Here are ways you can make some of your favourite meals better for you and better for the planet.
Skip straight to:
Breakfast
Cereals
Simple swap
Crunchy nut cornflakes and milk ➔ Bran flakes with a fortified plant drink (soya/nut/oat), topped with a handful of berries and a sprinkle of seeds
Tips
- Opt for fortified wholegrain cereal or oats. Use lower fat milk or try calcium fortified plant drinks e.g. soya or oat
- Add a serving of fruit – fresh, frozen or dried
- Top your cereals with plant proteins such as seeds and nuts
Better for you and the planet
- 1 of your 5-a-day
- Big increase in fibre
- Increase in iron, calcium and vitamin D
Classic cooked breakfast
Simple swap
Two fried beef sausages, two fried rashers of bacon, two fried eggs, a serving of beans and a spoonful of mushrooms served with two white toast and butter ➔ One grilled pork sausage, one poached egg, up the beans and mushrooms and go for two wholemeal toast with unsaturated fat spread
Tips
There's no reason why you can’t have a cooked breakfast occasionally, but:
- Grill and poach rather than fry
- Pile on the baked beans and mushrooms
- Alternative meal idea: Beans on toast with a poached egg
- Alternative meal idea: scrambled eggs or omelette with mushrooms and peas
Better for you and the planet
- Increase in fibre
- Decrease in saturates and salt
- Source of vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, calcium, iodine, selenium
Lunch
Baguettes
Simple swap
Large cheese baguette with little salad and plenty of mayonnaise ➔ Make your own version using a small seeded baguette, less cheese – pile in the salad and use low fat mayonnaise
Tips
- Go for wholegrain, wheatgerm or seeded breads
- Use unsaturated spreads rather than butter
- Other great fillings: falafel, hummus, lean chicken, peanut butter, egg
- Grating a little cheese makes it go further
- Always add seasonal, locally produced salad vegetables
Better for you and the planet
- Decrease in calories, fat, saturated fats and salt
- Increase in fibre
- Source of vitamin B12 and calcium
- 1 of your 5-a-day
Soups
Simple swap
Cream of chicken soup with a white roll and butter ➔ Lentil soup with a wholemeal roll and unsaturated fat spread
Tips
- Go for beany, lentil and/or vegetable soups with or without added grains
- Serve with wholemeal, seeded or wheatgerm bread spread with a vegetable spread
- Avoid ‘cream of’ varieties or those containing ham or chorizo
- Grain or pasta salads. Use grains like quinoa, couscous or pasta as your base. Pile on the beans, nuts and seeds and use an oil-based dressing rather
than mayo. - Alternative meal idea: Jacket potato with beans.
Better for you and the planet
- Half the saturated fat
- 1 of your 5-a-day
- Increase in zinc, iron and fibre
Dinner
Curry
Simple swap
Creamy curry e.g. chicken tikka masala with a large portion of rice ➔ Vegetable and bean or lentil and tomato based curry e.g. Sweet potato Bhuna curry and a moderate portion of brown rice
Tips
Don’t miss out on the nation’s favourite, but:
- Avoid the cream-based sauces and go for tomato-based sauces or dry curries
- Go for vegetable, peas, bean and /or lentil based chicken or fish curries
- Serve with seasonal and locally produced vegetables
- Watch your rice portion: three spoonfuls cooked rice is ample
- Naan and rotis provide unnecessary fat – opt for a chapatti made without fat, or if you really want one, try and share it!
Better for you and the planet
- Saturated fats more than halved
- 2-3 of your 5-a-day
- Increase in iron, calcium and fibre
- Source of zinc
Spaghetti Bolognese
Simple swap
Classic meat recipe with a large pasta serving ➔ Halve the meat of the recipe and replace with lentils and/or beans and other veg. Serve with a moderate serving of wholewheat spaghetti and a side of seasonal or frozen vegetables
Tips
For meat recipes like stews, chilli con carne, shepherd’s or cottage pie - make it more sustainable and healthy by:
- Replacing half or all the meat in the recipe with your choice of beans, lentils, soya mince, Quorn™, nuts, seeds and/or vegetables
- Always serve with cooked veg or seasonal and locally produced salad vegetables
- Choosing locally sourced meat where affordable
- Watch your portions of rice, pasta and potatoes
Better for you and the planet
- Half the fat
- Cut saturated fat by 66%
- 2 of your 5-a-day
- Increase in iron, calcium and fibre
- Source of zinc and selenium
Spaghetti Bolognese (Meat-free)
Simple swap
Classic meat recipe with a large pasta serving ➔ Try a veggie version by simply replacing all the meat with Quorn™ mince, serve with a more moderate serving of wholewheat spaghetti and a serving of seasonal vegetables
Tips
- Fill up your plate with seasonal vegetables or salad
- Watch your portions of meat, especially lamb and beef
- Have some meat-free days
- No more than 70g (100g raw weight) per person per day (a deck of cards)
- Use less fat when cooking and avoid butter
- Pizzas are tasty – but go for thin and crispy and lots of veg toppings rather than deep pan or filled crust meaty varieties and serve with vegetables
Better for you and the planet
- Half the fat
- Cut saturated fat by 75%
- 2 of your 5-a-day
- Increase in iron, calcium and fibre