Transcript
00:00:03 Speaker 1
Welcome to our snack podcast.
00:00:06 Speaker 1
This is me, Fiona Lockett from Health Promotion, Fife Health and Social Care Partnership.
00:00:12 Speaker 2
And hello, I am Fiona Spence.
00:00:14 Speaker 2
I'm A registered nutritionist here in NHS Fife Dietetics.
00:00:18 Speaker 1
So today we're calling it Snack Smart, Feel Better and looking at how to discover what you eat can lift your mood and boost your well-being.
00:00:27 Speaker 1
The goal is to give children and young people the knowledge, skills, confidence and motivation to make and choose healthier, more sustainable snacks.
00:00:37 Speaker 1
So Fiona, what is a sustainable snack and why does it matter?
00:00:41 Speaker 2
Putting it into simple terms, what is meant by sustainable is by making choices which are beneficial, not just for you, but also the planet.
00:00:48 Speaker 2
Thinking about reducing packaging, supporting our local farmers, producers, or growing your own.
00:00:56 Speaker 2
But let's face it, that might be a little bit ambitious.
00:00:59 Speaker 2
So first, what we really need to do is think about reducing our food waste.
00:01:03 Speaker 2
So not over buying foods, which will go off before we've had the chance to use them.
00:01:08 Speaker 2
freezing our leftovers, or if making homemade snacks, and we're going to talk about that, freeze them if possible for a nice easy go-to supply.
00:01:17 Speaker 1
So what would be an example of a good homemade snack?
00:01:20 Speaker 2
So you can make homemade snack bars yourself.
00:01:23 Speaker 2
You can make pancakes, muffins.
00:01:25 Speaker 2
They can be sweet or savoury.
00:01:27 Speaker 2
Making your own snacks means you know exactly what's in them.
00:01:30 Speaker 2
You don't need to be a whiz in the kitchen to achieve this either.
00:01:33 Speaker 2
We'll provide some snack recipes in the links.
00:01:35 Speaker 2
But there's lots of variations online to suit any taste buds and you can freeze them.
00:01:39 Speaker 2
Most things can be frozen and these are great for adults and for kids.
00:01:43 Speaker 2
And the good thing about adapting recipes at home and making your own is that you can sneak in lots of healthy additions that you might not be overly keen on or you might not be overly familiar with.
00:01:55 Speaker 2
But adding in things like oats,
00:01:57 Speaker 2
mixed seeds.
00:01:58 Speaker 2
In supermarkets now you can get an abundance of seeds.
00:02:02 Speaker 2
They're either milled, which means they're ground down, so they're pretty invisible when they go into something, or you can buy them as they are.
00:02:11 Speaker 2
So things like flaxseed and linseeds, chia seeds, these are getting more popular now.
00:02:18 Speaker 2
But oats go a long way, you know, when you cook or when you're baking, putting things in there,
00:02:25 Speaker 2
It really adds fibre to the content, something that we really want to encourage.
00:02:30 Speaker 2
Also adding things like dried fruits or grating an apple or carrot into a recipe can sweeten it, with lots of added fibre and nutrients.
00:02:38 Speaker 1
And I suppose that's the thing about oats, it keeps you fuller for longer.
00:02:41 Speaker 2
Absolutely, yeah.
00:02:42 Speaker 2
Yep.
00:02:42 Speaker 2
Sustaining these energy levels, particularly for our kids.
00:02:47 Speaker 2
And if you're adding things in, like I mentioned, you know, like grating apples and carrots and things like that, or adding in dried fruits,
00:02:53 Speaker 2
It means then that you don't need to add additional sugar or honey or syrup.
00:02:58 Speaker 2
Many recipes include added sugar, but a lot of the time you can ditch it.
00:03:01 Speaker 2
And also, do you know, sometimes recipes will say, do you know, to add in melted butter.
00:03:07 Speaker 2
Again, you can...
00:03:08 Speaker 2
tweak this to your own benefit as well and get some good fats in there by adding in extra virgin olive oil instead, or rapeseed oil, and that will reduce the saturated fat.
00:03:18 Speaker 2
But like we were saying, oats are a great base.
00:03:21 Speaker 2
You can use them for so many things.
00:03:22 Speaker 2
They're so versatile.
00:03:23 Speaker 2
They've got lots of health benefits and can really help nourish us in between meals and keep us full.
00:03:28 Speaker 2
We can also add into meals such as casserole, so they're a great staple to have in the cupboard.
00:03:32 Speaker 2
And you can add into yoghurt to make it a wee bit more of a hearty snack.
00:03:35 Speaker 1
So if you're making snacks at home, what tips
00:03:38 Speaker 1
tricks do you have?
00:03:39 Speaker 2
What do you have when you're snacking at home?
00:03:41 Speaker 2
If you're working from home or if it's a weekend or something what would you typically snack on?
00:03:45 Speaker 1
Probably a bit of hummus and some pita bread or I quite like chopped veg or melon maybe.
00:03:54 Speaker 2
And do you ever find that it's a bit of an effort?
00:03:57 Speaker 1
Well it is unless I've actually chopped it up beforehand and it's in a plate in the fridge and then I can just pick.
00:04:02 Speaker 2
Yeah I think leftovers and things like that are great as well.
00:04:05 Speaker 2
But I am probably about the same.
