Many of us hope for a fresh start in January, hoping to make the most of the new year. So, if you’ve fallen off the wagon already, no worries, just start afresh in February! Over January, we highlighted on our social platform how the most common new year resolutions can help your local community in Sheffield and contribute to a better food system for all. So, we’ve gathered them all here to help you achieve your new year resolutions while also bettering Sheffield too.
We cover the four most popular resolutions; eating well, moving more, learning a skill or hobby and saving money. Each has a focus on food; we are ShefFood after all. We hope they’ll help you stick to your resolutions while benefiting either the local economy, the environment or helping your neighbours.
Eat Well
Here are some tips on getting the most out of eating better in 2022.
- Eating More Veg – Getting more veg in your diet will provide you with lots of nutrients to make you feel great this year, but it’s not always easy to keep up. So why not try a local veg or fruit box delivered to your door? Then you’ll always have something to hand for a healthy meal or snack. We’d recommend choosing a Sheffield-based veg box scheme to cut down the food miles.
- Less Meat, Better Meat – If you’re looking to reduce your processed meat intake or meat in general, look to buy less meat each week but better quality. Locally grown and reared meat has reduced food miles, supports the local economy and tastes delicious!
- Meal Plan – This is one of the most effective ways to stick to a better eating plan. When you’ve planned your meals, you’ll save time and money as well as reduce food waste.
- Veganuary or Meat-free Mondays – Reducing meat and animal products in our diet has been shown to reduce emissions, especially when many of these items come from abroad. If you’re interested in trying out a vegan or plant-based diet, Veganuary is a great challenge. Or you can try Meat Free Monday, opting for one day a week without meat. Choose local producers and seasonal veg to boost your impact further for Sheffield!
Save Money
Here are some food-related ways you can save money.
- Meal planning – Without a doubt, meal planning is one of the most effective ways to save money on your groceries, plus it minimises food waste.
- Eating local and seasonal – Eating locally produced seasonal vegetables and fruit from local producers and retailers is very cost-effective. In addition, in-season produce is cheaper, has made fewer emissions through travel and keeps money in our local community.
- Fancy a walk? – While not an option for everyone, and we wouldn’t advise it for the BIG shop, walking rather than driving to do local food shopping will save fuel and might help you with another resolution, moving more!
- Swap your takeaway – Good for the wallet and your health, swapping your favourite takeaway for a homemade version could save you hundreds of pounds over a year.
Learn a new skill or hobby
Here are some ideas for learning a new skill or getting involved in Sheffield’s food community.
- Volunteering – From volunteering at food banks to helping elderly neighbours, volunteering for non-profits and charities is incredibly rewarding and helps your community. Check out Together for Sheffield and South Yorkshire Climate Alliance; they share many opportunities.
- Growing Veg – A fantastic skill to grow! Gardening is great for exercise and your mind. Plus, there are plenty of options to get started. There are local gardening groups to join. You can volunteer at the Food Works Farm or other community gardens. Or, you can even create a herb garden on just a window sill. Be part of a hyper-local food revolution in Sheffield.
- Attend events – After almost two years of the pandemic, many of us are looking to be more social in 2022. So instead of learning a personal skill, why not commit to attending more local events such as markets, gigs and shows in Sheffield! Maybe attend an event at our partner FoodHall.
Moving More
Here are some fun ways to move your body more this year while helping your local community and environment thrive.
- Plogging – Taking up jogging and running is a typical new year resolution, but have you heard of plogging? Plogging is a combination of jogging with picking up litter. So whether it’s just running around the corner or running to a specific location, pick up rubbish along the way for a full-body workout. Check out Good Gym, they organise running groups to tackle community projects like litter picking.
- Community Gardening – Delicious, nutritious food, light to medium exercise, a better environment and learning a new skill. Getting involved in community gardening has it all!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @sheffoodsocial for more tips and tricks on food throughout the year and to keep up to date on events in your city.
