Defrosting the turkey at 6am, followed by hours spent on veg prep, making gravy and whipping brandy butter. And don’t even mention the military operation of shopping for all of this. Christmas dinner may be a joy to eat, but almost half of us say cooking it – which takes, on average, six hours – is one of the most stressful things they do all year.
So you might be forgiven for wanting to cut a few corners and get in some ready-made dishes to get things moving quicker. But where does that leave you if you’re trying to avoid ultra-processed foods (UPFs)?. These prepared products are made with thickeners, flavourings and preservatives that a growing body of experts fear could be harmful to health – increasing the risk of everything from diabetes to heart disease and even cancer.
And ready-made Christmas fare from supermarkets can be packed with them. The good news is that there are some smart swaps you can make while shopping that will save time in the kitchen – without the hidden UPFs. Read on to find out... . UPF: Morrisons The Best Turkey Gravy Granules, 200g, £1.90.
UPF ingredients: Flavourings, ammonia caramel, hydrolysed vegetable protein, soya lecithin. Bisto Favourite Gravy Granules, 190g, £2.80 from Tesco. UPF ingredients: Maltodextrin, palm fat, ammonia caramel, monosodium glutamate, disodium 5’-ribonucleotides, soya lecithin.
It may be convenient but ready-made gravy can be a UPF minefield, with flavourings added to enhance taste and colour. Gravy granules are also likely to contain soya lecithin – an emulsifier. These compounds prevent liquids and solids or oils separating, and are found in almost half of UPFs.
