Health on wheels
Dewald Le Roux talks to us about the need for a healthy diet and the lifestyle mistakes Dubai newbies often make
RAISED IN DURBAN, Dewald Le Roux moved to Dubai 10 years ago and found himself ensnared in a junk food diet. Working for the food & beverage and events industry, it was common for him to attend wild parties where he’d indulge in unhealthy food. As a result, he gained 35kg after moving here. From this experience, Dewald realised a change had to be made.
“There are several mistakes people make when they move to this city, but the biggest is an emotional one,” he says. According to the South African, socialising in Dubai is a big part of the expat culture and it is easy for one to succumb to temptations to “fill the loneliness gap” when they transfer here from other countries. “My advice to newbies in town is to do everything in moderation. Find a healthy balance with work, apply the 80/20 rule with food (80% healthy and 20% unhealthy), limit social activities to save a bit of money and go to the beach.”
Dewald’s newfound appreciation for healthy food led him start his own meal plan service called iheartfoodae. Specialising in bringing healthy and home-cooked food to your doorstep, his meal plan venture seeks to spread a healthy message amongst those living here in the UAE. iheartfoodae does not seek to implement a shortlived diet plan but rather to help you enable an effective lifestyle change with longterm results.
Dewald decided to take up the meal planning business when he scouted around to find one for himself, but ended up finding them too expensive.
“I wanted a meal plan that would break my unhealthy lifestyle but not my bank! Healthy living needn’t be expensive but the meal plan options on the market were miles out of my budget.”
The main aim in starting his own meal plan service was to make it accessible and affordable for people living with various lifestyles and means.
Made with local produce, iheartfoodae (set to launch on September 23) has meals starting from Dhs75 per day for adults and you can pick and choose to create a personalised meal plan. What makes Dewald’s service stand out? For one, he believes that the health conditions of children all over the world including Dubai are deteriorating by the minute and that there are no kids-focused meal plan services available in the market.
“People look at the adults but seem to have forgotten about the kids who are equally, or so to speak, more important, as they are our future leaders,” stresses Dewald. The ‘Little Hearts’ meal plan, provided by iheartfoodae, has 20 options, starting from Dhs35. The great thing about this is that parents know the exact ingredients that go into their child’s lunch boxes.
From a marketing perspective, packaging is key, especially when it comes to food. “You eat with your eyes” as most people say. The visual aspect of the output was a major factor for Dewald. He wanted to create a brand that uses eco-friendly packaging.
“Food should look appetising, vibrant and exciting! Using biodegradable, sustainable and reusable packaging for our meals was my first thought. I didn’t want to develop a brand that’s costeffective to my wallet but had a massive impact on the environment.”
This meal plan is ideal for busy people who don’t have time to cook or those who don’t know how to cook.
“The meal plan options are suitable for people on the go – like flight crew and young professionals who don’t have a clue in the kitchen and they’re also perfect for busy parents that want to send their kids to school with a healthy lunch,”he concludes.