Ultra-Processed Food and the Snickers Test

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s no secret that many of us lead hectic lives. Between work deadlines, family commitments, and endless to-do lists, finding time to prepare wholesome meals can feel like an impossible task. As a result, busy people often turn to ultra-processed foods (UPF) for convenience—think ready-to-eat snacks, frozen dinners, or quick grabs from the vending machine. While these options save time, they come with well-documented health risks, including links to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and even mental health issues. Despite knowing this, the allure of UPF is hard to resist when you’re on the go. But what if we had a simple way to evaluate these foods? Enter the “Snickers test,” a straightforward mental shortcut to help us pause and reflect on what we’re really putting into our bodies.

Let’s take a closer look at the Snickers bar as our benchmark. Snickers is a classic mass-market candy bar, undeniably ultra-processed and loaded with sugar, fats, and additives. Yet, when you flip it over and read the ingredients list, it’s surprisingly straightforward: milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, skim milk, lactose, milkfat, soy lecithin, artificial flavor), peanuts, corn syrup, sugar, palm oil, skim milk, lactose, salt, egg whites, and artificial flavor. That’s it—no endless parade of unpronounceable chemicals or obscure emulsifiers that dominate the labels of many other UPF items. Compare this to something like a typical frozen pizza or a boxed macaroni and cheese, which might list dozens of ingredients including high-fructose corn syrup variants, artificial colors, preservatives like BHT or TBHQ, and modified food starches. Even some “healthy” granola bars or energy drinks can have longer, more convoluted lists than Snickers. The point here is that despite being a quintessential junk food, Snickers maintains a relatively recognizable and limited set of components, making it a useful yardstick for spotting even more heavily engineered UPF masquerading as everyday eats.

So here’s the Snickers test in one easy question: Does this food feel even further from real, whole ingredients than a Snickers bar? If the answer is yes—maybe it has a longer ingredient list full of lab-made stuff or strange additives—pause and smile at the chance to choose better. Pick something closer to nature: a handful of nuts, a piece of fruit, or veggies with a little dip. Your body will thank you with more steady energy and real happiness. One small question, one big win for your health.

Note: This post was written before Alton Brown launched his new YouTube series, Alton Brown Cooks Food, in late 2025. His fresh content feels warm, fun, and more open—he shares more of his real personality now. I’ve always been a fan. Being a public figure comes with real costs. Here at Eager to be Healthy, we wish him the best and will keep following and cheering him on! 🌟

We all build a “package.”

It’s the image we show the world—sharp, in control, always on top.

It feels safe. It gets results.

Here’s the quiet truth: that packaging can’t protect you forever.

Small things still sneak in. They wear you down over time.

Alton Brown’s story shows this so clearly.

He started as a TV entertainer, not a restaurant chef.

He built Good Eats with tight scripts, fun science lessons, and a clever, contained personality. The show felt smart and fresh. People loved it.

His control became the brand. It looked like real strength.

But years of nonstop filming, touring, and live shows added up.

By the mid-2010s, he felt emotionally fatigued and vulnerable. His marriage ended in 2015 after 21 years.¹ The sharp edge that once helped started to feel harsh—even to himself.

Then in 2020, he posted tweets comparing the country’s troubles to concentration camps, mentioning Auschwitz uniforms. Many saw the words as flippant and insensitive. Backlash came fast. He apologized right away, saying it was poor judgment and not meant as a joke.²

Food Network didn’t fire him. They paused and waited. Later, he returned, and something changed.

He began talking more openly about his mental health struggles, including battles with depression.³ He stepped back from the old “always in control” style.

It wasn’t one big disaster. Small stressors piled up: burnout, a broken marriage, and that public moment that cracked the shell.

The packaging that once shielded him became part of what wore him down.

Here’s the healthy lesson I take from this.

A strong image and expertise can buy some tolerance. But they don’t buy lasting peace or true protection.

Small daily choices do.

Skipping rest. Ignoring stress. Pretending you’re fine when you’re not. These quiet habits pile up like drops of water that slowly crack stone.

The good news? You can pick better small things instead.

Drink water. Move your body gently. Speak kindly to yourself. Talk honestly with a friend or therapist when the load feels heavy. Take real breaks before you break.

These habits aren’t flashy. But they build strength that lasts.

Alton Brown kept going. He adapted. He’s still creating—now on YouTube with a more open heart. It proves it’s never too late to drop the heavy mask and choose real health.

You don’t need a perfect package.

You need daily care for the real you.

Start small today. Smile at yourself in the mirror. Say, “I’m choosing peace in the little moments.”

Those little moments add up to a happier, healthier life.

You’ve got this, friend. 🌿

Sources

1. Divorce and timeline: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (2015) and People Magazine (2019)
2. 2020 tweets and apology: Deadline (Nov 2020), USA Today (Nov 2020), The Hill (2020)
3. Burnout, persona, and mental health openness: Forbes interview, Mashed reporting (2024), and Brown’s own public comments

What small healthy choice are you making today? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to cheer you on!