Recently I popped into to my regular supermarket to buy some healthy groceries and it struck me that on the way in I had to pass four coffee shops, two fried chicken outlets and a bakery selling sticky buns and sausage rolls. Even if you weren’t in the notion for a coffee and a bun, it is enough to lead you into temptation.
It seems that everywhere we look, there are food outlets trying to lure us to in to indulge in their goodies, but look a little closer and it is almost impossible to find a healthy option on the menu of many of these outlets.
Read more: ‘Now is the time to adopt plain packaging for confectionery to protect children’s health’
Despite our vast knowledge of how important a balanced, healthy and nutritious diet is for our health and wellbeing, it is not always easy to find a decent option when eating out.
It is well known that our environment is a risk factor for obesity. To put it another way, if we live in a neighbourhood where fast food is easily available, the more likely we are to eat it, leading to obesity and other serious health issues. Our diet is a big player in the development of major health issues from cardiovascular disease to cancer. We know so much about the benefits of eating well, but our environment can make it really challenging to eat well a lot of the time.
Imagine a world where healthy eating was the go-to, easy and acceptable choice. Instead of being blasted by the stink of fast food on your way to your local supermarket, you could have the option of picking up some food that was really good for you.
Instead of being blasted by the stink of fast food on your way to your local supermarket, you could have the option of picking up some food that was really good for you
Of course, we are all responsible for our own food choices and the occasional fish supper or fry-up is unlikely to be a game changer, but when this sort of food is in your face and there are queues around the block for the latest American junk food chain, I think we have a problem.
Read more: The bitter truth about how our love of sweets is harming our health - The Irish News view
Planners and councils have the final say on our town and city environments, so we can’t do much about the eateries around the corner or in our area. But while much of this is outside our control, we can all take responsibility for our food choices, no matter how much temptation is put in our way.
Sometimes we have to take our health into our own hands. Here are some ideas that might help change your habits and environment, to help you make better choices.
- Find another place to shop. If you have to battle your way through junk food to get to the fruit and veg aisle, then re-route your routine and find another supermarket if you can.
- Get excited about cooking. It stands to reason that home cooked food is likely to be more nutritious than food eaten from takeaways, cafes and food outlets outside of our homes. When we cook more, we tend to eat less sugar, lower fat and less salt, and more balanced portion sizes. Cook the sort of food you like to eat, If that’s fish and chips, then add some extra peas on the side and do your chips in the oven or air fryer to make it a little bit healthier. As our diet changes, so do our tastebuds. The more nutritious our diet is, the less we tend to crave foods that are high in sugar, fat and sugar.
- If there is one food that you love, but that is less than healthy for you, do not deny yourself the occasional indulgence. As long as most of your diet is packed with nutritious food, having a little bit of junk food every so often is not going to cause much harm. The key is to take back control of your choices, so that rather than acting on impulse at the sight of a cream bun, you choose when and where you are going to eat that little something that you just can’t resist.
- Don’t shop when you are hungry. You know how that ends up...
