Eat Well, Play Well
M&S Food is partnering with the England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland national football teams to use the power of football to help families make healthier choices.
This is a partnership for change. With a little help from some much-loved footballing heroes, we’re going to be inspiring you and your family to make healthy eating delicious, easy and fun and to help make the next generation of families healthier.
Keep reading for a taste of all the exciting things to come.
THE POWER OF FOUR NATIONS
Players’ favourite recipes, made healthy
England Eat Well recipes
From sweet and sour chicken to back-of-the-net bolognese, discover recipes inspired by England players’ go-to meals
Northern Ireland Eat Well recipes
Whether you want to fuel up with a healthy breakfast or make a quick pasta dinner, try some of the Northern Ireland players’ favourites
Scotland Eat Well recipes
From spicy fajitas to zingy Thai fishcakes, fuel up with recipes inspired by the Scotland players’ favourite meals
Wales Eat Well recipes
Tuck into some of the Wales players’ healthy faves, from a warming chicken curry to perfect poached eggs
What is Eat Well?
Eat Well is a health seal of approval found on thousands of M&S products across our Foodhall, making it easier to be healthy. Every product with the Eat Well flower has a health benefit and supports a balanced diet, so you can feel confident you’re making a healthy choice.
The Eat Well flower is only given to products meeting evidence-based nutritional criteria, developed by our nutritionists in consultation with the British Nutrition Foundation. And the best bit? Because it’s from M&S, you can be sure any Eat Well product you choose will taste delicious too.
Healthy habits for the new year
This new year, instead of giving something up, try committing to one positive, achievable change to see you through January and beyond.
Eating more and greater variety of fruit and veg is a great way to include vitamin and minerals to support a healthy balanced diet. Look out for what’s in season throughout January, like apples, beetroot, brussels sprouts and carrots.
You don’t have to go completely vegan to make beneficial changes to your health. Try out a meat-free Monday or choose more plant-based options, like our roasted butternut squash salad – it’s 100% plant-based, carries our Eat Well flower, contains two of your five a day and is low in saturated fat.
Adding nuts and seeds to salads a great way to get more vitamins and minerals into your diet. Try topping our new protein power soup with a handful of seeds for extra crunch, and to make it even more nutritious!
Brilliant breakfasts
Breakfast is an important meal to help you “break the fast” after sleeping and provide you with energy for the day ahead. This January, we’ve got lots of new on-the-go breakfasts in the Foodhall to help you kick off your days, even when you’re in a rush.
Did you know that we need 30g of fibre per day? On average, we only get 15-18g! Fibre can help to support your digestive system and may reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
Choosing fibre-rich breakfast options, such as our new super-seeded honey granola, will get you on your way to 30g of fibre per day.
Power up your breakfast
Switch up your breakfast with our new and improved Eat Well cereals range. Follow the flower on the packaging to find the healthiest choices.
Personalise your breakfast to your family’s taste and nutrition needs with everything from vegan high-protein choco crunch and pecan pie-flavoured porridge to wholegrain spelt puffs.
Plus, we’ve got a brand-new range of toppers – perfect for adding extra protein, calcium or copper to a morning smoothie, yogurt or cereal bowl.
Za’atar-roasted cauliflower, kale and chickpea salad
Eating seasonal produce is great way to introduce new fruit and veg into your diet at the right time of year. This recipe puts best-in-season kale and cauliflower centre stage
Ingredients (serves 4)
- • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- • 1 red onion, sliced
- • 2 tbsp M&S za’atar
- • 125g kale
- • 80g tahini
- • 1 lemon, juiced
- • 1 tbsp maple syrup
- • 1 clove garlic, crushed
- • 1 tin (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- • 2 tsp smoked paprika
- • 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- • Handful parsley, chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Line a baking tray with parchment.
2. Add the cauliflower and onion to the tray with ½ tbsp olive oil and the za’atar, and mix to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes before adding the kale, then return to the oven and cook until the kale is crispy.
3. While the veg is cooking, make the dressing. Mix the tahini with the lemon juice, maple syrup and garlic. Add 3-4 tbsp water to loosen slightly and season to taste.
The Southgate smoothie
When it comes to achieving your best performance, eating the right food is so important – and no one knows this better than Team England’s gaffer Gareth Southgate.His signature smoothie packs in one of your five-a-day and is a source of protein (which supports muscle mass) and vitamin C (which supports your immune system). To make it, watch the video below or follow this recipe: simply blend 30g fresh or frozen banana, 50g fresh or frozen strawberries, 10g porridge oats, 10g pitted dates, 170g oat drink and 30g Greek-style yogurt until smooth
Ideas to kick off with a healthy breakfast
When we think about the day ahead, we want to make sure we’ve given our bodies enough fuel for work and play – breakfast provides nutrition and enough energy to kick-start the day. Always include a piece of fruit – whether fresh or frozen, chopped up on cereal or with porridge – in your breakfast, to get you on your way to five-a-day. Look out for Eat Well breakfast products, from our vitamin D-enriched bread to high-in-fibre, vitamin-fortified bran flakes, across the Foodhall
Bowls of beauty
Breakfast should never be boring! Switch things up with our new Eat Well cereals and toppers. Try making overnight oats with your choice of milk, peanut butter and fresh or frozen raspberries. The next day, top your oats with more raspberries, a small drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkling of our new “topper the morning” revitalising chia and flaxseed.
For something quick and easy, top our Plant Kitchen coconut pot with your choice of tropical fruit and our new super-seeded high-fibre granola. Or why not whizz up our berry smoothie mix (find it in the frozen aisle) with apple juice, then top with strawberries, bananas, blueberries and coconut seaweed crunch clusters?
Health is wealth
Looking for ways to save a few pennies, but don't want to compromise on health and flavour? Try our family favourite meatball dish that uses a variety of Remarksable Value ingredients, that carry our Eat Well seal of approval, and is cooked using a slow cooker. Not only is a slow cooker a more cost-effective way to cook but they also help retain nurtrients
Slow-cooked Italian-style meatballs
Make use of a slow cooker with this crowd-pleasing, nutritious dish
Ingredients (serves 4)
• 500g M&S 20% fat beef mince
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
• Cheddar, grated, to serve
• Basil leaves, torn, to serve
• Wholemeal pasta, wholemeal pitta bread or jacket potatoes, to serve
• Green side salad, to serve
1. Season the beef mince with salt, pepper, half the crushed garlic and the oregano in a bowl. Roll into balls.
2. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the rest of the garlic, the onion, the celery and the carrot until softened. Add to the slow cooker.
3. Brown the meatballs in the pan, then add to the slow cooker along with the chopped tomatoes, 400ml water and some salt and pepper. Cook on low for 5 hours.
4. Serve the meatballs topped with cheddar and basil, along with your choice of pasta, pitta bread or jacket potato.
