Non-UPF biscuits for cheese

[madeinmanc]

I'm avoiding ultra-processed foods, not completely but as best as I can.

Does anyone have any suggestions for non-UPF shop bought biscuits for cheese for Christmas? I don't normally have biscuits and crackers anyway but I'm having a cheese board. Thanks.

Pretty sure the Aldi thins will be somewhat identical to the Lidl thins, and yes, long oblong cracker! We like the Lidl mutiseed version which says: Wheat flour, 24% seed mix (linseeds, millet, hemp), wholemeal rye flour, rapeseed oil, salt.

Sorry meant to say oatcakes are non UPF

@helpfulperson probably, though I haven't checked. Most do contain palm oil, though, which isn't great. Interestingly, I found the Waitrose own brand ones do not contain palm oil and they taste great. I don't know if that is because they don't have palm oil or some other reason, though. I'll definitely try and get the Waitrose ones from now on when practical, just because of the flavour.

Forgot to say, @savemytimezone mentioned a brand of oatcake called Duncan's, made with extra virgin olive oil. They're not available near me but look even better than the Waitrose ones.

Crackers aren't that bad, especially if they aren't a regular part of your diet. Whilst I'm completely in agreement that we should all be avoiding upf's no need to take it to extremes

These. At Christmas they usually do flavoured ones as well.

My DM has been avoiding UPFs since before Chris and Xand were born and even she would eat the odd cracker. Usually a Carrs water biscuit, if that helps.

Take a step back an look at the bigger picture, it's Xmas and unless you are planning on eating a lot of something regularly that's UPF then it's fine! I'm a nutrition professional and have a Bsc degree in it. Dr Chris VT is fuelling orthorexia and paranoia causing some people to become obsessed with UPF - academia chat even agree on what constitutes to it and also there are so many variables affecting individual health outcomes. If you can't even relax self imposed "rules" about so called UPF for Xmas, unless there is a medical reason, then that's a worrying red flag in my opinion. If your diet is well balanced and ticks other Heath boxes in general then that is great, I know palm oil isn't good environmentally, but your body is not sophisticated enough to react to it if you accidentally consume it. I apologise if I come across as harsh but I have experience of ED and thes type of strict dietary rules worry me a lot. It's all about balance, most of the time x

I do care about palm oil, though.

@madeinmanc
Avoiding palm oil because of the damage the industry does to Borneo forest habits and the animals that live there is admirable.
Mixing up those environmental concerns with mostly unfounded health concerns is an example of black and white thinking (palm oil bad, avocado oil good, wheat bad, quinoa good) that can indicate an unhealthy obsession with only eating ´safe’ or ´healthy’ foods.

@Nameychango I agree with your pragmatic approach. If everything else in one's diet is UPF-free, 3 or 4 crackers with some nice Brie or Port Salut definitely won't be the end of the world.

it's my one concession, especially at Christmas.

Clearspring oatcakes are ok too - oatmeal (86%), olive oil, sea salt, raising agent: sodium bicarbonate

I think a cheeseboard of oatcakes, ryvita and matzo is probably a decent mix. Ryvita come in a few different flavours now and most of them are non UPF (just containing rye flour, salt and the relevant flavour) eg black pepper, onion, seeds

Finncrisp are great, just Wholegrain Rye Flour, Sourdough 25% (Wholegrain Rye Flour, Water), Salt and Yeast
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/254926506

Can people who want to preach their opinions on UPF foods and give unsolicited advice start their own thread, please? This one is about naming non-UPF and palm oil- free biscuits for cheese. Thank you.

Avoiding palm oil is different to avoiding UPFs, which some people do to the extreme hence the balance provided on here by some posters - it is commendable to want to avoid palm oil though.

Why are people preaching at the OP for her diet preferences? She asked a simple question about crackers.

I like Gail’s seeded crackers mentioned above. Peter’s original crackers are also good.

Matzos!! They sell them in the supermarket. They're just flour. I really like them. Nice and crispy.

What a day to be alive

Sorry, I meant to quote this reply.

What a day to be alive. Just buy some water biscuits and be done with it!

Bath Oliver biscuits:
Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Butter Oil (Milk), Vegetable Oil (Palm), Raising Agent (Ammonium Bicarbonate), Salt, Dried Whole Milk, Barley Malt Extract, Yeast

Waitrose high bake water biscuits:
FORTIFIED WHEAT FLOUR (wheat flour, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin, thiamin), palm oil, salt, wheat glucose syrup and/or maize glucose syrup, raising agent (sodium hydrogen carbonate)

Oatcakes.

😂
Whoops, I'm another one of the opinion that upf obsession (rather than pragmatism and making stuff from scratch where possible) is for people with too much time on their hands.

Although OP the info that waitrose oatcakes are palm oil free is genuinely welcome, thanks!

Water biscuits are not necessarily non-UPF though. The poster below you has posted the ingredients in the Waitrose ones and they contain corn syrup or wheat glucose syrup - wtf! I didn’t even know wheat was something they made sugar out of.