UPFs can be defined as food that has gone through a lot of processes and contain ingredients we wouldn’t add if cooking from scratch at home.

And recent research found that adolescents’ diets are typically made up of two-thirds of UPFs, according to the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey.

Chef and food writer Melissa Hemsley says it’s “quite terrifying”, and “it doesn’t look like it’s in any way stopping”.

Here’s her advice to redress the balance.


Identify your tricky spots

“A lot of people told me breakfast and lunch were their tricky spots,” says Hemsley – typical times when they would reach for the convenience of UPFs.

“So I thought, why don’t I make them the sweet spots where I focus my energy on recipes? So grab-and-go breakfasts, packed lunches you’ll genuinely look forward to”.


Stock up on the right long-lasting ingredients

Hemsley recommends using frozen vegetables frequently – and if you always have some in the freezer, you’ll always have the building blocks of a quick meal on hand.

“It’s about building your kitchen up to make it work for you. So making sure you’ve got a couple of things that you really rely on in the cupboard, a couple of things in the freezer,” she says.


Meal prep with a base component

Hemsley suggests prepping one sauce that you can use in multiple meals throughout the week. A tomato-based sauce is really handy. “It’s one of the most bought ingredients, jarred pasta sauces, or in plastic, they’re expensive and you don’t necessarily know what’s in them and I find them not that filling,” she says.


Eat more mindfully

If we pay closer attention to our moods and energy levels, it may become clearer that the food we choose is often linked. “I talk about mindful eating – as long as it doesn’t make your eyes roll – but really thinking about if you’re eating food and it really makes you feel dreadful,” says Hemsley.

“Say I didn’t eat whole foods for a few days, I know that I will be way more of a pain to be around. I will be irritable, I will be moody, my blood sugar levels will be crashing, I might find it harder to sleep.

“I know a lot of people who work in the education system will say they can see a difference when children eat certain foods, in their concentration, disruption levels and their general moods.”


White chilli chicken

Ingredients:

(Serves 4, takes 1hr 10)

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

2tbsp olive oil, plus extra if needed

2 onions, finely chopped

2 yellow peppers, diced

4 garlic cloves, finely sliced

2tsp ground cumin

1tsp dried oregano

¼tsp cayenne pepper or chilli flakes, to taste

1.2L vegetable or chicken stock

2 x 400g tins of white beans, drained and rinsed

200g frozen sweetcorn

Juice of 1 lime, plus a little zest if you like

Sea salt and black pepper

Optional toppings:

Soured cream or yoghurt

Fresh coriander and/or spring onions, sliced

Sliced avocado

Sliced radishes or cucumber

Lime wedges

Jarred jalapeño slices or chilli flakes

Method:

1. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and, once warm, add the chicken thighs, skin-side down. Cook for 10-12 minutes over a medium-high heat until very well browned, then turn and cook on the other side for two to three minutes. Lift out of the pot and set aside on a large plate.

2. The chicken should have given out plenty of fat but if not, add a splash of olive oil to the pot and, once warm, add the onions, peppers and a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for about 12 minutes over a medium heat until very soft, stirring every so often. Add the garlic, fry for a minute, then add the cumin, oregano and cayenne or chilli flakes and fry for two minutes, stirring regularly.

3. Return the chicken thighs to the pot and pour in the stock. Simmer for 25 minutes, then add the beans and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

4. Remove the chicken thighs once cooked through and take the meat off the bones and shred. Set aside, discarding the chicken skin if you wish. Use a potato masher or the back of your wooden spoon to crush roughly a third of the beans (this will help thicken the chilli).

5. Add the frozen sweetcorn, then cook for five minutes or so until tender. Remove from the heat, add the chicken, lime juice, plus a little zest if you like, and taste for seasoning.

6. Ladle into bowls and finish with the toppings you like.


Grated halloumi toasts with hot honey

Credits: PA;

Ingredients:

(Serves 2, takes 20 minutes)

400g cherry tomatoes

1 big handful of black olives, pitted

2 large slices of sourdough bread

3tbsp olive oil

225g halloumi, coarsely grated

1tsp dried oregano or thyme

Good pinch of chilli flakes

1tbsp runny honey

2 large handfuls of rocket

Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to fan 220°C/gas mark 9.

2. Put the tomatoes, olives and bread on a large baking tray. Drizzle the tomatoes with two tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for five to seven minutes to lightly toast the bread.

3. Pile the grated halloumi onto the toasts, sprinkle with the oregano or thyme, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and bake for a further 10-12 minutes until the halloumi is melted and golden.

4. As soon as you take them out of the oven, sprinkle the toasts with the chilli flakes and drizzle with the honey. Scatter over the rocket and serve straight away.


Chocolate peanut butter (no-bake) bar

Credits: PA;

Ingredients:

(Serves 16, takes 20 minutes to prep)

250g smooth peanut butter

100g ground almonds

100g porridge oats

6tbsp maple syrup

1tsp vanilla extract

A little pinch of sea salt

For the chocolate layer:

180g dark chocolate, roughly broken

1tbsp smooth peanut butter

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Optional topping:

2 handfuls of toasted peanuts

Method:

1. Line a small tin or dish (about 15cm x 8cm or square equivalent) with greaseproof paper, making sure it comes up high enough on the sides so that you can lift the mixture out of the tin once it’s set.

2. Mix the peanut butter, ground almonds, oats, maple syrup, vanilla and salt together in a bowl. Transfer to the lined tin, pressing down with the back of a spoon or spatula to make it even and compact.

3. For the chocolate layer, melt the chocolate in a bain-marie (a heatproof bowl set over a pan of very lightly simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Once melted, stir through the peanut butter and pour this evenly over the base.

4. If topping with the whole peanuts, scatter these over the chocolate layer. Sprinkle over a little pinch of flaky sea salt.

5. Set in the fridge for one hour or until firm, then cut into 16 pieces to serve.


Real Healthy by Melissa Hemsley is published in hardback by Ebury Press