UPF Discussion Thread

[sunlovingcriminal]

Hi all, wondering whether any of us here would be up for a UPF discussion/support group?

We recently watched the panorama documentary on UPF, as well as reading the ultra processed people book- and have decided to make a lifestyle change for our family.

So, out with the cereal, fruit yogurts, packaged breads, squash and pre-made sauces

And in with the homemade everything...

It is taking a lot of prep and cooking. We're both a bit exhausted and overwhelmed but quite determined.

We have 3 teenage boys- so it's going to be interesting seeing whether we can get them to enjoy both the cooking and eating.

We're one week in and I do already feel better. I am not as hungry- my urge to snack has gone- and my reliance on artificial sugar fixes seems to have diminished.

Still on the hunt for alternatives to stock cubes though! Other than making from scratch (which I fear may be inevitable!).

Would be great to hear some inspiration from others, or great non-upf swaps!

*cereal or toast

We were in Italy earlier in the year. It was noticeable that fruit and veg was sold for less euros than we would pay pounds for half the amount. I couldn’t believe the size of the box of cherry tomatoes.

I guess their pizzas must all be flour, yeast and olive oil. I wonder if their gelato is also non upf

If it’s a good one, yes!

You only have to look at the kids lunchbox chats that pop up on Facebook to see how much upf people are feeding their kids. Fizzy drink, crisps and sweet treat normally go alongside a sliced bread sandwich. Also these are people bragging about their lunches.
If someone comes on and shows one mainly filled with fruit/veg they get piled on for being a goody goody.
Hopefully other measure better but o do wonder.

even people who think they are doing the “right” thing are probably entirely upf. Whole meal bread sandwich, graze type flapjack, kids yogurt etc. all would be likely to be upf. Which is the thing that’s so upsetting how the country have no idea what we are feeding our kids.

I don’t actually tend to put much fruit or veg in as kids don’t tend to eat it (I wish they did) I do home baked Bolognese /macaroni cheese in flasks etc though. And home baked treats like plain sponge or flapjack. It’s a lot of work.

Also my kids school is no seeds or nuts allowed due to allergies. Which really restricts everything. I can’t put a packet nuts and raisins in. So have to be inventive with what I come up with

@Harping - my son has nut allergy. His nursery is also all nut and seed free.
I just give him the nuts he isn’t allergic to and seeds at home as part of breakfast or afternoon snack. I don’t give yogurt or anything for nursery either due to mess and keeping cool, but he has at home.

Lunch is just sandwich, raw mixed fruit, raw mixed veg. Luckily almost every child has the same thing, as they are very strict on no packaged food or junk so anything like crisps/ cake/ sugary yogurt/ processed snacks aren’t allowed.

We also aren’t in uk. I would say it is a lot easier to eat non upf, as there’s far less around. Pre made food in supermarket isn’t common, ie if I want a quiche or fresh soup, I would have to make at home.

@Caspianberg that’s really interesting, do you mind me asking where you live?

@FootSoreandFamcyFree - central/ south Europe.

I do miss the convenience sometimes of say m and s, but I guess day to day it’s far better for us

That’s interesting caspianberg I know someone who used to live in France who said there was much less pre packaged food. She had to bake all kids birthday cakes as you just can’t buy them in the shops the same (or couldn’t 5 years ago). Amazing how much different it is compared to uk,

@Harping - oh yes, pre made birthday cakes don’t exist here in supermarkets. I mean you can get them made in bakeries but then they are freshly made to order or you make yourself.

Sounds lovely to be honest. It’s so strange the food industries haven’t set up in mainland Europe the same way they have in uk

I've had a very random thing today - my TOTM literally just came on with no warning, barely any symptoms and none of the feeling insane I've had for about the last year.

I'm 39 and starting to feel perimenopausal but since ditching UPF three weeks ago my body just feels like it should do, really! It's quite a revelation for me.

