Post: 15 Foods Nutrition Experts Always Avoid

It may be prime time for a pantry cleanout.

There are some ingredients we know we should be eating as often as possible: Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains , nuts , pulses, and plenty other nutritious plant-based foods . Indeed, at Real Simple , we’re all about the positive when it comes to wellness—we’d much rather hear about (and share) all the delicious ways we can eat more for better health. We’ll forever stick to the moderation-is-key camp.

That being said, are there foods we should attempt to avoid for health reasons? According to a roster of registered dietitians (RDs), of course there are.

Here are the 15 foods nutrition experts say they avoid whenever possible, and they recommend that we do the same. If some of these are in your fridge right now, don’t worry. Balance is everything—just try not to eat them every day.

01 of 15 The Impossible Burger—and Any Other Highly Processed Meal Replacer

"The food you should avoid is anything that you can’t imagine growing and that your great-great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize," says Natalie Forester, RDN . "If there’s a packaged product you want to consume, first check the ingredients and ask yourself, can I imagine this ingredient growing? Then ask your ever-so-wise great-great-grandmother’s spirit if she knows what each ingredient is—and move forward from there."

As an example, Forester highlights the Impossible Burger. "Would it pass the test? No, no it would not. As a matter of fact, let’s go ahead and add the meal replacement, Soylent, to this list. We should be working with the body versus tricking the body, shall we?" Well-stated.

02 of 15 Packaged Cookies, Pies, Pastries, and Biscuits

They may be convenient and tasty, but stick to the homemade variety. Why? According to Mia Syn, MS, RDN , it’s likely that these grocery store delicacies contain trans fats. "They’re added to help prolong shelf life and enhance taste and texture of products in a cost-effective way by manufacturers," she explains. "There is no safe level of trans fat consumption because it can increase your risk of many chronic diseases such as heart […]

15 Foods Nutrition Experts Always Avoid