The International Food Information Council (IFIC) recently published a consumer research report, Public Perceptions of Processed Foods, measuring consumers’ knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about processed foods. 

“From public health to pop culture, we have seen a significant increase in interest surrounding processed foods in recent years,” says Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, IFIC president and CEO. “Much of the controversy results from classification systems utilized in scientific literature to categorize foods based on level of processing versus nutrition or other food attributes. Amidst the emerging evidence and headlines, current scientific consensus and the consumer perspectives are often excluded. As an educational nonprofit sitting at the intersection of science, food, and the consumer, we believe exploring consumer insights on processed foods is timely, needed, and important.” 

Healthfulness remains top of mind for consumers. The vast majority of Americans (84%) claim prioritizing a healthy diet is important to them. When asked which actions they could take to eat healthier, Americans ranked eating more fruits and vegetables (33%) as well as practicing balance, variety, and moderation (27%) at the top. Reduction approaches (eating less sugar, eating smaller portions) were not far behind. Of note, nearly 1 in 5 (18%) consumers also listed eating fewer processed foods as an action they could take to eat healthier. 

The survey also asked Americans what words or phrases help them determine a food’s healthfulness. Top responses included “no artificial ingredients” (34%) and “no additives” (26%), followed by “organic” (22%), as well as “no added sugar” and “natural” (both at 19%).  

“According to IFIC research, many Americans believe there is a place for processed foods in a healthy diet, but it’s complicated,” explains Alyssa Pike, IFIC’s senior manager for nutrition communications. “The majority agree that a wide range of foods, several of which are processed, can fit into a healthy eating pattern.” 

For example, foods technically considered on the spectrum of processed foods utilizing classification systems from scientific literature, like frozen broccoli (64%), frozen berries (62%), vanilla Greek yogurt (60%), and canned tuna (55%) ranked high when asked if they can fit into a healthy diet. While items such as jarred salsa (15%) and chocolate milk (14%) ranked lower. 

While just more than half of Americans (53%) believe processed foods can be a part of a healthy diet, another 1 in 5 are not sure. A majority (69%) report eating processed foods at least some of the time; very few (4%) say they never eat them. 

Why are so many Americans reaching for packaged foods at the grocery store? Consumers report ease of preparation (33%), taste (32%), and longer storage (29%) as top reasons they select and purchase packaged foods. However, despite the prevalence and reported consumption, misunderstanding remains. More than 7 in 10 Americans say they do not fully understand or could explain what a processed food is. 

“It’s clear consumers are eating processed foods, yet it’s also clear they’re confused about what is considered a processed food,” Pike states. “Consumers want to eat healthfully, yet they lack a firm understanding of processed foods and how they may fit or enhance their diet.”

“Helping consumers close their current knowledge-action gap by focusing on how to create—and sustain—healthier habits is the key to ultimately building healthier diets. Despite multiple efforts focused on what to, or what not to eat, research confirms we are still a nation that consumes too few fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy,” Reinhardt Kapsak says. “Behavior-based approaches that empower consumers while also providing much-needed context regarding the emerging science of processed foods, are needed.”