There are all kinds of ways to eat an all kinds of things to eat. If you’re reading this you must be somewhat interested in eating right. As a rule I’m a solid fan of eating fresh, organic and clean so I’m pretty good about severely limiting processed foods in my diet. However, there are those days when emergency provisions are necessary. With that below are three things that are processed but as far as “processed foods” go, they’re not so bad. Check ‘em out!

Steamed Lentils —  You find these in the refrigerated veggie section. Trader Joes sells them under their name but other stores sell the same thing under other names. Basically they’re just steamed lentils that can be immediately turned into anything. I’ve made soup and lots of different salads with them. My favorite way to eat these little brown bits is to: toss ‘em with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, a handful of grape tomatoes, red or green onion and little chunks of fresh mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper. Toss in a carrot to add another color and crunch if you like. Sometimes I serve on a bed or romaine. HellaYummy!

Organic Frozen Brown Rice — At first I thought this stuff was too good to be true. It’s just so good and so easy to prepare. Something about this product seemed fishy to me, so… I asked around and did some research to find out exactly that the deal was behind this stuff. What I found was, in fact Trader Joes Organic Frozen Brown Rice is just that, real rice that’s been cooked and frozen. There are no weird additives or magic involved in the processing of this item. Basically, this rice saves me from eating everything in frig on those nights when I need something fast. All I have to do it cut a slit in the bag and pop it in the microwave. While I’m not a huge fan of microwaves (that’s another story) I make an exception for this stuff. It’s my go-to emergency food. Add some veggies or simply drizzle with a little olive oil and you’re happy as a clam.

Gone Bananas Slices —  These little two bite frozen chunks of goodness are the perfect thing to satisfy your sweet tooth. I’ll admit, some times I take a tiny bit of organic almond butter and smush it on top to make for an even better, more satisfying treat. The almond butter obviously adds calories and fat but nuts are super good for you so I figure two Gone Banana bites with a bit of almond is all good!

Seriously, get some of this stuff and keep it in the freezer in case of emergency, or anytime you need something good and fast.