What’s on the label? Can you make more nutritious swaps...
And an easy Berry compote recipe for everyday
Before I start this post I am not a purist! My kids and I do eat foods that are processed and it is unrealistic to avoid all forms of these foods and that’s fine. However, I try to avoid ultra processed foods (UPF) and I am increasingly aware of additives hidden in many foods that appear to be ‘healthy’.
The foods we want to avoid eating regularly can be obvious such as ready made pizzas, pasta sauces, donuts, cookies, white sliced bread, sugary cereals. But there are also a huge number of foods that are disguised as potentially good for us.
I recently went to buy my kids ice lollies and picked up some Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Raspberry Yoghurt Lollies. The image on the front shows a bowl of clean white yogurt, fresh raspberries and mint leaves. Everything about this product image implies a healthy, fresh option filled with goodness. The back of the box tells a different story…
This lolly contains 7 different additives, 2 of which are the highest risk category. The box of Apple Tango Lollies in the next fridge contain less additives and none of the high risk ones.
No, I’m not buying the Tango lollies either, but my point is don’t be fooled by packaging! We should all be reading the back of boxes and packets.
If you’re unsure what to look out for I recommend getting the Yuka app, you can scan the barcode and check the full product info including the risk level of additives.
Many UPF’s are often mass produced: sugary cereals, bread, cakes, biscuits, pizzas and read meals plus many children’s snacks and yoghurts. Even the ones you think are ok… check the ingredients list and it’s shocking.
The yoghurt you buy should have a very short ingredient list that often is just ‘milk’
There are simple swaps you can make:
Breakfast Cereals
If I have time then I make my own Granola… but that’s not as often as I would like so my favourite one to buy the one below. Both my kids like to sprinkle this on their porridge.
Bread swaps
Wholemeal is best. You should avoid any bread that isn’t made with whole wheat and look for sourdough or rye options as these tend to have no additives. Check out different brands just by reading the backs of products or using the Yuka app.
My choice:
Yoghurt swaps
Go for a natural, keffir or greek full fat yoghurt, and then add your own toppings such as fruit, compotes or a little honey.
I try to avoid kids yoghurts, if I do get some I like the Bonne Mammon with fruit or Rachel’s Organics.
My choice:
Snack swaps
Processed cakes, donuts and cookies are stuffed full of additives plus they are incredibly high in sugar and devoid of any nutritional value. I wrote a post all about kids snacks on a previous post.
My go to supermarket snacks: marmite rice cakes, oat cakes, veg sticks and whole fruit.
My choice:
NUTRITIOUS RECIPE
Berry Compote
This post’s recipe is a great addition to your fridge. We use it as a breakfast topping for yoghurt or porridge. It’s high in anti oxidants and vitamins. Adding this to my kids diet most days is a huge win.
I add a minimal amount of sugar to the berries as they already have natural sweetness, due to being picked at the height of their season. This means the final compote is not overly sweet, and for kids you can always add a little honey.
If available I buy organic berries, it’s one of only a few vegetables and fruits that I do this due to the high number of pesticides used in the growing process.
It will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
Method
In a large pan on a medium/low heat add:
1kg Mixed Frozen Berries (black and red fruits)
2tsp of sugar
100ml of water
Squeeze half a lemon
Cover and leave for 15/20mins (check on it in case you need a splash more water)
Then stir and gently mash the fruits into the juice and then leave it to cool, during the cooling process the sauce will thicken into a compote consistency.
Pour into jars and keep in the fridge.
