If your waistband’s feeling a little tight and you don’t quite dare step on the scales, you’re not alone. As a nation, we’re getting significantly bigger – according to a report by the NHS, adult obesity prevalence stood at 26% in 2016, having remained around this level since 2010*.
With the government’s sugar tax recently coming into effect and even talk of a multi-pack ban in supermarkets, there’s a lot of effort going into the promotion of healthy eating. Indeed, from 14th to 20th May, the Vegetarian Society will be launching National Vegetarian Week – so what better time than this to try a new, healthier diet? It seems that vegetarian diets are proving more popular than ever these days. A survey by Kantar found that 29% of evening meals in the 12 weeks up to the end of January contained no meat or fish at all**. What’s more, the campaign Veganuary grew by a record 183% this year, with up to 168,542 people signing up to go vegan***.
Poach It
If you’re going veggie for National Vegetarian Week, you might find yourself filling in the meat-shaped hole in your diet with extra dairy. Eggs are a great alternative to your regular meaty main; try poaching them with the Tower Egg Cooker and Poacher (£14.99). It’s large enough to cook up to seven eggs, making it great for family breakfasts, and gives you the option to boil or poach depending on what type of egg you fancy. Or, if you’re short on time, pop this set of two Eddingtons Microwave Egg Poachers (£3.99) in the microwave and your eggs will be ready to eat in 20-30 seconds.
Multi-Tool It
Despite their reputation for being high in fat, avocados are full of good, healthy oils that give our bodies a boost. They’re great in salads, homemade guacamole and even in smoothies to give them a deliciously creamy consistency, so the Kitchen Craft 5-in-1 Avocado Tool (£8.99) is a great buy for anyone who loves their avos. It’ll slice, cut, de-stone, mash and scoop your avocado speedily with no mess, and no need for a variety of utensils.
Blend It
Soups are highly nutritious, really easy to make, and are great for making in batches to store in the freezer for later. If you’re just preparing a couple of portions, you can simply pour your boiled ingredients into a blender like the Daewoo 1.5L 5-Speed Glass Jug Blender (£24.99) and the job’s done. Alternatively, you can use a stick blender for larger batches, such as the Russell Hobbs 22241 Food Collection Hand Blender (£12.99).
Juice It
Nutrients in juices are easier for the body to absorb because the fibre is removed, so a much higher level of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients can enter the bloodstream more quickly. To reap the benefits of delicious juices, keep an extractor on hand to start off your day the healthy way. The Waring 1L Juice Extractor – Stainless Steel (Available online only) (£36.99) boasts simple one-touch operation, easy-to-clean housing and removable, dishwasher-safe parts to save you time and effort.
