Health Minister Lesley Griffiths is joining forces with the Betts family from Pontypool and TV chef Nerys Howell at Coleg Morgannwg today [Monday January 7] to launch a new series of Change4Life recipes.
The launch is part of a drive to help thousands of families across Wales to switch to healthier dishes that are tasty, simple, quick and cheap to make.
Nerys will be cooking three easy Food Smart meals with some healthy food swaps, using fresh produce from a local food co-operative.
Health Minister Lesley Griffiths said:
“Now is the perfect time to think about making a change for life. Everyone is cost conscious and health conscious in January, and the Food Smart brochure provides some healthy swaps, from unhealthy takeaways and ready meals to tasty alternatives that are easy to make at home, like stews, curries and even fish and chips’’.
“Anyone already signed up to the Change4Life campaign will receive a copy through the post, and we hope many more people will be inspired to sign up for a free copy too. Food Smart is here to help us all make good choices about what we put in our bodies each day and help prevent diseases like cancer, strokes, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The recipes are all low in sugar, salt and fat and are a really easy way to get those important five a day’’.
Television chef, presenter and cookery writer Nerys Howell, said:
“The free Food Smart recipe brochure is full of quick and healthy meals that anyone could make for their family. Signing up to receive them in the New Year through the Change4Life programme is a great way to eat more healthily after a Christmas of excess.
“Making a food swap means you don’t have to give up what you like – there are lots of tasty alternatives to unhealthy food out there. There is even a healthy breakfast recipe for bangers on toast, which I’m looking forward to trying out at home.
“Shopping with food co-operatives is an affordable way of using seasonal food and buying locally, and I’m delighted to be using local produce to cook for the Minister and the Betts family. Healthy food is the best gift you can give to your family because what you eat now will have an impact in the long term.”
The Betts family from New Inn near Pontypool are keen to be healthier this January and are trying out the Food Smart recipes. Steve Betts has a 14-year-old daughter, Briony, and four-year-old triplets, Ashley, Gracie and Ethan.
Steve said:
“With five mouths to feed it can be costly, so I’m looking forward to having ideas for healthy, inexpensive meals to cook that the children will like. We’ve always been good at getting our five fruit and vegetables a day, but we definitely need to eat more fibre. We only usually eat white bread, pasta and rice, but the Food Smart booklet gives us great ideas for what we can do with wholemeal alternatives.”
To sign up to Change4Life Wales and receive a copy of the recipe brochure, go to the website: www.change4lifewales.org.uk You’ll find all the Food Smart recipes online along with lots of Change4Life tips, swaps and other recipe ideas. To find your nearest food co-op just go to www.ruralregeneration.org.uk
