Reducing UPFs - breakfast!

[JumpstartMondays]

Trying to reduce our UPFs as a family and next we are tackling breakfast cereals.

What do you have for your breakfasts that is low in UPF?

I have a banana, kefir & a bowl of strawberries & if I really can’t be bothered to wash strawberries, I have a bowl of Dorset cereals muesli!

I console myself it’s better than an egg McMuffin🤣

Most of the year I have Skyr or Greek yoghurt with fresh or frozen berries and chopped walnuts. Sometimes in winter, I make porridge with berries, cinnamon and honey. Occasionally a poached egg with steamed spinach or boiled egg with wholemeal toast soldiers.

For children I might offer a milkshake made with whole milk, a banana, bit of honey and either a spoonful of organic peanut butter (which is just peanuts and salt) or some strawberries.

I make a big batch of small American style pancakes on Sunday mornings and keep some in the fridge. Then we eat them for breakfast heated in the microwave, with fruit and maple syrup, jam or honey, on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings.

On Tuesday evening I make a big batch of overnight oats with nuts, seeds, honey, grated apple and dried fruit. Then on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings we eat with extra fresh fruit on top. Saturday mornings I normally make a cooked breakfast. It feels relatively low effort and everyone is happy.

We have allergies so can't have oats, eggs and if upf can't do any cereal as our milks are upf. The only thing I manage are quesadillas or home made hash browns.

you can do perfect boiled eggs in the air fryer 12 minutes at 130 degrees

Weetabix is ok according to this

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/sep/05/the-experts-dietitians-on-20-ways-to-cut-down-on-upfs-while-still-eating-what-you-love

there are some puffed wheat cereals that are just wheat.

Muesli, sometimes with yoghurt and whatever fruit is available (banana, berries, or stewed apples)

Organic porridge made with milk and a handful of flaxseeds, topped with a chopped pear and shake of cinnamon. Or scrambled eggs on toasted homemade bread. Occasionally organic muesli with a sliced banana or peach.

If I’m going out and need breakfast on the go, I whizz Greek yogurt and milk with a handful of dry porridge oats, flaxseeds, a banana and a spoonful of peanut butter.

We also make batches of American pancakes, it really fills the children up and can be kept in the fridge easily.

They have a glass of milk to go with them.

I also went through a phase of making my own granola, which was really delicious as I added some chocolate and honey to the oats and nuts. I should get back into it.

I make my own granola to a Jack Munroe recipe. It's oats, peanut butter and honey in a roughly 4:2:1 ratio mixed up and put in the oven for about 15 minutes at 170.
I make it in bulk and have it with greek yoghurt and fruit. It's really nice.
Otherwise I have toast with bread from the bakers which is not upf.

I cannot bear a faff in the morning so I do berries (frozen and defrosted overnight) topped with a good quality Greek yogurt and a crumbled up wheetabix on top for some crunch. There's some on here who think that a wheetabix is the devil's doo-doo though...

Saying that, a decent sourdough isn't upf either if you're a 'just toast' house.

3 ingredient pancakes (drop scones not crepes)

Ratio is 1 mashed banana: 1 egg: 1 tbsp flour (any kind). Add a little cinnamon and vanilla to taste but not essential).

Fry up in coconut oil.

Shredded Wheat is 100% wheat, no additives. With milk and sliced banana.

Sometimes plain greek yogurt with fruit and a tiny bit of honey.

Sometimes wholewheat/sourdough bread and cheese.

weetabix, shreddies, shredded wheat…all low UPF and fine 🙃

scrambled eggs literally take no time at all, even with kids hanging off your eggs. 3 minutes done

proper sourdough toast…also fine

But based on how you have described your mornings, I really wouldn’t invent problems where there aren’t any.

you aren’t eating nesquik and biscoff on toast with sunny d.

There isn’t really a UPF issue to fix here. your breakfast is fine

Most mornings I have kefir or yoghurt with nuts/seeds and fruit. Sometimes I'll have porridge with nuts/seeds and fruit instead, or a boiled egg with sourdough toast and fruit. Porridge is really quick and easy done in the microwave. When my kids were younger I'd make a big dish of it for all of us in a round pyrex casserole dish in the microwave, they do their own breakfast these days.

I make baked oats at the weekend in ramekin dishes. They keep in the fridge. My kids just heat them up in the microwave for a minute. The best recipe I’ve found is on the taming twins website

@JumpstartMondays if you soak the oats in milk overnight you can just warm them through in the morning in the microwave - quicker than porridge and not too hot for little ones.

Also, appreciate homemade bread is time and effort with two very small ones, but I make two loaves at a time on the weekend, and then cut into slices and freeze them. Then just take out what you need as and when.

I just use a very basic bread recipe like this one, but adjust to 200g strong wholemeal flour and 300g strong white flour.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/bread-four-easy-steps

Some granolas don't contain UPFs (unless you're avoiding seed oils). I get one from Lidl's more premium range which has all recognisable ingredients, so might be worth double checking packets.

I am fairly low carb but don't like yoghurt or egg which makes things tricky.

I often heat up left overs from Dinner, for example a chicken stir fry etc. If left overs are not available I have a handful of nuts, followed by wild Salmon or crackers with cream cheese and capers and apple with peanut butter.

Scrambled egg takes 40 secs in a mic.

Another thumbs up for Weetabix in this Telegraph article. "Higher in fibre than other cereals" though they "shouldn't be the only thing you have for breakfast". The expert says she prefers Shreddies as a "star example of an ultra-processed food that's still good for you"

There must be some cereals that aren't UPF? Shredded wheat? It's horrible though, lol. As others say, porridge. Fruit, eggs.
I guess you could make your own croissants or pastries and freeze them?

Porridge
Lizi's - I checked this on the app.

Scrambled egg or porridge can be made in the microwave in 2 mins, if you have one.
Ds usually has crunchy peanut butter sandwich or on toast followed by an account sized portion of porridge. This is his eating peak for the day.
DD often has a banana sandwich.
I will make crepes once a week.

It more of a perception thing. We are also busy in the morning and our daughter often asks for eggs 15 minutes before we are meant to leave for school, but for eggs it isn’t as long as you think… We use the kettle to boil the water, eggs straight in, 4 minutes with a lid on, bosh!

fried same sort of time, pan on max heat for 30 seconds turn it down egg in lid on. Mere minutes. Getting toast toasted often takes as long.

scrambled… 90 seconds to beat then we use the microwave. Quicker than both boiled and fried.

you’re welcome!!