If you try your hardest to avoid “ultra processed foods”….

[ReeseWitherfork]

There’s an article on the BBC website about “ultra processed foods” and it’s got me wondering if I can make some easy swaps on things. I am sure there are some people out there who’ve explored this before. I cook from scratch, eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, but I’m wondering if I need to start looking at things like a bread maker (we’re a fan of a sandwiches my house!)…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65754290

@paulmccartneysbagel - I just buy the large 750g of full fat Greek yogurt. Then decant with fruit compot/ granola/ seeds/ cocoa/ honey/ maple syrup/ fresh fruit depending on season and preference.
My Ds likes with warmed frozen blueberries and honey

My mum made me.fruit cake muffins when I was breastfeeding. A lot of sugar obviously but I found them really good and substantial and better than any cereal bar. And while they are calorific, the spices make then taste less sweet.

I use Stokes mayonnaise which is categorised as Nova 3, rather than four, as is their ketchup I believe. I use the OpenFoodFacts app, which categorises many foods on the Nova scale. It does contain rapeseed oil for those who that concerns though, but as I’m not a frequent mayonnaise consumer and I’m the only one here to really eats it, making it myself just doesn’t work for me.

The Nova scale doesn’t consider seed oils as ultra processed; all oils are Nova 2. The jury is still out on which fats are more beneficial than others. For example Zoe (who are against UPF and frequently cited in these type of threads) have released an article and podcast in favour of seed oils, specifically saying that saturated fat based oils such as butter and coconut oil are worse than rapeseed or sunflower seed oil.

Personally I use mostly olive oil (which though it has a low smoke point, it does have good heat stability and better than many other oils). It will lose some of the health benefits associated with EVOO, but that’s not the same as being harmful. Most people, wherever they fall on the spectrum of seed oils vs saturated fats accept that olive oil is a healthy fat, so I feel most comfortable using it day to day. I also use a bit of butter, coconut oil and cold pressed rapeseed oil depending on use, where they’re the best oil for what I want.

Could anyone advise on a milk alternative?

I can’t drink cows milk, can’t stand goats milk and am unable to drink Soy.

Oatley has been the perfect solution, until I read the list of ingredients !!

Making yogurt is pretty easy if you have somewhere warm to leave it (airing cupboard, instant pot, we have a range cooker with a hotplate and leave it on the lid of that overnight.

Yes also to stick blender mayo, that's pretty well the only condiment I use now.

I make sourdough bread every now and then, it is a 2-3 day process but minimal time taken once you have got your starter established. After the first day I slice it up and freeze it as it dried out easily. I also make soft white bread rolls at the weekend.

I've cut out loads of it in the last 6 months, however my late teen DCs and DH aren't bothered and as we often cook separately now (we all come in from work/college at different times, go out a lot in the evenings and have quite varied tastes) they still use a lot more UPFs than me, including wraps - they don't like the crosta mollica ones as they are too thick and I tend to agree, homemade are easy but go crunchy very quickly.

We all drink diet coke too, there is nothing quite like it (unfortunately the stevia version is rank). I am limiting myself to the odd one in the pub and having sparkling mineral water instead as much as possible.

Brilliant thread for ideas; I am on a couple of others on here for same topic too

Like many others, I am focusing on majority of meals being free of UPF and not worrying too much when it is a smaller part of the meal that is UPF rather than main item ( eg we have no intention to start making ketchup but do make all our yoghurt)

DC have packed lunches and like a PP, we use bento boxes with a variety of foods, many of which are prepped in advance and frozen then defrosted on the morning. They are still primary age so it is generally easier to control what they have access to (except from birthday parties which are always UPF and sugar aplenty). As a family, we are not big on bread so that is fortunately quite easy to avoid (and I have a breadmaker from many years ago for when we do want some)

Snacks are definitely biggest downfall (especially for DH and I) but we are slowly progressing. Avoiding buying is the biggest step but much easier said than done

Another thing I have taken to doing is weekly veg prep - spend an hour or 2 on Sunday washing and preparing all veg and salads for a week and then store them in airtight containers when dry. Then they are ready to cook with when needed and meal preparation is so much faster

Shelf life.

Bread goes stale in a couple of days if it is 'proper' bread. 'Plastic' bread stays fresh for a week.

