Metiria Turei
The Green Party co-leader says good food is often the first thing cut from the budgets of poor families and that can harm present and future generations. “Research shows a mother’s nutrition is critical not only for her baby’s sake – if that baby is a girl and she has children, then it can affect the generation that follows as well.”
Charities are struggling to meet the demand for school lunches for hungry children. What is the Green Party’s solution? We’re proposing a comprehensive food-in-schools programme so that schools can provide food for their kids. It’ll be different in different schools. Some will have gardens and volunteer chefs who help the kids cook for their friends. Some will use the money to buy food to supplement what’s donated from their community. Each school will do it in the way that best suits their own families.
Is healthy eating a priority for you? It is, but I eat on the road most of the time. I’m often eating late and then I don’t care what it is as long as it’s fast.
Do you follow a special diet? No, I’ve found the worst thing to do is mess around with my diet. Whatever I’m doing might not be the healthiest in the world, but if it causes me to stress less about food and weight, that’s a great outcome. I just do the best with the choices and time I have.
What did you have for breakfast this morning? Scrambled eggs and coffee.
What about lunch? I had a croissant with cheese and tomato.
How does your diet differ when you’re in Wellington for Parliament? I cook and eat at home a bit. I eat more veges and more meat. I love making flat bread with olives and garlic. At work, I buy almost every meal and eat whatever is near – beetroot sandwiches from the sandwich shop, pita pockets from under Bowen House and croissants from the coffee shop.
What happens when you dine at other people’s houses? People are incredibly generous when I’m travelling about feeding me and making me tea. At public meetings, people who strongly disagree with my politics are very concerned that I get to eat the supper. In New Zealand, we take care of each other and show it in our generosity with food. It’s one of the things I love most about New Zealand people.