A Week in My Life: Healthy Meals, Reducing Food Waste, and Staying Active

This week has been full of small adventures, delicious meals, and staying active — all part of my journey in family nutrition and healthy living.

Self-Care and Mini Adventures

The week started with a hair appointment, which honestly always feels like a mini holiday. On that day, I braved the rain by walking from Walton to Weybridge (about 45 minutes). On my way, I checked and updated one of my posters — a little reminder that small steps matter. I didn’t regret the walk one bit!

Lucy at Mirra Hair Salon is truly a specialist — professional, skilled, and wonderfully personable. Taking time for yourself, even for a haircut, is such an important part of self-care.

Healthy, Practical Meals and Reducing Food Waste

I’m currently eyeing up Plant You by Kayleigh Bodrug, a New York Times bestseller all about reducing food waste. While it’s a bit pricey right now, I watched a fantastic ZOE podcast episode where she was a guest: Watch it here. It’s full of practical tips for using what you have in your kitchen.

This week in the kitchen, we made the most of our ingredients:

• Gooseberry compote — using up frozen fruit that were picked in June and stored in the freezer until January

• The very last apple from the allotment, eaten before resorting to frozen fruit

• Meals: tofu stir-fry, black bean enchiladas, pasta puttanesca (to use up anchovies), a bean burger (the firm favourite this week — recipe here), and a flatbread filled with crushed chickpeas, Turkish breakfast style

These meals are examples of healthy, family-friendly recipes that help reduce food waste and make mealtime fun and practical.

Staying Active at Home

I’m still practising for pull-ups 💪 and strengthening my right ankle — the “doggy” one. While it no longer hurts since starting my nutrition business (fun coincidence!), it’s still weaker than my left. According to Thriving Beyond 50 by Will Harlow, it’s not strong enough for my age range yet — so I make sure to keep up with my exercises each night.

Weekend Adventures and Local Discoveries

Saturday brought a logistical challenge: dropping one child in Richmond and another in the opposite direction, both at 9am. One finished swimming and had to wait while the other played an entire football match before we could return — officially over four hours later 😅

The day had its perks too: I discovered a German bakery nearby and stopped at Starbarks, a dog grooming business and café. It was a lovely pause, and the espresso was perfect!

Celebrating Burns Night

On Sunday, Black Bean and I celebrated Burns Night with a wee dram of whisky and some 100% dark chocolate — a small indulgence to finish the week on a festive note.

Key Takeaways

• Plan meals to reduce food waste — use what’s in your kitchen first

• Move a little every day — walks and simple home exercises count

• Celebrate small joys — self-care, local cafés, or little treats make life sweeter

What did you cook this week to reduce food waste or try something new? Share your tips in the comments — I’d love to hear your ideas!