Eating Well This Winter Doesn’t Have to Cost More

As the evenings draw in, many of us find our good intentions slipping. New research from MoneySuperMarket’s Winter Wellness Reset found that 29% of UK adults say their motivation to eat healthily gets worse in winter, and around one in five eat more takeaways and drink more alcohol than they do in summer. Cost plays a part too: nearly eight million people say the cost of living gets in the way of a healthy lifestyle over the colder months.

I was pleased to contribute to the study, answering a question I’m asked often in clinic: does eating healthily in winter have to be expensive? The short answer is no. Here’s how.

Lean on seasonal vegetables

Parsnips, carrots, swede, cabbage and leeks are in season, good value and incredibly versatile. Roast a big tray at the start of the week, blend them into soup, or use them to bulk out stews and curries. Root vegetables also keep well, so less ends up in the bin.

Don’t overlook the freezer

Frozen fruit and vegetables are frozen soon after harvest, which locks in their nutrients, so they’re just as nutritious as fresh. They’re easy to portion and cut waste, which is handy when the week doesn’t go to plan.

Stock a winter store cupboard

Tinned beans, lentils and chickpeas, eggs, porridge oats and tinned oily fish such as sardines or mackerel are some of the most affordable, nutrient-dense foods you can buy. Between them they provide protein, fibre and slow-release energy, a combination that keeps you fuller for longer and helps steady your energy through long, dark days.

Think about vitamin D

Oily fish is one of the few food sources of vitamin D, which is a useful bonus at this time of year. From October to March, UK sunlight isn’t strong enough for our skin to make the vitamin D we need, and food alone rarely provides enough. That’s why UK guidance advises everyone to consider a daily 10 microgram vitamin D supplement during autumn and winter.

Make it easy, not perfect

Motivation naturally dips when it’s cold and dark, so make healthy choices the easy ones. Batch cook at the weekend, keep a couple of quick go-to meals in your back pocket, and give yourself permission to enjoy comfort food. A balanced winter diet isn’t about restriction; it’s about adding more of the good stuff in.

Bringing winter wellness to your workplace

The survey also found that 30% of people feel their overall wellbeing gets worse over winter, and that shows up at work in energy, focus and morale. I run practical, evidence-based winter wellness sessions for employers, covering affordable healthy eating, eating for steady energy, and simple habits that stick. If you’d like to support your team through the darker months, get in touch to talk about a workshop or talk for your organisation.

You can read the full Winter Wellness Reset study on MoneySuperMarket, including the survey findings and the UK’s best winter walks.