@Whoarethegrownups

You can get a tortilla press, a couple of metal disks with an arm you press down. They are often sold in Asian shops because they are also useful to make chapatis.

We have been trying this too. Trying to cut down on white carbs so wholemeal rice instead of white, wholemeal noodles, bulgar wheat etc. We buy fresh bread from lidl. They do a low GI one and a nice wholemeal and sour doughs. Great for sandwiches etc and a good price. We've always gone for packed lunches as none of us enjoy school dinners. A combination of sandwiches, salads made with either rice, noodles, bulgar wheat. Tuna, cheese, mozzarella, tins of mixed bean salad, cherry tomatoes, cucumber pepper, gherkins. Sometimes we end up with flat breads or pasta ( white as don't like wholemeal versions). If I cook a chicken, left overs for lunch. Bit of salad dressing helps. Kids like hummus as a post school snack. I try and bake rather than buy cake and biscuits. This goes in lunch boxes too. If we have roast veg for tea, leftovers mixed with grains for lunch. If we have something more convenient now and again, I don't stress, I just make sure there's plenty of fruit and veg with it.

Why is bottled milk better? because it's fresher?

more fresh even!

I have been thinking about this. I am coeliac and so many gluten free alternatives are highly processed compared to the normal gluten version, eg breads, pizza bases. I think my diet for a long time has been much more processed than anyone else in the family.
I have stopped buying GF bread , I buy GF biscuits occasionally but I know that I should just make my own, ditto cake.
I use cold pressed rapeseed oil for frying or roasting, is that bad ?
Teenage dd has breakfast cereals, and biscuits, those are her two most regular processed items I think, with the odd vegetarian processed thing (fake bacon slices, veggie burgers, veggie sausages).

It's so simple and fun to make your own wraps, but only for those occasions where you can cook them and eat straight away.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/tortillas/amp

@Norwegianwoodsman try rude health if you want one with oil in or plenish for one without (I have hazelnut one on cereal but find it too watery for hot drinks). I get it from ocado (which does seem to be the best place for non upf)

I loath healthy peanut butter 😣 Wish the good stuff tasted like Sunpat.

Am I right in thinking you can get unrefined rapeseed oil? I think my Dad buys it; it's bright orange and has a slightly odd taste but it doesn't seem to be detectable in the food.

Can somebody please explain to me why Weetabix is a UPF. Is it because it has sugar in it? Thx

It seems there are two schools of thought re seed oils. I personally avoid them as having had GD I don’t want to risk insulin resistance (if seed oils really cause it).

Btw re ketchup - I just checked Heinz (the original recipe one) - it’s tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt, spices. So just processed, not UPF.

Yes, we always buy the original Heinz ketchup.

I've had the unrefined rapeseed oil, it is bright yellow, its fine for cooking with but I find the flavour far too strong and unpleasant for salad dressings etc.

No, sugar is a whole ingredient and fine.
Easy rule to remember is, if you can find it in a normal kitchen, it’s fine.
Or, if your grandma will recognise it as food ingredient, it’s fine.

@shazshaz - it could be the Malted Barley Extract in it. But an article I read in the Tmes at the weekend here would suggest it could be classed as processed rather than UPF. It would probably be a lesser than a few evils for me really. A bowl of Weetabix and a banana for breakfast is probably healthier than some so called healthy cereals.

@Norwegianwoodsman we use Minor Figures Barista Oat milk (organic). It has water, organic oats, organic rapeseed oil, salt, and then an acidity regulator (potassium carbonate). Seems OK to me.

Oh god this thread reminds me of one quite recently where a poster came on and tried to imply that ANY veg/fruit/salad veg which is wrapped in plastic is essentially junk food! Argued & argued that radishes are junk food because they (usually) come in plastic bags! 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Glass bottles?!?! How on earth does the receptacle the milk is placed in, decipher whether that's a UPF or not?!
I think you're confusing what makes someone pretentious with what makes something a UPF.

Eat well for less (programme and recipe books) seem to have alot of normal non UPF ingredients. Their dairy free ice cream is easy and delicious! I use oat milk not almond. Hopefully photo loads.

If you prepare veg like that don't they lose nutrients?

*bought