Supporting and promoting healthier lifestyle for everyone during the cost of living crisis.
Today is the start of Healthy Eating Week and there’s never been a better time to reflect on our eating habits and make positive lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension and other illnesses. This year’s Healthy Eating Week, run by the British Nutrition Foundation, aims to help everyone learn more about what they can do to have a healthier and more sustainable diet by focusing on five themes:
Focus on fibre - for meals and snacks
Apart from keeping digestive system healthy higher intakes of dietary fibre are associated with a lower risk of heart and circulatory disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. A leaflet from British Dietetic Association will give you some tips on how you can increase fibre in your diet.
Get at least 5 A DAY – canned and frozen count too
Vary your protein - be more creative
Stay hydrated- fill up from the tap
Reduce food waste – be food wise
The rising cost of living is making it harder for many to eat healthy
46% of consumers said they are finding it harder to eat healthily now, compared to before the crisis.
The cost-of-living crisis continues to have an impact on the affordability of a healthy and balanced diet for many of us. Some people are trying to save money on food by choosing cheaper but less healthy products or even skipping meals. Our diet, including how much we eat, is an important part of staying well and with this in mind Healthy Eating Week, is focusing on providing free and evidence-based advice to support everyone who wants to follow a healthy diet regardless of financial barriers.
In Shop smart, cook smart, eat smart – some tips to save money on food article, British Nutrition Foundation looks at some of the nutritious foods that are lower in cost and gives tips to help make your money go further when shopping. You can also watch on-demand Eating well in the Workplace Webinar from BNF's Nutrition Scientist, Helena Gibson-Moore to get practical tips on healthy eating whilst at work.
Here are additional resources that can help you to eat well and keep costs down:
Eat well, spend less: Food Fact Sheet from British Dietetic Association
Eating healthy on a tight budget: 6 top tips from British Heart Foundation
Tips for budget-friendly food shopping from Heart UK
Healthy meals on a budget from BBC Food
GETTING SUPPORT
The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of food banks and together they provide emergency food to people facing hardship. In order to get help from a food bank you will need to be referred with a voucher, which can be issued by a number of local community organisations. Your local food bank can advise which agencies can help.
Once a week you can also join a community meal provided by FoodCycle which is totally free and you don't need a referral or a voucher. The charity's main aim is to end loneliness and provide meals to those in need, using food which would otherwise go to waste. By cooking with surplus ingredients, FoodCycle promotes healthy, sustainable attitudes towards food and its impact on the environment, and helps people to learn more about healthy food.
You can find your local community meal location here.
PROMOTING HEALTHY EATING IN THE WORKPLACE
Promoting healthy eating in the workplace can help you to encourage a healthier and more productive workforce. Any organisation, large or small, can take simple actions to promote healthy eating among their staff. From providing fruit bowls, stocking vending machines with healthy foods, sharing healthy recipes on the intranet, to appointing workplace champions. Have a look at Physical activity, healthy eating and healthier weight: a toolkit for employers from Business in the Community for some ideas on how you could support your employees and encourage them to follow a healthy diet.
And why not book Nutrition and Healthy Eating webinar? It would be a great addition to your workplace strategy, as the webinar aims to raise employees' awareness of a well-balanced diet and help them to make healthier food choices. We also offer Employee Health Checks - onsite health checks designed to give employees a better understanding of their health and wellbeing. They can help your employees make lasting and positive lifestyle changes. Get in touch with us to find out more!