Ultra processed foods

[Dowhadiddydiddydum]

Just listened to a podcast with Dr Chris Van Tullenken (think that was his name), talking about the health risks from ultra processed foods.

It got me wondering if I should cut down the amount put family consumes. We eat generally healthily but I can see we still consume a fair amount.

Has anyone been successful in reducing their intake of Ultra processed foods?
If so what did you do to manage it and do you have any tips?

I already cook a lot at home rather than buy ready meals. However we eat a lot of packaged snacks/cereals. I was wondering about bull making homemade cereal bars and things like that.

There's a really good Facebook group on this which is very helpful.

I looked for general areas where we could do better and found a few main ones:

1. Bread - I now use a bread maker, and a few weeks later my bread obsessed 5 year old doesn't even ask for the supermarket stuff. I try and keep a loaf ahead by freezing it.
2. Sweet snacks - baking more. We used to bake a lot pre kids so we have the equipped so it's just a case of getting it done.
3. Oven ready dinners - we used to end up putting some Quorn in the oven for days where we'd been at work/busy with babies etc, so I stopped buying it,apart from the odd emergency box of burgers. I put my slow cooker on either in the morning on low or lunchtime on high when working from home.
4. Fake meat - we're generally a veggie household and relied far too much on fake meat for ease really. I have started using tofu if I really want a curry or similar, or this also feeds into the slow cooker use above!

i also know where my priorities are 😂 husband and I both love salt and vinegar crisps, so they're staying!!

Be aware that a lot of these still have rapeseed, veg and sunflower oils so still need to double check the ingredients

Following as I am trying to cut down on UPF.

I think that's right but, doing research into them, I'm keen to eliminate those as they're pretty inflammatory. There in so many things and it puts me off right away. For hummus lovers, Waitrose do an extra virgin olive oil one which is the only one they stock without seed oil. Crosta and Mollica's pizza base (but not their pizzas with toppings) are also seed oil free along with their basil and tomato sauce

Those Jules Destrooper biscuits are 👌too

We are trying to cut out as much UPF as possible.

I have bought a bread maker and make wholemeal seeded bread, and for DH, wholemeal bread with dried fruit, chopped nuts, cinnamon and nutmeg.

We eat more fish now. (There's a great online recipe for plaice from Julie Neville).

I make pasta with Einkorn flour and we have Einkorn pancakes with leftover bolognaise.
Lunch is apple, tomatoes, olives and mozzarella.

I make our own pizzas (the dough is made in the bread maker, and only takes 45 minutes).

But as I love my wine, that is staying. (It might not be UPF anyway).

I'm with you on the wine!

Aria999 · 11/10/2023 20:54

You can do home made pizza base really easily and quickly with equal parts Greek yoghurt and flour, nothing else”

Been meaning to try this for a while. Can you honestly tell the difference (ours only has 4 ingredients and is really good)

I try not to buy anything in a packet

Yes to baking, Brownies, flap jacks and traybakes are easy, I try to use seasonal fruit eg: made an apple cake this week.

DH makes pizza bases, flat breads and Yoghurt.

I don't buy fake meat.

This week's menu
Tonight Shepardess pie ( onion, celery, carrot, green lentils, seasonings topped with mash) brocoli
Tomorrow: DH HM pizza
Monday: Cauliflower pasta with feta and walnuts
Tuesday : Sweet potato stew with chick peas and cous cous
Weds: Spicy lentl soup with HM flat breads and cheese
Thursday: Mushroom risstto
Friday: Tofu curry

Breakfast is either eggs, peanut butter on toast or yoghurt berries and honey

Lunch is either a salad ( leafs, grains, protien dressing) or leftovers or soup, occasionally a jacket potato.

I bake snacks or we have nuts, fruit is always freely available.

I try to eat UPF once a week or less.
We are veggi and only drink at holiday time.

Dh does all the cooking here and he has stopped buying UPFs and mainly cooks from scratch anyway.

I am amazed at how much better I feel. We only had snacks and a weekly chicken Kiev or similar but just cutting that out has made a big difference.

def go for it

Just found a link to the Greek yogurt & flour pizza base recipe. (I know the recipe barely seems necessary!)

Wow. I have to try this.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/user/4089011/recipe/2-ingredient-pizza-dough

Hi @Quitelikeit I found this OLD thread while I was looking for something else and really fancy the healthy snack bars you mentioned. Do you have a recipe please? I don't dare wing it as I'm a terrible baker 😂