Healthy hacks to meet your budget

There’s a sure sign, which I can’t help but notice, that marks the start of another academic year. It is suddenly much easier to get through the maze of supermarket aisles. Not that I am complaining about being rammed by child-sized mini-trollies. Or about one occasion, where I was almost ploughed down by a child bombing down the cereal aisle on a bike. After all, even though my children have grown up, I am still a parent. But all parents, if they’re honest, will readily admit that doing a weekly shop is far easier, less stressful and more efficient sans sprogs. Primarily because you can choose your purchases freely and without the prospect of facing any further negotiations or arguments. Not to mention, because you also have a bit more control over exactly what you spend. Although, with the cost of living crisis hitting most families’ budgets, it is getting more difficult to make any savings when it comes to buying healthy food.

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Does ‘5-a-day’ still keep the doctor away? 

With the constant stream of world events vying for attention in the media, it takes a lot to make it into the headlines these days. Nonetheless, the latest results from the UK’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) did just that recently with some depressing news about our dietary habits. It won’t come as any surprise to learn that too many of us are still eating an unhealthy diet and are contributing to the rise in obesity in adults and children. The numbers are even worse for those living in deprivation amidst the rising double burdens of high food and energy costs. However, as someone who likes to take a deep dive into the nutrition numbers, I still found some of the figures startling. Especially when it comes to getting our basic ‘5-a-day’.

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Put a Spring in your step with these recovery tips

After taking part in the recent BMO Vancouver Marathon, I am now firmly in recovery mode. But like many people who have just completed an endurance event this spring, once you cross the finish line it feels like you are entering into unchartered territory. It doesn’t seem to matter if you have just run your first race or you are a seasoned veteran. And it makes no difference whether you ran a marathon, a half or you conquered some other epic feat. Because after spending so many weeks and months laser-focused on training for your event, it can be difficult to know what to do next to fully recover.

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When less is not more

I couldn’t help but notice the recent splash on social media about Marks & Spencer’s new line. However, it wasn’t referring to this season’s update of their classic ware but rather the launch of their ONLY…INGREDIENTS range of breakfast cereals. The excitement around the name, itself, was very intriguing. I mean, didn’t their other cereals also contain at least some ingredients? Despite this, the managing director posted online that M&S had always been the leader of having the ‘cleanest’ food and their new range was pushing the boundaries once again. Reading that, I wondered exactly what breakfast boundaries they were trying to breach and why they felt the need to ‘clean’ up their cereal. Especially when the debunked trend for clean eating had collected as much dust over the past ten years as most people’s long defunct spiralizers. I hoped that ‘clean’ wasn’t making a comeback anytime soon although…there were also rumours of skinny jeans making a resurgence. I had to dive deep into the M&S breakfast aisle to find out if a bowl of their clean cereal would make a good start to the day.  

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Skyr-y days ahead

I am sure that I am not alone in finding that whenever I return from an unforgettable holiday, I like to try and hold onto it just a little bit longer. Sometimes this means I’ll be wearing the same touristy tee and drinking from a new ‘I heart (insert country here)’ mug for days on end. But more often I like to try to recreate some of the dishes and flavours that I enjoyed eating while away. Almost unconsciously my usual shopping list changes and I find myself filling my supermarket trolley with familiar holiday ingredients. Which explains why since recently returning from Iceland – the country, not the supermarket – I can’t seem to stop reaching for some skyr.

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