Recipes created with celebrity chef Miguel Barclay are designed to show shoppers how simple swaps, including adding more veg into meals, can cost less while meeting planetary and human health diet guidelines
Lidl has partnered with celebrity chef Miguel Barclay to create seven recipes for meals that meet scientific advice for a healthy and planet-friendly diet while costing only £1.
The new £1 Planet Plate recipes are designed to show how simple alternatives to reduce the environmental impact of diets and improve healthy eating can cost less.
Barclay, author of the bestselling One Pound Meals series, has created the new recipes inspired by the Planetary Health Diet, a set of guidelines developed by scientists to help a growing population eat in a way that supports the health of people and planet.
The recipes include more vegetables, beans, pulses, lentils in meals such as creamy leek, courgette and bean cassoulet, beef and lentil hotpot or chickpea masala.
Barclay said: “I’ve always believed that great food doesn’t have to come with a big price tag. The key is making the most of simple, affordable ingredients and knowing how to bring them together in a way that’s delicious and balanced.
“These £1 Planet Plate recipes show how little changes, such as adding more vegetables and beans, can be easy to create at home, without compromising on flavour or affordability.”
It follows research commissioned by Lidl that reveals nearly seven in ten Brits believe eating healthily is more expensive, with cost preventing many from making more sustainable food choices.
“Our research shows people want to make healthier and more sustainable choices for the planet, but often affordability stands in the way,” said Lidl CCO, Richard Bourns.
“At Lidl, we’re breaking down those barriers by proving that market leading value can go hand-in-hand with making foods encouraged by the Planetary Health Diet more affordable and accessible. We’re supporting this ambition through year-round promotions, rewards and initiatives designed to make balanced choices more affordable.”
The research also found that 65 per cent of shoppers worry about the impact diet could have on long-term health and 48 per cent are concerned about dietary impact on the environment.
Around half of those surveyed said they chose a less healthy choice in the past year because it was cheaper.
Nearly two thirds of shoppers said they would be open to making small changes to their weekly shop if they could reduce their environmental impact without increasing their grocery bill.
Lidl is also launching a new weekly initiative over summer, called Wellness Wednesdays, with 10 per cent off products from its Live Well range every Wednesday.
Lidl is seen as a pioneer among food retail for championing sustainable eating guidelines into its store environment, pricing strategy and product portfolio.
It has already tripled its plant-based product range, and committed to increasing sales of whole plant foods, including fruit, veg, whole grains and legumes, by 20 per cent by 2030.
The Planetary Health Guide prioritises small, easy swaps into everyday meals, rather than completely changing how people eat. These include:
- Increase plant-based protein
- Choose one wholegrain every day
- Add a few more portions of fruit or vegetables, whether that’s in meals, snacks or on the go
- Add extra vegetables into the meals you love
