if you’ve ever tried to go on a diet to avoid UPF as much as possible
I have to say, this idea that it is so much harder and more expensive to cook real food is pretty bullshit.
As an example, I had a friend in college who had a recipie he ate almost every night for dinner: one can of beans, one can of diced tomatoes. Put in bowl, stir, microwave, eat. He called it… Beans and Tomatos.
Another friend ate (still eats?) the same breakfast for years. His recipie? Oatmeal. Period.
Both these options are easy and quick to make, extremely cheap, and shelf stable. I want to be gracious to people’s individual struggles with things like depression and addiction and whatnot… But seriously, from an objective standpoint, this is not at all difficult.
As an example, I had a friend in college who had a recipie he ate almost every night for dinner: one can of beans, one can of diced tomatoes. Put in bowl, stir, microwave, eat. He called it… Beans and Tomatos.
Yeah that’s not a realistic meal. I’m talking about cooking proper balanced, healthy (although not always!) and tasty meals that are suitable for a family. The prep alone can take just as much time as it can to smash some beige oven food in the oven for 20mins at 180C.
Another friend ate (still eats?) the same breakfast for years. His recipie? Oatmeal. Period.
I do this too. I make it for my kids, throw in some frozen blueberries, sprinkle with chia seeds and add a small dollop of biscoff or golden syrup. Although it’s not that much effort, it’s still quite a bit more than making a bowl of cereal, especially when cleaning the saucepan after as porridge is a bitch to clean once it’s started to cool.
Cost wise it absolutely is more expensive. Every substitute product I get that’s UPF free costs significantly more. I’d say it added about 20% to our weekly grocery costs trying significantly reduce it.
You don’t have to avoid UPF. Just eat less and fill with salad/veggies until you aren’t hungry. As long as you keep the calories in range you’ll be mostly fine. Maybe watch the macros a bit.
I have to say, this idea that it is so much harder and more expensive to cook real food is pretty bullshit.
As an example, I had a friend in college who had a recipie he ate almost every night for dinner: one can of beans, one can of diced tomatoes. Put in bowl, stir, microwave, eat. He called it… Beans and Tomatos.
Another friend ate (still eats?) the same breakfast for years. His recipie? Oatmeal. Period.
Both these options are easy and quick to make, extremely cheap, and shelf stable. I want to be gracious to people’s individual struggles with things like depression and addiction and whatnot… But seriously, from an objective standpoint, this is not at all difficult.
Yeah that’s not a realistic meal. I’m talking about cooking proper balanced, healthy (although not always!) and tasty meals that are suitable for a family. The prep alone can take just as much time as it can to smash some beige oven food in the oven for 20mins at 180C.
I do this too. I make it for my kids, throw in some frozen blueberries, sprinkle with chia seeds and add a small dollop of biscoff or golden syrup. Although it’s not that much effort, it’s still quite a bit more than making a bowl of cereal, especially when cleaning the saucepan after as porridge is a bitch to clean once it’s started to cool.
Cost wise it absolutely is more expensive. Every substitute product I get that’s UPF free costs significantly more. I’d say it added about 20% to our weekly grocery costs trying significantly reduce it.
You don’t have to avoid UPF. Just eat less and fill with salad/veggies until you aren’t hungry. As long as you keep the calories in range you’ll be mostly fine. Maybe watch the macros a bit.