Anyone else cutting down on UPFs?

[AtomicBlondeRose]

I recently listened to the podcasts by the van Tulleken brothers and it really convinced me to try cutting down on UPFs. I never ate much of them when it came to meals but do have a weakness for biscuits/snacks. As my DC are away with their dad for a couple of weeks and I’m not at work it seemed like the perfect time to try.

So, I’ve been baking my own bread - this suits me as I don’t eat much bread and enjoy the homemade whole meal style. I make a small loaf and it lasts DP and me most of the week. I’m not so sure how the kids will react to this.

I made some biscuits but we weren’t bothered about them tbh. I have been baking fruit loaves such as a courgette tea bread (we have a glut of courgettes!) as we both like them a lot and they’re hard to binge on. DP is a gardener so gets really hungry and needs some filling stuff but doesn’t like junk so the tea loaves suit us well. I’ve also made granola/granola bars which are easy and which we like a lot. Cereal bars were one of the main UPF foods I ate.

Meals aren’t really an issue as I’ve always preferred to cook from scratch although I worry a bit about how it’s going to go when I’m at work and don’t have all afternoon to potter about! I made chicken kebabs with homemade flatbreads that were very easy and tasty. A good air fryer really helps too.

Yesterday we had sausage rolls from the freezer and baked beans for lunch - I really didn’t see any problem with the beans as I’ve always thought they weren’t so bad and the sausage rolls were decent M&S ones - but I had a terrible stomach all afternoon and evening, really gassy and uncomfortable and I really think it was the baked beans. So I might even have to cut those out. I never intended to go 100% hardcore (I would really like some crisps!) but it’s crazy how my body is getting used to the more nutritious food. I find myself snacking a lot less as there just isn’t anything to snack on and I’m not really hungry anyway. I’ve had one slice of whole meal toast and a poached egg for breakfast and it’s filled me more that two slices of white toast and two eggs did previously.

You can make golden syrup and condensed milk yourself at home so I’d say processed rather than UPF, but you’d just have to check the ingredients and make sure they haven’t sneaked anything odd in.

Aldi’s is just inverted sugar syrup. Whatever that is. I’d no idea you could make it, though. I’ll give a go one day. I have a suspicion it softens things, so you get that chewy flapjack-type texture. I think you could get a similar result with puréed Apple or even prunes, though.

So I have decided to cut down on UPF's for me and the kids. I have read the thread for ideas already. Would anyone be willing to share their meal ideas please (particularly breakfast and lunch as we usually do cereal and sandwiches, and packed lunch type meals with no more prep at work)? Have the added complication that my son is allergic to egg, milk and soya, so I need some lunches and breakfasts to suit him.

Has anyone found a vegan/milk free non-upf butter?

Also is pitta bread a UPF? The ingredients don't look too bad compared to other bread... INGREDIENTS: Wholemeal Wheat Flour, Water, Yeast, Spirit Vinegar, Salt, Preservative (Calcium Propionate), Wheat Starch.

Thank you 😊

If your son likes bananas, quick pancakes are excellent for breakfast. I haven't a recipe but it's basically mashed bananas with a little flour and any milk he can tolerate

Porridge and fresh fruit for breakfast.

Lunch ideas: boiled eggs and a salad that includes pulses (black beans, kidney beans etc), sweetcorn and/or quinoa or burgers. Egg mayonnaise plus tomatoes and cucumber. Fritata and salad. Chicken with salad or tabbouleh. Left over vegetable stir fry with a sesame and ginger dressing.

I wouldn't worry about commercial pitta bread if the rest of your diet is free of UPF.

We're in the same boat @Flower0503 and no, haven't found a spread/butter yet. Have been using Olive oil instead when we can.

Milk wise - we drink oat milk but our is usual brand has started adding things when I thought their whole marketing was 'just oats'

Haven't read the whole thread, but I have an excellent recipe for home made baked beans:
2 tins white beans (I use either haricot or cannellini & butter beans)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
125g tomato paste
500g stock
1tbsp thyme
1 tbsp whole grain mustard

Fry onion & garlic in oil for about 5 mins. Add thyme, mustard, tomato paste & drained beans. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat & simmer for about 30 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.

Delicious on your homemade bread 😋

Sounds lovely. X
I've been having for lunch nearly every day, a tin of mixed beans with chopped cucumber, pepper, toms and some feta crumbled on. It is really filling and I enjoy it. Some brands of mixed beans are very mushy, but the waitrose own brand are lovely.

... quinoa or burghul, not burgers, FFS,
Bloody auto-correct!

I've had a little holiday away from home last week where I relaxed my eating to include upfs and as expected it was hard to get back to eating more healthily. But I'm determined to stick to it now for as long as I can.

This is a picture of one of my favourite lunches; mixed beans, chopped peppers, chilli, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, avocado and herbs with a boiled egg. I make a dressing with olive oil, lime juice and honey. It's delicious but I think it might have quite a lot of calories- I never count calories as it seems such hard work!

Oh and red onion - gotta have onion in pretty much everything!

I’m dairy free. My standard lunch is Greek salad (minus the feta) with Leon houmous, baby leaves, and toasted wholemeal pita. Yum!

I made my own hummus yesterday @Stormchaser1502 . Took less than 10 mins, cheap as chips and tastes delicious- no more shop-bought for me!

@bandbsmummy I've been whizzing very soft butter with cold pressed rapeseed oil. Just over a third butter. It's a bit seedy tasting. Wondering whether there are any tasteless cold pressed oils.

@cheapskatemum thanks for the baked beans recipe. Will defo try it.

My pleasure @RoobarbandCustud I hope you like it as much as I do.

@CosmopolitanPlease you inspired me.

I was very tired last week so didn't eat very well. It made me feel worse so now back on it.

Had homemade granola this morning with banana and oat milk. Lunch was a variation of your salad. Rice and butter beans basil. Omitted chilli and pepper. Cooked the egg too much but never mind.