It can be very difficult to remove ultra-processed foods from your diet. They are such a common part of the food system, that they can be difficult to avoid.
One of the reasons that avoiding ultra-processed foods is difficult is because you will not get any two people to agree on what is and what is not an ultra-processed food. Since companies are required to divulge so little about their food manufacturing processes to the public, we are often relegated to relying on a list of ingredients to serve as a proxy for determining how the foods were processed.
I’m not sure that aiming for a diet 100% devoid of UPF entirely makes sense either. Consider if aiming for something more like 80% or 90% UPF-free might make more sense for you. Allowing some flexibility in the goal will save room for eating at social events, when travelling for work, or enjoying your family’s holiday treats.
Some of the common roadblocks to eating UPF-free are the cost of the food and the amount of time spent cooking. These can be very real concerns, but with some planning ahead they can be mitigated.
Establish guidelines that work for you
Put some thought into making simple guidelines about what is and is not UPF that will work for your goals and your lifestyle. Having to make constant judgment calls is mentally exhausting, and you don’t want to have to do it in the middle of the grocery store at the end of a long workday. Are you eliminating factory produced chicken? Anything with seed oils? Which sweeteners would you consider UPF?
The distinction between what foods are Nova Group 2 or Nova Group 4 are heavily dependent on the specific food item and your culture.
Get a farm subscription
Many places have subscription farm boxes available, which are also referred to as community supported agrigulture. You pay a fee, and in exchange you get a box with some of the produce every week. There are usually various sizes of boxes available.
This can be a fun way to try new vegetables and learn more about different foods that grow in your area.
These programs also have the benefit of helping you be more connected to the people who are producing the food that you eat. More of the money that you spend also goes directly to the farmer, as opposed to a large corporation.
Find your local farmer’s market
Most cities have farmer’s markets available on the weekends. You can pick up fresh vegetables, yard eggs, or get meat that was not factory farmed. Many have booths that sell honey, mushrooms, or from local bakeries.
Going to the farmers market is a good way to meet other people who are also looking to eat less ultra-processed foods. You will also learn about other local businesses that sell fresh foods or restaurants that use better quality ingredients.
Make more soup
Two things that ultra-processed foods offer is a long shelf life and the convenience of easy preparation. Unfortunately it is difficult for fresh food to compete on these fronts.
Soup is a good way to make a large batch of food that you will then just have to reheat at your convenience. If you get bored of the same flavor, you can eat some and freeze the rest in individual portions to have when you want something quick to eat later.
It is a good way to use up any vegetables that are going to spoil before you would otherwise get to use them. You can add the vegetables into a vegetable soup. This means that you can really get your money’s worth for the vegetables that you buy.
Soup is a good way to feed a lot of people healthy food in a cost effective way. It can really help your food budget. Homemade soup is much cheaper than restaurant soup, and also much cheaper per portion than soup from a can. While many types of ultra-processed foods are hyper palatable, soup is the exception and I find that homemade soup tastes much better.
If your main experience with eating soup has been canned soups, I highly recommend you try making some soups from scratch to see if you like it.
Make large batches of food and have leftovers
Food choices that are made when we are tired, stressed, or pressed for time are unlikely to be good choices. Having some food prepared in advance will make it easier for you on a daily basis.
Things like a tray of lasagna, pot of beans, or a casserole can be an easy meal to make leftovers from. Some leftovers can be frozen into individual servings for later if you crave more variety.
Be prepared for snacks and lunches
A lot of snack food available on the go is UPF. If you are going to be out of the house for a long time, bring a snack with you in case you get hungry. If you are going to be out of the house for an extended period of time bring a homemade snack with you or a packed lunch.
Fresh fruit, sliced vegetables, nuts, or pieces of cheese can be easy snacks to take with you.
Pack a lunch with foods that you enjoy eating. If you do not like the food that you packed it will be more tempting to go out to eat.
Try new spices
Spices are a way to keep otherwise boring food tasting great and add variety to your meals. Eggs, potatoes, lentils, and many other foods taste very different depending on which spices are used to cook them.
Dried parsley, paprika, garlic powder or cayenne pepper can be cheap ways to add a lot of flavor to your foods. Spice blends such as za’atar, curry powder, or chili powder can make a huge improvement in the way a meal tastes. One of my personal favorite spice blends is Justice from Penzeys, which is an onion blend and Old Bay is always popular.
Be sure to read the ingredients on any spice blends that you are thinking of purchasing. Some of them contain surprising things, and many contain more salt than you might expect.
Invest in kitchen supplies
You don’t need to have every possible kitchen gadget to cook at home, but a few basic items will make it much easier. A good knife, a cutting board, a pot, a pan, a spatula, and a serving spoon will be good to get started. As you cook more you will probably quickly want to expand into other tools such as a cheese grater, an immersion blender, mixing bowls, measuring cups, or anything else that helps with making your favorite foods.
Don’t forget reusable food containers that let you store food for later or take food with you. A thermos can be good for keeping soup hot at work if your workplace does not have access to a microwave. Stasher bags can store snacks while you are out and about. I like to use either mason jars or Souper Cubes to store soup for later.
It can be expensive to suddenly buy a lot of kitchen supplies, but if you are sensible with what you buy they can pay for themselves quickly with meals that you do not eat out.
Know what restaurants have UPF-free dishes available that you like
Is there a coffee shop in your area that has a good iced latte? Is there a place in your neighborhood that makes a great iced tea?
Not all food from restaurants is ultra-processed. Be prepared with some places in your neighborhood that have good options for you to eat. Lots of places have their menus available online.
If you are travelling for work or find yourself in an area where you don’t know your options, remember that you can stop into a grocery store as well.
Find ways to socialize that don’t revolve around food
Eating is a very social activity. There are many instances where I think you should consider eating some ultra-processed foods if it is part of an important social event.
You can also try and find ways to meet up with friends and family members that do not involve eating. Often the default becomes going out to eat, but with some creativity you can think of many other fun things to do. You might even find a new hobby that you enjoy.
You can invite friends to go with you to the farmer’s market or to have a picnic of nice foods that you bring to the park.
You can go for a hike, take a fun dance or fitness class, play pickleball, go to the beach, or sign up for an art class. If you have any museum in your area you can go to the museum, but also check out if they have any other events going on.