The Nutrition Consultant

02/03/2026

🌸 It’s March!! Hello lighter evenings, (slightly) warmer days…and all the delicious seasonal produce. Even when it’s raining, we can still eat like spring is on the way 😋

This month there are so many gorgeous fruits and veg in season and I encourage you to pick one you don’t usually buy (or have never tried) and give it a go 🌟

Variety really matters, so make the most of what’s around right now. Save this post to come back to whenever you need inspo 💫

C. x

16/02/2026

Brighter days don’t mean you can skip this yet…

The one supplement I routinely recommend….Vitamin D! 💊☀️ (our “sunshine vitamin” - technically a hormone).

In the UK, the official guidance is 10ug (400 IU) daily for most people through autumn and winter, and for some people, all year round. But even though the days are starting to get brighter, the sun is still too low in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere for us to reliably make enough vitamin D from sunlight.

Vitamin D supports bone and muscle health, and low levels can be associated with things like feeling run down, low energy and low mood.

I’m a huge advocate of food-first nutrition…but vitamin D is the exception✋

And yes, this applies to kids too* 👶👧🧒

…and this is where things get confusing for parents and carers. Kids’ vitamin D supplements come in so many forms and brands, some include added sugar/sweeteners, and plenty don’t even contain the recommended dose 🤷🏻‍♀️

✨So here is a handy comparison of popular kids supplement brands. Swipe to see:

* vitamin D per dose
* price
* added sugar / artificial sweeteners
* target age
* whether it meets the recommended 10µg
* whether it’s vegan / vegetarian-friendly

Save this post so you can refer back next time you’re buying, and comment any brands you want me to add 💊

👶 * All children under 5 years and all babies should have a daily vitamin D supplement throughout the year (unless a baby has more than 500ml infant formula a day 🍼).
0–12 months: 8.5–10µg/day.
Over 1 year: 10µg/day.
(Under 5s are also recommended a vitamin A supplement)

Any questions - as always just let me know 🤗
And if you want an adult version just pop ADULT in the comments.

11/02/2026

3 veg, 9 delicious ways to use them 👩‍🍳🥦🥕

Winter doesn’t mean boring meals. Right now, leeks, broccoli, and carrots are at their absolute PEAK - bursting with flavour, nutrients, and endless possibilities.

SCROLL for nutrition facts + easy recipe ideas ➡️

My February seasonal stars:

🌟Leeks - prebiotic fibre for gut health + folic acid for healthy cells
🌟Broccoli - vitamin C powerhouse for skin, bones + immune support
🌟Carrots - beta-carotene for healthy vision + glowing skin

SWIPE through for the full breakdown: nutritional benefits, cooking tips, and 3 simple recipes for each veg to keep things interesting all month long👩‍🍳

Whether you’re meal prepping or just want to shake up your usual habits, these recipes will show you what seasonal eating is all about.

SAVE this post so you can come back to it when you need meal inspiration 📌

Which of these 3 are you cooking with this week? 👇💚

C. x

03/02/2026

February’s hidden superfoods you don’t want to miss 🥬

SWIPE to discover what’s in season now in the UK ➡️

Seasonal eating is an amazing way to support local farmers, local farm shops and encourages us all to include a wider variety of vitamins and minerals into our diets through introducing different fruit and veg that we might not have ordinarily included 🥬🥕🥦🌽🍆🍅

But I say this with variety in mind. You don’t need to eat seasonally all the time and health benefits don’t just come from ‘seasonal’ produce.

Even if your produce has travelled around the world to get to you, be assured that this is still such a positive benefit to you (for many varieties this is the only option anyway as a lot of our produce isn’t grown here 🍌🥑🥭).

Don’t overlook frozen veg too.

Ultimately if you’re able to include or increase consumption of any type of fruit and veg into your diets it will help towards benefiting your mental and physical health 🌟

And that’s got to be a good thing - VARIETY is the spice of life!

Look out for my seasonal stars post coming later this week - this not only tells you WHAT is in season, but what TO DO with it!

What’s your favourite February vegetable? 👇💚

04/12/2025

See that shadow? Time for your vitamin D reminder! ☀️

I was out running yesterday and spotted my shadow stretching way longer than I am tall…and while I sometimes wish my legs were a bit longer than they actually are, it’s really just a sign that UV radiation is low.

I know we’re already in December and the recommendation is supplementation from October, but I come across so many people who aren’t taking it because they forget or don’t realise they should. Even on sunny winter days, the sun just isn’t strong enough to produce vitamin D through our skin ☀️

So if you haven’t started yet, it’s not too late - now’s the time. When your shadow becomes longer than you are, that’s your cue to start supplementing ✨

In the UK, official guidance recommends everyone over 1 year old takes 10µg daily from autumn through winter.

I’m all about getting nutrients from food, but vitamin D is the exception. We generally can’t get enough from diet alone during colder months, even from sources like oily fish, eggs, and fortified foods. And the stores we build up over spring/summer become diminished.

Why does it matter? 🤔 Vitamin D works with calcium and phosphorus to keep your bones, muscles, and teeth healthy. Without enough, your body struggles to absorb calcium properly. Low levels have also been linked to fatigue, poor immune function, hair loss, and low mood.

