Seven days of healthy eating

Healthy eating is a challenge for lots of people – but it can be even harder to manage if you work in policing.

So, to make taking control of what you eat a bit simpler, we've created our seven days of healthy eating programme. Developed by nutritionist Anna Earl, it's a great way to kick start your healthy eating plan.

Seeking out unhealthy foods after a traumatic incident or challenging shift is common and understandable. It’s a short-term fix, though. Highly processed meals such as takeaways have a negative long-term impact.

It’s easy for your partner/family member to get into bad habits, especially since junk food is widely available. Breaking the link between fatigue, lifelong habits, work-related stress and poor food choices isn’t easy.

This seven day programme aims to give you some helpful, practical ideas and nutritious recipes (more are available in the nutrition for wellbeing section of our website) to build your stock of healthy eating go-to dishes.

Introduction by nutritionist Anna Earl

Video transcript

Anna: Healthy eating is a challenge for lots of people, but it can be even harder to manage if you work in policing. Seeking out unhealthy foods after a traumatic incident or a challenging shift is common and understandable. It is a short-term fix, though. Highly processed meals such as takeaways have a negative long-term impact.

It is easy for your partner or family member to get into bad habits, especially since junk food is so widely available. Breaking the link between fatigue, lifelong habits, work-related stress and poor food choices isn’t easy. This seven-day programme aims to give you some helpful, practical ideas and in a second post each day, I will direct you to a nutritious recipe on the OK Nutrition for Wellbeing website, to build your stock of healthy eating go-to dishes.

Day one: Nourish

Focus: See nutrition in a new light

Outline the health benefits of balancing proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in your plates of food.
Adapt portion sizes of each to boost health and energy.

Benefits:

Beat fatigue.
Reduce risk of illness associated with shift work.
Create healthier habits and boost energy for the whole family.

How?

Find out what a balanced plate of food looks like on healthyplate.eu

Recipe to try:

Healthy half and half bolognaise sauce recipe

Video transcript

Anna: Welcome to 7 Days of Healthy Eating. Today, we are focusing on foods that nourish you. Understanding how your food choices can help you feel energised, boost your mood and reduce your risk of chronic health conditions means that the health and wellbeing of you and your family can start in your kitchen. If you have never really thought about the main food groups that make up your meals, why is this important? Well, each food group plays a very different role in keeping you fit and well, so getting the right balance of these every day can really help your health and energy.

So, here is a super quick summary. Carbohydrates – we get these from plant foods, fruit and vegetables as well as our wheat, rice and potatoes. Carbohydrates are essential for providing energy for the body, particularly the brain. But, all carbs are not the same and tomorrow we focus on healthy carb choices. Fats – we need the right sort of fats to absorb other nutrients into the body, such as vitamins A, D and E. Fats also make hormones and support our overall health so the right sorts of fats are a crucial part of a healthy diet. Protein helps build and repair muscles, tissues and your immune function so protein helps keep our body strong.

Here is an example of what a healthy, balanced plate of food looks like in terms of those food groups. So, this is a great starting point to creating nutritious meals. You can download this healthy plate template from the OK family nutrition pages and then join me later, where I can show you how to pad out a stable firm favourite of bolognaise, adding in some extra plant protein and fibre to the typical dish.

Day two: Choose wholegrains

Focus:

Switching from white carbs to the more nutritious wholegrain and brown versions of bread, rice and pasta.

Benefits:

Satisfy appetite to reduce snacking between meals.
Reduce sugar spikes and dips, which can drive fatigue.
Support gut health.

How?

Swap wheat-based breakfast cereals, white bread, rice and pasta with whole oats, wholegrains such as granary and wholemeal bread, quinoa, rye, brown rice and pasta.

Recipes to try:

Breakfast - Wholegrain bread, whole oats for porridge.

Anna's Granola
Healthy Scotch Pancakes (ground oats and seeds)

Video transcript

Anna: When you eat simple carbohydrates – like white bread, pasta, rice, crisps, chips and many breakfast cereals – they quickly turn into sugar in your blood stream causing a rapid spike in blood sugar. This spike is followed by a quick drop, making you feel hungry sooner.

