Heart Foundation teams up with My Food Bag

Published: 10 June 2021

Introducing new heart-healthy meals that your heart will love.

With a shared passion to get more New Zealanders eating nutritious and tasty food, the Heart Foundation has partnered with My Food Bag and developed a delicious new range of heart-healthy meals, launching today (June 10).

Developed with nutritional advice and expertise from the Heart Foundation, these new heart-healthy meals align with the principles of a Mediterranean style of eating, well known for its heart health benefits. 

Heart Foundation Chief Advisor Food and Nutrition, Dave Monro, says the benefits of a traditional Mediterranean style of eating have been well researched. The eating approach, together with other lifestyle factors, has been shown to reduce risk factors associated with heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and help in living a longer, healthier life.

The range focuses on plenty of nutrient-dense vegetables, healthier grains and the use of healthy fats from the likes of salmon and fish, nuts and seeds, avocados and olive oil. The dishes are packed full of flavour from herbs and spices to maximize the goodness without compromising the taste.

"Another important feature of a traditional Mediterranean lifestyle is enjoying food together. The food we eat is so much more than just its health benefits — food connects family and friends. Preparing, sitting down and sharing food can have a profound effect on overall wellbeing.

"These heart-healthy recipes will give New Zealanders the opportunity to use ingredients they might not have otherwise tried. The meal options are quick, easy, nutritious and very tasty," says Dave.

"We are delighted to team up with My Food Bag to help create meal options that are not only kind to your heart but delicious and appealing to the whole family."

The meal options were trialed and tested in a highly successful pilot programme last month. Jagdish Mehta and his wife Bina have been My Food Bag customers since Jagdish was diagnosed with heart issues several years ago. The couple were really pleased at how easy and convenient eating healthily could be and they enjoyed taking their healthy lifestyle a step further with this new range. 

"I love how the team at Heart Foundation and My Food Bag have collaborated to make it easy and convenient for us to eat a more heart-healthy and well-balanced diet. We are thrilled they have partnered to provide people like us with excellent quality food and introduce us to interesting and exciting ingredients that are heart-healthy and delicious,” he said.

My Food Bag co-founder Nadia Lim is loving the opportunity to get even more great ingredients and plant-based meals on the menu. "We've always loaded our My Food Bag recipes with plenty of fresh veggies and local goodness and we're excited to get Kiwis eating even more plant-rich and heart healthy foods."

My Food Bag's 'My Choice' menu includes a choice of three heart-healthy meal options each week. Some of the exciting meals include Salmon Fillet with Roasted Pumpkin, Fennel & Parsley Yoghurt and Veggie Koftas with Chermoula Cauliflower & Spinach Salad.

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