A dietitian who wrote a book on ultra-processed foods shares how she includes them in her kids’ nutritious diet

Nichola Ludlam-Raine makes snack plates for her children that provide both the snacks they want, and more nutritious foods.

As a dietitian who has written a book on ultra-processed foods and a mother of two, Nichola Ludlam-Raine has a few tricks for getting kids to eat a nutritious diet.

With “How Not to Eat Ultra-Processed,” which was published earlier this year, she aims to demystify UPFs and help readers find a healthy balance between processed and whole foods.

Ludlam-Raine told B-17 she takes a similarly balanced approach to feeding her two children, aged six and three. However, children are not just small adults and have different requirements, she said.

UPFs — generally considered to be foods involving ingredients and processes you wouldn’t find in a typical home kitchen — have been linked to various health issues in adults, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. A 2023 review of studies by researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo found children who consume more UPFs are more likely to be overweight and develop cardiovascular health issues and gum disease.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting the consumption of heavily processed foods. However, an estimated 70% of baby food in the US is ultra-processed.

Ludlam-Raine explained what parents need to know about feeding their children, and the tips and tricks she uses with her kids.

Think about how nutritious a food is, not just if it’s a UPF

Ludlam-Raine thinks parents shouldn’t panic if their children are eating UPFs that are still nutritious, such as fruit yogurts, wholemeal bread, and baked beans (a kitchen staple for many in the UK, where she is based).

She believes it’s more important to keep an eye on kids’ intakes of foods that are high in fat, sugar, or salt (and low in fiber and nutrients) rather than worrying too much about whether a food is technically a UPF.

Sugar isn’t a UPF, but that doesn’t mean you should consume it with abandon, Ludlam-Raine said.

“There are plenty of non-UPF foods that kids shouldn’t be having in excess, things like butter, cream, and sugar,” Ludlam-Raine said. Sugar can lead to tooth decay, while too much high-fat food can lead to excess weight.

And while adults are becoming more aware of the benefits of increasing their protein and fiber intake, she said children don’t need anywhere near as much.

For example, US guidelines advise that girls aged between two and four should consume two to four ounces of foods containing protein per day. Too much protein can put stress on the liver and kidneys of children, and make them more prone to dehydration.

“As long as they’re having a predominantly whole food diet with their five portions of fruit and veg a day, the odd amount of UPF — healthy or less nutritious — is fine,” Ludlam-Raine said.

However, Ludlam-Raine added that she would pay more attention to ingredients were she based in the US, where food regulations are more relaxed.

“Things are really highly and tightly regulated here as opposed to in America where I would not buy certain things like brightly colored foods,” she said.

Earlier this year, California banned red No. 40 and five other chemicals from public school foods, and food dye and UPFs are a focus for President-elect Donald Trump’s controversial pick for the position of Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Make ‘snack plates’ combining treats and whole foods

Snack plates provide nutrient density as well as what a child may most want to eat. 

If your child wants a cookie, saying no can backfire.

Allowing occasional treats in moderation is important to prevent unhealthy relationships with food later in life, Ludlam-Raine said, and research suggests that restricting foods such as sweet treats can lead to children ultimately overeating them.

“It’s not about banning these foods because if you ban foods then that can lead to secret eating and binge eating in the future,” she said.

This is why she often makes snack plates for her children that incorporate both the treat they want and more nutrient-dense whole foods.

“I add fruit, veggie sticks like peppers, breadsticks, nut butter, and biscuits or potato chips. So he has his preferred food that he wants alongside more nutritious foods and it’s fine,” Ludlam-Raine said. (In the UK, biscuits are a type of cookie).

At first Ludlam-Raine’s son wouldn’t eat the vegetable sticks, but now does. Making the plates look colorful and appealing also helps, she said.

“He really likes running fast,” Ludlam-Raine said. “So I tell him that if he wants to run fast, you have to eat these types of foods for energy. So he understands that he’s fueling himself.”

Be a role model

Ludlam-Raine’s three-year-old daughter is a fussy eater but she’s found that modeling healthy eating has helped a lot. For this reason, the family eats all together at least once a day, she said.

“Role modeling, eating your broccoli and vegetables at dinnertime, sitting down as a family, that has really worked with my daughter. It’s amazing to see,” Ludlam-Raine said. “She’s seeing that I’m eating the broccoli and then she’s copying her brother and me.”

A 2023 study published in JAMA Network Open suggested that longer family mealtimes can increase how much nutritious food children eat.

Ludlam-Raine added it’s important to understand your child’s boundaries. For example, her son doesn’t like vegetables added to dishes such as bolognese, but he will gladly eat them on the side.

Be patient and expose children to whole foods multiple times

Just because a child doesn’t eat something the first time doesn’t mean they never will, Ludlam-Raine said.

“Before, my son used to just eat plain breadsticks but he saw me dipping them into nut butter and now he does it,” she said. “It takes a few exposures, but then they come round to it.”

Research suggests that repeatedly putting disliked foods in front of children can increase the likelihood they will accept them, but it can take 10 to 15 exposures.