Help to get you off to a healthy New Year

Jan 8, 2012 by blackbook

After the excesses of the festive season many people are looking to start the New Year on a healthy note, however over recent years the cost of ‘healthy’ foods has been increase. However now customers shopping in Asda, Co-operative Food and Aldi can look forward to discounts on healthy foods.

The Governments Change4Life initiative is aiming to tap into parents’ resolutions for themselves and their kids to eat healthier in the New Year, so supermarkets will fund price cuts on items such as fruit and vegetables and low fat yoghurt as part of the scheme.

To help you decipher the healthy food discounts Change4Life branding will appear throughout stores, there will also be information on how to make cheap, nutritious meals, dubbed “Supermeals” using the discounted items.

Many people on lower incomes do find shopping for healthier foods quite expensive, previously generous discounts were only really seen on convenience or processed foods or food stuffs which are not really considered nutritious. This new drive should see a change in trend on what we eat and hopefully help many people onto healthy and nutritious diets.

As part of the Campaign four million recipe cards with healthy meal ideas will be distributed through channels including newspapers and a direct mail campaign which means there really isn’t any excuse not to cook and eat healthy meals no matter what your budget.

From 20 January a free cookbook endorsed by celebrity chef Ainsley Harriet will be available through Change4Life media partner Daily Mirror with Fifty thousand copies available, another fifty thousand will be available to people already signed up to receive Change4life information. The cookbook contains recipes that can be made for under £5.

As part of the Governments anti-obesity drive the private sector to help pay for and promote, schemes, in 2010 the “Great Swapathon”, saw companies including Unilever and Birds Eye fund discounts on their lower fat products in only Asda stores.

Public health minister Anne Milton says: “The New Year is a good time to think about losing weight. The Supermeals campaign will give us all some great ideas for balanced meals on a budget.”

In theory the scheme does have a lot of merits and will no doubt help families who are struggling, however the Shadow public health minister, Diane Abbott has reservations, she said: “They’re calling this public health but it’s just a glorified advertisement for big business. This is a government that doesn’t take its responsibility around public health seriously.”

If you are struggling with your weight or want to lead a healthier lifestyle then this is a good place to start, later in the month we will look at exercise routines that you can easily introduce around your home and work commitments.