You are what you eat!

Healthy eating:

  • Too tiring
  • Too time-consuming
  • Too expensive
  • Too impractical

Is 5-a-day just too many?

With constant pressure from the government, the NHS (and probably your mother) healthy eating has taken a prime position on everyone’s to-do list, but it simply isn’t realistic. It’s a well-known fact that organic products dramatically improve the quality of the food you are eating. Still, at 65% more expensive than genetically modified foods, it just seems easier to stick to what you know. But how much damage are you doing by indulging in inorganic products?

With risks of arsenic irritating the stomach and mercury affecting embryonic development, is sticking to GM worth the risk? What if there was a way to eat better and do it on a budget? Why not try growing your vegetables?

Growing vegetables is not only a simple solution to making sure the food you are eating is 100% organic; it is both cost-effective and self-satisfying. It couldn’t be more straightforward with crops such as potatoes, peppers, carrots and onions requiring no more attention than digging a quick hole, waiting a while and then reaping the benefits! The simplicity of growing vegetables can also be an ideal solution to involving children in a healthy eating plan. As the quick result and ability to get involved is sure to keep them both busy and interested.

Where to Start?

Some useful websites to get you going:

  • www.rhs.org.uk/growyourownveg
  • www.trygardeningwhich.co.uk/growveg
  • www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques

Healthy eating has more than one benefit. The correct diet can help maintain healthy body weight and improve fatigue, job performance and overall well-being.

It may not only be you that needs to adopt a healthier eating plan; what about your children? Kids need the right amount of vitamins and minerals to grow and develop healthily, with most of these vitals being found in fresh, healthy foods (for example, carrots are one of the richest sources of vitamin A – essential for healthy eyes). But I’m guessing sweets tend to overrule sweet corn? So how do you get healthy food into kids?

  1. Why not make cooking fun? Getting the kids involved in preparing food will give them a sense of achievement (especially if they’ve grown the veggies as well as prepared and cooked them). They’ll be excited to tuck in and taste!
  2. Be a little sneaky! Try hiding veggies in their favourite food (perhaps disguising onions inside mash or gravy).
  3. Give rewardsGive treats and deserts as a reward for eating greens and such. You’ll get clear plates every time!

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