Covid-19 has changed the way many of us shop, cook and enjoy food. From encouraging healthier eating to enjoying fine dining from home, here’s how food producers and retailers are adapting this winter with trends in restaurants, deliveries and ingredients.
As the government rolls out a programme of diet shakes and soups to tackle obesity, the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION) is urging people to eat a diet of real food to keep well this winter. The first step, they say, is to reduce the quantity of sugar, white carbs, ready meals, processed meat and processed seed oils, and increase the intake of good-quality sources of protein, unprocessed fats, colourful veg and whole fruit – not juices – and whole grains. Not only could this help with weight loss or maintenance but can also support our immune system – something we could all benefit from during the current pandemic.
Heather Rosa, Dean of the ION, says, “What is really needed is better education so that people can make the right choices for themselves and their families. With Covid-19 putting more pressure on us than ever and impacting the way people live, strong immune systems and optimal metabolic health are key, and these are achieved by eating nutritious, real food – not something that has been ultra-processed and requires a degree in chemistry to read the ingredients label.”