On the other hand, complex carbohydrates in wholegrains and vegetables contain more fibre and release sugar more slowly providing a steady energy supply. This helps keep you fuller for longer, reducing the urge to snack between meals. Choosing wholegrains can stabilise your energy levels, curb cravings, help manage weight and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Swap simple carbohydrates with wholegrain and brown versions such as wholewheat bread and brown rice. Perhaps choose whole oats for breakfast to make some porridge or some granola, or wholegrain toast and eggs, rather than the boxes of breakfast cereals that can be very high in sugar.

You might see a difference in that sugar rush response that we sometimes see in our children, particularly after a party when they have gone a bit overboard on sweets or juice. And, then join me later where we will look at some more nourishing breakfast options that are available to you on the Nutrition for Wellbeing pages.

Day three: Mid-week multi-colour

Focus:

Make colourful choices with at least five portions of vegetables and fruit.

Benefits:

Reduce sugar spikes and dips.
For a more gradual release of energy.
Increase intake of vitamins and minerals, supporting immune and brain health.

How?

Add extra portions to popular dishes.

Recipe to try:

Butternut Squash and Bean Quesadillas

Include the power of using herbs and spices.

Video transcript

Anna: Including a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables in your daily meals is like giving your body a diverse team of health boosters. Each colour carries different nutrients and antioxidants that support your overall wellbeing. It is like a natural way to strengthen your heart, nourish your skin, keep you energised. So, when your plate is a mix of colours, you are treating your body to a range of benefits that help you feel good, both inside and out.

Aim to get at least five portions of vegetables and fruit onto your plate every day. You could start the day with a smoothie, adding some frozen berries to some liquid, some natural yoghurt, some peanut butter, for a nutritious start. Add cans of beans to dishes, grated carrot and courgette to your mince and your curries and your bolognaises. Put a generous side of cauliflower or peas on your macaroni cheese.

There are so many ways of just adding portions to veg to our everyday meals. Join me later, where I will filling some lovely quesadillas with butternut squash and beans, looking at the power of using herbs and spices. So, come and join us.

Day four: Thirsty Thursday

Focus:

The impact of your fluid intake and choices on family health. Aiming to get the daily recommended intake to ensure you are well hydrated.

Benefits:

Healthy alternatives.
Reducing sweetened drinks (including artificial sweeteners in fizzy drinks) can reduce sugar spikes and dips. Drinks with added sugar impact dental health.
Reducing drinks high in caffeine, which can affect sleep and increase stress.
Maintaining good levels of hydration can help digestion, energy and brain function.

How?

Swap fizzy, energy drinks, squash and fruit juices with (naturally-flavoured) water, kombucha and herbal teas.
Examples: Look at natural flavourings for water – mint, lemon, cucumber, frozen strawberries.
Aim to reduce intake of caffeine after 2pm, or in second half of a night shift to support sleep.
Replace fruit juice with a smoothie that contains protein as a healthier alternative.

Video transcript

Anna: You can make a significant impact on your health with your choice of fluid intake. The daily recommended is around one and a half to two litres of fluid per day. That is about six to eight glasses and ensures that you stay well hydrated.

Reducing sweetened drinks, including artificial sweeteners in fizzy drinks and squash, can reduce those sugar spikes and then those dips. Drinks with added sugar can impact your dental health. And, whilst moderate amounts of tea and coffee can have some health benefits, try reducing your reliance on drinks high in caffeine which can affect sleep and increase stress. If that is the case with you, reduce your intake of caffeine after 2pm on a regular daytime routine, or in the second half of a nightshift, to support your sleep later.

The maximum levels of alcohol per week should be fourteen units or less, so check out how that relates to your favourite tipple and give yourself two to three alcohol-free days per week, avoiding binge drinking.

Good levels of hydration help your digestion, energy and brain function. Maybe get used to having a regular water bottle around with you, that you can just keep topped up throughout the day. And, check out post two later, for some healthy drink ideas.

Day five: Quality fuel

Focus:

Reduce ultra processed foods, especially as snacks.

Benefits:

Often packed with additives and higher levels of sugar, unhealthy fats and sodium than home-cooked meals, which can increase stress on the body, and risk of various health issues like obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Can lead to nutrient deficiencies which can affect basic functions such as growth and mood.

How?

