Ultra Processed Foods
Over the past 40 years, ultra-processed foods have increasingly taken over our everyday diets.
Luckily, growing up my parents still made food from scratch, and we ate out very little. However, as a child of the 80’s, ultra processed foods were starting to find their way onto dinner plates and packed lunches across the nation.
At school, I’d glance enviously at my friends who were opening packets of discos, space raiders or frazzles to eat with their billy bear ham sandwiches on white bread, cut into squares. Those having school dinners didn’t fare any better, the offer was usually breaded turkey drummers, fish fingers or pizza with a side of potato croquettes or smiley faces.
Fast forward to 2005 and Jamie Oliver was calling out the terrible state of UK school dinners, launching his war on the infamous ‘turkey twizzler’ – a symbol of the low-quality, ultra-processed foods that were being routinely served to children.
While his campaign sparked change, our relationship with ultra-processed food only deepened in the years that followed.
As our lives have become ever more fast-paced, relying on ultra-processed foods has become the norm for many people. From ready meals to take-aways, we are surrounded by a rising tide of poor-quality foods offering little or no nutritional value. Our bodies are simply not designed to cope with the factory processed ingredients which make these foods so cheap and hyper-palatable.
As a nation, we are becoming sicker and ultra processed foods are partly to blame. Obesity rates have tripled since the 1970s, type 2 diabetes rates have increased, and mental health conditions are much more prevalent.
But the tide is turning. More people are waking up to the damage caused by an ultra-processed diet after prominent figures such a Dr Chris van Tulleken and Professor Carlos Monteiro sounding the alarm.
Unfortunately, ultra-processed food companies target children, young people and those on low incomes. Being on benefits or having a low income makes it difficult to avoid the trap of low-nutrition foods as they are regularly discounted in ‘volume offers’ (such as buy one get one free or 3 for 2), making them seem like great value.
Most recently, the ultra-processed food industry (which represents food giants such as Nestle, Mondalez, Mars, Coca-Cola and Unilever) has blocked the UK government from issuing guidance to supermarkets to promote fresh, minimally processed, and healthy foods to their customers.
How can we take back control?
Firstly, what are ultra processed foods? Generally speaking, they are food products which contain ingredients not found in your kitchen at home.
These ingredients are most commonly found in:
- Sugary breakfast cereals
- Packed biscuits and crisps and confectionary
- Ready meals and instant noodles
- Flavoured yoghurts
- Fizzy drinks
What to look out for on ingredients lists
Additives
Used to make the food more appealing, stable, and convenient.
- Whey powder
- Casein
- Gluten
- Lactose
- Concentrated fruit juices
- High fructose corn syrup
- Soya protein isolate
- Hydrolysed protein
- Invert sugar syrup
- Dextrose
- Sodium phosphates
- Disodium inosinate (E631)
- Disodium guanylate (E627)
Colourings
Used to change or enhance the appearance of food
- Sunset yellow FCF (E110)
- Quinoline yellow (E104)
- Carmiosine (E122)
- Allura red (E129)
- Tartrazine (E102)
- Ponceau 4R (E124)
- Curcumin (E100)
- Cochineal/carminic acid (E120)
- Brilliant blue FCF (E133)
Artificial sweeteners
Used as a sugar substitute
- Aspartame (E951)
- Sucralose
- Saccharin
- Acesulfame K (E950)
- Glycerol
- Cyclamate
Emulsifiers and stabilisers
Used to improve texture, consistency, and shelf life
- Lecithin (E322)
- Mono and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471)
- Diphosphates (E450)
- Xanthan gum (E415)
- Guar gum (E412)
- Locust bean gum
Preservatives
Used to extend shelf life
- Sodium benzoate
- Potassium sorbate
- Calcium propionate
- Sodium nitrate
- Ascorbic acid
- Sulphites
Thickeners
Used to improve the texture of food
- Modified starch (E1400 & E1422)
- Maltodextrin
- Carrageenan
Flavour enhancers
Used to boost or intensify taste
- Monosodium glutamate (E621)
- Natural flavourings
Hydrogenated oils
Used to improve texture, shelf life and stability
- Partially hydrogenated oils
How to reduce UPF on a tight budget
Cook Once, Eat Twice (or more)
Batch-cook affordable basics like soups, stews, rice dishes, or pasta. You’ll save time and stretch your food budget across multiple meals.
Tinned Food Is Your Friend
Canned beans, tomatoes, tinned fish (like tuna), or vegetables are minimally processed and last a long time. Look for no-sugar or low-sodium options when you can.
Buy Whole Foods in Bulk
- Dried beans, lentils, oats, and rice are nutrient-dense and incredibly cheap per serving.
- Frozen vegetables and fruits are often more affordable (and just as healthy) than fresh.
Plan Around Discounts
- Base your meals on supermarket sales or reduced-price produce.
- Local markets often sell fruit and veg cheaply toward the end of the day.
- Use apps like Too Good To Go or Olio to rescue leftover food at deep discounts (availability varies by region).
Master 5 Simple Recipes
- One-pot lentil stew
- Veggie stir-fry with rice or noodles
- Baked potatoes with beans
- Homemade veggie pasta
- Oats with fruit for breakfast
You don’t need to know how to make everything from scratch; just a few go-to meals can make a difference.
Swap Out Common UPFs
Instead of…
- Sugary cereal
- Snack bars and crisps
- Instant noodles
Try…
- Porridge with banana and cinnamon
- Peanut butter on sourdough toast or salted popcorn
- Rice with frozen veg and soy sauce
Instead of…
- Fizzy drinks
- Packaged desserts
Try…
- Cold water with lemon or mint
- Plain Greek yogurt with honey and fruit
Shift the Mindset: “Cheap Food” vs. Smart Fuel
- Poor energy and mood
- Weight gain and health issues
- Higher long-term healthcare costs
When you feed your body better, it performs better - physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Sample Day: Eating Well on a Budget
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with banana
- Lunch: Lentil and rice stew with frozen spinach
- Snack: Carrot sticks and peanut butter toast
- Dinner: Baked potatoes with beans and roasted onions
- Dessert: Apple slices with yogurt and cinnamon
Simple, satisfying, and low in ultra-processed ingredients.
Progress Over Perfection
You don’t need to cut out every UPF to make a difference. Even replacing one processed meal a day with something homemade is a great start.
Whether you’re shopping on a tight budget, cooking for a family, or just starting to take back control of your food, remember:
Small, consistent changes can lead to big health wins—without costing more.