Are these UPF food?

[Hungryyet]

We are working parents with two little DC 1 & 4.
I am vegetarian and always have been and only started cooking meat for DCs for their protein and B12 value which I have been deficient of for most of my life.
I have started ordering these things from Ocado and wondering if you'll classify as UPF or unhealthy?
M&S British Buttermilk Mini Chicken Tenders
Cod fish fingers
M&S Crispy Breaded Chicken Tenders

I use one of them as dinner mains and serve with some air fried veggies like cauliflower and chickpeas, sometimes with sweet potato fries (frozen).
Is it all unhealthy or is it good enough?

Forgot to mention, I cook other things from scratch like oats pancakes, oats waffles, egg muffins and lots of curries and rice etc. DC1 likes to take omelette and sandwich etc for packed lunch but he has biscuits etc for snacks at his nursery. They don't do cooked meals.

Look at the ingredients. I'm guessing upf though.

Yeah it’s UPF but could form part of a healthy diet. I guess it depends how often they’re having UPFs throughout the day/week.

Ingredients list - Chicken Breast (69%), Wheatflour contains Gluten (with Wheatflour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Water, Rapeseed Oil, Durum Wheat Semolina (contains Gluten), Rice Flour, Wheat Gluten, Wheat Starch (contains Gluten), Salt, Wheat Protein (contains Gluten), Chicken Stock (Water, Chicken Bones, Salt, Chicken Fat), Yeast, Vinegar, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Dried Garlic, Dried Onions, Sugar, Yeast Extract, Ground White Pepper, Dried Sage

I checked on Yuka and it has given it ratings of 78.

I'd say those are upf.
Would they not eat a plaice fillet or skewered chicken breast pieces. You could make your own chicken goujons - dip in egg, coat in sourdough breadcrumbs, bung in oven in an oiled dish.

https://www.ocado.com/products/m-s-crispy-breaded-chicken-tenders/505206011

There’s an app called Yuka and you can scan the barcode of anything g not just food and it will give it a rating. It’s been eye opening!

Thanks for sharing this. I will try this over next week.

It’s absolutely fine, we also use M&S breaded chicken and I consider it good chicken breast and definitely good enough. I don’t have time for baking my own breadcrumbs and buying organic chicken breasts. A completely UPF free diet is not achievable for most people and the jury is out on the health harms really, it’s not been completely proven and some scientists do think it’s less to do with processing and more to do with sugar and fat content. We do cut UPFs where I can but in places like homemade cakes and bread, ready salted kettle chips and so on but they are still in our diet

Checked on Yuka, it gave 78 ratings to it. So, looked good and said not risky additives, only 3 additives I think Niacin and something else not harmful.

Even less complicated - chop chicken breast into chunks and pop in a lidded Tupperware pot with some Greek yogurt, shake to coat. Then into another pot of breadcrumbs and shake gently. Air fry for 15 mins.

Yes that would be considered a UPF from what's listed.

You can make your own chicken/fish goujons as suggested above.

It doesn’t bother me that my 4 year old eats fish fingers, Heinz tomato soup, and shop bought pancakes. He also eats homemade curry, spaghetti bolognese, burritos, soups, risotto, eggs, porridge, and so on.

It’s about balance. Maltesers are UPF but I’m not going to stop eating them.

This sounds very easy, thanks will definitely try 🙏

Tbh, at that age I'd be trying to give them fresh if possible. Instead of air frying vegitables might be healthier to steam them. You can get fresh haddock/cod/salmon and steam it. I think shop bought fish fingers and chicken tenders are okay to have occasionally, but it's not something I would personally give them on a regular basis.

Ingredients aren't the worst but you know kids don't need their protein wrapped in 'tasty' carbs. If it's about getting protein into them then only 69% of the item being meat isn't very high. Just cook actual meat. In my book it's fine once in a while but not as a regular dinner.

Yes, they are UPFs. I have attached a photo of the ingredients. Two thirds of it is chicken, the other third is complete crap. It’s scary but I think I read a survey recently which said that 70% of food currently purchased has lists of ingredients like this. You just need chicken. And I’ve written that whilst holding my hands up that I buy this stuff and like you, team it with something healthy to make up for it. It’s just become normal. 😢

Thanks for many useful suggestions. I will be making my own from next week. Appreciate any suggestions on including more fish in their diet including salmon.

Steaming vegetables is not particularly healthy. Boiling them in salted water preserves more of the nutrients.

OP, if they have the occasional bit of UPF food with other good food, then I don't see the harm. It's no worse than a slice of packaged bread!

I would love to give them all food cooked from scratch but it's impossible really to get a very well balanced healthy diet from scratch while also managing childcare and getting them to actually eat it.

Unfortunately I buy sourdough wholemeal bread from Ocado and haven't got to the point of baking it often.
DC get to eat plenty of veggies, salads and fruits in their diet.

theres two people on this thread already who have said ‘it’s normal’ or ‘it’s fine’ . Is it? We know that disruptive behaviour and mental health issues in children have sky rocketed over the last few years. How much is it to do with these huge lists of ingredients where just 1 - chicken - would have been the norm 50 years ago. And I’m writing this whilst admitting I eat this stuff. It’s possible it’s really really bad.

I'm quite careful about upf but to me these would be fine sometimes. All looks like real ingredients.
Obviously making from scratch would be better but sometimes you want convenience.

Wait until they go to school! DS gets fish fingers chips and beans every Friday. No packed lunches allowed until a few weeks ago.

We generally cook from scratch and ds eats plenty of fruit and veg, we don't have things like haribo and he only drinks milk or water day to day, the occasional fruit juice if we are out for dinner. Balance is the important bit, as long as they're not having daily turkey twizzlers they'll be fine with the odd chicken goujon