Let’s retire the idea that “homemade” is some kind of magical wellness spell you cast with a wooden spoon. Like, yes, I love a cozy little cooking moment. But I’ve also watched someone make “healthy” banana bread that was basically dessert wearing athleisure.

Here’s the truth: when the ingredients are similar, the nutrition is often pretty similar too. The difference isn’t your stove it’s the choices you make (and whether you’re throwing in half a stick of butter because it “felt right,” which… I get it).

If you feel guilty every time you grab something pre-made, come sit by me. Busy life is real. Store bought can absolutely fit into a healthy routine… if you know what to look for. And homemade can be less than great if you’re basically cooking restaurant food at home (delicious, but let’s not pretend it’s a kale cleanse).

So here’s how I decide what’s worth cooking, what’s worth buying, and how to spot the sneaky “health” foods that are just sugar in a trench coat.

The Only 3 Label Checks I Do (Because I’m Not Reading a Novel in the Cereal Aisle)

You don’t need a degree in Nutrition Label Studies. You need three quick checks that catch 90% of the nonsense.

1) Added sugar: keep it boring

If something tastes suspiciously delightful, I side eye the sugar.

• Bread: aim for ~2g added sugar or less per slice
• Cereal: ~8g or less per serving
• Yogurt: plain is your best friend (more on this in a second)

A lot of “healthy” packaged foods are just sweet enough to keep you buying them. It’s not a conspiracy, it’s just… marketing with better fonts.

2) Fiber: the “will this keep me full?” number

Fiber is what keeps you from rummaging for snacks an hour later like a raccoon with feelings.

• Bread: ~3g or more fiber per slice is a solid goal
• Cereal: ~5g or more per serving is great

If you’re looking at something screaming WHOLE GRAIN and it has basically no fiber, it’s refined starch cosplaying as health food.

3) Protein: especially for breakfast

If breakfast is all carbs and vibes, you’ll be starving by 10:17 a.m. (and somehow personally offended by your own pantry).

I like 10g+ protein for breakfast foods when possible. Yogurt should have a decent protein punch too—otherwise it’s basically pudding with good PR.

Bonus red flag (because I can’t help myself): sodium

If something has 600mg sodium or more per serving, it’s officially high. Not automatically “bad,” but it better be worth it. (Looking at you, deli soups that taste amazing and also dehydrate you from the inside out.)

And yes—ingredient lists matter, but I’m not here to fear monger about anything with 16 ingredients. I’m just saying: if a “simple” food has a paragraph of ingredients and the first one is refined flour or sugar… maybe keep walking.

When Homemade Wins (And It’s Not Because You Used a Cute Cutting Board)

Homemade wins for one very unglamorous reason: you’re in charge.

When you cook, you’re more likely to toss in actual produce. Not always! But generally? If you’re already chopping an onion, it’s easy to throw in peppers or spinach. When you’re microwaving something, vegetables suddenly feel “optional” (and if you’re tired, optional becomes “lol no”).

Homemade also gives you the biggest leverage over:

• Sodium (packaged foods tend to lean salty so they taste good to everyone)
• Added sugar (same)
• Portions (because “one serving” on a frozen meal is sometimes a joke)

But—and I say this with love—homemade isn’t automatically healthier. You can absolutely cook a meal that’s basically a buttery cheese festival where dietary fats and cholesterol add up and then act shocked you feel like you need a nap and a new personality afterward. (Ask me how I know.)

Homemade isn’t “better.” It’s just customizable.

When Store Bought Is the Smarter Choice (Yes, Even If Instagram Says Otherwise)

Sometimes store bought is just “smart and tired,” and I respect that deeply.

A few store bought things I will defend with my whole chest:

Frozen vegetables

They’re often flash frozen at peak ripeness, they’re cheap, and they don’t die a slow death in your crisper drawer. If you’ve ever found a bag of spinach turning to swamp goo… you get it.

Basics that are already “done”

• Dried pasta (it’s fine! it’s not a moral failing!)
• Canned beans (rinse them and you cut a lot of sodium)
• Canned tomatoes (weeknight hero food)
• Canned fish like sardines/salmon (especially with bones for extra calcium)

Also: some store foods are fortified with nutrients (like certain breads and cereals). Unless you’re baking with fortified flour on purpose, you’re not replicating that at home. Not a huge deal for everyone, just good to know.

