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 2025!
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 2025 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 2025 goals.
I pledge to get my kids eating some veg
Nearly half of all parents struggle with getting their kids to eat vegetables, so if you’re feeling frustrated, you’re far from alone. We brought together an expert panel to help you with practical tips to small wins – take 5 mins to watch their advice and pick a small, achievable step to eating some veg as a family!
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 packed full of expert tips from UK leaders in nutrition, psychology and food to help you know where to start and what veg will work best for your family. Find out your child’s taste preferences to find easy wins when choosing the right veg, or checkout what veg is in season to get the best flavour and price right now!
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. The average family in the UK wastes over £400 of food each year. With tips from chefs Tom Hunt and Tom Walker, nutritionist Charlotte Radcliffe, psychologist Clare Holley, and The Batch Lady, you’re minutes away from an achievable way to stop waste and save money!
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.
I pledge to make our mealtimes positive
Sometimes the biggest issue is the meal itself. You’ve worked hard trying to get the veg on the plate, but how do you get it from plates to bellies? Creating positive meals may feel like a huge task, but there are actually small, simple steps you can take towards this. We asked child psychology expert Dr Clare Holley to share her top tips for making this happen, giving you practical advice in just a few minutes!
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.
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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