5 unbelievably cheap and easy ultra-processed food swaps

Our most achievable store cupboard recipes that make short work of UPF replacements, helping you to support your health and even save cash.

In the UK, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) account for 57% of our calorie intake as adults, and that rises to two-thirds in adolescents. That makes us the second largest consumer of UPFs, behind the USA.

Given that many of the most affordable supermarket staples – like bread and wraps, for instance – are ultra-processed, it’s perhaps unsurprising.

While there’s no official guidelines around UPF consumption, limiting them is considered an all-round good idea. That’s not only because recent studies have linked them to a number of health issues from cancer to heart conditions and mental health problems, but also because they’re often laced with saturated fats, sugar and salt and wanting in beneficial nutrients like fibre.

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Despite their downfalls, banishing UPFs from our kitchen cupboards entirely isn’t a realistic prospect. The time and budget restraints that so many of us work to cause us to lean on these convenient, wallet-friendly products.

But cutting back in a way that’s simple and sustainable is a definite possibility. That’s where these recipes come in. They are cheap, easy and quick to whip up, and could help us swap out many of the most commonly eaten processed foods in our diet for homemade versions.

That means limiting potentially harmful additives, upping our intake of important nutrients and slashing the amount of fats, salt and sugar in our diet – all without inflating our grocery bill or costing us fanciful levels of effort.

To make these swaps even more achievable, try batch cooking every so often and storing extras in the fridge or freezer, ready to whip out for a meal or snack at a moment’s notice.

1. Quick and easy wraps and tortillas

There’s (almost) no end to the uses of these super speedy wraps. Use as tortillas for fajitas or tacos, flatbread wraps for packed lunches, easy bases for homemade pizza, and get them involved with mopping up curries and stews. Each one cooks in a hot frying pan in under a minute (seriously) and they freeze well, too.

2. Tomato pasta sauce

This five-ingredient staple is spot-on for pasta – but also makes an ideal pizza sauce. It uses budget-friendly tinned tomatoes along with simple dried herbs that you likely have in the cupboard. Do your future self a solid and scale up the recipe, split into portions and freeze.

3. Easy bread for beginners

The lack of hands-on time in this super-simple bread recipe is almost unbelievable. Swap that long and confusing list of unfamiliar additives on your plastic-wrapped supermarket loaf for just three, everyday ingredients that you might already have in.

4. Store cupboard hummus

The lack of tahini and absence of blending in this recipe make it super cheap and ultra-achievable. Great to spread in sarnies for lunch, dip veg sticks or pitta into for a snack or take along to a picnic.

5. All-in-one white sauce

Say bye forever to jars and packets of white sauce. This foolproof recipe takes away all of the faff and lump-related risk of homemade. Simply bung the milk in the pan along with a knob of butter and sprinkling of flour and whisk over heat until you have a thick, velvety sauce. Add grated cheddar if you want to make it cheesy.

Originally published April 2025

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