UPFs Workshop: What you need to know:
Ultra Processed Foods (UPFs) are foods and drinks that have gone through several industrial procedures. They contain ingredients you’d rarely use at home — preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial colours.
Currently, UPFs make up 57% of the UK diet. The risks are becoming ever more evident: Recent research links high UPF consumption to obesity, cancer, type 2 diabetes, depression, dementia and tooth decay.
“Most ultra processed foods are not food. They are an industrially produced edible substance.” — Fernanda Rauber, Brazilian scientist
This 60-minute workshop, led by a Harley Street BANT-registered nutritional therapist, gives your team the evidence, the food-label literacy, and the practical strategies to navigate UPF without ideology, shame, or impossible meal plans.
What this UPF Workshop covers:
Led by a Harley Street nutritionist, this insightful 60-minute UPF workshop will cover:
- Definition of UPFs, the NOVA classification, common examples
- How to identify ultra-processed foods — key characteristics, food labels, the difference between processed and ultra-processed
- Health impacts of UPFs — links to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and nutrient deficiency
- Why do we crave UPFs? — the science behind food addiction, marketing, convenience, and the impact of sugar, salt and fat on cravings
- Alternatives to UPFs — simple swaps for healthier eating, cooking and meal prep tips, best brands/products in the supermarket
- Reading and interpreting food labels
- Q&A
Trusted by:
Workshop outcomes:
After the session, participants typically leave with:
- A working understanding of what UPFs actually are (and aren’t) — beyond the social media noise
- Practical food-label literacy that translates to better supermarket decisions
- Specific swaps and brands they can actually use
- A reframed view of cravings — not willpower failures, but engineered responses to industrial design
When this workshop is the right fit:
- Mental Health Awareness Week (May) — UPF affects mood and mental health, often unrecognised
- Nutrition & Hydration Week (March) — the peak booking moment for nutrition content
- You’re addressing energy slumps or chronic fatigue patterns — UPF is a hidden driver
- Your team is interested but overwhelmed by the conflicting UPF advice — this workshop cuts through
Led by a Harley Street BANT-accredited nutritional therapist
Evidence-based, not fear-based — practical swaps, not food shaming
A timely workshop — UPF is one of the biggest cultural moments in nutrition right now
About your facilitator
Led by a fully certified and BANT-registered Harley Street nutritional therapist. All Stretching the City nutrition workshops are delivered by BANT-registered nutritional therapists — clinical credibility combined with warm, non-judgemental delivery.
What clients say
I learnt so much! Not least that we really need probiotics, prebiotics and omega3 in our diet.
The feedback I have received from the participants so far is hugely positive, with 100% stating the session was above their expectations.
This was amazing! I never thought about food in relation to mood, in such detail. Would love to have this kind of workshop again.
How this workshop pairs with others
UPF sits inside both the nutrition cluster and the broader wellbeing-habits picture. Strong pairings beyond nutrition:
- Pair with Eating for Energy Workshop: The general nutrition foundation that complements the UPF-specific deep dive.
- Pair with Boundary Setting in the Workplace: UPF is largely about boundary-setting with food marketing and convenience. The boundary framework translates surprisingly well.
- Pair with Sleep School: UPF disrupts sleep more than most teams realise. Two angles on the same problem.
- Pair with the Wellbeing at Work Workshop: Sally’s signature workshop covers the broader healthy-day picture; UPF zooms into one of the highest-impact specifics.
BOOK AN ULTRA PROCESSED FOOD WORKSHOP
If you’re planning Nutrition & Hydration Week, building a nutrition programme, or addressing the UPF conversation your team is already having — let’s talk.
Ultra Processed Food Workshop FAQs
Is this workshop going to make people feel guilty about their food choices?
Specifically no. The workshop is built around understanding why UPFs are designed to be addictive, not lecturing people for falling for that design. The focus is on practical swaps and supermarket literacy, not shame.
Are all processed foods bad?
No — and that’s a key distinction the workshop makes clear. Processing is a spectrum. Tinned tomatoes are processed; ultra-processed is a specific category with specific risks. The workshop teaches the difference clearly.
Is it appropriate for teams that include people with eating disorders?
The workshop is delivered with care, avoiding triggering “good/bad” food framing. For organisations with specific concerns, we can pre-discuss content adjustments.
Can the workshop be tailored?
Yes. We adapt for sector, team context, and specific themes (cost of living and convenience food, shift work, hybrid working).
What does it cost?
Tailored pricing based on duration, format and whether you’re booking standalone or as part of a programme. Multi-workshop bookings are priced more favourably. Book a discovery call and we’ll send a quote within 48 hours.
Clients also book
Eating for Energy Workshop
AUDIENCE: Sustainable performance · Whole-workforce · Hybrid teams
The general nutrition foundation that complements the UPF-specific deep dive. Energy stability, focus, and the everyday food habits that support both.
Sleep School
AUDIENCE: Sleep & recovery · Physical foundations · Whole-workforce
UPF disrupts sleep more than most teams realise. Two angles on the same energy and mood problem.
Boundary Setting in the Workplace
AUDIENCE: Food boundaries · Marketing & convenience · Sustained pressure
UPF is largely about boundary-setting with food marketing and convenience. The boundary framework translates surprisingly well to food choices.