Children under 5 should take a vitamin D supplement all year round (with vitamin A), and babies* need 8.5-10µg daily from birth.

Some people need supplements all year long: those with dark skin, those who cover most of their skin outdoors, or those with limited outdoor access (housebound, night shift workers etc).

When choosing a supplement, look for 10µg dosage (adults and kids over 1yrs) and ideally avoid added sugar.

Think of it as a little daily hug for your body until spring returns 💛

* Babies having more than 500ml of infant formula daily don’t need additional supplementation (formula is already fortified).

01/12/2025

Your December seasonal calendar is here, and honestly this month's lineup is divine!🎄✨

Whether you're meal prepping around busy household schedules, planning your Christmas feast, or simply trying to balance the festive treats with nourishing wholefoods, December's seasonal produce has you covered 💚

There are so many different varieties of seasonal produce available right now so try and plan in some of these seasonal beauties.

From hearty root veg that keep you warm to vibrant greens that brighten up your plate, there's so much gorgeous seasonal goodness 🥕🥬🍎

20/11/2025

With ultra-processed foods dominating headlines right now, I think it's time for a more balanced conversation. The term ‘ultra-processed food’ (UPF) lumps together everything from energy drinks to baby formula, fortified cereals, and plant-based milk - but of course they're not nutritionally equivalent.

Many people depend on UPFs because of medical conditions, sensory sensitivities, time, or cost, and demonising an entire category risks alienating those who don’t have the privilege of choice. That doesn't mean we should just accept our current food environment though. With children having around 80% of their diet made up of UPFs, we’re clearly not striking the right balance, and that needs to be addressed. We can’t all go back to eating nothing but whole foods - we need practical, systemic solutions.

Bottom line: processing level does not always equal healthfulness.

Here’s an article I wrote about this subject, following the recent Joe Wicks documentary - https://www.foodfacts.org/articles/joe-wicks-killer-protein-bar-ultra-processed-food-upf

As always, let me know if you have any questions ⬇️

Joe Wicks’ controversial “KILLER” protein bar sparks debate on ultra-processed foods, but experts say the real issue is misinformation, not ingredients.

07/11/2025

SEASONAL NOVEMBER! 🥦 There’s something special about eating seasonally - brilliant for our planet AND it pushes us to discover new ingredients and add variety to our diets 🌍🥰

This month I’m super excited about all the gorgeous green veg (my absolute fave! 🥦🥬) and I’ll definitely be using the pumpkin chunks I froze after Halloween. Still not convinced on the Brussels sprouts though 🤢 Is this just me? Where are the Brussels lovers?

02/10/2025

A day late...but hello October! 👋 Seeing all these yummy veg becoming available is a sure sign that the seasons have changed again. Autumn is such a great time of the year 🍁 Here are what UK seasonal vegetables are available this month 🥬 (and a couple of fruit options too! 🍎)

You don't need to eat seasonally all the time, but being aware of what’s in season can really help to make the most of local produce whilst available. The taste differences can be significant in some cases! 😋

01/08/2025

AUGUST seasonal produce 🍅🥕🌽. Another great month of goodies to make the most of. Save this so you have inspo when you’re out and about 🍽️ or doing your weekly shop 🛒 Enjoy 💚🌱

01/07/2025

It’s JULY and what a great month for all things seasonal 🍒🫐 The extensive choice is one of the many reasons why July is my favourite month of the year (oh and it’s my birthday month too 🥳☺️)

Who else finds it fascinating watching the months change and the subsequent fruit and veg becoming available? I certainly do (you might have guessed that! ☺️)

My desire in sharing these posts (now in the 5th year of doing them!) has never been about ONLY eating seasonal produce - our diets would become limited and boring if we did that - BUT it is about making it easier for you to see what is being harvested a bit closer to home so we can make the most of them whilst we have them 🍒

Before you know it, the options change again!

Integrating seasonal fruit and veg with produce harvested further afield is a pretty good combination to strive for when you can 🍅🍍

Please be assured though that ANY fruit and veg is better than NO fruit and veg, and canned, frozen, dried and fresh are all awesome, nutritious choices 🤗

SAVE this so you have it as a handy reminder throughout the month 👍

Enjoy 💚

20/06/2025

Great to feature in the latest Waitrose Food Magazine, exploring the benefits of eating with the seasons! 🌱

Here are a few key takeaways from the article:

🍓 Better Taste - Seasonal produce is harvested at peak ripeness, so it’s fresher and often more flavourful. Strawberries are a perfect example. Nothing beats them in season!

🥦 More Nutrient-Dense - Produce harvested in season tends to contain more nutrients. For example, in-season broccoli can contain twice as much vitamin C as its out-of-season counterpart.

🌍 Better for the Planet - Seasonal and locally-grown food generally uses fewer resources and travels less distance to reach your plate, cutting carbon emissions.

Right now, UK produce is at its best - from strawberries and gooseberries to vibrant tomatoes, cherries, and asparagus. Enjoy! 🍅🍒