Good Food Strategy

Food that is good for our health

We will improve health and wellbeing through:

Calling for the adoption of good food standards in our schools, hospitals and other settings.
Enabling more opportunities to get involved in community growing
Championing the provision of nutritious low-cost meals in community settings.
Developing education around nutrition and cookery skills.

Good food is integral to the health of individuals and the population. Excellent nutrition allows minds and bodies to perform optimally and people to achieve their goals and reach their potential. In a time of high food inflation and suppressed incomes, it is even more important that we strive for food that is good for our health in a multi-pronged way.

Children learn, grow and develop better when they eat fulfilling and nutritious meals – so we call for good food standards in our schools, as well as strong safety nets in the free school meals and Healthy Start programmes. People recover from illness and injury, or handle chronic conditions better, when their bodies are well-nourished and they feel satisfied – so good food in hospitals, care homes and other settings is highly beneficial.

Food is at its peak nutritional value when it is freshest, and nothing is fresher than food which someone picks and uses the same day. Community growing has many benefits in terms of physical and mental health, involving people in nature, community, learning and skill development. Increasing access to bountiful, nutritious, free fruit and vegetables through community growing is often accompanied by learning to use unfamiliar products and making good food more appealing and available.

For some people, there is a barrier in lack of knowledge, skills and motivation regarding nutrition and cookery skills. Food in the fridge is only beneficial once it has been prepared and consumed. We are working with partners to develop cookery demonstrations and programmes to develop cookery skills, as well as sharing knowledge of nutrition.

More information

Please visit our blog for recipies and ideas for healthy and nutritious meals. You can also get in touch if you have any questions or you would like to be involved in supporting our work.

hello@arunchifood.org.uk