The 11 Healthy(ish) Packaged Foods We Are Eating Every, Single Day On Our 2024 Health Journey
They’re not the devil.
by The Candidly Team
If you’re also on a “health journey” you’re likely trying to find more not-boring, very delicious, very filling foods that are higher protein, lower calories, and lower sugar.
We know we’re supposed to eat grilled wild salmon and steamed broccoli every night of our lives, but the reality is that packaged foods can be a profoundly helpful tool for making sure we feel full and satisfied while meeting our protein goals. Because, did you know? Protein is everything. (But really it is, HERE’S a very simplified explanation of why).
While it’s (of course) true that organic lean meats and fresh produce are crucial in our diets, we almost feel like we’re cheating on our health if we buy “processed” food—like we’re not really being healthy, relying on quick, ready-made products.
Except? That’s a crock of s*%t.
In fact, packaged foods can actually be the cornerstone of our health and fitness goals. This doesn’t mean just ANY packaged foods are helpful to eat every day (although if someone could figure out a healthy cool ranch Dorito, we’re listening) but through immense trial and discovery, we now rely on exactly 11 packaged foods, nearly every day, to meet our goal of 100+ grams of daily protein, 25 grams of daily fiber, while being mindful of our calorie intake.
Are they perfect in every, single conceivable way? No. Some have more sodium than others. Some have some fillers. But overall, these incredibly satiating foods help us feel in control of our nutrition and weight—because what we put in our mouths every day is absolutely related to our overall health goals, and knowing we have reliable, go-to foods just makes our lives easier.
Oh. And we almost forgot. They’re also all delicious. Because we’re waaaaaay too old to be eating cardboard and twigs and pretending we’re happy. Not doing it.
So let’s dive in.
1. Amazon Fresh Cage-Free 100% Liquid Egg Whites
More than anything else on this list, this product has changed our lives. We mix a half a cup into our scrambled eggs, we pour some into our homemade salad dressings to make them creamy (yes, you can use them straight out of the container because they’re pasteurized) but our most life-altering way to use packaged egg whites is in place of water when making our hot, middle-aged girl winter oatmeal. Throw in some frozen bloobs, peanut butter, and cinnamon, and oops, the most delicious and satisfying breakfast of all time is now available to you in about 6 minutes.
Egg whites up the protein of anything you’re eating, which just means you stay fuller longer. It’s the closest thing to a miracle food, and we have a carton in our fridge at all times now. And when we don’t, we get panicky.
One Serving: 1/2 cup
Cals: 63
Protein: 13g
2. Good Culture Cottage Cheese, Classic 2%
You knew this was coming. This brand has exploded in the past couple of years because it is, without question or hesitation, the most delicious cottage cheese on the market. You don’t have to buy single serving cups, but we find it immensely helpful to be able to reach into the fridge and throw this in our purse to eat in the car or into our lunch bags for work. Oh, and if you blend it with garlic and some milk, you’ll have the most delish, high-protein Alfredo sauce because cottage cheese is the ultimate shapeshifter.
One Serving: 5.3oz
Cals: 120
Protein: 19g (wow)
3. FAGE Total 0%
There’s a bunch of low-sugar, flavored yogurts out there. Forget ‘em. Fage is the most delicious and has the best cal-to-protein ratio. If you can’t bare the flavor on its own, squirt on some honey or spoon in a teaspoon of jam. Though our favorite way to eat it is with FROZEN blueberries (which frankly we should have included in this article) along with #9 and #10 on this list. Utter breakfast perfection.
One Serving: 5.3oz
Cals: 80
Protein: 16g
4. Philadelphia Original Whipped Cream Cheese
CREAM CHEESE?!? Cream cheese. But whipped cream cheese is half the calories of brick cream cheese, and it still has that unctuous, creamy mouthfeel we require in life. Cream cheese is not a protein powerhouse, but it’s perfection on THESE high protein bagels, which, when paired with scrambled eggs and egg whites, and a handful of berries, makes a scrumptious, filling breakfast with 53 (!!!) grams of protein. C’mon now.
One Serving: 2Tbsp
Cals: 50
Protein: 1g
5. Chomps Original Turkey
The easiest thing to fling into your tote in the morning to be sure the car doesn’t start to veer over to McDonald’s for a double cheeseburger. And it’s yummy! Is it as yummy as a double cheeseburger? Of course not. Nothing is.
One Serving: 1 Stick
Cals: 60
Protein: 10g
6. Core Power Fairlife 26g Protein Milk Shakes
Perhaps the most divisive on the list (though we’re not mad at stevia and monkfruit as the sweetening agents), we pour exactly one of these into our two morning coffees as a replacement for milk or creamer, and boom, we have 26 grams of protein before we’ve eaten a single bite.
