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!

I've got the same question about sausages.

I also want to know about spreadable butter, is that UPF or just processed? Does it mean I need to swap my Aldi Norpak to blocks of butter?

Aldi Norpak
Ingredients Butter (64%) (𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤), Rapeseed Oil, Water, Salt, Lactic Cultures (𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤).
No emulsifiers, processed but not UPF

Dried apricots
https://wiltonwholefoods.com/2969-wilton-wholefoods-unsulphured-apricots-1kg-5060401024307.html

Google should help you find more

Unfortunately pretty much all non virgin oils are UPF as they are produced through a very complex industrial process.

I made mayonnaise at the weekend with extra virgin olive oil. Not a success I'm afraid - the olive oil is too strong. Has anyone tried anything more successful? I'm wondering if cokd pressed rape seed oil (we have a local producer) could work?

Am slightly gutted to discover that garlic paste is UPF. I know there are plenty of alternatives - but I use it a lot.

You can use avocado oil for mayonnaise.

I wish I could afford this.

I try. For example I buy Tesco bakery rolls (80p for 6), which where I live don't have any UPF ingredients. Same with some versions of the bake at home breads (10 mins in oven). I don't have time to make my own bread.

I get raspberry syrup from the world foods section and use as diluting juice, but I am missing the chemical diluting juice!!

Otherwise, I cook everything from scratch. Always have anyway.

Rarely eat desserts or cakes or anything, but if I do we just cheat and buy the UPF ones.

I do use stock cubes because the non UPF ones are too expensive for me.

I'd say our diet is now 90% non UPF since I changed the bread and juice.

Back in the 90s, all supermarkets where I lived offered free yeast from the bakery counter (yes, you have to ask) and free greens for our rabbits. Tesco is the only place that does it now.

Why would they do it? I suppose they used to be more competitive - I think Tesco were first to offer free carrier bags. This was at a time when the out of town supermarkets were springing up everywhere and they maybe wanted to encourage regular visits.

What amount of fresh yeast would be equivalent to 2tsp of instant dried, please?

I haven't bought supermarket bread for a couple of weeks now. Was already making sourdough, which about half my family liked, but it was either too 'sour' or too chewy for the other half, so I've now started making a normal white loaf as well. Means I'm baking every day tho, one or the other (large family), but I do have a Thermomix so make my normal white loaf in that, ridiculously quickly and easily.

We used to have a Panasonic bread maker years ago, which was also great.

I've made my own granola (lovely, but kids want no nuts and fewer seeds 🙄), 'Mumtella' choc/hazelnut spread (half the kids not keen, how very dare they!) and chicken liver pâtè (also in Thermomix) - very nice.

I might buy 'good' sausages once a month from now on (even they still have nitrites in usually), ditto bacon.

Walking round Lidl yesterday I was really conscious of just how many of the products are processed/ultra-processed, compared to the fresh fruit/veg/basic/raw ingredients like pasta, eggs etc; not as bad as America yet, but heading in the same direction.

What biscuits & cake are you making? I need more ideas for afternoon-tea-type snacks for after school.

@doingthehokeykokey hello, fellow Thermie-owner! Do you use the Basic Cookbook's recipe for your ketchup? Do your kids like it?!

(Heinz ketchup is going to be the final UPF battle in our house; I'll have to prize the bottle from DH's cold, dead hands...)

I’m working off Cookidoo and there are 3 options. So far youngest likes it, still working on DC1. I prefer it.

@HBGKC so far on the cakes I've made (and only loaf cakes as I'm not that great a baker!!):

• carrot cake
• banana cake
• ginger cake
• coconut cake

We should have a glut of courgettes and beetroot in due course so will make cakes from those too!

And I've only made lemon biscuits so far- which haven't been great but I need a few more biscuit recipes! Mine are a bit hard and dry!!!

Thanks both. I love carrot/banana cakes!

