To think it's impossible to eat a UPF free diet as an ordinary person?

[MyHealthyMission]

I mean ordinary as in, works full time, earns a decent but not huge wage, has free time but not entire days at a time to dedicate to cooking etc.

I'm on a bit of a health kick, and have turned my attention to eating whole foods and ensuring I'm eating as healthy as possible as we come into winter.

I've had a sourdough starter on the go for a while and decided I'd knock up some bread rolls and soup to have for lunch in the coming week because it's turned cold. Figured it would be a great, low UPF meal. Until I googled the beef stock, which is apparently a really bad UPF! Even the super expensive all natural concentrates are UPF. So unless you can afford to buy and boil a load of beef bones, it seems you're out of luck.

Obviously you can do the normal things like avoiding crisps, protein shakes etc. as they're all full of UPF, but when even things like stock cubes are stuffed full of them, it just seems impossible! AIBU to think it's just become impossible to eat a UPF free diet?

I’ve moved almost entirely non upf in last month.

The point of cutting down UPF is to benefit your health, not to be the best most pure non-UPF person ever.
You don't get a medal.

You made me laugh out loud 😂

I think its definitely a marmite food but often its the rye in sourdough that people dislike. Personally I can't stand even the smell of rye. While I know its said to be "healthier" than the same ingredients made into normal bread, even though I enjoy it, I am unconvinced about the health benefits.

What is UPF? Haha

That’s a valid point. I was just surprised by the number of ‘its impossible’ comments, so I guess the caveat could be ‘it’s impossible on a budget.’

It's the weird texture and lack of actual taste.
I have baked many different breads in the past and also tried a variety of decent loaves from local bakeries, so it's not as if I only like very processed supermarket loaves.

Of course budget affects it, that's the main issue for many folk.

I don't even need to hunt cows.....they're literally standing in fields 5 mins away! They're too cute to boil though. 😔

You can do it by eating simply, and buying the "best" ingredients. You can buy fresh stock, fresh egg pasta, you can cook just fish and meat with vegetables and salads. Yoghurt and fruit for breakfast.

I do..... But..... I do also eat crisps and biscuits, because otherwise life would be dull.

I get it. I don't like foccacia. Like you I have tried an artisan version and made my own.

Same, l don’t eat a lot of meat either. I switched to using red and white miso pastes and actually prefer it over the stock pots.

Plus, I don’t use it for just soups. Use the miso for making sauces, dressings, marinades, etc..

There are many people who could think of alternatives, though, to suit their circumstances and budget. I don't think the PP was recommending it as the best, most accessible diet for all, more giving examples of UPF free diet. Anyone else is free to take that info and adapt it to suit their circumstances - I don't think it's the posters job to do that for other people every time they post. And anyone who genuinely wants to learn can Google what a soffrito is in the time it takes to post a reply.

For example, just off the top of my head, four eggs could be substituted for two eggs, one slice of bread, an apple and a glass of milk. I'd go so far as to say that'd actually be healthier anyway.
Blackberries could be substituted for bananas, tinned peaches or frozen berries.
Oxtail is fairly cheap, or used to be. Boiler chickens can be available cheap from the butchers for stews, or a high fibre/protein alternative is a stew with a soffrito (celery and onions are cheap) made from tinned beans and a dash of oil. And dried herbs are obviously available more cheaply than fresh.

Seriously, I get it can be frustrating when you're restricted, but it really isn't every posters responsibility to make sure their circumstances are also easily accessible for everyone else. Especially as there was no judgement from her about what others do/don't do. If you genuinely want to learn from others, it can be actually helpful to hear what others do, because you can adapt it to suit you. If you want to, that is.

I know someone who has oats with cold milk poured on for breakfast. Works fine. You could also toast your oats for minimum clagginess.

Yes, there are alternatives, my point was really that some folk are privileged enough to be able to make health the first priority in decision making, when the budget is less of an issue. Others have to make budgeting the top priority.
As for 'if I really want to learn', that's quite patronising tbh, I'm not asking anyone to teach me anything. I'm perfectly able to cook healthy meals, but am not super focused on every single meal being super healthy!

Or just buy fresh stock..... Life's too short.

It isnt impossible on a budget and no one needs to eat 4 eggs in a sitting, they might want to but its not required for health reasons or anything.

Its much more possible to save money and have cheaper grocery costs by eating a low or lower processed diet. Veg, pulses, lentils, some nuts, some fruit, some tinned fish, some fats. Thats it.

You can make sourdough without rye, I prefer it without.

I'd have thought it obvious that most stock cubes would be UPF.

As for the complaint about costs involved with buying non-UPF versions of things, you need to remember that someone, somewhere has to put the time and effort into making the product, so yes, it will cost more.

Almost everything I eat is low or no UPF as most food products contain things I can't eat, so I buy ingredients to make into food. I'm disabled, on a very low income, have difficulty chopping ingredients and mixing things, but I still manage as I have to.

See now, I love home made focaccia, but I can end up putting less than healthy toppings on it!

You're completely right.

Except about the oxtail, its quite expensive per kg compared to some other meats.

I agree but I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.

I eat loads of veg/pulses/fruit, cook from scratch (which is often batch cooking or just chucking things on a tray for a tray bake so doesn’t take long) and try and limit upf.

Yeah, I hear you - I didn't pick that up from what you'd said, thanks for clarifying 😊

It's more realistic and affordable to cut down than to avoid them altogether; especially if you focus on avoiding ultra-processed foods rather than foods which have had minimal processing. In practice, if you cut out all 'junk food' you are most of the way there. Don't fret over having the occasional ready-meal, just don't have one every day.

There are affordable and easy unprocessed options -something like a jacket potato with, say, tuna requires minimal prep and is cheap. An omelette is quick and cheap. Chicken is much cheaper than red meat; you can have it with veg and boiled potatoes, for example.

If gravy is important to you, have it and don't worry - the processed element of a meal, if only gravy, is small.

I know! I couldn't believe it when I dropped by the butchers the other month. I remember when we were first married I'd use it loads because it was so cheap and delicious. I left without it 😩