00:04:08 Speaker 2
I will pick up a bit of fruit, but I am probably quite, this sounds terrible as a nutritionist, but I'm probably quite lazy as well.
00:04:14 Speaker 2
And I do need to have something in front of me.
00:04:16 Speaker 2
And it is handy having a fruit bowl on the table that it's visual, I'm quite a visual person.
00:04:21 Speaker 2
And I think there's probably lots of people like that.
00:04:23 Speaker 2
And you need that visual, don't you?
00:04:25 Speaker 2
If it's there, you see it.
00:04:26 Speaker 2
What's the first thing you do when you open a fridge?
00:04:28 Speaker 2
You're looking for something that you can snack on.
00:04:30 Speaker 1
I know, and you're looking for something colourful.
00:04:32 Speaker 2
Yeah, something that's appealing.
00:04:35 Speaker 2
And it's things like, if you are at home, preparation is key, isn't it?
00:04:39 Speaker 2
Even, you know, we will talk about when you're out and about as well, but actually when you're at home, you do have to have something that's either been prepared or you've had to have done the shopping to have stuff in that you can prepare.
00:04:50 Speaker 2
So I think, yeah, being prepared, having your shopping list and all these sorts of things is key as well.
00:04:55 Speaker 2
But things like if you buy a whole melon, slicing up a melon the night before so that it's in a dish, ready for anyone, whether it's the kids or yourself, as an easy go-to snack.
00:05:07 Speaker 2
You open the fridge door and there's some sliced melon or pineapple or whatever it might be.
00:05:11 Speaker 1
I do agree preparation is key because, for example, making sure you buy chickpeas so that you can the drain the chickpeas, put them in the air fryer with a bit of paprika and make them into crispy.
00:05:24 Speaker 2
Nice.
00:05:26 Speaker 1
So, yeah.
00:05:27 Speaker 1
But you have to have them in the cupboard.
00:05:28 Speaker 2
See if you're a right sort of savoury snack lover.
00:05:31 Speaker 2
These sorts of things are brilliant, aren't they?
00:05:33 Speaker 2
Do you know, like the chickpeas and beans that you can toss in a little bit of flavour in and stick them in the air fryer.
00:05:40 Speaker 2
Good old air fryers, eh?
00:05:41 Speaker 1
Brilliant.
00:05:42 Speaker 2
And things like, again, around preparation, making fruit ice lollies.
00:05:48 Speaker 2
Because in our household, lollies are all year round.
00:05:50 Speaker 2
Ice poles, ice lollies, these sorts of things.
00:05:52 Speaker 2
If they're in the freezer, they're great.
00:05:54 Speaker 2
Even in the wintertime, that's still a snack.
00:05:56 Speaker 2
And mine don't care.
00:05:57 Speaker 2
Frozen yogurt, smoothies.
00:06:00 Speaker 2
We spoke about this before.
00:06:01 Speaker 2
Do you know, like if you put spinach or veg into a smoothie and make it green?
00:06:05 Speaker 2
Do you know Halloween's approaching?
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How much fun is that?
00:06:09 Speaker 2
A big green, gooey, ghastly, a big ghastly smoothie.
00:06:16 Speaker 2
But put a face on the top of it, stick two raisins on the top there.
00:06:19 Speaker 2
If it's that solid, I suppose, otherwise they're just going to sink.
00:06:21 Speaker 2
But things like that, make it fun, isn't it?
00:06:24 Speaker 2
And berry jellies as well.
00:06:25 Speaker 2
You know, getting some berries, whatever it might be, raspberries, blueberries, whatever it might be, putting it in a little container, pouring your jelly on.
00:06:33 Speaker 2
Again, you have to have the jelly to have been able to make a berry jelly.
00:06:37 Speaker 2
But if you've got it, you're laughing.
00:06:39 Speaker 2
Yeah, you could put it in a wee face.
00:06:41 Speaker 2
And then again, it's not long in the fridge and it's ready.
00:06:45 Speaker 2
And again, do you know if you've got kids that are coming home from school, whatever, do it the night before, if you can.
00:06:50 Speaker 2
But it is about being prepared, isn't it?
00:06:52 Speaker 1
Definitely.
00:06:53 Speaker 1
And that sort of takes us on to the kind of snacks that are great if you're going on a walk or you're going to a sporting event and you know you're going to need some food afterwards or maybe just a bit before.
00:07:05 Speaker 1
So what kind of snacks would you suggest for that?
00:07:08 Speaker 2
I suppose whenever exercise is involved, you want something that you're going to be able to snack on, which is going to give you energy, but not something that's going to leak and something that's not going to store well.
00:07:20 Speaker 2
Because we don't want a mushy banana found at the bottom of your bag.
00:07:23 Speaker 2
That's not pleasant for anyone.
00:07:25 Speaker 2
However, I have to say a banana case is fantastic for anybody out there listening.
00:07:30 Speaker 2
I'm not a sales rep, honestly, but the banana cases are brilliant.
00:07:35 Speaker 2
They're so handy, especially for kids going into school.
00:07:39 Speaker 2
and it stops that mashed banana ended up happening in the bottom of a school bag because they chuck their school bags all over the place.
00:07:46 Speaker 2
So yeah, wee banana case, plastic banana case.
00:07:48 Speaker 2
Plastic, maybe not the most sustainable thing, but actually in terms of retaining your food and stop these accidents, then it is quite a good thing.
