Campaign to transform shopping habits launched in Derry

The ‘Transform Your Trolley’ programme will see Healthy Living Centres across the north in partnership with the Healthy Living Centre Alliance deliver a series of online workshops with the support from local health improvement teams in each Health & Social Care Trust area.

The interactive online programme will help participants make practical changes to their weekly food shop. The workshops will focus on creating a balanced shopping list, meal planning, how to eat well on a budget, how to cook basic nutritious meals, and making use of leftovers.

Recent research in the north reveals that overall the population consumes too much saturated fat and added sugar, and not enough fruit, vegetables, oily fish or fibre. Obesity continues to be a major health issue with 62% of adults and over a quarter of children (27%) reported as being overweight or obese.

Launching the programme, Joana da Silva, Nutritionist at Safefood said: “Shopping for healthy, foods on a limited budget can be a difficult task, but planning your weekly shop is key to eating healthily.Without a shopping strategy you might come home with more than you bargained for as safefood research has shown that supermarket promotions are frequently on food and drinks that are high in fat, sugar and salt, which only increases the temptation to purchases these foods.”

Discussing their project as part of the ‘Transform Your Trolley’ campaign, Sinead Murphy at Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum, said their six week programme “will cover a variety of topics including shopping lists, food labels, branded versus unbranded products, the eatwell guide and how to cook on a budget”. “We will also be doing a virtual shopping tour and distributing weekly recipe packs, as well as providing the participants with vouchers at the end of the programme,” she added.

Julie White at Old Library Trust Healthy Living Centre, said their six-week programme will see them “work with families to teach them how to shop healthier by creating a balanced shopping list, meal planning and sticking to a food budget”.

We will also deliver nutritional sessions that will cover, food labelling, portion size and sugar intake, as well as teach participants basic cookery skills,” she said.

Tony Doherty, Regional Coordinator at the Healthy Living Centre Alliance, said: “These community-led projects will help increase knowledge around meal planning, teach healthier food shopping and enhance basic cooking skills that will help people make practical changes towards a healthier diet for the long-term.”

For more information visit: www.safefood.net/transform-your-trolley