One Serving: 1 Bottle
Cals: 150
Protein: 30g
7. Casa Sanchez
Taqueria Style Avocado Salsa
This is our wild card. The thing on the list that no other “wellness” site would ever include. But PLEASE believe us when we tell you that our love for avocados knows no bounds. And we used to smear an entire avocado on two slices of toast in the morning and call it “healthy.” And, well, it is healthy. Avocados are full of fiber, healthy fats, vitamin C, magnesium, folate, and potassium. They’re GREAT. They’re also 260 calories, and we were just eating too much, and it meant we were loading up on calories from fat without even considering that the bulk of our morning calories should be from protein to guarantee we’d stay full through lunch. Maybe you’re already an expert on this, so this is obvious to you, but if you are not thinking about satiating calories for your meals and snacks, you’ll just be starving in an hour, and you’ll mindlessly snack throughout the day, which is one of the biggest culprits of middle-aged weight gain. Eat LOTS of protein, you’ll stay fuller longer, and you won’t have the desire to house 2 bags of chips. The point is, we love this avocado salsa to throw onto our scrambled eggs and mini corn tortillas as a brekkie or lunch. Does it have the same nutritional profile as an avocado? Absolutely not. But it helps us to prioritize our protein while using this more as a little flavor finisher—it doesn’t trick us into thinking it’s the star of the show like avocados can, which leads to the hunger spiral we discussed a moment ago. Our favorite way to eat avocados now is among other big sources of protein like in a Cobb salad or as the “bowl” for a giant mound of tuna salad.
One Serving: 2 Tbsp
Cals: 20
8. Food For Life Ezekiel 4:9®
Cinnamon Raisin Sprouted Whole Grain Bread
Quite simply, this bread is delicious. One slice, toasted, with a smear of whipped cream cheese? A truly perfect accompaniment to a gorgeous, cottage cheese-filled omelette. And it’s one of the most nutrient dense breads you can buy—full of sprouted grains and low in calories.
Btw, we know this list has a lot of breakfast stuff, but we eat breakfast for dinner now, which has changed our lives. It all takes only minutes to make, and it’s some of the yummiest food on earth. It’s why brunch makes people happy. It’s just delicious. Who said we can only eat eggs before noon? Idiotic.
One Serving: 1 Slice
Cals: 80
Protein: 4g
9. Chia Seeds
Is this a cheat? Since chia seeds are sort of technically a “health” food NOT A “processed” food? Eh, no. It’s in a package so we’re going with it.
Chia seeds pack a huge dose of antioxidants and fiber, which is critical to our health and can help lower cholesterol and our risk for heart disease, while boosting intestinal health, according to the Mayo Clinic. Eating enough fiber ensures we feel fuller for longer, which helps with curbing cravings and losing weight. It also is the cornerstone of happy pooping, which we write about in embarrassing detail HERE if you’re interested in that sort of thing. Oh, and we happen to have the easiest, most delicious recipe for chia seed pudding HERE.
One Serving: 3 Tbsp
Cals: 180
Protein: 6g
Fiber: 9g
10. Ground flaxseed
Flaxseeds have been shown to help with digestion issues and to relieve constipation, but according to the Mayo Clinic, they might also help lower “bad” cholesterol levels, therefore being an asset to heart health. Eating them ground is believed to be better than whole, because we can digest more of their nutrients. We sprinkle them over every bowl, and toss them into every smoothie. They have a nutty flavor that actually is delicious. Not cool ranch Dorito delicious. But you get it.
One Serving: 2 Tbsp
Cals: 70
Protein: 3g
Fiber: 3g
11. Yasso Sea Salt Caramel Bars
We end our dinners with a treat, and so we end this list with our favorite packaged treat we’ve found at the supermarket. And here’s what we figured out about sweets:
WE HAVE TO BUY SINGLE SERVINGS.
If we have a full pint of ice cream in the freezer, we are eating a full pint of ice cream. So sometimes, the packaging is actually the catalyst for making better choices. We could devour that full pint in one sitting, no problem, but eating TWO ice cream bars? It wouldn’t occur to us. And this higher protein yogurt bar is, by far, our favorite lower calorie, lower sugar, still wildly delicious treat. Are they healthy? Not really. But they are a solution so we don’t have such a spartan lifestyle that eventually we eat a family-size pack of Twinkies in one sitting. And that’s what so many of these packaged foods are: solutions to issues that arise from what all human beings need: The feeling of fullness. Fun sweet treats after dinner. Easy, portable snacks. These are all normal desires. We just need smart answers for them.
One Serving: 1 Bar
Cals: 100
Protein: 4g
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We have to eat.