00:07:58 Speaker 1
Bananas are a great snack.
00:08:00 Speaker 2
They are, they're super.
00:08:02 Speaker 2
And to be fair, they're already in their own casing as well.
00:08:04 Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:08:06 Speaker 2
Dried fruits are really handy, raisins, apricots, dates, some dried apple as well.
00:08:12 Speaker 2
Fresh fruits if they're put in a tub are really handy when you're out and about.
00:08:16 Speaker 2
You can also like, and lots of people have flasks and coffee cups now, but even just having something, keeping it cold, so you could take milk with you, something that's going to keep us hydrated as well.
00:08:29 Speaker 2
And milk goes along as a great snack.
00:08:32 Speaker 2
Plain mixed nuts.
00:08:34 Speaker 2
easy to store, make a good nutritious snack.
00:08:37 Speaker 2
Crackers, rice cakes, veggie cakes are also handy.
00:08:41 Speaker 2
Make sure you put them in a container though to avoid them smashing.
00:08:44 Speaker 2
That's not good.
00:08:48 Speaker 2
Lunch boxes with the cool packs are really good for keeping things chilled, particularly in warmer weather.
00:08:54 Speaker 2
But if you are buying a snack on the go,
00:08:56 Speaker 2
It's not a crime.
00:08:58 Speaker 2
Check the food label for the content though, because some are better than others.
00:09:02 Speaker 2
And if the ingredients list, so you've got ingredients and you've got sort of nutritional content that's on the back, usually on the back of a packet.
00:09:12 Speaker 2
If the ingredients list starts with glucose syrup or sugar, that's literally the main ingredient.
00:09:19 Speaker 2
But we'll drop a link on how to read food labels too.
00:09:23 Speaker 1
I think as well, just keeping that idea in your head of food labels, it's not compulsory to put the color coding on the front.
00:09:32 Speaker 1
So you would have to wonder why some suppliers don't put it on.
00:09:37 Speaker 1
And that's probably because everything is going to be the red.
00:09:39 Speaker 1
That would be detrimental to their business.
00:09:42 Speaker 1
Yeah, that's not supportive of good health.
00:09:44 Speaker 1
You want to stick to the green.
00:09:47 Speaker 1
and maybe some ambers and try and avoid the reds or have them not as often.
00:09:52 Speaker 1
But just have that idea in your head.
00:09:56 Speaker 1
If there's no colour coding, why not?
00:09:59 Speaker 2
Absolutely.
00:09:59 Speaker 2
And do you not think as well, though, that food labelling is a minefield?
00:10:03 Speaker 1
Oh, definitely.
00:10:04 Speaker 2
It is the hardest thing to understand, you know, that some food packaging, they don't have any food labels.
00:10:08 Speaker 2
There's some food packaging that have the traffic light system that you were just talking about.
00:10:12 Speaker 2
You've also got other ones that talk about percentages.
00:10:15 Speaker 2
which means absolutely nothing to people.
00:10:18 Speaker 1
Very difficult to know.
00:10:19 Speaker 2
So yeah, I think it'll be really useful.
00:10:22 Speaker 2
We'll include the food labelling guidance at the end of this podcast.
00:10:26 Speaker 1
Absolutely.
00:10:27 Speaker 1
And you can get activities that help you learn that from the Information and Resources Centre and the Health Promotion.
00:10:32 Speaker 2
Fantastic.
00:10:33 Speaker 1
Which is great.
00:10:35 Speaker 1
The big question is always going to be, what's the best swap for chocolate cakes and sweets?
00:10:40 Speaker 1
What would you suggest?
00:10:42 Speaker 2
All the favorites, eh?
00:10:43 Speaker 2
I suppose if you're looking for a sweet fix, dried fruits can be quite helpful.
00:10:48 Speaker 2
There's a lot of social media posts around just now about dates dipped in dark chocolate.
00:10:53 Speaker 2
And I'm a fan of dates.
00:10:54 Speaker 2
To a certain extent, they are very sweet.
00:10:57 Speaker 2
Dates are good, full of antioxidants and nutritional value, but dipped in dark chocolate, I mean, that's got to be a good thing.
00:11:05 Speaker 1
It's a good balance.
00:11:06 Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:11:06 Speaker 1
Get a bit fruit and a bit of chocolate.
00:11:09 Speaker 2
But let's be honest, if you or the kids want a biscuit, a bit of chocolate or a cake, just to enjoy it, you know, don't beat yourself up about it.
00:11:16 Speaker 2
Have it as part of a healthy balance.
00:11:20 Speaker 2
But there's also lots of social media out there around using bananas as your base.
00:11:26 Speaker 2
I suppose not just social media.
00:11:28 Speaker 2
I shouldn't just say that.
00:11:29 Speaker 2
Not just social media, but
00:11:31 Speaker 2
all recipes and things like that.
00:11:33 Speaker 2
There's so many different varieties using bananas as a base.
00:11:38 Speaker 2
You can blend and freeze banana to make ice cream.
00:11:41 Speaker 2
You ever had that?
00:11:42 Speaker 1
Yes, I've added peanut butter in as well.
00:11:44 Speaker 2
Nice.
00:11:45 Speaker 2
Really yummy.
00:11:46 Speaker 2
Peanut butter and banana is like, it's like a marriage, isn't it?
