Something grabbed my attention the other day while I was driving. Now, let’s be honest – most of the news lately has been pretty bleak. But for once, something came blaring over the radio that actually lifted my spirits. And even more surprisingly… it came from the government!
I’ve always been fascinated by food and diet – how what we eat shapes our health, our energy, even how we feel day to day. It ties in pretty neatly with farming and food production, so I tend to follow the topic when I can. But goodness me, it’s a noisy old space – books, reports, influencers, experts… One week red meat’s giving you cancer, the next it’s the cornerstone of a healthy diet.
Over time, I’ve landed on a pretty simple approach: try to eat like my ancestors, and if there’s more than one ingredient on the label that I can’t pronounce, it’s probably a treat, not a daily habit. That said, I’m a 90s kid – proudly raised in the golden age of the junk food revolution – and I’ve got my fair share of vices.
Recently, I’ve tried to make one small but meaningful change: cutting out the obvious sugars and ultra-processed stuff from my daily diet. So no biscuits, cakes or chocolate as a daily feature, no crisps (my absolute kryptonite), and I’ve swapped the spread for real butter. But that’s not to say I’ve cut these things out completely – far from it. If we’re out for dinner and the dessert menu has apple crumble, crème brûlée or tiramisu (my top three, in case you’re wondering), one of them is getting ordered. I’m not ‘on a diet’ – I’m just shifting habits. And that feels far easier to stick to long-term without beating yourself up for the odd indulgence or off day.
Anyway, back to that rare moment of radio cheer.
The government announced a new plan to work with the food industry on how we advertise and sell food, essentially aiming to nudge us towards better choices. It reminded me of a brilliant report by Henry Dimbleby (yes, the same one behind Leon), who led the National Food Strategy a few years ago. A lot of this policy has its roots in that report.
Here’s the stat that stopped me in my tracks: cutting just 50 calories a day could lift 340,000 children and 2 million adults out of obesity. And a cut of 216 calories – the equivalent of a bottle of Coke – could halve obesity rates in the overweight population.
It’s both staggering and oddly hopeful. Staggering that we’re in this position. Hopeful that the solution isn’t quite as out of reach as it sometimes feels.
It’s also easy to see how we’ve ended up here. Just last night, Tamara and I were playing Touch Rugby with friends – our exercise for the day, kids watching from the sidelines, glorious evening sun. Afterwards, on the way home, we realised we hadn’t planned supper. So we nipped into a (not to be named!) supermarket to grab something quick. I’m always a bit hyper-aware of this issue when stepping into any supermarket – but with this blog already bubbling away in my head, I was even more tuned in. And let me tell you, trying to find something genuinely healthy felt like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Aisle after aisle of brightly coloured boxes, catchy slogans, and ultra-processed options. Ready meals, breakfast cereals, snacks – everything promising convenience, but very little offering real nourishment. It’s actually harder and often more expensive to shop healthily. How crazy is that?
According to Dimbleby’s report, 80% of processed food is considered unhealthy, and unhealthy food is three times cheaper per calorie than the good stuff. It’s no surprise the big marketing players have funnelled all their energy into making food more appealing, longer-lasting, and – let’s be honest – more addictive.
This new government initiative will start targeting large retailers to meet a new Healthy Food Standard – encouraging recipe tweaks, promotional shifts, and layout changes to help tip our shopping baskets in a better direction. It’s all part of a longer-term NHS prevention plan. And I say – hurrah! About time.
This is a subject I find myself more and more drawn to. At the farm shop, we’ve always tried to champion real food – seasonal, local, naturally grown. Whether it’s our fresh veg, grass-fed meat, or home-cooked dishes, we believe good food starts with good ingredients. But we know we can do even more.
In fact, we’ve got some exciting ideas up our sleeve… so watch this space.
One initiative that’s already up and running – and proving really popular – is our new series of talks by the brilliant Jess Oldfield, our resident nutritionist. Her focus is on helping parents support children’s development through nutrition before they even start school. Her first talk was a real hit, and her next one is coming up on 12th July. You can book a spot on our website – and we’d love to see you there!
So yes, for once, a bit of hope on the horizon – and a reminder that even small steps can lead to big change.
Here’s to real food, joyful eating, and a future that tastes a little better.