- Go back to basics - cook like your granny and use a cookbook! You can pick them up easily and cheaply from charity shops or enrol at your local library Local library services - GOV.UK) and loan them for free. Alternatively, the internet is awash with recipes – so get scrolling!
- Start simple and don’t overcomplicate it – start with something that you know you or your family will eat. A classic spag bol or vegetable chilli are tasty, nutritious one pots that aren’t too time consuming and easy to make.
- Don’t give up – don’t worry if you make a few culinary mistakes – even chefs have an off day! Practice makes perfect and before you know it, you’ll be making home-cooked food as good as Jamie Oliver!
Eating well
Making the right choice to eat well will keep you well… for longer
The right food to fuel your body is essential for your overall wellbeing and fitness – especially during winter.
Opting to try and eat a healthy, balanced diet as often as you can is an important part of maintaining good health and helping you feel your best – and remember, a healthy diet equals a healthy mind.
You should be eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
And as we age, our nutritional needs change. Our metabolism slows down, muscle mass decreases and we become naturally less active so it’s vital we increase the necessity for nutrient-dense foods to maintain energy, immunity and bone health.
People with special dietary needs or a medical condition should ask their doctor or a registered dietitian for advice.
Plan ahead
Cooking and preparing food from scratch at home will make a huge difference to your health and wellbeing. Home-cooked meals and snacks taste better and have less preservatives than processed or takeaway food. It will also work out cheaper and more cost effective in the long run.
Tips to getting started:
- Make a shopping list – this will stop you getting distracted (and tempted) by other products when you do your supermarket shop - and make you stick to what’s on your list.
- Buy frozen fruit and veg – typically cheaper than fresh, it allows for minimal waste because you use the exact amount you need so it’s more cost effective and accessible.
- Prep your own lunch – whether you’re in the office or at home, making your own lunch is a cheaper option, gives you control over the ingredients and the portion size. Or why not use up the leftovers from the night before to save on cost and waste?
- Ditch the takeaways – if you love to treat yourself on a weekend why not try your hand at a ‘fakeaway’ instead? Whether you cook up a donor kebab, vindaloo or chicken chow Mein you are still having ‘a treat’ but it’s better (and cheaper!) than a bought one.
- Make it sociable – cooking is a great way to bring people together and have fun. Whether you invite the in-laws for a Sunday roast, test your ‘fakeway’ skills out on your friends on a Friday night or bake chocolate cupcakes on a rainy afternoon with your little one, food is fun - and good - for the soul!
- A family affair – get everyone involved in the cooking. From helping with the shopping list, suggesting tea ideas or taking it in turns to cook, making healthy and delicious food should be everyone’s responsibility.
- Batch cook – by preparing meals in larger quantities and storing them for later in the fridge or freezer advance means you save time, reduce food waste and ensures that you always have nutritious meals on hand.
Online resources
These useful guides will help you kick start a new eating plan or maintain an already healthy, balanced diet.
The Eatwell Guide shows how much of what you should eat and where it comes from within each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. You do not need to achieve this balance with every meal but try to get the balance right over a day or even a week.
Starchy foods are our main source of carbohydrate and have an important role in a healthy diet. Starchy foods, such as potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and cereals, should make up just over a third of the food you eat.
These practical tips cover the basics of healthy eating and can help you make healthier choices. The key to a healthy diet is to eat the right amount of calories for how active you are so you balance the energy you consume with the energy you use.
Vitamins and minerals are nutrients your body needs in small amounts to work properly and stay healthy. Most people should get all the nutrients they need by having a varied and balanced diet, although some people may need to take extra supplements.
Almost all fruit and vegetables count towards your 5 A Day, so it may be easier than you think to get your recommended daily amount.
Information about eating a balanced diet, including advice about vegetarian and vegan diets.
Most of us need to eat more fibre and have fewer added sugars in our diet. Eating plenty of fibre is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
Milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt, are great sources of protein and calcium. They can form part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Find out which drinks are healthier choices and how to get enough fluids every day to stay hydrated.
Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals in your diet. However, it is recommended that you do not eat too much red, processed or fatty meat.