Eating well for less: events happening this summer in east Kent
People in east Kent will be able to get advice about how to shop, cook and eat well for less at special events happening across the area this summer.
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust's (KCHFT) One You Kent service is working with district councils in east Kent as part of the East Kent Wellbeing and Health Integrated Partnership.
They will be providing free and family-focused ‘eat well for less’ events over the summer at events in Thanet, Canterbury, Ashford, Aylesham and Folkestone.
Families will find out more about free school meals, food share programmes and healthy start vouchers, get support with benefits as well as get advice for saving money, shopping, cooking and eating well as a family. There will also be a chance to have a ‘health MOT’ with blood pressure and height and weight checks. Events have already been held in Hythe and Aylesham.
Eat well for less events coming up:
5 August, 9am to 12 noon at the Ray Allen Centre, Ashford
16 August, 11 to 2pm at the Beaney, Canterbury
17 August, 11am – 3pm, at Sunny Sands, Folkestone
22 August, 10am to 2pm at Ramsgate High Street
23 August, 10am to 2pm at Margate High Street
24 August, 2 to 4pm at Broadstairs Promenade
24 August, 12noon to 3pm at Repton Park Community Centre, Ashford
25 August, 10am to 2pm at Station Road, Westgate-On-Sea
25 August, 2pm to 4pm at Station Road, Birchington
7 September, 9am-4pm at the One You shop, 25 Park Mall, Ashford
A special information booklet has been produced for the events which includes recipes, and shopping and cooking tips such as:
Find budget-friendly recipes
Cheap doesn’t have to mean less tasty. There are plenty of websites offering recipes for budget-friendly meals and using leftover ingredients. Check out One You Easy Meals app for inspiration and easy meal ideas and find ways to cut food waste at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.
Frozen fruit and vegetables are just as good for you if not better and are often cheaper than fresh varieties. A jacket potato with beans and cheese is a really filling and nutritious meal.
Bulk out meals
Add vegetables, beans and pulses to make your meal go further and keep you fuller for longer. Try to go half-and-half, can you swap half your beef mince for lentils? Or half your chicken for chickpeas? Try to have two meat-free days a week to help to keep the cost down.
Eat smaller portions
Do you always have too much cooked pasta left over? Weigh out pasta and rice to reduce the amount thrown away or keep any leftovers for the next day. Try mixing cooked pasta with some low fat mayonnaise, sweetcorn and cooked meat or tuna for a tasty lunch.
Saving money on your weekly shop
Plan meals and write a shopping list before you go. Check what you have to see what you need to use up first. Buy in bulk and share with a friend or separate a larger pack and freeze portions of meat, cheese or fish.
