Organic replacements for UPF everyday favourites

When it comes to whipping up delicious quick easy meals for the family, we are often tempted to reach for some of the pre-packaged items we find in the supermarket aisles. What should be looking for when we quickly scan the ingredients to make our informed choices? And what are some of the products that are great choices for us to pop into our baskets?

There are many ingredients that the food industry use to extend shelf life and make a product taste delicious/palatable (usually to increase your desire for more). Often these are hidden as other names, for example sugar is often hidden as dextrose, corn syrup, maltodextrin, fruit syrups, agave, invert syrup, glucose or fructose or even sucralose (a chemically formed sweetener!). The other one that is found in so many products is hydronated oils, these are refined seed oils that you will find in so many products, as they are a way of making a product cheaper and stable with long shelf lives, but they cause havoc in the body and our gut microbiome. Some of the oils to be wary of include vegetable oils (i.e. canola and rice-bran oils), rapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil, and refined oils that are not cold-pressed.

When looking at food choices, if you find ingredients that you wouldn’t have in your cupboard it is highly likely it is an UPF food. For example, we wouldn’t tend to find flavour enhancers, thickeners, emulsifiers and gelling agents in our cupboard. Yale have put out a great article earlier this year with more information on the categories of processed ingredients, you can read it HERE.

So practically what are some savvy swaps?

Hummus

A great dip to have in your fridge right? But most are made with processed seed oils, even some that claim to have olive oil in them. A couple of supermarkets and online vegetable boxes such as Riverford do have clean ingredient hummus. The best one here is to make your own, and this one is super quick to do yourself with a small processor, blender or stick blender. All you need is coked chickpeas (Bold Bean is fantastic for this), Tahini, Lemon Juice, Salt and ground cumin and coriander. This will keep in your fridge for 5 days, so you can make a bulk batch for yourself or the family! For a low carb version find one HERE

Fish Fingers

Wild caught fish is what you need to opt for, and sometimes finding this in the frozen section of the supermarket can be cheaper. How to make your own to avoid the additives? Mix together ground almond, a little tapioca flour (opt.) and season with spices such as cumin, add a little salt to taste. Cut the fish into lengths and dip into whisked egg before you dip into your coating. Drizzle with avocado oil and bake in the oven or air-fry.

Baked Beans

This one is tricky as you will often find these packed with sugar. HERE is a great recipe for inspiration to make your own at home!

Pizza 

A favourite in this house! Many are so highly processed and full of refined carbohydrates, oils and sugar! Our of our favourites is to make a quick mix that you roll out onto a tray, no rising time needed and then top with tomato sauce or paste, chorizo sausage and olives or cream cheese (we use the NUSH one), cooked beetroot, fresh figs and balsamic vinegar. You can also buy cauliflower pizza bases all ready for you, or if having some gluten then a pre-made organic pizza base such as these ones HERE by Biona. Fancy making your own? Try our GF version.

Sausages 

For this, always buy the best quality meat (organic, free range) and avoid all the extra additives and preservatives they put inside. Sausages very frequently contain sugar and nitrates as well as wheat to bulk them up. If we eat them we usually get these ones HERE or HERE. More is less, so serve with lots of vegetables and some roasted sweet potato wedges in the oven.

Cereals

When looking at cereals be wary of the sugar load and seed oils. Bio & Me do a great range, the carb content is still high but it is a healthier option than many others. Steel cut gluten free oats are another good choice as they tend not to spike blood sugars like many of the processed oats/porridge mixes you will find. Top with almond butter and organic blueberries/green bananas for sweetness without adding sugar.

Cakes

So many cakes, well almost all you will find have been processed, the closest you will find to unprocessed are those you make at home. If you do buy sweet treats, look for lower carb options where you recognise all the ingredients without lots of added sugar, refined starches and hydronated fats. Whilst we love our Nourish products a couple of other great snacks/cake alternatives include Superfoodio’s peanut butter buttons, Ombar and HU bars and chocolate

To find out more about what ingredients are essential for having a wholefoods larder to make and create simple everyday dishes from, check out our blog HERE.

In summary, UPF are foods that are made with added processed ingredients, such as sugar, salt, fat, and artificial colours or preservatives. This includes fast food, chips, frozen meals, soda, processed meats and cheeses, and desserts like cake and cookies. Those who eat an ultra-processed diet tend to have a higher risk of experiencing weight gain, obesity, heart disease, diabetes and more. Often the better alternative to UPF is to make things at home that are simple and only use a handful of recognisable ingredients.