Strange isn’t it? My periods are haywire at the moment (perimenopausal) but otherwise my sleep habits, my eating times, even my visits to the loo in the morning seem to have all settled down into some kind of natural rhythm. I’m cooking a lot more and eating more meat and iron rich veg as I got turned down from donating blood a couple of weeks ago (I’ve been really flooding), but I’m already feeling like I have a little more energy.

I’m having to start packed lunches for the first time ever now ds2 is starting school nursery this week (ds1 has always been school dinners which tbf aren’t great but he eats them and is happy)

I bought yesterday a small gammon joint from the butchers and have cooked that so his ham sandwich is thinly sliced home honey roasted ham. Or pasta with the ham chopped in. It actually cost me less than a big pack of pre packaged sliced ham! (Obviously more effort though!)
also adding in popcorn. Sliced apple. Greek yogurt mixed with stewed apple (Thankyou tree) he’s 3 - will he need anything else?

he has 2 eggs scrambled for breakfast and a homemade granola bar. But at day nursery he’s always had a hot 2 course meal so I’m feeling absolutely clueless here. Also a completely nut free school so no pesto etc

@QforCucumber maybe something easy to grab at break for a snack eg homemade flapjack. Then he will also want a snack either at the gate or as soon as he gets home. School does seem to make them hungry.

Hu chocolate

Thanks @FootSoreandFamcyFree thats a great idea about after school - they’ll be with a childminder until 5 most days so may pack a 2nd little snack box for there for him! She provides fruit and sometimes sandwiches/those pre packaged chocolate crepes which is fine - I’m never cutting upf out completely but as long as what I provide is as low as possible then it allows for external input

@QforCucumber I'm going to gradually try to start introducing my DD6 to UPF-lower foods. Her diet isn't great if I am totally honest. We homecook nearly everything but all her snacks are things like biscuits, quavers etc and then she loves sweets. I have realised even the healthier things I thought I was giving her are just the same old junk - yo-yo bears and Pom-bears and stuff. My aim is to bake for her once a week and see if she will try that. She likes chopped apple slices and peanut butter which is a good start!

I've just found this thread and am reading with interest. Just started the Ultra Processes People book and I'm finding it fascinating. Thanks for the tips on this thread

Tomwambsgansswans you are lucky she is only 6 so you can start to instil better habits now. I know what you mean re the Pom bears and yo-yos we all did that and thought we were doing the right thing.

I try to batch bake treats now and keep in freezer to take out for packed lunches etc. my kids are older and they are starting to adjust their habits slowly.

a favourite snack/pudding/supper is frozen fruit, honey and yogurt in the blender. That feels quite a lot like a treat

@TomWambsgansSwans We've slowly made swaps, both of mine (7 and 3) are absolute fruit fiends so have no issues there. I've introduced popcorn as a snack (sweet and salted mixed atm but still a huge change to biscuits and crisps) and the older one absolutely loves greek yogurt with honey and chopped strawberries for pudding.

Their diets are still quite sugar loaded, and tbh they have batch cooked Bolognese more nights than I'd like (not UPF but not varying their diet much) just because I'm shattered after work and it's easy to throw some in the microwave.

We've got a 60% off Gousto thing this last few weeks (can share the code if anyone wants to try it) and that's really helped DH and I change things up a bit (purposefully picking the meals that are low UPF and keeping the recipe cards)

I know yo yos aren't great because they are pasteurised but do they count as UPF? I am thinking of the Bear ones?

You can make fruit 'leathers' at home...

@sunandfog With Yo-yo Bears, I'd say processed in terms of the ingredients but UPF in terms of the manufacturing process going by the definition of the book.

It's textbook UPF in that it's miles away from the natural texture of the raw fruit, it's got marketing aimed directly at children, and it's clearly been designed by committee to appeal with advertising of its health claims.

In terms of effects on the body, I can imagine a massive sugar spike and it's highly palatable so easy to overeat. We do give DD dried fruit but I am going to try to wean her gradually off the bear paws and so on.