Family favourites without ANY of the additives
Scientists are deeply concerned about the possible long- term effects of ultraprocessed foods on our children — many of whom eat far too many crisps, sweets, pizzas and biscuits.
A study, published in 2021, found that British children got on average 60 per cent of their calories from ultra-processed foods (UPFs). For some, the total is as high as 80 per cent. And there are growing worries that the younger children start on these foods, the greater the chance they will be affected by chronic diseases when they grow up.
As an award-winning nutritionist, i have researched the evils of UPFs and my new book, Unprocess Your Life, exclusively serialised by the Daily Mail and the Mail on sunday, is packed with recipes and ideas to help you painlessly reduce your intake of processed foods.
i know it can be hard to wean youngsters off junk food. children of all ages are particularly influenced by peer pressure and advertising on social media, and can quickly develop a preference for foods high in salt, saturated fat and sugar. in turn, these can stimulate addictive pathways in their young brains.
For many years i worked with the nHs, helping to reform school meal menus, and i learned a lot about the clever ways the food industry works to tempt children to buy and eat more processed food.
My advice is to take things slowly and to gradually shrink the percentage of UPFs in your child’s diet. Aim to cut them back to two portions a day. then try to aim for one day a week free of UPFs.
Don’t do everything at once and don’t nag — slowly make changes to the foods you buy and the dishes you cook.
THismight mean ‘forgetting’ to buy their favourite UPF breakfast cereal and offering eggs or porridge instead, or hunting for better alternatives with shorter ingredients lists (like natural cereal bars in place of cake bars).
try batch- cooking some realistic alternatives (such as granola to sprinkle on plain yoghurt), buying real crisps (made from potato, oil and salt) rather than highly flavoured puffed snacks, and offering water in place of fizzy drinks.
i warn against overdoing the messaging or demonising certain foods and, instead, focus on what is good to eat rather than what should be avoided.
With teenagers, it can help to try to find a ‘ driver’ they can relate to — perhaps clearer skin, better sleep, improved gym performance or mood. Make a plan and aim to get everyone in your family involved in choosing foods that will excite them.
it’s a good idea to teach older children a few basic dishes that they can cook any time of day, then it’s up to you to keep those ingredients in stock (see the following recipes).
Keep an eye on social media, too. When a tiktok recipe for an omelette folded in a flour tortilla became a viral sensation, i adapted the recipe into a homemade version — and when i work with teens, they all recognise it and love to cook it for themselves.
And be aware of when in the day your children are most likely to be hungry and therefore receptive to homecooked healthy food — banana bread is perfect for when they get home from school.