{"id":671749,"date":"2026-05-15T18:48:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T18:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/671749\/"},"modified":"2026-05-15T18:48:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T18:48:10","slug":"globe-readers-share-how-theyre-avoiding-ultraprocessed-foods-in-their-daily-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/671749\/","title":{"rendered":"Globe readers share how they\u2019re avoiding ultraprocessed foods in their daily lives"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Several studies have linked ultraprocessed foods and chronic health issues.Erin Hooley\/The Associated Press<\/p>\n

As studies increasingly show links between ultraprocessed foods and multiple diet-related issues<\/a>, health-conscious Canadians are on the lookout for alternatives. Globe and Mail health reporter Kelly Grant tried to see if it could be done. Over the course of a week, her family of five tried to cut out ultraprocessed foods entirely, poring over lengthy ingredient lists and cooking more meals from scratch.<\/p>\n

We asked Globe readers to share their tips on how they\u2019ve been trying to cut out UPFs from their diet, and how they make it work for their varied lifestyles.<\/p>\n

From meal prepping models to handy kitchen gadgets, here\u2019s what you told us is working for you.<\/p>\n

My family of five tried to cut out ultraprocessed foods for a week. Here\u2019s what we learned<\/a><\/p>\n

We have traded processed cold-cut meats for the fresh, cooked roast chickens sold at stores like Sobeys, Costco, and Walmart. We cut up the chicken and use it for sandwiches, soups and past dishes. The cost is about the same, but the taste and health benefits are way better! \u2013 Patrick Draper, Paris, Ont.<\/p>\n

Yes, we\u2019re cutting down, but aiming for progress not perfection. It helps that we\u2019ve always emphasized home cooking. Sometimes you have to mix it up: \u201chomemade\u201d quiche with frozen pastry, nachos with good chips, a frozen margherita pizza with the simplest ingredient list, or teriyaki chicken with bottled sauce \u2013 all still healthier than ordering in. \u2013 Dawn Steele, Vancouver<\/p>\n

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Ultraprocessed foods from health reporter Kelly Grant\u2019s pantry and fridge.
\nGrant and her family spent seven days experimenting only eating non-ultraprocessed foods based on the NOVA classification system.Melissa Tait\/The Globe and Mail<\/p>\n

We eat our fair share of ultraprocessed foods, especially the teens in our house, but meal planning and home cooking helps us eat more of the less processed foods. We\u2019ve done it since our 20s, when we realized we\u2019d save money, so 25 years later, prepping and planning is just routine. I figure that half-hour of planning on a Saturday saves us a couple hours during the work week that follows \u2013 we\u2019re not scrambling for ideas when we\u2019re worn out. <\/p>\n

Lunches are mostly leftovers from the night before. Double-batching then freezing the extra batch can also cut down on time, and prepping food on Sunday while listening to music or podcasts can be pleasant.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not perfect, nor are we paragons of virtue. Some months we\u2019re more successful than others \u2013 sometimes the inspiration is in short supply faced with putting food on the table every single day! \u2013 Dinah Laprairie, Sudbury, Ont.<\/p>\n

Even a small increase in ultraprocessed foods can harm cognitive function, study suggests<\/a><\/p>\n

Invest in an Instant Pot \u2013 it will allow for quick preparation of nutritious meals that incorporate dried beans, legumes, fresh or frozen vegetables in unlimited tasty combinations. Whip up a stew in 30 minutes. Make black bean salad for lunches. Make your own hummus. It doesn\u2019t have to be overly complicated nor does it need to require hours in the kitchen. \u2013 Gail\tMitchell, Ottawa<\/p>\n

A lot depends on your starting point. If you\u2019re used to ready meals and are suddenly trying to cook from scratch every day, that\u2019s going to be a big lift. Be kind to yourself! I suggest you dupe your restaurant and ready-made favourites. We have a great little lunch restaurant in town that makes a series of delicious bowls. We have copied several for very satisfying meals at home without the cognitive load of coming up with a recipe ourselves. \u2013 Liz Montgomery, Salmon Arm, B.C.<\/p>\n

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Jenny Kane\/The Associated Press<\/p>\n

Time is an issue, but it\u2019s also important to appreciate that there\u2019s some adjustment of the palate necessary to appreciate a less-processed diet. But it will happen. Maybe one approach could be to start off with a \u2018one night a week\u2019 strategy, perhaps expanding it as some recipes become family favourites. It could become an (entertaining) family tradition. \u2013 Robert Adair, Vancouver<\/p>\n

In 2007 I developed IBS and was diagnosed with many food sensitivities and allergies. The freezer is my best food friend! I live alone and cook everything from scratch, using only good quality food, and often in large batches. Then I freeze the food in single serving sizes that I can pull out of the freezer when I don\u2019t have time to cook or am too tired. My freezer currently has single portions of various chicken dishes, salmon & beet dishes, various lentil dishes, various green bean dishes, quinoa, roasted potatoes, and soups. It is possible to live without processed foods, eat a healthy diet, and have a busy schedule! \u2013 Evelyn Cream, Toronto<\/p>\n

We generally buy our food on an \u201cas needed\u201d basis. We plan our meals a day or two ahead, and then buy fresh meat\/poultry\/fish and vegetables for those meals. <\/p>\n

Since it is only my wife and I, we find the above approach easy to do, although it does take some effort. We both love to eat and cook, so we put a priority on buying quality foods and ingredients and spending the time to prepare them. We have found that we feel better by cutting out the sugar and preservatives in our foods, and by eating fresh, simple and clean when possible. \u2013 Andrew Butler, Brantford, Ont.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: Several studies have linked ultraprocessed foods and chronic health issues.Erin Hooley\/The Associated Press…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":671750,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[247332,14323,1397,10456,10457,9335,49,48,84,2922,395,5756,2785],"class_list":["post-671749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nutrition","tag-ac-callout","tag-ac-community","tag-appwebview","tag-aud-growth","tag-aud-headline","tag-aud-url","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-health","tag-noastack","tag-nutrition","tag-yesapplenews","tag-yessnap"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/671749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=671749"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/671749\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/671750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=671749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=671749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=671749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}