Patter Matters — real food

The term "ultra-processed food" has entered mainstream conversation in recent years, carried by a growing body of research linking it to a range of health outcomes. But the term is used loosely, and the concept behind it is often misunderstood. Understanding what ultra-processed food actually means — and why the distinction matters — requires looking past the marketing language and into the science. The NOVA Classification System The most widely used framework for thinking about food processing is the NOVA classification system, developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo. NOVA divides foods into four groups based on the...

Most food companies source ingredients by price. The question is: what is the cheapest ingredient that satisfies the specification? The specification is usually narrow — a certain protein content, a certain moisture level, a certain shelf life. If an ingredient meets the spec, it ships. A chef thinks differently. The Culinary Standard Patter Gersuk trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London and spent years as a specialty sourcer for before founding Patterbar. The sourcing philosophy she brought to the bars is the same one she brought to professional kitchens: the ingredient is the food, and the food is only as...

There is a fact about most energy bars that rarely appears in their marketing: they are designed to sit on a shelf — or in a gym bag, a glove compartment, an airplane seatback pocket — for up to a year without spoiling. Think about that for a moment. Real food does not do that. A banana lasts a few days. Almonds, stored properly, last a few months. Medjool dates, refrigerated, last about a year — but at room temperature, considerably less. Dried fruit, depending on how it was processed, lasts weeks to months. An energy bar made entirely of...