Put your heart into the recovery menu
UNLIMITED access to the kitchen has resulted in more than half of Australians putting on weight since being confined to their homes.
The pandemic has turned households’ usual eating habits upside down, with 54 per cent of people admitting to letting themselves go, according to a new Heart Foundation survey.
It found 29 per cent were eating more to relieve stress and boredom, while 26 per cent were eating more desserts and nearly a quarter were snacking more than their usual habits.
“Even before lockdown, poor diet was a leading risk factor for heart disease which, sadly, takes the lives of 48 Australians every day,” Heart Foundation Group CEO, Adjunct Professor John Kelly said.
As households slowly emerge out of quarantine, it may be hard to leave behind some of these unhealthy habits.
Health experts strongly recommend Australians prevent excess weight gain during this difficult time by swapping our packaged snacks for fruits and vegetables.
Heart Foundation dietitian Beth Meertens said with a few changes, families can make better food choices which can benefit their heart and overall health.
Recognising what we’re eating and adding vegetables to every meal are some easy steps in getting a handle on the situation.
“Eating well for your heart is about looking for opportunities to include healthy foods in every meal, and to take the time to enjoy them,” Ms Meertens said.
To combat obesity and promote better eating habits, the Heart Foundation and Coles are teaming up with celebrity chefs to encourage home cooks to create and share heart-healthy recipes and raise vital funds to help save lives from heart disease.
Starting today, families can join the Cook with Heart Challenge and cook five or 10 heart-healthy recipes in 10 days and raise money for the Heart Foundation at the same time.
“Being stuck at home makes it so easy to open the fridge every five minutes,” said Courtney Roulston.
The MasterChef star joins other celebrity chefs Curtis Stone, Luke Mangan, Colin Fassnidge and duo Dan and Steph Mulheron, who will each cook a different recipe on Channel 7’s What’s for
Dinner segment.
“From curries to gnocchi, tacos to frittatas, there’s never been a better time to cook some real tasty and delicious meals that will benefit every household,” Ms Roulston said.
There are 20 hearthealthy recipes to download, cook and share when you register at cookwithheart.com.au
Those who register and donate also double their chances in the prize pool to win Coles gift cards, with a total of $5000 worth available to win.
The supermarket will also match the total donations raised to a maximum of $100,000.