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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

531 replies

Upsetbetty · 17/08/2026 10:59

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.

OP posts:
BleedinglyObvious · 25/08/2026 21:27

CandiedPrincess · 25/08/2026 16:05

And obesity isn’t just caused by eating UPFs…

UPFs are often food that are moreish, so one would be more likely to overindulge.

Toenailz · 25/08/2026 22:11

mulberrymilk · 23/08/2026 23:34

Nothing helps improve a serious chronic illness like courting another half dozen of them through downplaying the role of UPFs and diet in general creating serious chronic illnesses that are lifestyle related - like fatty liver, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, dementia, etc etc etc etc.

And nothing helps some types of chronic illness regardless, or other illnesses/diseases. The suffering is suffering is suffering is suffering.

The level of that suffering vs if they had other illnesses on top, would have to measured on a case by case basis.

Are you unaware that there are many illnesses that will kill the patient before a bad diet does, too?

Imagine perhaps telling a terminally ill cancer patient, just as an example, who has been given a timeline: 'oh well, having a shit diet and eating what you want to eat now in what time you have left is REALLY going to help, isn't it?'. I imagine they'll eat what the fuck they want, and quite rightly so.

Live your life, other people will live theirs. People who concern themselves with other peoples personal choices are a fucking bore. And tend to be rather narcissistic. Shove your diet down your own throat, not other peoples.

mulberrymilk · 26/08/2026 01:03

Shove your diet down your own throat, not other peoples.

That's lovely.

mulberrymilk · 26/08/2026 03:43

Toenailz · 25/08/2026 22:11

And nothing helps some types of chronic illness regardless, or other illnesses/diseases. The suffering is suffering is suffering is suffering.

The level of that suffering vs if they had other illnesses on top, would have to measured on a case by case basis.

Are you unaware that there are many illnesses that will kill the patient before a bad diet does, too?

Imagine perhaps telling a terminally ill cancer patient, just as an example, who has been given a timeline: 'oh well, having a shit diet and eating what you want to eat now in what time you have left is REALLY going to help, isn't it?'. I imagine they'll eat what the fuck they want, and quite rightly so.

Live your life, other people will live theirs. People who concern themselves with other peoples personal choices are a fucking bore. And tend to be rather narcissistic. Shove your diet down your own throat, not other peoples.

Speaking of being rather narcissistic, it is great to meet the only person on the planet who has ever had experience of chronic, painful, longterm, and incurable illness!

Leaving aside my own personal experience with such - which triggered my interest in the role of diet in improving the gut microbiome, and hence enhancing the function of the immune system, and increasing serotonin, the vast bulk of which is manufactured by the gut microbiome, and other helpful healing and uplifting neurotransmitters and other substances like BDNF - I lost my first friend to brain cancer when in primary school.

She was not the last to die too young. I have probably attended more funerals of friends than you have had hot (healthy) dinners.

My point was that getting fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and all the consequences of that, etc etc, does not enhance one's life experience at any time - and it is obviously not helpful for anyone suffering any from any form of chronic illness to pile insult onto injury, healthwise.

The extreme rage in your response, and the energy behind the insults you felt the need to hurl at me for pointing that fact out, is another factor that is not helpful. Being on the receiving end of that is also not helpful to me.

As you seem committed to ignoring health advice - it's not mine, or "my diet", it is the health advice of the WHO, the CDC, Harvard Medical School, you name it - then you will continue to reap what you sow, I guess.

Blued0t · 26/08/2026 07:27

CandiedPrincess · 25/08/2026 16:05

And obesity isn’t just caused by eating UPFs…

Ok well research shows a strong link between eating ultra-processed foods and a higher risk of both cancer and heart disease which are massive drains on the NHS so 🤷‍♀️

OonaStubbs · 26/08/2026 08:10

Why do some people get so angry about the thought of junk food being banned? We already have restrictions on what can and cannot be sold as food.

