Child Care

Fact Sheet

Advantages and Disadvantages of Convenience Foods

Comparing Nutrition
Advantages

Modern production techniques and

preservation methods minimize
nutritional loss of precooked products.
Frozen vegetables take less time to
prepare but often have the same
nutritional value as fresh products if
they are frozen immediately after
harvesting. In most cases, the
nutrients and vitamins are preserved.
Nutrition information is easily
accessed by the nutrition label.

Disadvantages

Convenience foods may be higher in fat

making their energy content (calories)
high.
Convenience foods are often higher in
sodium because it is a cheap flavor.
The cook cannot control the ingredients
of the product; therefore it is harder to
control the sugar, fat, and salt content.
Convenience foods allow little recipe
modification.
Convenience foods are often processed.

References
National Food Service Management Institute. (2003). From the Trainers Tablet: Lessons for
Family/Home Child Care Providers.
National Food Service Management Institute. (2002). Mealtime Memo for Child Care.
(May 2006). Convenience Foods. Retrieved May 19, 2009, from Health and Age Web site:
www.healthandage.org.
National Food Service Management Inst itute The Universit y of Mississippi
For more information, contact NFSMI at 800-321-3054 or www.nfsmi.org.

This project has been funded at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service through a grant agreement with
The University of Mississippi. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor does mention of
trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The University of Mississippi is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section
504/ADA/ADEA Employer.