00:11:49 Speaker 2
That's a great combo.
00:11:50 Speaker 1
Wee bit of protein, wee bit of fruit.
00:11:52 Speaker 2
Oh yeah, it's awesome.
00:11:55 Speaker 2
So it does make a delicious ice cream.
00:11:58 Speaker 2
You can make a healthy banana loaf.
00:12:01 Speaker 2
You don't have to add all that sugar.
00:12:02 Speaker 2
You could use alternatives.
00:12:04 Speaker 2
And again, sneaking some extra fibre with grated veg, seeds, could add in some dried fruit there too.
00:12:12 Speaker 2
In terms of savoury snacks, we could opt for things like crackers, breadsticks.
00:12:17 Speaker 2
They come in all varieties.
00:12:19 Speaker 1
But we're hoping for the whole meal ones, aren't we?
00:12:21 Speaker 2
Oh, yeah.
00:12:23 Speaker 2
You've also got things like, Scotch pancakes.
00:12:25 Speaker 2
Scotch pancakes are great, crumpets, things like that.
00:12:28 Speaker 2
And it can be homemade or shop bought, we're not going to judge.
00:12:31 Speaker 2
You can either have some berries on the side or you can top them.
00:12:35 Speaker 2
Do you know, make a face.
00:12:36 Speaker 2
Yes.
00:12:37 Speaker 2
It's all so much fun.
00:12:38 Speaker 2
Do you know, a homemade pancake or a shop bought Scotch pancake with a wee blueberry face or a wee button nose or raisin or just whatever it might be.
00:12:47 Speaker 2
Do you know, you can even use pumpkin seeds and things to create your wee smile.
00:12:50 Speaker 2
So there's lots of things you can do.
00:12:52 Speaker 2
Yes.
00:12:53 Speaker 2
Doesn't need to be chocolate buttons.
00:12:54 Speaker 1
Yes.
00:12:55 Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:12:56 Speaker 1
Or chocolate spread or anything.
00:12:57 Speaker 2
Yes.
00:12:58 Speaker 2
Although it is tempting at times, but do you know what?
00:13:01 Speaker 2
Yeah, you can.
00:13:01 Speaker 2
There is lots of healthier alternatives.
00:13:04 Speaker 2
And I think as well, you know, you've got to put budget in there a wee bit as well.
00:13:07 Speaker 2
And if we are thinking about buying things like nuts and seeds and, you know, our nut butters and all these sorts of things, it can seem like quite an outlay initially, but these things last quite a while.
00:13:19 Speaker 1
Yeah.
00:13:19 Speaker 2
Do you know, if you have a big packet of seeds,
00:13:21 Speaker 2
You only use, you know, maybe a teaspoon at a time.
00:13:24 Speaker 2
You're not talking about a great amount.
00:13:26 Speaker 2
So they do last.
00:13:27 Speaker 1
And it's a lot of added value.
00:13:29 Speaker 2
Yes, absolutely.
00:13:31 Speaker 1
So if you're not really got a sweet tooth, what would you say for a savoury snack then?
00:13:36 Speaker 2
Savoury snacks, you can't beat crackers and cheese.
00:13:39 Speaker 1
Yeah.
00:13:39 Speaker 2
Do you know, and crackers, you get so many varieties now and the whole grain ones are great.
00:13:46 Speaker 2
But they do and cheesy ones are a favourite in our house.
00:13:48 Speaker 2
Getting in the dips as well.
00:13:50 Speaker 2
Dips are fab because then it's not just a cracker.
00:13:52 Speaker 2
And things like hummus, guacamole.
00:13:55 Speaker 2
And again, you can make these at home yourself if you want to get everybody involved.
00:13:59 Speaker 2
A salsa.
00:13:59 Speaker 2
And again, it doesn't need to be super spicy.
00:14:02 Speaker 2
You don't have to put the chilli in there.
00:14:04 Speaker 2
And soft cheese.
00:14:06 Speaker 2
You know, soft cheese is great.
00:14:08 Speaker 2
It's so handy.
00:14:10 Speaker 2
Whatever takes your fancy, really.
00:14:13 Speaker 1
I suppose it's all about that, keeping the kids fuelled with good nutrition so that we know they're concentrating and they're keeping their energy up.
00:14:20 Speaker 1
And then it makes them less irritable.
00:14:25 Speaker 2
You like to think.
00:14:28 Speaker 1
It's not a guarantee.
00:14:28 Speaker 2
No.
00:14:30 Speaker 2
Same for us.
00:14:31 Speaker 1
That's true.
00:14:32 Speaker 1
Same for adults.
00:14:33 Speaker 2
We can all relate to getting hangry, can't we?
00:14:35 Speaker 1
Definitely, definitely.
00:14:37 Speaker 2
I don't, I'm not a good hangry person.
00:14:39 Speaker 2
You just want to stay away from me.
00:14:41 Speaker 1
Yeah.
00:14:42 Speaker 1
Very obvious.
00:14:44 Speaker 1
So if we're thinking about the differences of snacks, you know, you mentioned adults like snacks too, but what's the difference between snacks for little kids and teenagers?
00:14:53 Speaker 1
Is the approach different for young kids and older kids?
00:14:57 Speaker 1
Are we trying to do something different to, you know, share that message and help them eat better?
00:15:04 Speaker 2
I suppose we do see a bit of a decline in healthy eating and activity as well.
