Processed food - is it really that bad?!

[SuddenlySusan]

Inspired by another thread...

When we were a family of three I would batch cook, follow recipes. I’d always buy chopped fresh veg (onions, mushrooms, Mediterranean medley for roasting).

Now as a family of four, kids aged 6 and 2, both working full time, busy roles, I cheat quite a bit. Youngest also has a dairy allergy. I still buy the chopped, prepared veg, but I’m making alternative meals and it’s so time consuming! Tonight we had Mac and cheese, M&S vegan bechemal (sp?) sauce, ready to go broccoli, cauliflower, frozen peas. Just didn’t have time to make a white sauce.

Is it that bad that I cheat by buying prepared veg, ready made root veg mash, jar white sauce, fresh pasta as it cooks quicker, kids ready meals etc. I’d rather buy a bagged salad, chopped fruit than spend time doing it. I’ve never thought anything of making life easier with M&S, or Cook meals (frozen home made ready meals delivered to your door), something on toast.

The reason I’m asking is I felt a bit crap thinking I should be doing everything from scratch, as I used to, and the cheat, prepared stuff is very unhealthy? Some parents make it seem so easy, so am I ‘usual’ in doing this or do most of you cool from scratch/batch cook?

Is that what people mean by processed food or are they referring to burgers, chips, pot noodles etc?

@Bathtimebillie

When most people talk about processed food, I think they're talking about stuff like chicken nuggets, turkey twisters, potato waffles and other freezer fodder.

I've yet to see one single man, apart from from one's who made the show, get concerned about the amount of ultra processed foods their kids are eating. But seen plenty of women get their knickers in a twist about it. No one stops to think that the reason more and more people are relying on these types of foods is because both parents are now having to work longer hours. It's just more mum guilt to pile on really.

Rather than dismissing it as mum guilt we should all be worried and actively pushing back on the companies who peddle this food. They’re only interested in making money, not on the impact of the shit they sell. Vote with your money.

(The Van Tallekens aren’t the only ones worried about it by the way. I’ve just completed the Wildfit challenge which covers this, has changed how I eat and think about food for life. It’s been around for a long time.)

I cook vast quantities of mash and then freeze it. Batch cooking is your friend if you want to avoid the processed stuff.

@Bryonyshcmyony

Yes I know that but if we buy flown in veg it's probably past its best anyway!

Air miles is another issue, yes. Still better to eat while veg flown in than any form of cut veg. Frozen veg is also good.

@Mybalconyiscracking

I cook vast quantities of mash and then freeze it. Batch cooking is your friend if you want to avoid the processed stuff.

How!! I want to this as dd loves mash and I hate making it. Whenever I've frozen it it ends up watery

We do similar to you OP. Buying fruit and veg that is pre-chopped, or buying fresh pasta isn’t unhealthy in any way. It’s just not great financially, but it sounds like you, like us, are willing to pay a little extra at the moment for the convenience.

We do try to avoid using jar sauces though as they often have higher levels of salt and sugar, and I think if I’m using a jar sauce e.g. to make a lasagne I might as well just buy a nice ready made lasagne. Ready meals are obviously not a great choice generally but once a week or so is not a big deal if you need to do it to save your sanity.

There will be plenty on here who tell you you’re lazy and how easy it is to whip up a white sauce, etc, but the reality is if you’re trying to juggle young kids, a full time job and everything else in life, you’re going to need to cut some corners to save your sanity. Let go of the guilt.

@NavigatingAdolescence I'm not dismissing the problem. I'm suggesting that people who are concerned enough to do all of this research and make TV programmes about it should look at the wider social issues creating the problems in the first place, and make their suggestions to resolve the problems with those issues in mind.

It's all well and good telling everyone it's terrible their kids eat Maccies for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But that doesn't really help tell a skint parent who is on alternating shifts with their partner for childcare purposes how they can quickly feed their kids three healthy meals a day on a budget.

For all I can't stand Jamie Oliver, at least he was offering practical suggestions like the school meals and quick meal ideas.

It’s ultra processed food that’s the problem so yes your sauces. Cereals, fish fingers etc. Prepared vegetables, all day long!

The part of the population with by far the highest percentage (100%) of UPF in their diets are formula fed babies. Is there any evidence that it’s causing a health crisis in that group?

@CarlottaValdez

The part of the population with by far the highest percentage (100%) of UPF in their diets are formula fed babies. Is there any evidence that it’s causing a health crisis in that group?

Well formula fed babies are more likely to become obese adults, so yes.

I think the theory around ultra processed food is that it messes with the brain and you eat more. One piece of research found that people eating only ultra processed foods ate on average 500 more calories a day compared to a group eating food with the same levels of fat sugar etc... Scientists don't really know why this happens.
Once you start looking at food ingredients you see ultra processed food everywhere. For example I use tinned coconut milk for a particular recipe and when I checked the ingredients on about 10 different brands I noticed they all had significant amounts of additives. I have finally found a couple of brands that are pure coconut milk.

I think as someone said just try and limit ultra processed foods as I think it's very hard to eliminate it. You also don't want to create a 'forbidden fruit' vibe around some foods.

I used to be very wary if anything processed (extremely so. Probably class it as obsessive) especially when kids were small. Now Ive lost the ability to keep ontop of life and always feel Im on the back foot we have gone the other way with processed foods (plus an autistic child who has a limited diet.) Im so overwhelmed. We have also put on weight.... 😔

It is really tough and I do cut corners, all the time! I am reassured though that we’re not eating too many ultra processed items.

I’m gutted about fish fingers and baked beans - they’re firm favourites here.

I agree that batch cooking is the way forward, but that’s going to have to wait until my youngest is a touch more independent, can’t do anything until they’re in bed and then we are knackered. I can’t remember the last time we didn’t crash out on the sofa by 9pm!

Sausage, root veg mash, peas and gravy for dinner tonight. Was very well received, but not so much as the Bosh chocolate cake and ice cream for pre-holiday pudding!