Nourish your body with wholesome food in the colder months

It's no secret that it is tougher to eat healthy food when the weather is cooler, but there are ways to eat delicious meals in a healthy way. Eating wholesome food helps us maintain a healthy weight, can enhance our energy levels and boost our immune system, writes Carla Pool, dietitian at Discovery Vitality

Here are some tips for maintaining a healthy diet in the colder months when unhealthy food can be tempting.

Keep the balance, maintain good health: A balanced diet including all food groups is important during all seasons for good health and optimal functioning. It is especially important to include plenty of vegetables and fruit in a variety of colours to up your intake of different vitamins and minerals necessary for a strong immune system, which is especially important right now.

Make clever choices: We know we tend to feel hungry more often in colder weather, but preparing meals and snacks in advance will make it easier to choose healthy foods. Choose dishes that are filling and nourishing, like healthy soups and stews. If you're satisfied after your healthy meal, it makes it easier to avoid overindulging on rich, fatty foods and sugary drinks and snacks, like hot chocolate, rusks and biscuits.

Stay on top of meal planning: Be aware of what and how much you are eating. Eat regular meals and nutritious snacks to avoid feeling over-hungry and reaching for those unhealthy snacks. Prepare healthy, filling dishes in advance, like soups or stews packed with a variety of delicious vegetables, lean protein (like beans, lentils, shredded chicken), and whole grains (like barley, quinoa and brown rice).

Embrace seasonal produce: South Africans are fortunate to have an abundance of fresh, locally-grown fruit and vegetables available in the winter months. Think of beetroot, broad beans, cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkin, gem squash and sweet potatoes to add a colourful variety of seasonal produce into your meals. These foods are packed with essential vitamins, minerals and fibre. A tip: Stock up on your favourite seasonal fruit and freeze them for the months that they are not easily available.

Prepare food healthily: It is probably the easiest time of year to get your required daily vegetable portions into one pot - again, think of warming soups, healthy curries or stews. You could also try to grill or steam vegetables to add colour and flavour to your meals. For example, swap meaty braai items for delicious veg, like sweetcorn "ribs" to make mealtime exciting.

Healthy food can be affordable: Remember, as a Vitality member you get up to 75% back on HealthyFood at Pick n Pay or Woolworths, and you can access a range of convenience meals with Vitality HealthyDining, too.

Carla adds: "Nutrition is such a key part of being healthy and avoiding illness, but we understand that it can take a lot of time, thinking and effort to maintain a healthy diet. This is why Vitality is here to help reduce some of the mental load. Our Vitality indicator (a pink 'V' marked on HealthyFood items in the shops) makes it easier to choose healthy food, with the assurance that that you're putting the best nutrition possible into your body. The HealthyFood cash back benefits are an added incentive to make healthy food affordable making it easier to eat a variety of delicious healthy food. And our Vitality HealthyWeight programme puts a dietitian into the palm of your hand, with recipes, shopping lists and support for reaching or maintaining a healthy weight."