To ask how much UPF you really eat?

[CherryValley5]

Just that really!

I mostly try and avoid it but it’s definitely not a no go zone for us - I’m very much a believer of everything in moderation but am seeing more and more MN posts who basically treat eating it in the same way as drugs/alcohol!

For example: since reading Dr Chris van Tulleken’s book I never buy ready meals anymore and don’t see them as real food - it all feels a bit gross to me now which it certainly didn’t used to. I definitely do far more home cooking these days and am much less likely to just pop in to the shops on the way home to buy something quick that can just be shoved in the oven. I feel much better for it but it’s so expensive and time consuming..!

I really want a Crosta and mollica wrap with halloumi, pickled beetroot and roasted red pepper hummus (Waitrose or M&S are not UPF. Asda and co-op are) right now. It's my favourite UPF free meal. The wraps are really substantial.

I'm enjoying making swaps to healthier versions of things and cooking even more from scratch. I've not perfected my own red pepper hummus yet but I'm hoping to get there soon. My dc are interested too and Dd especially has noticed that her stomach feels queasy and greasy after UPF heavy food at her dad's. They are very fussy children thanks to sensory issues but they are doing well. For me, I've lost weight, my skin is really clear and my gastric issues have lessened. I've been reading ingredients list since 1990 so it's not a big deal for me to now scan them for UPF. Sometimes I just fancy a load of junk though and will eat what I fancy but regret it because of how it makes me feel.

None of these things (apart from flavoured Greek yoghurt) are UPF.

It sounds like it's basically everything unless you cook from scratch, so sadly loads. So far have managed to mostly avoid for DC as I do give them mostly made from scratch food. I hate to thing about all the crap we are exposing ourselves to

DD is the same - struggles to eat fast food etc now as like me, it doesn’t feel real or substantial to her. We stopped for a McDonald’s out of desperation on a lengthy drive the other day and both felt quite sickened by it. Neither of us could finish

Almost none. Every few months might have a fancy Cook ready meal, but not sure they count. Other than that, I occasionally have a squirt of the Waitrose balsamic glaze and sometimes have a sourdough roll. I developed a severe illness a few years ago and cut out processed food long before it became mainstream; honestly, I'm not totally convinced it makes as much difference as people say. I have family members who are well into their 70s who are more active than most 40 year olds and they live on processed meats, ready meals and next to vegetables. Think genes and exercise are vastly more relevant. No desire to go back to processed foods though, I don't miss them at all.

Why does neurodiversity (so often) mean "potato waffles/breaded fish/baked beans" and other processed food?

Because they're consistently the same.

Every word of this. I don't think about it at all ever.

None.

Not interested in your judgement.

My kids go to bed with a full tummy. Even the one with ARFID

That's more than can be said for a lot of kids on this planet.

They're loved and fed food they enjoy and I'm proud of that.

Everything in moderation?

Thanks for saying this! So easy for people to judge when a kid that’s fed is better than a kid refusing to eat something.

This whole thread is a bit judgy and it’s why I tend to dislike threads like this.

Very little. I've made a big effort. It's not possible to cut it out entirely.

It's not something I think about, I don't really know. I make a lot from scratch, always have meals in the freezer that I've made for days we are short on time, don't eat take aways, don't eat ready meals, the kids are past the chicken nugget stage. Dh and the kids eat shop bought bread, I only eat homemade soda bread but that's just a preference.

I'm happy with my diet, happy with my health, happy with my weight so I don't really see the need to change things. Most of our food choices are driven by cost tbh, like ready meals for 4 would cost a fortune, take aways where I live are so expensive and grim, it's cheapest to cook in bulk and freeze it so that's what I do. That takes up enough of my time without worrying about UPFs too.

Well said!

Olives aren't upf.

I've got no idea and don't care.

I try and watch what I eat at the moment as I'm fat but I track calories more than anything else, I don't give a fig about the ingredients really.

I have a mcdonalds breakfast every week. I don't eat ready meals as I find they taste rank more often than not. I eat chocolate, crisps and drink alcohol.

We don't buy a lot UPF.
Because of my food allergies we do a lot of cooking from scratch.
I buy things like rye bread, cold meats for lunch and breakfast cereals for husband and children.

Not much. I cook at home. I use processed foods like cheese and butter , no longer upf, apart from some stock pots etc. I made swaps wheee I couldn't be bothered eg olive oil instead of mayo.

no they’re not, this was where I said there are a few things I let go because I like them so much!

We did really well for about a year and then when I got pregnant I have HG so a lot of things have slid, I'm feeling much better now but still not back to where we were my energy levels are not there.

We have crisps in the cupboard again, I have started using tinned coconut milk again and I don't always make my own bread I sometimes buy shop bought. Also an unholy amount of ice creams have been eaten this summer 🙈

You need to check ingredients imported there is little point

Bakery bread for example, I can think of 2 local places in my area, small independents.. both out e numbers in their bread

So UPF

The problem is if you're relying on the packaging your going to be slipping up

Are olives UPF? People have been eating olives since the dawn of time. I had no idea.

There's non ultra-processed soy sauce, chocolate, crisps and ready-made pizza (for those that mentioned cutting out that).

It’s a shame, a lot contain ascorbic acid/acody regulator (M&S) the Tesco ones aren’t to bad but still have rapeseed oil & salt!

But I love them so I turn a blind eye to this😁

But Dairy Milk is so much nicer! I really believe that the occasional treat doesn’t do any harm. I’m not a UPF zealot.

I’m coeliac so I generally don’t eat any bread, pizza, biscuits, cakes etc at all. Not just because gluten free versions are all highly UPF, but mainly because they’re all vile. I do eat gluten free pasta now and again, and that is full of emulsifiers and much more processed than normal pasta.