To think it's impossible to eat a UPF free diet as an ordinary person?

I've never had it, I just know it's popular for those wanting to buy UPF free bread. It's better/less harmful than most breads you can buy, whereas you said it was no different. Yes I agree home-made would be even better, for those who have the means.

I work full time and was a single parent.

So it can be for anyone who wants to eat that way. It's fine to want/not want to but don't make excuses.

I do agree with not taking it to extremes. I make my own stock/bone broth but don't worry if I'm making soup and haven't defrosted any and so use a stock cube. It's not the end of the world. But generally, I don't find it to be any effort. It's just how we eat.

No I’m just pointing out there is no need to make your own.

I don’t eat a lot of bread either but when I do having a very good alternatives ensures it is not necessary to make my own.

Are you Jason’s wife?

My DH eats it. Loves it. Maybe you’re my DH?

It’s not ‘amazing’. Its just bread, and nobody needs to eat bread. I feel much better without it, whether its the sainted Jasons or Warburtons Toastie.

OMG, preach it to someone else. I don't care. Glad you like it.

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

Using a stock cube is miles away from turkey twizzlers.

Make sensible decisions and minimise, but don't martyr yourself on the alter of perfection.

The voice of reason.

Greek yog isn’t expensive, ditto oats and a big vat of granola that lasts 2 weeks isn’t expensive. I don’t spend a lot on food as I don’t buy expensive processed crap and eat a fair bit of vegetarian meals. A little bit extra on bread or cereal( if you must buy cereal, I don’t) is wiped out by all the other savings I make.

Jason does not have crap in it.

Jason bread is amazing and I prefer it to home made bread machine bread which I used to make. I find the slices are big and due to having no crap in it it fills you up more ie sometimes a one slice sandwich is enough for me. One of their rolls is definitely enough. I make soda bread sometimes but feel no need to make sour dough when there are really good alternatives. Crosta toasting bread is lovely too .

I cook from scratch and eat very little UPF though have a small amount of chocolate daily, also eat ice lollies 😋. A Ninja Foodi all in one and Magmix cut down time and effort massively as can good freezer space for batch cooking.

Sourdough is expensive. I make my own wholemeal bread with mixed seeds added, no kneading or bread maker needed. Mix ingredients, rise, knock down and place in tin/casserole dish, rise again and bake. Although it takes a few hours very little time is spent actually doing much. I make two loaves at a time. When I recently had free electricity on a Sunday through EDF I made 4 loaves, sliced when cold and froze most of it.

Soup - chop veg , soak pulses or open cans, add to stock (I make from chicken carcasses or other bones and freeze in 400ml containers) cook, blend if wanted, chill/freeze.

YANBU that cutting out/limiting UPF is really hard - we’ve been trying to reduce it pragmatically over the last year and it’s like another job! It takes time to read the labels, make informed choices and plan meals. I say that as someone who enjoys cooking and we all (family of 4) do our share of healthy food prep.

Even the simplest things as standard brad, ham or sausages are almost impossible to buy without UPF - so you learn over time where to look/what to buy.

Tips: I find the new M&S range ‘only 4 ingredients’ great for bread & butchers tend to do their own cooked ham & sausages which are both cheaper & non-UPF (though need to be eaten quicker). Switched to home made only biscuits & cakes too - flapjacks, brownies & shortbread is surprisingly quick to make & you can ‘delegate’ this to the kids to make from quite an early age. Still haven’t figured out the ice-cream though!

YABU re stock - it takes no effort & almost no money to make your own (get chicken / beef bones free from the butcher, add in whatever shrivelled old veg is sitting at the bottom of the fridge at the end of the week and simmer it on the hob for a couple of hours whilst you get on with other things). It’s delicious and fills even the teenagers happily.

There is lots of great advice here but - buying exclusively at the cheapest end of the market - I've never come across ultra processed balsamic vinegar in the UK. It's just fermented grape juice and grape must.

Jams, vinegars, pickles, miso etc tend to rely on traditional preserving methods but seem to be getting caught up in the UPF discourse a lot on this thread. Not all soy sauces and stocks on the market are UPF either. People may be making it a bit more difficult than they have to.

Yes it's not for people who work full time! But I don't think going to extremes is going to do you any good. You are already eating healthier so why worry about the odd upf?

Exactly. That's why this thread is mad. I probably eat 90% UPF free. Not going to obsess over the 10%.

People who are seeing significant health impacts of a high UPF diet are not unwell because they used a stock cube in their vegetable soup with lovely whole grain bread and real butter.

They’re unhealthy because they’re eating McDonald’s and other takeaways and crisps and store cupboard snacks on a daily basis.

I eat a fairly low UPF diet, not because I’m trying, but because it’s what I eat because I mostly just eat whole real foods.

UPFs have become the latest food panic. Don’t overthink it. Just eat real food, mostly protein, fruit and veg.

Today I’m eating: porridge with apples, raisins, chia seeds, coconut and flaked almonds with some double cream for breakfast; lunch is sautéed Asian pork and cabbage with broccoli (leftovers from dinner), literally minced pork with lots of veg plus soy sauce and sesame oil; dinner is beef stew and french beans.

Yes, I’m not stressed about the soy sauce and the sesame oil (processed foods but not really UPFs). I used some real beef stock plus stock cube plus an AF Guinness in the stew, but I’m not worried about that either. It’s a small bit of the meal which is otherwise protein and vegetable rich. I haven’t snacked on crisps and junk food all day.

There’s some great Facebook groups that help flag UPF swaps that are available from supermarkets. For example, marks and Spencer’s do a range of breads, cereals and even ready meals that are UPF free.

also you have to get into the rhythm of things for it to become less hassle. If you’re making soup, you’re making enough to put several portions in the freezer. And then when you make your beef pie filling, you’re doing the same. I do feel a freezer is key.

honestly, I think write down your usual weekly meals and try and reduce your UPF rather than trying to change everything overnight to making it yourself or you will get overwhelmed.

and sourdough isn’t necessarily any better for you than yeasted bread if both loaves are free from dough conditioners and preservatives.

id also still use stock cubes as even with two freezers I don’t have the space to be holding gallons of meat stock to be used at a later date. I’d just pick the best recommended one.

progress not perfection.

I get it. You're a Jason fan. The op said not a big budget and nothing beats the bread you make at home. Nothing beats getting in the groove of preparing healthy food being the norm. Sure, we all cheat now and then.

I have a lot of food allergies and some intolerances that make my IBS worse
I started a FODMAP diet 2 years ago and cook from scratch quick easy meals - last night we had grilled chicken, mash, carrots, green beans and asparagus took about 1/2 an hour
When I cook joints I save the stock and freeze it
I agree it’s virtually impossible to avoid UPF completely but I read the ingredients in any cupboard products and am as careful as I can be

You're right. It's cheaper to buy food that harms us. The whole food system is upside down.

But those products are all at the high end of pricing.

Err I do thanks.

As I said I make my own granola with plain yogurt or porridge or have toast or eggs. Anybody that really can’t survive without cereal can look at M&S only 5 or 1 cereals . Crosta bread rolls and wraps are UPF free…..I generally don’t use any of that other stuff- cooking spray 🤢 rubbery croissants etc.

A completely UPF-free diet is basically impossible, but a low-UPF diet is achievable.

Jason is better because it doesn’t have the additives that most breads have.

I don't eat most of these, but I wouldn't obsess over a tiny amount in sauces or condiments as long as the bulk of my diet was non-UPF.