Nutrition
REFLECTIONS ON RESTRICTED FOOD SHOPPING
In March this year, food systems across the world started coming to terms with the unprecedented pressure of the coronavirus pandemic. Here are some of my thoughts on making the most of a vegan diet during this difficult time.
Being prepared Before you hit the supermarket, it’s worth spending a bit of time thinking about your usual diet and revisiting the basic principles of healthy eating. The guidance at vegansociety. com/nutrition may come in handy. If you can’t buy some of your usual choices, it’s good to have an idea of how to replace them with similar sources of nutrition.
Frozen finds Look out for frozen foods that count towards your 5-a-day. Garden peas can be used to add good quality protein to a variety of meals. It’s important to consider how to maintain a daily intake of greens, and choices like frozen broccoli and spinach could be part of the solution. If you don’t find them as tasty as the fresh stuff, try lightly frying them or adding wholegrain mustard. Fruit is another valuable addition to your freezer, useful for making smoothies, porridge toppings and nutritious puddings.
Protein picks If you can get hold of them, dried beans, peas and lentils are compact sources of nutrition, and you may have more time on your hands for soaking and cooking them. Red split lentils don’t need to be soaked and their cooking time is relatively short; a half-kilo bag provides about ten servings of good quality protein. Stocking up on peanuts, cashew nuts and pumpkin seeds will help you to get enough protein and healthy fats while you’re staying at home. Although walnuts aren’t a good source of protein, they are rich in omega-3 fat.
Plant milk popularity Market data suggests that most people using plant milk aren’t vegan, and it’s easy to understand why there’s been demand for long-life products during this crisis. Remember that you might be able to diversify the rich sources of calcium in your diet by picking up fortified yoghurt alternatives, calcium-set tofu and soya and linseed bread fortified with extra calcium. Kale, watercress and tahini can also provide useful amounts of this mineral.
Home habits Think about storage when you get home. For example, apples might last longer in the fridge, and root vegetables, like potatoes, sweet potatoes and onions, have a relatively long shelf life if kept somewhere cool, dark and dry. You may enjoy discovering new recipes and developing your cooking skills while staying at home. Meal planning will help to make your shop last. Start by identifying the most perishable items and ensuring that they are consumed or used in batch cooking before they go to waste. Homemade frozen ready meals will come in handy if you become unwell.
Food for thought In some ways, restricted shopping may be more challenging for vegans. However, many of our plant-based staples have relatively long shelf lives, and, hopefully, everyone will have greater appreciation of their nutritional value going forward. Heather Russell, Dietitian If you, or someone you know, is encountering severe problems accessing the vegan food they need, please call us on 0121 523 1730 and we will try our best to help.
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