00:15:09 Speaker 2
With teenagers, we know that little kids love to help and prep in the kitchen.
00:15:14 Speaker 2
I guess it's about sparking an interest.
00:15:17 Speaker 2
And if they've never really been exposed to food or being in a kitchen or helping out, it doesn't mean that it's too late.
00:15:25 Speaker 2
You know, if they're a teenager.
00:15:26 Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:15:27 Speaker 2
find an interest and a passion for food when they're a wee bit older.
00:15:31 Speaker 2
And starting good food variety from the start is excellent, but it doesn't happen for everyone.
00:15:37 Speaker 2
But encouraging to try things without making a big deal out of it, regardless of age, make it a game and try new things together.
00:15:45 Speaker 2
Just start small, and again, it doesn't have to be just for little kids, that's exploring food.
00:15:50 Speaker 2
It can be at any age.
00:15:52 Speaker 2
And actually it can be really fun and educational to go fruit and veg picking at a local farm.
00:15:56 Speaker 2
Do you know there's loads around Fife?
00:15:58 Speaker 1
Oh yeah, definitely.
00:15:59 Speaker 2
And we typically as adults provide kids with the things that we eat and we're comfortable with.
00:16:04 Speaker 2
But it's really useful to push our own comfort zone sometimes as well.
00:16:08 Speaker 2
Pick out something new together, do you know, go shopping together, look at a snack or a recipe, and have fun with seeing how you react.
00:16:16 Speaker 2
So there's so many foods.
00:16:17 Speaker 2
I mean, I don't know about you, but there's so many foods out there that I have never even explored, that I've never tried.
00:16:22 Speaker 2
Do you know, hopefully it's not wasteful and that you can manage to find something to make it with, but it's exciting.
00:16:29 Speaker 1
Well, I think you can be.
00:16:31 Speaker 2
And it's a shared experience then.
00:16:32 Speaker 2
Do you know, it's not then that it's something completely new to a child and that you're sort of encouraging them to have something that might be completely out of their comfort zone.
00:16:41 Speaker 2
You're experiencing it as well.
00:16:43 Speaker 1
Well, I did try, you mentioned earlier about soft cheese and somebody asked me to try a little dip that was soft cheese and I think it was mackerel.
00:16:54 Speaker 1
Love it.
00:16:55 Speaker 1
And I'm not, I wouldn't normally eat mackerel, but I tried it and it was absolutely delicious.
00:17:00 Speaker 2
Yeah, a wee fish pate.
00:17:01 Speaker 1
Really surprised.
00:17:03 Speaker 2
And tinned fish.
00:17:04 Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:17:04 Speaker 2
Tinned fish is so easy.
00:17:06 Speaker 2
It's so cheap, so easy.
00:17:07 Speaker 2
It's in the cupboard, really long shelf life.
00:17:10 Speaker 2
And throw it in with some soft cheese, wee bit black pepper, lemon juice.
00:17:14 Speaker 2
It's awesome.
00:17:15 Speaker 1
Yeah.
00:17:15 Speaker 2
It's so nice.
00:17:16 Speaker 2
And if you're not overly fussed for fish, you can add more soft cheese.
00:17:21 Speaker 2
So it's not quite as fishy.
00:17:23 Speaker 2
You hear that all the time, don't you?
00:17:25 Speaker 2
Oh no, not into that.
00:17:26 Speaker 2
It's too fishy.
00:17:27 Speaker 2
But you could actually dilute it a wee bit with more soft cheese and that might be a little bit more palatable for some people.
00:17:32 Speaker 2
And you're getting in your oily fish or your good fats.
00:17:35 Speaker 2
Things that we want to be encouraging.
00:17:37 Speaker 2
And it helps with your hunger as well.
00:17:39 Speaker 2
So good for you.
00:17:41 Speaker 1
I suppose it's that thing of thinking about, a snack doesn't have to be sweet.
00:17:47 Speaker 1
And remembering we're not all born with a sweet tooth.
00:17:50 Speaker 1
This is something that's developed.
00:17:52 Speaker 1
So, you know, we have built up a taste for sweet snacks.
00:17:57 Speaker 1
We don't have to add sugar.
00:17:59 Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:18:00 Speaker 2
And it's something that can be reduced.
00:18:01 Speaker 2
I suppose if you just think of somebody who
00:18:03 Speaker 2
I don't know how many people but I know lots of people that have tried to reduce the amount of sugar in their tea or in their coffee.
00:18:09 Speaker 2
And if you do it gradually, it's got a lot less impact than if you just stop altogether.
00:18:15 Speaker 1
Yeah, and once you go, if you try to go back to the amount of sugar you used to have.
00:18:20 Speaker 2
It tastes super sweet.
00:18:21 Speaker 2
Yeah, I know I think of being a teenager and I think I used to drink tea with about 3 sugars in it.
00:18:29 Speaker 2
I couldn't dream of having something.
00:18:30 Speaker 2
I think your taste buds change as you age anyway.
00:18:33 Speaker 2
But yeah, you think, my goodness, I couldn't dream of drinking that now.
00:18:36 Speaker 2
That would taste so super sweet.
00:18:39 Speaker 1
That'd be awful.
00:18:40 Speaker 1
And it's tough for a teenager.
00:18:42 Speaker 1
They're navigating that world at a very fast pace.
