AIBU to think some weekly shops contain far too many snacks?and this is not grocery shopping!?

[Upsetbetty]

AIBU to think that the amount of processed snacks people buy in their grocery shopping is getting ridiculous? Watching people share their grocery shop on instagram etc and I can’t see what meals they can even make as it’s all snacks?? And then they say oh grocery shopping is so expensive!Do people really do this? I don’t buy any biscuits, fizzy drinks (18-20 pack slabs) or crisps as a part of me weekly family shop. I buy the meat, veg and pantry items. That is my weekly shopping. I buy one packet of oat bars for my DCs lunches. If my dc want a snack they have fruit, yogurt, homemade flapjacks etc.

As the fresh prince once said

To some extent OP, I think you are not wrong to suggest looking hard at our trollies is a good idea.

I also think you are right that upfs are not great to be loading up on.

However, I'm not sure I am fully with you on two points, firstly the one I addressed already about homemade treats necessarily being healthy. Your body doesn't give you a free sugar pass because you put it in the food yourself.

I am also not sure about the costing point.

We eat very healthily most of the time. I often have people comment when I load it onto the conveyor belt and am sure they think I am some kind of health freak as we have loads and loads of vegetables, wholegrain everything (though my favourite treat is a white flour buttery crumpet! It just doesn't make our weekly shop) and fish and where we have red meat, they are prime, low fat cuts (usually from a butcher tbh). We also have things to embellish like hummus or pomegranate seeds and lots of lovely fresh herb pots. All really varied and healthy.

And I know why many others don't have groceries that look like this: it costs an absolute fortune.

IMO people eat poorly because it is what they can afford. I think you need to pause before judging.

IMO people eat poorly because it is what they can afford. I think you need to pause before judging.
Some might but you can eat healthily on a tight budget. Many choose to eat UPF and use the price as an excuse.

Another one that takes far to much interest in what other people do. I always think that people like the OP probably need more in their lives, as most of us don't even get time to be worrying about what other people buy!

Why does anyone care what food other people buy or eat?
It's a waste of energy 🤔.

To make healthy versions of meals and snacks you not only have to be able to afford the ingredients you also have to have the time to do so plus the equipment and be able to afford the energy for the oven to be on etc.
It’s not “excuses”.

Possibly and I think there’s too many crisps and fizzy drinks etc on spec- but then eg it’s summer and you might have people over or be going out for a day. As a checkout operator in Ireland though huge difference between what an Italian/ Spanish/ Chinese person will buy vs Irish- Irish, a few six packs of crisps, fizzy drinks, pizzas, fruit, veg, meat, chips waffles, chocolate yoghurts,microwave meals, sauces, some pasta and rice etc- other nationalities, tons of veg and fruit, some meat, pasta and rice, maybe a four pack of coke, sparkling water, maybe a tub of Pringles and some Greek yoghurt

Not all but definitely a huge percentage

Dates are full of sugar 😂
Thats why they are great for binding, they are natures sweeties

Whats wrong with butter?

Coconut oil has the same amount of calories & fat, more saturated fat and less vitamins. Bit of virtue signalling going on here methinks

So so true. I buy a lot of fresh raw ingredients - leavy veg, salad, fish, meat, grains etc.

I could get my calories/meals from junky food for far less money!

Eating well is a luxury

No, it's not. Carrots, cabbage, cauliflower for example are all incredibly cheap. As are large bags of rice, lentils and oatmeal.
You can make a veg casserole for very little.
What it isn't is quick and convenient.

As one person on Facebook said op in a reaction to your post ...this comes across as "look at the reasons I'm so much better than everyone else" . That might not be your intention, but, that's what it comes across as.

You know some people lack skills and emotional energy to cook, a frugal casserole, isn't in everyone's arsenal.

Not really virtue signalling when butter is far better for you than coconut oil

I know that. I also know that there is a lot of peeling and chopping involved. I also know that it can take a lot of gas/electricity to cook. I also know that when you're hard up and miserable, a chicken shop dinner or a burger is appetising, quick and effective.

So do the unhealthy snacks not need cooking then ? It’s always been my experience that cooking from scratch is cheaper than buying pre prepared. The food goes further and the leftovers can be used in other recipes. The problem is that people these days lack the cooking skills to actually do it.

Packaged snacks are expensive for sure.

But so is eating low UPF.

Yeah dried lentils and carrots are cheap but you try making something for your kids packed lunch from those that they'll actually eat!

Buy UPF free wraps or bread - twice the price. Make nut free flapjacks or muffins for snacks - no cheaper than packaged. Decant Greek organic yoghurt with fresh fruit - more expensive than a cheap supermarket yoghurt and takes more time to prep (but saves on plastic I guess).

It's definitely cheaper, but you need the wherewithal to do that.

Exactly.

Two meals in McDonalds cost us over £20 the other day. Won’t be doing that again. A pack of mince, an onion, potatoes for home made chips and a few buns is less than a tenner.

I agree with you. It's most definitely cheaper and healthier to cook properly and cook from scratch. However, that's not happening for some people and there are many reasons why.

I’ve never bought supermarket yogurt since I invested in a Lakeland yogurt maker. Milk and a few tablespoons from your last yogurt are all you need. If you want Greek yogurt you strain it once it’s finished. Makes fab cream cheese too.

But you can also buy frozen burgers for £1 from the freezer section and a bag of oven chips for a similar price. Much cheaper and easier than buying mince and making your own.

Good for you.

Sorry but I agree with the OP. The amount of UFP's that British kids are eating is shocking.

A recent study from UCL showed that "Toddlers in the UK obtain nearly half (47%) of their calories from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and this rises to 59% by the age of seven"

Some studies put it higher than that.

I bet a lot of those calories some from UPF snacks. There seems to be snack obsession going on.

The want that exact response, that’s why they are putting their shopping online. Most people just put their shopping away without putting it on instagram. You are playing into their hands….probably like we all now are by responding to your attention seeking bait. 😂 What a world we live in!