Cook nourishing, warming meals through the winter

Use this guide if you want healthier hot meals as the weather turns cold, without spending every evening cooking. Have a look in your fridge, freezer and cupboards first; if you have a medical condition affecting your diet, follow advice from your GP or dietitian.

Step by step

1. Plan around what you already have

   Write down what is in your fridge, freezer and cupboards and plan the first few meals around food that needs using up. Use the NHS Eatwell Guide as a rough plate guide: plenty of vegetables and fruit, starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice or pasta, some protein such as beans, lentils, eggs, fish or meat, and some dairy or alternatives. Then write a shopping list for only the gaps.