00:18:47 Speaker 1
There's emotions, there's hormones, there's friendships, all while they're physically growing.
00:18:52 Speaker 1
So
00:18:53 Speaker 1
I think it's important to be mindful of this and not panic too much when they're in school and making their own food and drink choices.
00:19:00 Speaker 2
Oh yeah, totally.
00:19:01 Speaker 2
I mean, there's, you can encourage healthy options as much as possible and it might be, you know, that sort of late in the evening when everybody's winding down that you just have a little bit of a conversation about, you know, have you packed yourself a good snack for tomorrow?
00:19:14 Speaker 2
Are you prepared?
00:19:15 Speaker 2
Do you know, have you got something with you?
00:19:18 Speaker 2
Because
00:19:19 Speaker 2
I know probably there's that anxiety not just for the kids but for parents as well where when in primary school they're very much catered for and cared for whereas in high school there's a lot more independence you know they're maybe going outside of school to get their snacks and their meals and they're not as prepared and they are trying to navigate the world and join in new or forming new friendships and
00:19:46 Speaker 2
joining in with their peers.
00:19:48 Speaker 2
And there can be a bit of that almost peer pressure to not eat healthily.
00:19:52 Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:19:52 Speaker 2
And I think it is just, you know, you've got to let them explore that.
00:19:58 Speaker 2
Maybe people would feel quite differently, I don't know.
00:20:00 Speaker 2
But I think allowing them that responsibility and that independence and almost being there in the supportive background figure is probably more helpful than trying to push healthy options on them, you know, let them figure it out for themselves because I'm sure they will.
00:20:18 Speaker 1
Yeah, but I think it's that thing of making the most of other meal times at home and making them count.
00:20:23 Speaker 1
Yes.
00:20:24 Speaker 1
So make sure they have a good nourishing breakfast, dinner and supper.
00:20:28 Speaker 1
I've got plenty of fruit and veg, whole grains to keep them full.
00:20:34 Speaker 2
Absolutely.
00:20:34 Speaker 2
Do all these good foods that we promote, it's about supporting brain function, energy, hormones, vital things when kids are growing.
00:20:42 Speaker 2
And for ourselves at different life stages as well.
00:20:47 Speaker 2
Eating well is about balance.
00:20:49 Speaker 2
But it's important to guide our children and teenagers, you know, educate ourselves, but they are also learning responsibilities.
00:20:56 Speaker 2
So it is good to let them do this as well.
00:20:58 Speaker 2
It's encouraging in the background, I think.
00:21:00 Speaker 1
Yeah, definitely, because I think it's one of those choices, you know, things that are sugar hits or energy drinks.
00:21:07 Speaker 2
Oh, here we go.
00:21:08 Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:21:08 Speaker 2
Energy drinks.
00:21:09 Speaker 2
That's a whole other podcast, isn't it, Fiona?
00:21:11 Speaker 1
It is.
00:21:11 Speaker 1
It definitely is.
00:21:13 Speaker 1
But it's worth talking about just, you know, very quickly in terms of we're talking about treats and treats have this effect.
00:21:21 Speaker 1
If there's too much sugar, they can go into a slump thereafter.
00:21:25 Speaker 1
So it's thinking about what's an alternative to that.
00:21:28 Speaker 2
I think, I'm not going to dis-confectionary here, we are all human variety is around us and it's all good in moderation, yeah?
00:21:36 Speaker 2
What we need to be aware of though is that it does play havoc in our bodies, you know, particularly around these high caffeinated drinks.
00:21:44 Speaker 2
It's a short-term fix followed by a complete crash, no nutritional value.
00:21:51 Speaker 2
So I think, you know, just discouraging energy drinks and caffeinated soft drinks,
00:21:57 Speaker 2
It can be really helpful to look at food labels, and we've talked about how to do that.
00:22:01 Speaker 2
It can be hidden.
00:22:03 Speaker 2
There's a podcast that might be helpful for listeners as well, and we'll pop a link to this at the end, which is on caffeine.
00:22:11 Speaker 1
Thanks, Fiona.
00:22:11 Speaker 2
I think it's important, though, that, you know, by keeping your body fuelled, eating regular meals, having nourishing snacks, like those that we've talked about, we can help keep cravings and the desire for something sugary to give us a boost at bay.
00:22:25 Speaker 2
At times, there is nothing else for it, when you do need a wee chocolate bar or a few sweets, but don't feel bad about it, you or the kids.
00:22:33 Speaker 1
No, it's just all in moderation.
00:22:34 Speaker 1
Yes, absolutely.
00:22:35 Speaker 1
Thinking about hunger pangs, grumbly tummies, you know, hollow legs, how do we keep on top of that hunger at the right time with the right foods?
00:22:45 Speaker 2
Snacking can be a really healthy habit to keep our energy topped up in between meals and avoid that.
00:22:51 Speaker 2
we shouldn't really be getting to the stage where we feel starving and that our stomachs are grumbling.
00:22:57 Speaker 2
Do you know, having this extra fibre and our fruit and veg and everything, they do contribute towards our five A day.
00:23:04 Speaker 2
We do have a series of podcasts as well.
00:23:06 Speaker 2
And in one episode, we will look at holistic health.
00:23:10 Speaker 2
you can listen to my wonderful colleague where she talks about honouring your hunger and we discussed that.
