Heading into April, you quickly realise how many holidays there are – and depending on where you sit in the food chain, this can be good or bad news! The truth is, it’s disruptive. Just as you feel you’re getting the year on the go and settling into a healthy routine, the stop-start rhythm of April begins.
World Health Day is coming up on Monday 7 April – a timely reminder for us all to take care of ourselves and our families. Most cultural holidays centre around food and feasting, lots of travelling and the stress of juggling finances to cover all the activities. Let’s be honest – the first thing to go are the healthy choices because they are not always the easiest to achieve, whether in terms of time or money.
In 2025, with more information at our fingertips, it is harder to ignore the importance of making healthy choices. Yet we are bombarded with enticing advertising luring us to buy fast foods and fall into the trap of convenience shopping – but at what cost? It’s hard to make healthy choices when you’re under pressure timewise, and when you layer that with financial strain … something is bound to give. Add to that the ‘reward’ mind set – when we’re on holiday, we justify unhealthy food choices by telling ourselves we deserve the spoiling!
But maybe we’ve got it the wrong way around. Spoiling is not a good thing – in fact, it can be harmful. Rewarding children with unhealthy food as a special treat is laying the foundation for problematic habits that could last a lifetime. If our love language is food, what should that food look like? Maybe this is where things start to go wrong?
Interestingly, on the ground in our poorest communities, we’ve seen first-hand how healthy food and good food choices can solve problems. In the preschools where children and teachers are part of our nutrition programme, their overall health improves. There is less absenteeism, fewer visits to clinics, and parents spend less money on over-the-counter medicine. Photo: Elizabeth from Nyakallo Educare in Dunoon.
Principals are witnessing the benefits of eating well – and this is shifting mindsets. Poor diets and unhealthy choices are not only a poverty problem – they’re a societal problem. So, as we mark World Health Day here’s some food for thought for everyone. Changing eating behaviour starts with us and our children. Healthy beginnings can set them on a path to hopeful futures.
At Ladles of Love we believe food is medicine, food is life and food is love.
Together, let’s feed the future.
With gratitude and appreciation,
Danny and the team at Ladles of Love ❤️
