Bite-sized hacks for better eating habits during seasonal changes

Why do seasonal changes affect our eating habits?

In winter, we often eat more and exercise less during the shorter days and colder temperatures.

How do you maintain healthy eating habits when the seasons change? Discovery Vitality dietitian Carla Pool shares her top healthy eating hacks:

1. What's from the earth has the greatest worth

Eat minimally processed foods (foods as close to their natural state as possible) as these tend to be richer in nutrients. A healthy balanced diet should include all the food groups and consist of:

• Five portions of fruits and vegetables a day
• Whole grains like oats, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta and bread
• Healthy dairy like fat-free milk or yoghurt
• Healthy proteins like seafood (especially omega-3 rich fish, e.g. sardines, salmon, trout), eggs, and skinless chicken
• Legumes like beans, chickpeas and lentils
• Healthy fats and oils like olive oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, oily fish and nut and seed butters. Choose plant fat over animal fat, and eat oily fish for omega 3 fats.

Keep reading: Your healthy eating guide | What to eat and limit

2. Eat with the seasons

Seasonal eating simply means including food in your diet that are grown at the same time of year that you eat them, like apples and beetroot in spring and summer, or naartjies and butternut in autumn and winter. Even more reasons to eat with the seasons?

1. Eat fresh, save cash. Fresh food is often more affordable during its harvest season, like cherries in spring, mangoes in summer, oranges in autumn and pumpkin in winter.
2. Choose local, it's lekker! Fruits and vegetables tastes better when it naturally ripens and can be harvested at the right time when it comes from a farm close to home. Plus, choosing local helps reduce our carbon footprint.
3. Freeze fresh produce for later. Add frozen fruit and vegetables to smoothies, soups or baked goods, such as blueberries in pancakes or shredded zucchini in a quick bread.

Protip: Get up to 75% back on healthy, seasonal ingredients with the Vitality HealthyFood Benefit. Get fresh ideas in our HealthyFood Catalogues at Checkers and Woolworths.

3. Start small, stay strong

Small changes to how and what you eat can have a powerful impact on your health and wellbeing. The Vitality Habits Index reveals three steps to sustaining healthy habits:

Autumn and winter are all about cosy, warm meals and hot drinks. Here are a few small tweaks you can make to keep your winter favourites healthy and fresh for adults and kids:

1. Soup it up. Make hearty, healthy winter soups by adding lentils, chickpeas or vegetables. Plus, soups and stews are great to make in bulk and freeze for later.
2. Cook with care. Choose cooking methods like baking, roasting, grilling or steaming instead of frying to use less fat and preserve the nutrients in your food.
   • For example, create a nutrient dense and delicious side by tossing together winter veg - some baby marrows, broccolini, carrots, onions, mushrooms and sweet potatoes. Roast it on a tray, drizzle with olive oil, herbs and spices, and serve it as naturally sweet side dish.
3. Citrus splash. Add lemons, limes and grapefruits to your vegetables, salads, stews and hot drinks for a burst of flavour and vitamin C.
4. Spice up your life. Spices like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and chilli powder add warmth to your winter dishes and offer anti-inflammatory properties and support your immune system.
5. Warm up wisely. Be mindful of the empty calories in sugary drinks. Choose herbal teas like mint, green, ginger or turmeric tea instead, make your own chai and spices, or infuse water with fruits, herbs and spices for a healthier alternative.

Which of these healthy eating hacks have you tried? Tell us how you #livelifewithVitality on Facebook, X or Instagram.

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