Ultra-processed food (UPF)

Spotting ultra-processed foods

A quick test is the ingredients list. If it includes things you wouldn't keep in your own kitchen, such as emulsifiers, flavorings, colors, sweeteners or modified starch, the food is probably ultra-processed. Many foods sold for children fit here: fruit snacks, flavored yogurt tubes, sweetened cereals, cereal bars, shaped crackers and chicken nuggets. Packaging aimed at children, with cartoons and claims like "made with real fruit", is often a clue too.

It isn't all or nothing

Some ultra-processed foods still do useful work, like some sliced whole wheat breads, some fortified cereals, or baked beans. The aim is a week built mostly on whole and simply processed foods, not a perfect pantry. Off days happen in every family. Shopping with a short list of plain staples, like oats, eggs, beans, frozen vegetables and plain yogurt, makes the swap easier.

Easy swaps

• Plain yogurt with mashed fruit instead of flavored yogurt tubes.
• Plain oats or unsweetened puffs instead of sweetened cereal.
• Homemade breaded chicken strips instead of nuggets now and then.
• Fruit instead of fruit snacks.
• Water and milk instead of sweet drinks.

Keep it calm

Banning a food tends to make it more exciting. Serve sweets and packaged snacks now and then, at the table, without fuss, and keep them out of the reward system. Children notice what's in the cupboard more than what's said about it, so keeping fewer packaged snacks at home does more than rules about them.

Read more

• Sugar and Young Children

References

1. NHS: Processed foods
2. WHO: Healthy diet