CandiedPrincess · 26/08/2026 08:50

BleedinglyObvious · 25/08/2026 21:27

UPFs are often food that are moreish, so one would be more likely to overindulge.

Well that comes down to having some personal self-control and willpower doesn't it? Nobody is putting it in your mouth. I can quite happily eat one cheeesburger from McDonalds and move on with my day, it doesn't lead to me eating six.

Blued0t · 26/08/2026 09:49

CandiedPrincess · 26/08/2026 08:50

Well that comes down to having some personal self-control and willpower doesn't it? Nobody is putting it in your mouth. I can quite happily eat one cheeesburger from McDonalds and move on with my day, it doesn't lead to me eating six.

Research shows junk foods have ingredients that mimic drugs so your self restraint doesn’t speak for the population as a whole, far from it.

BitOutOfPractice · 26/08/2026 10:01

CandiedPrincess · 26/08/2026 08:50

Well that comes down to having some personal self-control and willpower doesn't it? Nobody is putting it in your mouth. I can quite happily eat one cheeesburger from McDonalds and move on with my day, it doesn't lead to me eating six.

Well good for you! Have you read (or listened to) the Ultra Processed People book? I would highly recommend. Its really made me think differently about UPFs and the people who eat a lot of them. It’s also terrified me into trying to eat far fewer of them (and I didn’t eat many before!). I think you’d find it interesting and eye opening.

AnnHedonia · 26/08/2026 10:48

CandiedPrincess · 26/08/2026 08:50

Well that comes down to having some personal self-control and willpower doesn't it? Nobody is putting it in your mouth. I can quite happily eat one cheeesburger from McDonalds and move on with my day, it doesn't lead to me eating six.

Have a halo. 'Personal self-control and willpower' doesn't cut it for everyone.

I don't suffer from disordered eating myself, but someone close to me does and I know the reasons for disordered eating can be very complex and resistant to attempts at moderation. Of course everyone should aim to exercise 'personal self-control and willpower', but personally I feel it would also be helpful to many if there wasn't quite such a plethora of junk food options out there.

CandiedPrincess · 26/08/2026 11:22

😇Thanks, fits me well.

BleedinglyObvious · 26/08/2026 14:23

I can't imagine 'happily eating' anything from McDonald's.

NiftyKoala · 28/08/2026 22:57

I do not buy a lot of junk food. But I cannot imagine critiquing other people's shopping much less watching Instagram to critique either. I don't think this is the stealth boast you wanted it to be. I cannot imagine being so involved I'd write a post about it. This reads like a sneaky reporter gather info or an incredibly tedious person.

SquirrelGG · 29/08/2026 01:22

BleedinglyObvious · 25/08/2026 21:27

UPFs are often food that are moreish, so one would be more likely to overindulge.

Rubbish. I love home baked biscuits and cake and so don't bake them as I know I would eat far more of them than I do the shop bought equivalent.

SquirrelGG · 29/08/2026 01:26

Blued0t · 26/08/2026 09:49

Research shows junk foods have ingredients that mimic drugs so your self restraint doesn’t speak for the population as a whole, far from it.

Please do enlighten us as to what ingredients there are in McDonalds food which mimics drugs?

I know a lot of people who enjoy McDonalds, I don't know anyone who is addicted to them - most of us are quite able to apply the same self-restraint as the poster you were replying to.

2026letsgo · 29/08/2026 06:41

SquirrelGG · 29/08/2026 01:26

Please do enlighten us as to what ingredients there are in McDonalds food which mimics drugs?

I know a lot of people who enjoy McDonalds, I don't know anyone who is addicted to them - most of us are quite able to apply the same self-restraint as the poster you were replying to.

That would be ingredients to trigger dopamine flooding your brain.

The sugar, fat and salt ratios are specifically calculated to give you a dopamine hit, as well as the ultra palatable,soft mouth feel. You don’t eat Maccys for the nutrition but because you “fancy” a McDonalds. Think about how different a McDonalds is from a homemade version.