00:23:16 Speaker 2
We'll add the link for this.
00:23:18 Speaker 2
And it is, you know, avoid getting to the stage where you're starving.
00:23:21 Speaker 2
That'll impact on mood, concentration and energy levels.
00:23:25 Speaker 1
I think sometimes it's good to have a list of snacks so that you know what's available and where they are in the house, especially when you're shopping, creating a list that the kids like and
00:23:38 Speaker 1
they get to contribute their favourites too so they know what's going to be available in the house.
00:23:43 Speaker 2
Yeah, because if we, as the parents or carers, we do the food shopping, we put the food away.
00:23:49 Speaker 2
How does anyone else actually know what's available?
00:23:52 Speaker 2
I know that, well, it'll probably be the same in your house as well.
00:23:55 Speaker 2
How many times have you went to go and get something and it's gone and you go, who ate that?
00:23:58 Speaker 2
Who ate the last one that was supposed to be for dinner tonight?
00:24:01 Speaker 2
Or do you know there's...
00:24:02 Speaker 2
Whereas, yeah, you've got to label things, good communication.
00:24:06 Speaker 1
Yes, that's the key.
00:24:10 Speaker 2
But yeah, getting everybody involved and it allows everybody to have a voice as well so that they're not actually going to the cupboards or the fridge and going, there's nothing in here I like, you know, and you've got to deal with that actually.
00:24:20 Speaker 2
Well, you had your say.
00:24:21 Speaker 1
Yeah.
00:24:22 Speaker 2
You got your choice.
00:24:23 Speaker 2
You took part.
00:24:24 Speaker 2
So yeah, there should be something in there that you like.
00:24:28 Speaker 1
And I suppose that.
00:24:30 Speaker 1
That is the thing of having something nice in the fridge using your peppers, your cucumbers, your sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes, et cetera, that can be chopped and left in the fridge.
00:24:41 Speaker 2
Absolutely.
00:24:42 Speaker 2
I know.
00:24:42 Speaker 2
And I think we mentioned already as well, maybe not in this podcast, but we talked about my kids love a whole mushroom.
00:24:48 Speaker 2
Just a mushroom.
00:24:49 Speaker 2
Honestly, they pick them out of the container.
00:24:52 Speaker 2
I know they're strange, but a raw mushroom or sliced raw mushroom, it goes down a treat as well.
00:24:58 Speaker 1
Never tried it.
00:24:59 Speaker 1
I'm your pickled variety.
00:25:01 Speaker 2
Oh, nice.
00:25:02 Speaker 1
Take that out of the jars.
00:25:03 Speaker 1
Yeah.
00:25:04 Speaker 1
But I'll try that.
00:25:05 Speaker 2
Yeah, like a pickled gherkin.
00:25:07 Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:25:07 Speaker 2
Yes.
00:25:08 Speaker 2
Love them too.
00:25:10 Speaker 2
But yeah, little ones love to be kitchen helpers.
00:25:12 Speaker 2
Teenagers, maybe not so much.
00:25:15 Speaker 2
Leaving a wee note on the fridge though.
00:25:17 Speaker 2
Do you know if they're in from school and the house is empty, how do they know when they might not make the best choice for themselves?
00:25:24 Speaker 2
So actually putting a wee love heart post-it note or something on the fridge door to say, hi, there's something tasty in here, come and find me.
00:25:33 Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:25:33 Speaker 2
And you've got, you've got a big dish of sliced melon in there.
00:25:36 Speaker 2
That might be appealing.
00:25:37 Speaker 2
You never know.
00:25:38 Speaker 1
Or let them do it.
00:25:40 Speaker 2
Let them do it, yeah, just get the knife skills in there first.
00:25:43 Speaker 1
If they're motivated, obviously.
00:25:45 Speaker 2
But yeah, things like that are kept in the fridge, you know, yogurt, cheese, cold meats, hummus and fruit, they all make easy, nutritious snacks.
00:25:53 Speaker 1
So what sort of snacks do you think are good when kids are constantly hungry?
00:25:58 Speaker 2
Oh, the boredom eating.
00:25:59 Speaker 2
I'm hungry.
00:26:01 Speaker 2
I'm hungry every like five minutes.
00:26:03 Speaker 2
I'm hungry.
00:26:03 Speaker 2
I'm bored.
00:26:04 Speaker 2
They've just eaten.
00:26:06 Speaker 2
I suppose just don't spoil mealtimes.
00:26:08 Speaker 2
Don't have snacks too close to mealtimes.
00:26:11 Speaker 2
That can be a real nuisance.
00:26:12 Speaker 2
I'm sure we've all been in the situation where they've been cared for and you've shown up and they've gone.
00:26:19 Speaker 2
Yeah, they've just had a snack, but it's half four, 4:45.
00:26:21 Speaker 2
You think, nice, thanks for that.
00:26:23 Speaker 2
They're all going to eat their dinner now.
00:26:25 Speaker 2
So yeah, just making sure that they're reasonably spaced out between meals so that you don't spoil that all important meal time where you are hopefully going to get in as much nutrition as possible.
00:26:37 Speaker 2
And encouraging eating regular meals, you know, include these breakfast, lunch and dinners as much as practically possible.
00:26:44 Speaker 1
And I suppose making sure that they're not thirsty.
00:26:47 Speaker 1
That's always one I keep forgetting.