@doingthehokeykokey if you've any low-sugar Thermie recipes for after-school loaf cakes, pls flag them up

I don’t think the banana bread is too sweet.

I love the Jamaican ginger cake, but it’s normal sugar levels.

I have also made the peach and raspberry crumble cake as a tray bake this week and it lovely. The crumble part is sugary though.

The lowest sugar is really scones. Cheese ones are very popular with my DC so avoids sugar altogether.

Low sugar and cake aren’t really compatible. Homemade and with natural sugar is better than shop bought.

When I get yeast (I take an empty plastic box with me), the amount varies. I break it up and squeeze into blobs about the size of an unshelled walnut. That's for four scoops of flour which is 500-600g. The only thing I measure accurately is the water - 400ml. Sometimes I need to adjust flour or water to get the dough right.

I guess my blob of yeast maybe a gram or two out each time, but it doesn't matter. More yeast and warmer = faster rise. Less yeast and colder = slower. I'll weigh one tomorrow!

I have made a few batches of savoury muffins that can also be used for lunch/breakfast etc. Is it this recipe (https://vintagekitchennotes.com/extra-cheesy-savory-ham-muffins/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-pug) but I put lots of fresh chives, spring onions, and at the request of my daughter sweetcorn and peas! Taste nice. No ham.

Are baked beans UPF or processed food? The ingredients are Beans (51%), Tomatoes (34%), Water, Sugar, Cornflour, Salt, Modified Cornflour, Antioxidant - Ascorbic Acid, Spice Extracts, Herb Extract

I've just started reading the book, and know I need to cut down on UPFs. However I'm very low income, so not sure I can afford it all the time. Evening meals are usually cooked from scratch - pasta sauces, curries, fried rice, roasts etc, but sometimes sausages.

Breakfasts and lunches will be the big thing.
They usually have crunchy nut cornflakes for breakfast, and sandwich, yoghurt, crisps, cereal bar and fruit for lunch. I can make bread, cereal bars and get fruit and plain yoghurt.

But I'm also autistic so my executive functioning means I think about doing these things and often don't get round to it.

It will be good to have some go to recipes to follow.

Thanks @Cynderella, I'll have to investigate my local big Tesco's bakery. I bake loaves with 500g flour usually, so one walnut-sized blob 👍 And did you say you then freeze the blobs? How long do they take to defrost? Not long, I guess.

Oats are cheap, and very flexible for breakfasts. Even if they don't like porridge, they might eat home-made granola, or overnight oats (if you add more milk in the morning it basically turns out like muesli), or if they like cereal bars you could make a big batch of flapjack-style bars for breakfast/lunch boxes?

I'm working up to doing the latter (I'm also probably slightly autistic, and do a lot of thinking/planning/obsessively researching recipes before I eventually get around to Doing Something!)

@Cynderella have you found a recipe for flatbreads that is still ok the next day please?

I make lovely ones to eat freshly cooked but the next day they harden up too much for lunch boxes.

I've tried the fancy ones from the supermarket that are non UPF but DD didn't like them.

@ricekrispi I think anything that spreads from the fridge is a UPF. Butter is much better for you.

For anyone interested, the book Why We Eat Too Much covers similar ideas. He talks about why we gain weight by eating processed non foods, it's really interesting and there's an ongoing thread on here about it.

Wow it was hard figuring out what UPFs are in- I spent ages reading labels in the supermarket and realised we get a fair bit through things I thought were healthy! The weirdest one for me was realising how much crap is in coconut milk, unless you get organic.

The sourdough seeded breads in supermarkets are often okay. We now get the Bertinet Bakery or Jason's - they taste really nice and we've noticed they're more filling.

Re the stock, I tried the Kallo cubes but really dislike them. I have a ninja foodie (but any pressure cooker will work) and it takes maybe 40 mins to make litres of good stock.

I'm still rubbish at buying my lunch out when I'm the office, and it's amazing what's in those supposedly 'healthy' meals