Food for thought - donations put food on the table

“Malnutrition can be avoided by eating a variety of wholefoods ... such as seafood and grass-fed butter ”

FOOD insecurity is on the rise this Christmas, with more Australian families relying on food relief services to put healthy food on the table.

New research by not-for-profit organisation SecondBite shows more than three in four of its food charities expect this month will be more difficult for people they support in the community, with 72 per cent of agencies also reporting an increase in demand for food relief since COVID-19 began.

“We know that Aussies benefit greatly from community support, connectedness, and of course, nutritional food,” SecondBite CEO Jim Mullan said.

“That is what our network of agencies provide a nutritional meal or hamper, inclusion and friendship.

“Having access to appropriate food to feed your family is a huge relief to many Aussies.”

Nutritionist Fran Dargaville said malnutrition can affect the wellbeing of adults and put children’s health, development and education at risk.

“It can result in fatigue, loss of muscle mass, reduced immune function, and increases the risk of developing diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes,” she said.

“Deficiencies in Omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins and minerals have been linked to common mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.”

Ms Dargaville said macronutrients and micronutrients obtained from food are essential for our physical health and mental wellbeing, and are the building blocks for every cell in our body.

“Malnutrition can be avoided by eating a variety of wholefoods, including nutrient-dense foods such as seafood and grass-fed butter,” she said.

Across the country, supermarket giants such as Coles have launched a national Christmas appeal, teaming up with SecondBite to help keep Australian families fed and healthy.

The appeal will take place in more than 800 Coles supermarkets and also support families affected by cancer, with all proceeds evenly distributed between SecondBite and national children’s cancer charity, Redkite.

Customers can purchase a $2 donation card or donate an amount of their choice between now and Christmas Eve at any

Coles supermarket.

Coles Chief Sustainability, Property and Export Officer,

Thinus Keeve (pictured), said food security and reducing food waste are important social and environmental issues for the company.

“Our focus at Coles to reduce food waste has allowed us to provide millions of healthy and nutritious meals to people in need through our partnerships with SecondBite,” he said.

“My team and I work with these charity partners to ensure surplus food makes it to the tables of those in our community who need it most."

“Last financial year, nearly 14,000 tonnes of unsold, edible food was donated to SecondBite - that’s the equivalent of 28 million meals.”