Boost your nutrition during your travels
Eating is something we all need to do on a regular basis. But how do we make healthy choices to maximise our health and wellbeing?
It may surprise you to learn just how simple healthy eating can be with a few minor changes. The Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA) partners with Health and Wellbeing Queensland to deliver a program called Country Kitchens. With the help of dietitians and\ nutritionists, the program delivers community events with tips to ‘health-a-size’ a recipe and promote five key messages.
5 Considerations for Boosting a Meal's Nutrition
Before you reach for the chopping board, pots and pans, ask yourself these five questions about your meal:
1. CAN YOU INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES?
Adding fruit or vegetables adds colour, texture, flavour and nutrition. Offset the extra liquid by using
wholemeal flour or squeezing the moisture out of fruit
and grated vegetables.
2. CAN YOU REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF ADDED SUGAR?
Added sugar includes cane sugar, syrups, honey and glucose. Try substituting with sweet fruit or veg to reduce the sugar content.
3. CAN YOU REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF SALT?
Avoid using salt. Instead choose herbs and spices to flavour recipes. Soy sauce, tomato sauce and some canned foods contain enough sodium to enhance flavour without the need for extra salt.
4. CAN YOU CHANGE THE TYPE OF FATS?
Cook with unsaturated fat such as extra virgin olive oil. Use avocado as a spread instead of butter and be mindful of saturated fats in meats, butter, cheeses, coconut and palm oil.
5. CAN YOU INCREASE THE FIBRE?
Swap white flours and bread for wholemeal or wholegrain. Leave the skin on vegetables and fruit, and consider cooking with nuts, seeds, legumes and lentils, which are all high-fibre foods.
5 Key Messages
1. GET MORE FRUIT AND VEG INTO YOUR MEALS.
Try to eat a rainbow of colourful fruit and vegetables every day. Substitute added sugar with high-fibre sweet fruits, such as pears. Grate vegetables such as sweet potato, pumpkin, zucchini and carrots into casseroles, stews and bolognese dishes – and even muffins and biscuits. Frozen and canned fruit and vegetables are just as nutritious. Substitute sweet snacks with fruit or vegetable sticks, such as celery and carrot.
2. CHECK YOUR PORTION SIZE
Be mindful of how hungry you really are. Do you really need that much food? Use smaller plates, and ask yourself: is this meal or snack good for my health?
Try not to be distracted when eating as this can lead to consuming larger quantities of food.
3. PREPARE YOUR OWN MEALS ON THE ROAD
Self-catering saves money, especially when you can take advantage of store specials and bulk buys. You know exactly what ingredients are in the food you cook, and fresh produce eliminates the need for nasty preservatives and artificial colouring.
4. BE AWARE OF THE SUGAR CONTENT IN DRINKS
Did you know that a 600ml soft drink contains 17 teaspoons of sugar? A 600ml sports drink has nine teaspoons of sugar, a 500ml energy drink has 14 teaspoons, and even a 500ml iced tea is packed with seven teaspoons of sugar!
5. SIT LESS, MOVE MORE
Get some extra ‘incidental exercise’ by walking around the caravan park and to the shops. Carrying groceries adds the benefit of weight-bearing exercise.
Also:
- Carry that chair around to happy hour.
- Do some chair yoga.
- Play disc bowls and other active games such as finska and ladder golf.
- Stroll around the town to see the sights.
- Cycle and explore walking trails in places like national parks.
With a little bit of thought, small changes can go a long way to improved health.
Fiona Owens is the Queensland Country Women's Association (QCWA) Longreach branch president and branch facilitator of the Country Kitchens program.