Make your snacks healthy, try one of the following:

Recipe to try:

Prepare this Teriyaki Salmon with noodles and stir fried veg with fresh / frozen vegetables.

Video transcript

Anna: One food group we need to try and reduce is ultra-processed foods. These are typically your packaged products that have undergone industrial processes to enhance flavour, adding sugar, salt, unhealthy fats and additives. They change how the food looks and give it a longer shelf life.

We don’t tend to register that we are full from eating these foods, so we can overeat by up to 25%. They can also increase stress on the body and lead to nutrient deficiencies which can affect basic functions such as growth and mood.

Basing our meals on the foods we have looked at this week so far, so our wholegrains, quality protein and generous portions of vegetables and fruit, those are the foundations for healthy eating. They fill us with nourishing fuel which can reduce the need to snack between meals.

But, if you do need to snack, check out some suggestions in the recipe section of the OK Nutrition for Wellbeing webpage. I know it can require more time to prepare these foods, but it is so worth it when you see and feel the benefit.

In post two today, I am preparing some quick and easy teriyaki salmon with noodles and stir-fried veg, so check that out.

Day six: Simply success

Focus:

Stressing the importance of gradual, sustainable changes for families with shifting schedules.

If there is one main cook in the family, today can you encourage other family members to get involved in cooking / prep?

Benefits:

Gradual changes offer the stability your family needs, making health a sustainable journey rather than a sprint, leading to lasting wellbeing for all.
Long-term family success.
Improved family health.
No overwhelming shifts, just gradual changes.

How?

From the recommended healthy eating practices suggested so far, each family member adopts one small, healthy change daily for a further week.

Perhaps children would like to make breakfast for parents? Teens get chopping in the kitchen to help you all eat the rainbow today. Can they help make a nutritious bolognese sauce that includes four different plant foods?

Video transcript

Anna: Starting small is the key to a successful home of healthy eaters. If this week has suggested a number of changes to your regular meals, don’t feel overwhelmed and try and change everything at once, especially if you are already juggling shift patterns and changing schedules.

Gradual changes offer the stability your family needs, making health a sustainable journey rather than a sprint, leading to lasting wellbeing for all. So, if this feels overwhelming, start tiny – one change or healthy addition per week.

If there is one main cook in the family, today could encourage other family members to get involved in the cooking and preparation. So, if any children are watching could they make breakfast today, using one of the suggestions in our recipe section? The pancakes are delicious. Could older children and teenagers have a go at the 50/50 bolognaise recipe? This is so versatile and can become the base of lots of dishes, that can be frozen in portion sizes, take to work to heat up later. Add in kidney beans to make into a chilli or a lasagne sauce. These efforts really could benefit everyone at home, providing life skills and long-term family health.

Day seven: Plan, plan, plan

Focus:

Emphasising the importance of planning meals ahead for families on different shifts, to encourage healthy eating.

Benefits:

Reduced stress of what to eat each day to accommodate varied family needs and mealtimes.
Better portion control and considered variety of nutrients for all family members.
Reduce time and money spent on more random food shopping.

How?

Schedule time to meal plan.
Create a plan for five meals for next week - download the healthy meal planner.
Identify which could be prepared in advance / doubled in quantity to provide extra for the freezer, to reduce the pressure on one person and on daily food preparation.

Recipes to try:

Video transcript

Anna: I cannot stress enough how much planning is key to healthy eating. Planning meals ahead for families on different shifts really does wonders to encourage regular healthy eating. It reduces the stress of what to eat each day to accommodate varied family needs and mealtimes, helps with better portion control and considers the variety of nutrients for all the family members across the week. It can reduce time and money spent on more random last-minute shopping where you might tend to grab the most quick and convenient option.

Schedule time, just ten minutes, to meal plan. Create a plan for five meals for next week or for the next set of nights. And, identify which could be prepared in advance or doubled in quantity to provide extra for the freezer, reducing the pressure on one person and on daily food preparation.

Check out the five-day meal planning solution that we ran on the Oscar Kilo nutrition pages that includes a meal planner that you can download and some suggested resources.

Eat better as a family

What you and your family eats can have a huge impact on your health and wellbeing. Find out how good nutrition can help.

Go to OK family life