What’s Really in That Snack? Why Ditching Ultra-Processed Foods Could Be the Best Thing You Do for Your Health

You want to nourish your body, protect your family, and feel good in your skin—but in a world full of “quick and easy” foods, it can feel hard to know where to start. Ultra-processed foods are everywhere: lunchboxes, supermarket aisles, work snacks, and weeknight dinners. But these convenience foods come at a cost—and it’s not just in your wallet.

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs)?

Ultra-processed foods are those that have gone far beyond the natural state of the original ingredients. They’re usually packed with additives, preservatives, artificial colours and flavours, seed oils, emulsifiers, and chemical sweeteners. These ingredients are designed to make food hyper-palatable, shelf-stable, and addictive—often at the expense of your health.

Think:
❌ Breakfast cereals with a cartoon on the box
❌ Chicken nuggets
❌ Muesli bars, chips, biscuits
❌ Soft drinks and flavoured milk
❌ Packaged baked goods
❌ Microwave meals
❌ Flavoured yoghurts with long ingredient lists
❌ Super soft breads and wraps that last 4 weeks!
❌ Hot dogs & ultra processed meats
❌ Shelf stable meats and cheeses

Why It Matters—Especially for Women Over 35

As we age, our metabolism naturally slows, hormone fluctuations increase, and our risk for lifestyle-related diseases—like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers—rises. Eating ultra-processed foods regularly has been linked to:

• Increased risk of colorectal and breast cancer

• Chronic inflammation

• Disrupted gut microbiome

• Weight gain and insulin resistance

• Mood instability and cognitive decline

Ultra-processed foods affect your energy, digestion, mental clarity, and even your sleep—undermining your health in subtle but powerful ways over time.

“But What About Sugar and Fat?”

It’s time to challenge what you’ve been told. Naturally occurring sugars (like honey or fruit) and healthy fats (like those in eggs, butter, or avocado) have been unfairly demonised. But here’s the truth: your body knows how to metabolise these simple, raw ingredients. What it struggles with are the synthetic sweeteners, stabilisers, hydrogenated oils, and artificial flavours found in UPFs.

Whole, minimally processed ingredients may contain sugar or fat, but they also carry nutrients, enzymes, and fibre that work with your body, not against it.

Swap It: A Day of Easy, Nourishing UPF-Free Meals

Here’s how you can crowd out the processed foods by adding in delicious, wholesome alternatives. It doesn’t have to be complicated—it just takes a little intention.

🥣 Breakfast Swap
Instead of: Flavoured cereal or breakfast bars
Try: Rolled oats cooked with cinnamon, banana, and full-fat Greek yogurt

Tip: Add chia seeds, berries, and honey for fibre and natural sweetness.

🥪 Lunch Swap
Instead of: Ham & cheese white sandwich or instant noodles
Try: Leftover grilled chicken with roasted veggies and brown rice or quinoa

Tip: Batch-cook protein like chicken or steak ahead of time to make fast lunches a breeze.

🍪 Snack Swap
Instead of: Store-bought muesli bars or rice crackers
Try: A cheese and veggie sticks, fruit platter, home popped popcorn or one of the easy homemade snacks below 👇

🍝 Dinner Swap
Instead of: Frozen lasagna or takeaway
Try: Quick one-pan stir fry with beef, garlic, ginger, and fresh vegetables served over noodles or rice

Tip: Use herbs like coriander or thai basil to bring flavour.

Fakeaway dinner swap

Homemade burger and chips

Ingredients:

• 500g 3 star beef mince

• Cheese

• Pickles

• Lettuce

• Fresh rolls from the bakery

• Regular or Sweet potatoes

Method:

1. Chop potatoes into chips, leave then skin on!

2. Heat 1 inch of olive oil in a deep pan. Check it’s ready by putting one chip in, if it bubbles all around it put the others in. Stir intermittently to make sure the oil gets to all chippies.

3. Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan.

4. Roll 250g balls of mince and squish into patties when you put them in the pan. Cook to your liking, flip half way then season with salt and pepper and put your cheese slice on top to melt.

5. Split open the rolls and lightly toast the inside section. Spread with a little butter.

6. Your chips should be looking golden and crispy, once they are ready, lift them out onto paper towel to let the excess oil run off. Dust with salt.

7. Build you burgers, serve everything and demolish!

Yes, this recipe is pretty calorie dense. No, it’s not one to have every week. BUT it will give you a takeaway hit without all the nasty chemical and additives often found in fast food.

Homemade Snack Recipes to Replace UPFs

Here are three simple homemade snack recipes you can prep for the week—free from preservatives, additives, and mystery ingredients.

1. No-Bake Muesli Bars

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups rolled oats

• 1/2 cup nut butter

• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup

• 1/4 cup chopped nuts or seeds

• 1/4 cup chopped dried fruit (optional)

• 1 tsp cinnamon

Method:

1. Warm nut butter and honey together in a saucepan until melted.

2. Stir in oats, nuts, and cinnamon.

3. Press into a lined tray and chill in the fridge for 2+ hours.

4. Slice and store in an airtight container.

2. Wholesome Choc Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wholemeal flour/flour/almond meal

• 1/4 cup rolled oats

• 1/4 cup dark choc chips

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 egg

• 2 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. Mix all ingredients until combined.

3. Roll into small balls and place on lined tray.

4. Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden.

3. Frozen Yogurt Bites

Ingredients:

• Full-fat Greek yogurt

• Fresh or frozen berries

• Desiccated coconut

Method:

1. Spoon small dollops of yogurt onto a tray.

2. Press a few berries into each and sprinkle with coconut.

3. Freeze until firm. Store in a container in the freezer for a cool afternoon snack.

Small Shifts, Big Changes

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small:
✅ Read food labels
✅ Cook with whole ingredients when possible
✅ Keep snacks simple and homemade where possible
✅ Avoid food products with more than 5 ingredients or ones you can’t pronounce

Reducing ultra-processed foods isn’t about being perfect. It’s about protecting your long-term health, supporting your family’s wellbeing, and reconnecting with the way your body was meant to be nourished.

💬 Need help cutting through the confusion and finding a way of eating that works for your body and lifestyle? That’s exactly what I do through 1:1 nutrition coaching—no calorie obsession, no strict rules, just support and strategy that fits your life.