Hmm, no rule per se. I just try to do the best I can everyday to eat mostly whole foods and avoid most processed foods. The cake batter example is an odd one for me - I don't keep sweets in the house, so I wouldn't have cake batter. I try to keep sweets as isolated, single portion incidents outside the home!

If I were going to make a cake (maybe for an event??) I guess I would use a mix, since I'm not much of a baker. I did recently make a cheesecake from scratch, it wasn't too hard :)

The processed stuff I buy is balanced with the convenience factor - I would love the time to make my own pasta, bread, tortillas, salsa, granola, etc etc. but I just don't have that kind of time (or I choose not to make the time). I do have strict rules (for myself) for white flour and packaged baked goods products, those I try never to eat and wouldn't bring into the house.

Some other processed foods set off my "triggers" like crackers and cold cereal, so I usually don't buy those (although I don't think there's anything wrong with Kashi organic crackers, I just don't want to eat a whole box in one night).

I check the ingredient panel. I put most things back on the shelf, but will still buy unusual sauces, seasonings, etc. I also buy canned soup, as long as it's organic and the ingredient panel looks good. I enjoy cooking from scratch for a lot of reasons. I also prefer bringing less packaging into the house, unless it's recyclable.

Suzanne, what types of things do you check for on the ingredient panel? I avoid HCFS, trans-fats, and I look for a carb-to-fiber ratio of 15:2. I just recently started noticing sodium, too.

You didn't ask me, but I wanted to chime in anyway...I look for and avoid all those things plus preservatives and artificial sweeteners and colors.

I don't have a rule. I try to avoid HFCS and trans-fats, and don't buy many packaged foods or mixes. I do however, buy canned beans, soups and tomatoes. (You wouldn't recognize what passes for a "fresh" tomato in Alaska, never mind that they're nearly $4/lb!) as well as pasta, tortillas, etc. I will buy - in the natural foods section - interesting sounding sauces or soups, but if I like them I'll try to recreate them.

Baking - I have baked since I was in 4th grade or so. Mostly from scratch except angel food cake (which I have done a few times, but all those egg whites..... ). I bake bread a lot. Lately I've been using a bread maker to make the dough then remove it, knead slightly and shape for the second rising. I find the shape and texture much better than completely baked in the bread machine. My DH can't digest whole wheat well, so I usually make two kinds of bread, cut each in 1/2 or 1/3rds and freeze a portion. One downside to no preservatives is how fast stuff goes bad.

I am a baker. I dont use box anything to make cakes or the like. I even make any frostings or fillings by hand. I actually was going to be a pastry chef, but have now switched gears and am going to be a registered dietician ha. I figured I needed a profession that doesnt encourage obesity. Anyways.. it does taste better, and it is better for you to make it yourself, not calorie wise but "garbage" wise. I even make my own marshmallows :) Let me tell you.. they are so much better then you could even imagine then the bagged crap :) Anyways.. yeah.. so I dont buy pre packaged anything except veggie burgers and thats because I cant seem to learn to make those. If anyone knows.. hook me up :)

I will look for my veggie burger recipes! Do you have a good recipe for vegetarian or vegan marshmallows? ;)

all marshmallows are, are sugar, water, and corn syrup. Definitely not a clean food lol. Now.. maybe if you used raw sugar or cane syrup, I dunno. Im lost on that one.. lol. I havent made marshmallows since I have been trying to eat "clean-ER"