A worrying new study conducted by Northumbria University’s Healthy Living Lab found that there has been a massive decrease in fruit and vegetable intake for children receiving free school meals vouchers during lockdown. Just over half of pupils who would have received free school meals at school stated they had eaten no fresh vegetables across a three-day period, and half stated that they had eaten no fresh fruit!
We all know that fruit and vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals, and we should eat 5-a-day to provide our bodies with dietary fibre, antioxidants and natural sugars, but when price is an issue, how can parents provide their children with the nutrients they need?
World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) recently revealed that you can enjoy a main meal with red cabbage, carrots and tomatoes as well as snacking on a banana and apple for as little as 42p! Kate Mendoza, Head of Education for the WCRF, expands on this topic. You may not believe it but here is the shopping list…
Did you know that over a third of farmed fruit and veg will never make it to the supermarket shelves, just because they are the wrong shape or size? This wasted food leads to carbon emissions which equate to almost 400,000 cars, and a waste of more than 50 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables in Europe each year. This is due to strict laws about what is acceptable to sell and specific supermarkets’ aesthetic standards.
Some well-known and loved supermarkets that offer the option of wonky fruit and vegetables include:
For more info, click here.
When a food is in season, it is more readily available to buy and sell. This also means supermarkets introduce deals and offers. A great option to save money is to bulk-buy when the food is in season and freeze, as they could be more expensive in a couple of months.
It is useful to know which fruit and vegetables are in season for a few reasons: it is cheaper, it will taste better, and it will be more nutritious!
Some examples of seasonal fruit and vegetables are:
For a full seasonal food calendar, click here.
Make sure to stay healthy following lockdown and don’t let the rising prices in fruit and veg hold you back with these great budgeting options!
Other Blog Posts that you might find interesting:
Leave a comment