OonaStubbs · 29/08/2026 13:37

McDonalds should definitely be banned. There's nothing good about it at all.

BleedinglyObvious · 29/08/2026 13:40

SquirrelGG · 29/08/2026 01:22

Rubbish. I love home baked biscuits and cake and so don't bake them as I know I would eat far more of them than I do the shop bought equivalent.

That's you. I'm a rubbish cook and my food is barely edible.

It's not been great this week because when I last did a supermarket shop I bought things like biscuits and crisps. The yummy veg soon disappeared and there are these miserable UPFs sitting in the cupboard and I just don't want to eat them despite being hungry.

If I open them I'll overindulge and then feel ill.

SquirrelGG · 29/08/2026 20:34

2026letsgo · 29/08/2026 06:41

That would be ingredients to trigger dopamine flooding your brain.

The sugar, fat and salt ratios are specifically calculated to give you a dopamine hit, as well as the ultra palatable,soft mouth feel. You don’t eat Maccys for the nutrition but because you “fancy” a McDonalds. Think about how different a McDonalds is from a homemade version.

Edited

I can't actually see a difference in what I eat at McDonalds to what I would make at home. Have you actually ever eaten at McDonalds? I go there for breakfast occasionally because it's what my late DF and I used to do, and also when they have a burger specific to the country I live in - which isn't very often. As for the notion of eating there because I "fancy" a McDonalds - isn't that what people do all the time with all sorts of food and drink?

SquirrelGG · 29/08/2026 20:37

BleedinglyObvious · 29/08/2026 13:40

That's you. I'm a rubbish cook and my food is barely edible.

It's not been great this week because when I last did a supermarket shop I bought things like biscuits and crisps. The yummy veg soon disappeared and there are these miserable UPFs sitting in the cupboard and I just don't want to eat them despite being hungry.

If I open them I'll overindulge and then feel ill.

Edited

I'm a rubbish cook myself, but you would have to be pretty dreadful to not be able to make a batch of biscuits - it's the easiest thing in the world.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 29/08/2026 20:38

People share their food shopping on instagram?! Jeez

Lmnop22 · 29/08/2026 20:43

Yet another post designed solely to be able to boast about superior living 🙄

I have kids and they like to snack sometimes and not solely on fruit and yogurt - god forbid they eat things like breadsticks, cheese and crackers, mini Maryland cookies, cereal bars, chocolate and mini cheddars etc. Doesn’t mean they’re obese or unhealthy, they just sometimes snack on things that aren’t homemade, sugar free, vegan, borefests!

Lmnop22 · 29/08/2026 20:45

OonaStubbs · 29/08/2026 13:37

McDonalds should definitely be banned. There's nothing good about it at all.

What’s the point in banning McDonalds because there’s nothing good in it though?

Theres nothing good in any local burger takeaway shop, KFC, Pizza Hut, McVities products, Pringles etc etc. Are we to ban them all?

Teaching everything in moderation is a far more effective long term strategy than cancelling all junk food companies because some people overindulge!

OonaStubbs · 29/08/2026 20:57

"Theres nothing good in any local burger takeaway shop, KFC, Pizza Hut, McVities products, Pringles etc etc. Are we to ban them all?"
Yes, ban them all.

Lmnop22 · 29/08/2026 21:35

OonaStubbs · 29/08/2026 20:57

"Theres nothing good in any local burger takeaway shop, KFC, Pizza Hut, McVities products, Pringles etc etc. Are we to ban them all?"
Yes, ban them all.

Why can’t people who are broadly healthy have the occasional unhealthy snack or meal?!

To ban all junk food would be totally ridiculous.

There are so many things that are bad for your health and you can’t just ban them all - bacon in case it’s used for fatty bacon sandwiches, chicken in case someone deep fries it at home, oil because it could deep fry things, potatoes lest they’re made into chips, cheese in case it’s eaten a kilo at a time, bread in case it’s eaten by the loaf etc etc etc