13 Bad Foods in Your Refrigerator

Do You Know What’s in Your Refrigerator?

Moldy leftovers that no one throws out?  Foods in your refrigerator with empty calories, trans fats and lots of sugar?  You can plan to make healthier choices and keep the bad choices out.

Flavored Yogurt

A typical 6 ounce of strawberry, blueberry or vanilla yogurt may be a delicious treat—but it’s loaded with 3 times the sugar compared with plain.  For a healthier treat, try plain full-fat yogurt mixed with fresh fruit, berries or nuts.  You’ll be eating less sugar, more fiber and lots of nutrients.  Plus it will curb your hunger pangs and help you lose weight.

Ketchup

You’d think ketchup would be harmless when you’re counting calories in a diet, but 4 grams equals a tablespoon.  If you want a healthier choice, try a spicy, homemade marinara sauce served on eggs instead of ketchup.

Mayonnaise

1 tablespoon of mayonnaise equals 110 calories; 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard equals 15, and you probably use even less mustard.  If you’re tempted to spread mayonnaise on a sandwich, try mustard instead.

Flavored Non-Dairy Creamer

Loaded with highly processed sugars like artificial sweeteners and artificial flavors, ingredients include corn syrup, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, sodium caseinate, dipotassium phosphate, mono- and diglycerides and sodium stearoyl lactate.  It would be better to use just milk instead of sugary creamer.

Soda

I’m sure you’re not surprised by this one!  This is loaded with empty calories and nearly no nutritional value.  It would be better to just toss it—out of sight, out of mind—can’t drink if it’s not in the refrigerator.  A better alternative—seltzer water with lemon flavoring.

Hotdogs

The meat in hotdogs is processed so it will last longer—curing or smoking—but studies suggest it may be linked to colorectal or stomach cancer.  This also includes hotdogs, ham, sausage, corned beef and many others.

Tonic Water

The unique, bitter taste is the quinine in tonic water and is sweetened with about 124 calories—enough as in a 12 ounce bottle of soda.  Club Soda or Lime Soda is better and has fewer calories.

Gourmet Ice Cream

The small containers with the crazy flavors have lots of fat and sugar, equally a double portion of ice cream.  Try plain yogurt mixed with fresh berries or granola for a healthier substitute.  But if you just have to have ice cream—check the food label for fat and sugar content and pick one with less sugar.

Creamy Salad Dressing

Usually high in fat, but if it is low in fat, they will usually have lots of sugar, salt and artificial sweeteners, not to mention ingredients you may not be able to pronounce.  Try eating salad plain with just olive oil, sea salt, and a dab of vinegar for a delicious and simple treat.

Frozen French Fries

Though they are hard to turn down when the guy at the fast-food restaurant asks “Do you want fries with that?”, don’t buy them.  they are loaded with fat, calories and salt.  If you have frozen fries and frozen spinach in the freezer, you’ll be more likely to pick the fries.

Pickles

Most store-brand pickles have lots of salt, but cucumbers, which are made from pickles, are good for you.  They have lots of water and help keep you hydrated.  Plus the antioxidants help curb inflammation.  Buy them fresh and add some vinegar and a little salt for a zippy snack.

Frozen Pizza

One frozen pizza has 1,920 calories, 30 grams fat, 5,040 milligrams of sodium in a 6-serving pizza.  Buy berries, vegetables, and soup in the freezer instead.  They’re better for you heart and keeps the pounds off.

Beer

A beer after you’ve had a hard day may give some health benefits and worth it to have in the refrigerator.  But it is too tempting to drink a 6-pack while watching that football game.  Loaded with empty calories, alcohol can give you numerous health problems, not to mention, one heck of a hangover in the morning.