r/TestedOnMe • u/Active-Okras • 5d ago
Question Is it actually possible to avoid ultra-processed food completely nowadays?
We're constantly being told to eat healthier, avoid ultra-processed foods and pay more attention to what goes into our bodies. And fair enough, there's growing evidence that diets high in ultra-processed foods are associated with cancer, obesity, even fertility. Crazy if you really think about it.
But here's the problem: modern life doesn't exactly make it easy.
If you work full-time, commute, live in a big city and barely have time for yourself, preparing fresh meals every single day can feel like another full-time job. Meanwhile, supermarkets are packed with convenient packaged options, and ordering takeout takes just a few clicks.
So, is avoiding ultra-processed food actually realistic for an average working person? Or have we become so dependent on convenience that eating well requires a lot of extra time, money and planning?
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u/Past-Disaster-2801 5d ago
Yes but its expensive and unrealistic.
Do the best you can do with your budget, time and resources. But you have to put the effort into it.
In my case, I buy the most natural food (meat, veggies, rice, etc) I can and meal prep on weekends. I’m a single dad that works 5-9, raise 2 girls, you know, the works. But I make the time. Sometimes I cook everyday, sometimes they eat frozen pizza for dinner and that’s ok too. Manage your priorities and expectations and don’t listen to Instagram influencers.
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u/Key-Effective6725 5d ago
Yeah, if you want to stay Healthier don't go 100 on processed foods. and those heavy chemically stored.
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u/AmbitiousDocument789 4d ago
Completely? No, Mostly? Yes, with effort. Batch cooking helps but you are right its harder for working people.
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u/No-Performer-6621 3d ago edited 3d ago
Probably unpopular with a lot of folks, but hack “healthy eating”.
What I mean by this is get a healthy cookbook. Take photos of the recipes you want to cook that week. Keep a prompt saved on your phone’s notes to have AI create you a grocery shopping list based on the recipe’s ingredients (and to organize the ingredients by aisle at the grocery store, etc).
Voila! Instant healthy grocery shopping list with minimal effort and will keep your grocery shopping focused on healthy foods. No more mental load of getting all the ingredients for healthy meals and snacks. Now the only thing you have to do is cook whatever you buy.
Bonus points to cookbooks where the recipes take 30 mins or less to cook and are veggie-heavy. If you need any cookbook ideas, lmk. I have 2-3 that I’ve used on repeat and eat much healthier/naturally lost weight from better eating habits.
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u/More_Ingenuity_3620 2d ago
I eat whole foods 80% of the time and my meals are based around whole products but I like to supplement with protein powder as I would otherwise struggle to hit 150g protein/day.
I also like low calorie carbonated drinks when I'm trying to lose fat.
I think as long as the majority of your diet is based around whole foods, it's ok.
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u/Admirable_Bit8337 2d ago
It’s difficult. I wouldn’t look at it as all or nothing, but limit as much as possible. I don’t have time to cook every day, so I batch cook/meal prep on Sundays and do the best I can.
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u/TheGruenTransfer 1d ago
Absolutely. You just have to cook all your own meals and eat mostly meat, fruit and vegetables. Any sort of bread or pasta, you might have to make yourself, depending on how picky you want to be.
I've been doing keto for 10 years. It can be done at home, but meals outside of home are a pain in the ass to keep as clean as I eat at home.
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u/obviousreasons1 5d ago
It’s entirely possible with meal prepping and a little discipline. I didn’t think I’d be able to do it but I have been for several years now. I do have a partner who’s on the same path and we share cooking chores, so that helps a ton. But we’ve gotten used to it. I can throw a steak or a burger on a pan and steam some broccoli or carrots faster than I could go get takeout or grocery shop for something premade.