New Island Values: Eat Less Meat

Hardly a specific goal – this one is twofold. It relates mainly to my other New Island Value – East More Fish. Naturally, if I eat less meat, I’d probably eat more fish.

Visiting Berlin in February, the challenge stepped up. In a non-religious observance of Lent, I promised myself no meat until Easter.

It turned out that I failed in that challenge. Changing habits at the flick of a finger is hard graft as I found when I walked into a McDonalds ordering a hamburger, subsequently eating it all, and having the error of my ways dawn on me only days later.

But in general I have been eating much less meat.

I’m not suggesting there is a health benefit to this. Eating less meat was a way for me to challenge my diet and see what I need and what I don’t need. It was a personal goal to challenge myself in an area that would alter my habits, rather than a conviction that eating less meat was good or bad for me.

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New Island Values: No Fries

Over the course of last year, whilst living in Notting Hill, I noticed a sharp increase in my chip intake. This was mainly the result of my lifestyle. Most evenings I wouldn’t make it back to the house until 9, and by then had no desire to cook. The chippie at the end of the street always seemed like a good option.

Of course having such fatty and oily food on such a regular basis is not good for anyone – especially if such a place begins to offer you a loyalty card for your efforts in keeping their business afloat.

Saying ‘No Fries’ was rather optimistic. It was never going to really happen – and it hasn’t. But at the same time, when I do cook, I’ve become much more inventive and healthy. I now lay claim to a rather mean Mediterranean Roast Vegetable Concoction, don’t you know. Plus I’ve been getting some great recipe tips from my friend’s blog, The Daily Miff.

Success in my book!

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New Island Values: No White Bread

The switch to the brown alternative wasn’t exactly hard. Since I’ve matured into an ever-so-slightly competent adult, brown bread has become the bread and butter in this household.

But a spanner recently flew into the works. I discovered the charm of Allinson High Fibre White Bread. For the last few months, i’ve had a slight obsession with Allinson. So much so that one time whilst working as a waiter I chatted to a customer for a good ten minutes on why the brand is unrivalled in what it does.

My usual purchase would have been Allinson’s Wholemeal Loaf, but as this was out of stock I decided that extenuating circumstances applied here and tested out the alternative. To say it was good is to misunderstand the luxury of this particular brand of factory made staple food items.

Yet, I’m pleased to say that my brief flirtation with white has ceased, and brown is back on my menu. I’m classing this as a success!

Note to readers: this post is not an extended piece of innuendo.

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New Island Values: Doughnuts = Banana

This was an attempt to limit my inappropriate intake of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Not that this was part of any diet plan. If anything, it would serve me to put on a few pounds. Actually this was about reducing my daily sugar intake. I’m highly aware that diabetes and glaucoma runs on one side of my family.

The simple idea is that, whenever I fancy a doughnut, I should eat a banana instead. Maybe this was slightly too simplistic, seemingly from the Paul McKenna school of thought. Yet by and large, it has worked. I’m eating far less Krispy Kreme’s whilst now consuming bananas aplenty.

The fact that banana’s are high in sugar themselves is not lost on me. But with fruit I feel you must weigh up the health benefits – which are almost always in favour of eating fruit, regardless.

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