Bottom line: if the store bought version hits your label targets and you’ll actually eat it… buy it using tamale nutrition facts. That’s a win.

The “Healthy” Foods That Are Lying to You (Or At Least Being Very Flirty With the Truth)

This is where the health halo foods come out.

Granola

Granola is often just cookie crumbs with an outdoorsy name. Some brands are great! Many are packed with added sugar. Check the label, don’t trust the vibe.

Flavored yogurt

Flavored yogurts can sneak in a ton of sugar. If you like them, fine—just know what you’re getting. Personally, I’d rather buy plain Greek yogurt and add berries/honey myself so I’m not drinking dessert for breakfast.

“Veggie” chips

A lot of veggie chips are potato starch with a dusting of vegetable powder, which is like sprinkling parsley on fries and calling it a salad.

“Multigrain” anything

Multigrain doesn’t mean whole grain. Check the first ingredient. You want “whole wheat flour” or “whole oats,” not just “wheat flour” (which is usually refined).

And a special shout out to reduced fat products that quietly add sugar to make up for the missing flavor. Rude behavior, honestly.

Store Bought Staples I Buy on Repeat (Because They Just Work)

Not everything at the grocery store is a trap. Some foods are just… helpful. Bless them.

• Plain Greek yogurt (big protein, low sugar—add your own fruit)
• Eggs (cheap, easy protein)
• Canned beans (rinse to cut sodium)
• Frozen veg without sauce (the “I have 6 minutes” MVP)
• Canned tomatoes + canned fish (pantry dinner magic)

One of my go to “I can’t cook but I can assemble” lunches is: plain Greek yogurt + berries + a little low sugar granola. It takes 2 minutes and doesn’t leave me starving an hour later.

Cost Reality: Homemade Isn’t Always Cheaper (And I Will Die on This Hill)

Sometimes homemade is cheaper. Sometimes it’s absolutely not.

If a recipe requires three specialty ingredients you’ll use once and then store forever like culinary regrets—congrats, you’ve invented the $38 bowl of “savings.”

Also: food waste is the real budget killer. A giant batch you don’t eat isn’t frugal; it’s just meal prep + trash with extra steps.

One thing I do love for saving money: store brands. A lot of them are made in the same facilities as the fancy labels, and the nutrition is often identical.

And here’s the big secret nobody wants to admit: fullness doesn’t care who cooked the food.

A store bought high protein yogurt with fruit will keep you fuller than homemade white toast with jam. The goal is protein + fiber, not kitchen bragging rights.

Okay, So… When Should You Cook and When Should You Buy?

Here’s my no martyrdom rule:

Buy it when:

• It meets your basic label targets (sugar/fiber/protein/sodium)
• You have 10 minutes and one functioning brain cell
• You’re cooking for one and leftovers always turn into science experiments
• The homemade version would take forever and you know you won’t keep doing it

Cook it when:

• The store bought options are too salty/sugary/expensive for what they are
• You’re making 4+ servings (because time per serving drops dramatically)
• You need specific nutrition targets (medical reasons, training, etc.)
• You have fresh produce that’s actually worth showing off

And yes, the partly homemade approach is often the best one:

Rotisserie chicken + bagged salad + microwaved rice + frozen broccoli = dinner. It counts. No one is grading you.

Do what works this week—not what sounds impressive in a fantasy life where you also do Pilates and make sourdough.

My “Not Annoying” Weekly Meal Prep Routine (Steal It)

If meal prep makes you want to fake your own disappearance, try this instead:

One easy prep session (about 60-90 minutes)

• Cook 2 proteins (chicken thighs, ground turkey, beans—whatever you’ll actually eat)
• Make one grain (rice, quinoa, etc.)
• Chop veggies for just 2-3 days (because chopped veggies get sad fast)

Weeknight assembly (10-15 minutes)

Grab your prepped protein + grain, then add:

• frozen veg
• rinsed canned beans
• bagged greens
• a store bought sauce you’ve vetted for sodium (look at you, being intentional)

Storage reality check

Cooked proteins: usually good for 3-5 days in the fridge or 2-3 months in the freezer.

Chopped produce: don’t push it past day three unless you enjoy meeting The Sad Slimy Drawer (a villain in my kitchen story arc).

If you do nothing else after reading this: pick one pantry staple tonight—pasta sauce, bread, cereal, whatever—and compare labels. Find one better option and swap it next grocery trip.

Now go read one label and make it behave.