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.
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
2 comments:
Useful list, thanks so much. I know what you mean about not always wanting to cook from scratch - there are ways and means, though, for those nights when you really can't face it. The main one being to cook double of something one week to freeze for the next week, for that evening when it's all too much. You only have to do that two or three times before your freezer is like your very own branch of Tesco's Finest. But cheaper. And with less sodium.
Once you get a rhythm going, it gets its own momentum. Do you have children you could teach to cook? Mine all had one speciality from a pretty early age, you have no idea what a difference that made :)
Joanna
Thanks Joanna!
I am normally very good about making double (and making and freezing extra "ingredients" too, like passata and breadcrumbs). Some meals even seem to taste better for having been frozen (or is that just me?). But sometimes it just doesn't work out, and I find myself with either an empty freezer, or no rice/couscous/whatever to go with what we have!
The kids are 13 months and 6, so not up to helping out yet, in fact their ages mean that my "cooking time" is also interrupted by homework, retrieving a child from up the chimney, nit combing, bathtime, bedtime etc.
Blah blah blah moan moan! I do sound negative today don't I? Must be the weather. Thanks for your tips, and I will continue to read your blog for inspiration :-)
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