00:26:49 Speaker 2
Absolutely.
00:26:50 Speaker 2
Yeah.
00:26:50 Speaker 2
Always encouraging drinks before the whole, when that they're eating and that they're full, when they're still asking for food, they may just be having a hungry day and that's fine.
00:27:02 Speaker 2
But yeah, offering fruit.
00:27:03 Speaker 2
Do you know, well, if you're that hungry, go and have an apple.
00:27:05 Speaker 2
And if they say, well, no, I'm not that hungry, well, then you're not really that hungry, are you?
00:27:10 Speaker 2
Because if you are hungry, you take the apple.
00:27:13 Speaker 2
But things like, water, no added sugar, squash and milk, these are good drinks to offer.
00:27:18 Speaker 1
Because they do sometimes mistake it for hunger.
00:27:24 Speaker 2
Yeah, absolutely.
00:27:25 Speaker 2
I know, because when we were young, and I'm not going to tell my age, but we weren't encouraged to drink water.
00:27:31 Speaker 2
It wasn't really...
00:27:32 Speaker 2
talked about, was it?
00:27:33 Speaker 2
Whereas now kids are encouraged to drink plenty of fluid and how important it is for their overall health and concentration and everything.
00:27:40 Speaker 2
So yeah, it is keeping that message going.
00:27:43 Speaker 1
Now you mentioned earlier high fibre snacks and that these would keep us fuller for longer and help our digestive system.
00:27:52 Speaker 1
What kind of snacks would you suggest are good to make that
00:27:56 Speaker 1
fulfil your high fibre option.
00:27:59 Speaker 2
So you're right, and a healthy digestive system and a healthy gut is so important.
00:28:03 Speaker 2
Just keeps things moving, making sure we encourage drinking plenty as well.
00:28:06 Speaker 2
But good high fibre snacks include things that are whole meal and whole grain varieties.
00:28:11 Speaker 2
So, and it can be as simple as, you know, breads, wraps, crackers, things with a tinge of brown.
00:28:17 Speaker 2
It's always good, but not a bourbon or a hobnob.
00:28:22 Speaker 2
But and things like your fruit and veg with the skins on, dried fruits, seeds, beans and pulses or chickpeas, nuts.
00:28:31 Speaker 2
There's lots of recipes available online for making dips and spreads using beans and veggies to boost our fibre intake.
00:28:38 Speaker 2
Frozen and tinned varieties are absolutely acceptable and cheaper usually.
00:28:45 Speaker 2
But you can make hummus made with lots of different things.
00:28:47 Speaker 2
So you could have it made with beans.
00:28:50 Speaker 2
or beetroot.
00:28:51 Speaker 2
You can do whipped cottage cheese.
00:28:53 Speaker 2
I've saw this, is a bit of a trend at the moment, whipping cottage cheese.
00:28:57 Speaker 2
I haven't heard of that.
00:28:58 Speaker 2
I love cottage cheese anyway, but it can be a bit sloppy and fall off your crackers.
00:29:02 Speaker 2
But you can blend it and it creates this whipped consistency.
00:29:06 Speaker 2
And then you can add in different flavourings.
00:29:07 Speaker 2
So you could add in like some harissa.
00:29:09 Speaker 2
Now you'd have to buy the jar of harissa paste, but you could add in a bit of that.
00:29:13 Speaker 2
You could add in a bit of pesto, whatever you wanted, so you can flavour it.
00:29:18 Speaker 2
to your own desire.
00:29:19 Speaker 2
And that makes a lovely dip or you can add it on to crackers.
00:29:22 Speaker 1
And if you had, say, three top tips to improve sustainable snacking that we mentioned earlier, what would they be?
00:29:29 Speaker 2
I suppose it is, you know, talking about waste again, so top tip #1 would be include everyone.
00:29:35 Speaker 2
Make sure everyone knows what's available.
00:29:38 Speaker 2
It'll help with choices and reduce waste.
00:29:41 Speaker 2
The second one, probably encourage responsibility and variety.
00:29:45 Speaker 2
Shop together.
00:29:46 Speaker 2
Or even just unpackage items together and prepare your own snacks.
00:29:50 Speaker 1
Yeah.
00:29:51 Speaker 2
The third tip, I think, just opt in for fruit and veg.
00:29:54 Speaker 2
Whole grains, beans and pulses and try to eat less snacks with saturated fat, salts and sugars.
00:30:00 Speaker 1
And I guess they're the key to healthier, more sustainable snacking.
00:30:03 Speaker 1
So we're looking for our kids to eat well so that they grow well, have enough energy, balance their hormones, maintain a healthy gut, reduce mood swings, and improve concentration, as well as that important maintaining of their immune system.
00:30:19 Speaker 1
So I suppose it's that eating sustainably can help do this, as well as protecting long-term health of us and the planet.
00:30:27 Speaker 2
Absolutely, in a nutshell.
00:30:29 Speaker 1
So thank you very much.
00:30:30 Speaker 1
Thanks for having me.
00:30:31 Speaker 1
I think we'll just put a wee few links on the web page or down below so that you can get a little bit more information on anything we've discussed today.
00:30:40 Speaker 1
But thanks.
00:30:41 Speaker 1
Thank you.
00:30:41 Speaker 1
I appreciate you coming.
00:30:42 Speaker 1
See you soon.
