or in an omlette.


3. John West tuna pate - only 0.1g sodium per 100g (about a third of that in tinned tuna), and gives you a portion of oily fish too.


4. M&S Teacakes - (the fruity bread, not the chocolate marshmallow things) are lovely toasted for breakfast