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If you generally don't like processed food, what exceptions do you make?

76 replies

familyicons · 25/06/2026 20:35

Because I love those lamb kebab skewer things - you know the minced lamb squished onto a stick. Bbq With a Greek salad that I of course make myself

OP posts:
Defiantly41 · 25/06/2026 20:38

Leon chicken nuggets
M&S GF coffee walnut cake
Copains cinnamon rolls

Belmondo · 25/06/2026 20:41

Charlie Bighams curries when on offer 😁
Packet rice for making homemade fried rice
Burgers, occasionally
Battered frozen fish
Sainsbury's Tiramisu loaf cake
Posh quiche lorraine

But I always make my own pasta sauces, pesto, veggie quiche, mostly my own cakes, hummus, meatballs, curries (sometimes use Thai curry paste though) and things like crumbles and tarts. It's just personal preference - for me, ones in the second list are just very easy things to make, or I can usually make better versions myself, or I think the ready-made versions are too pricey!

JennieTheZebra · 25/06/2026 20:59

Ice lollies
Hagen Dazs ice cream (although, to be fair, the vanilla flavour only has 5 ingredients so almost as good as homemade).

I think the heat is getting to me…

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DeftGoldHedgehog · 25/06/2026 21:02

You don't have to avoid all processed food, just keep ultra processed down. Processed meat is a good idea to only have low amounts of though, separately. I prefer a shish kebab generally.

NormasArse · 25/06/2026 21:03

Defiantly41 · 25/06/2026 20:38

Leon chicken nuggets
M&S GF coffee walnut cake
Copains cinnamon rolls

I bought some Leon chicken nuggets from a motorway services and was so disappointed that I emailed their customer services from my car after throwing them in the bin- they were really awful.

I got a reply from a carpet shop in Canada, who were very polite, but said they couldn’t help 🤦‍♀️😂.

DuchessedOrleans · 25/06/2026 21:03

Veggie sausages.

u3ername · 25/06/2026 21:08

Bread (bagels)

Last couple of weeks - Ice cream. I bought an ice cream machine after reading the ultra processed book but I’ve only been making vanilla ice cream with it and we had enough of that for the moment. Need to find some other recipes and actually remember to put the ingredients on my shopping list.

Fifthtimelucky · 25/06/2026 21:10

Chocolate
Some ice cream (though I recently bought an ice cream maker so now make most of my own)
Some ice lollies.
Border dark chocolate raspberry biscuits.

Chestecoffthatcarriedheroff · 25/06/2026 21:11

DuchessedOrleans · 25/06/2026 21:03

Veggie sausages.

Same!

NeverDropYourMooncup · 25/06/2026 21:13

Gluten free pasta and bread. Because sometimes only a bowl of annelli stars or some GF vegemite on toast will do.

Crikeyalmighty · 25/06/2026 21:14

Defiantly41 · 25/06/2026 20:38

Leon chicken nuggets
M&S GF coffee walnut cake
Copains cinnamon rolls

Our Leon sadly shut - but the 2 things I was addicted too were their chicken nuggets and their porridge with banana and cinnamon

Tintackedsea · 25/06/2026 21:16

Jaffa cakes
wine
butter

I lurk on prepper threads but I don’t know anyone who makes their own Jaffa cakes.

Mydahliasareshit · 25/06/2026 21:17

A very high quality sausage to have in a finger bun with roasted onions and ketchup and mustard in the summer outside.

The M&S salmon and rocket fishcakes, no breading on them, are delicious.

Gravy granules when I'm pushed or lazy.

Crikeyalmighty · 25/06/2026 21:18

Border chocolate ginger biscuits
2 finger dark chocolate kit kats
idaho packet mash potato
veeta jasmine rice in trays - I partly do it because it’s always perfect and partly for strict portion control
Maille - tartar sauce and Dijon mayo
bisto gravy granules - I don’t actually like homemade stuff much as like it quite thick - I stick Dijon and a bit of Worcester sauce in it
I also sometimes use jar mutti pastasauce and mix in with sofrito and mushrooms etc

Alwayswonderedwhy · 25/06/2026 21:18

Couldron veggie sausages.

familyicons · 25/06/2026 21:20

It's not whether it's good enough, it's just that I just don't like the taste Particularly fake garlic and over sugar cakes

OP posts:
MsRinky · 25/06/2026 21:20

Scampi fries.

familyicons · 25/06/2026 21:21

By the way, has anyone tried that Yuka app? For those of us who aren't sure stuff is ever shut it's really interesting

OP posts:
familyicons · 25/06/2026 21:22

Fifthtimelucky · 25/06/2026 21:10

Chocolate
Some ice cream (though I recently bought an ice cream maker so now make most of my own)
Some ice lollies.
Border dark chocolate raspberry biscuits.

I had an ice cream maker back in the day, but now it's just two of us and the kids have left. There doesn't seem to be a point.

OP posts:
Pistachiocake · 25/06/2026 21:23

Travelling back from a long trip, service stations. Yes, we should have packed something, or gone out of the way for something decent, but we were too tired

ohwhatthehelly · 25/06/2026 21:24

Wine and gin. They’re quite clear in the book that alcohol is the absolute devil.

WyrdHag · 25/06/2026 21:24

I don't have the time to make absolutely everything from scratch (eg bread) but I generally make sure my main meals are cooked from fresh.

My one exception is cheese and broccoli 'pasta and sauce' - I add bacon and fresh veg as well (leek/spring onion, courgette, red pepper, mushrooms, broccoli - whatever is in the fridge). It was one of my staples when I was a student 30 years ago and is one of my favourite comfort foods still - along with spaghetti hoops and sausages and jumbo fish fingers (not together!)

TheChosenTwo · 25/06/2026 21:25

A McDonald’s! Day to day I eat quite a ‘clean’ (just meaning food cooked from bare ingredients at home, nothing pre marinaded, no shop bought/jarred sauces etc) diet but every now and then I fancy a hamburger from McDonald’s. So I have one and enjoy it and 3 months later I might have another one!
not the big burgers, one of the ones you get in a kids happy meal 😂

ShrankLastWinter · 25/06/2026 21:26

Huel bars. Only really processed thing I eat.

Tonissister · 25/06/2026 21:27

I hate most processed food but love butterscotch angel delight. Doesn't get more processed than that.
Also have a recent craving for cornflakes and rice krispies. I hadn't eaten them in decades but now have them for breakfast almost every day.