Rebecca Stevens ANutr
Veg Power’s registered nutritionist and mum of three Rebecca shares simple, realistic ways to make a pledge for more veg that will stick in 2024!
And here we are in January, with all the festive fun of December sadly behind us. Don’t be dismayed, this month, why don’t you channel your energy into improving your family’s health by committing to one of our Simply Veg pledges?
While many of us know what we should be aiming for in terms of healthy habits, we don’t always manage to achieve them. Let’s take the 5-a-day message. Awareness of this is very high, but in practice many of us aren’t meeting this target. We do understand – life is busy, life with kids is even busier! To help get you back on track, you could start 2024 with actioning an achievable, affordable New Year’s pledge that can get your family closer to the healthier lifestyle you are seeking.
Let’s start with eating vegetables (and not just because we love them)! Eating veg is part of a healthy, balanced diet and the nutrients from veg support our bodies in lots of different ways – including supporting our immune system. That’s especially important in the winter months. Remember, the greater the variety of veg you eat, the wider the range of nutrients you’ll be consuming.
If you answered NO to the above, here are some suggested pledges that you could add to your 2024 goals.
I pledge to get my kids eating some veg
If your children are struggling to eat any veg, try this video.
I pledge to get my kids eating more veg
Whether it’s increasing the amount or the variety, we’ve got lots of advice and tips to help you along the way. Why not start with our Understanding Veg section to help you know where to start and what veg will work best for your family.
I pledge to get my kids cooking more
One of the best ways to develop a love of veg in kids is to get them in the kitchen and involved in the prep. Not only is cooking an essential life skill, it’s a great bonding experience. It doesn’t have to involve them cooking a whole meal with you and leaving you with stress and mess – just giving them one simple task to do in a recipe is a great, achievable start! For ideas, a free Kitchen Ninja skills chart, and inspiration head to our Kids in the Kitchen page.
I pledge to reduce my family’s food waste
Reducing food waste is a relatively simple way to help reduce your family’s impact on the environment and save you money at the same time. Have a look at our resources to support you with meal planning, batch cooking and simple steps you can take to reduce food waste and stop putting money in the bin!
I pledge to incorporate more veg into my family favourite meals
Many of us are creatures of habit and eat the same meals on rotation. How about making those meals a little healthier with – you’ve guessed it – more veg in them! Our recipe collection featuring 15 of the UK’s family favourite meals is definitely worth a look at for inspiration and tips on small steps to adding more veg.
If you answered YES to the questions above, that’s fantastic! Perhaps some of the pledges above immediately resonate with you, but if not, you could use them as a jumping off point for creating different ones to suit your family if you prefer.
Whichever pledge you focus on, remember with behaviour change the important thing is consistency not perfection. Keep working at it and any small improvements should be celebrated. We’re proud of you for taking this on! Good luck and keep us posted!
Our Veg Pages have loads of simple ways to add more veg into your family’s meals. Why not start with one of these simple sides for beetroot?
Rebecca Stevens ANutr
Campaign & Communications Manager: Rebecca is a registered Associate Nutritionist and part of the Veg Power team supporting on campaigns and communications. She started her career in healthcare PR but more recently completed an MSc in Human Nutrition. Rebecca enjoys combining both skillsets in this role and is always on a mission to increase her children’s vegetable repertoire.
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