In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, with the constant demands of daily life, it’s easy to reach for foods that are quick, convenient, and readily available. I completely understand this—being a working parent is no small task, and ensuring good nutrition for your family can often feel overwhelming.
However, over the years, it has become increasingly concerning to observe how ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have gradually replaced whole and minimally processed foods in our supermarkets and food outlets. Gone are the days when we would boil ground coffee beans for our morning brew, prepare cocoa from raw cacao, or enjoy simple snacks like boiled cassava, sweet potatoes, plantains, or fresh fruits. In my younger years, these were not just common—they were a standard part of daily life.
Ultra-processed foods are often described as products made from inexpensive ingredients using industrial methods. They tend to be high in sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, and additives, and are heavily marketed for convenience and taste.
In New Zealand, UPFs now make up approximately 50–60% of the average daily diet. This means that whole and minimally processed foods contribute only about 40–50% of what the average Kiwi consumes each day.
Several key statistics highlight this concern:
- Around 69–70% of packaged food and beverage products in supermarkets are classified as ultra-processed.
- Approximately 52% of packaged foods are high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats.
- Studies show that New Zealand children consume 45–51% of their diet as ultra-processed foods from an early age.
- Imports of ultra-processed food and drink have increased from 9% in 1990 to approximately 22% in 2023.
Beyond their low nutritional value, the reality is that ultra-processed foods are often less satisfying than whole foods. They may be convenient, but they do not nourish the body in a meaningful or sustaining way.
When we shop, we often look for “value for money.” But what if we applied that same mindset to the nutritional quality of our food choices? What if, instead, we embraced the principle of “High Nutrition, Great Value”?
Admittedly, planning, budgeting, and preparing meals using wholefood or minimally processed ingredients can feel daunting and, at times, require sacrifice. Yet, when viewed through the lens of long-term health, the investment becomes deeply worthwhile.
I am reminded of something my mother used to say: it is better to invest in good nutrition now than to face the higher cost of treating chronic illnesses later. Caring for unwell children or managing health issues is far more challenging than building a strong nutritional foundation from the start.
This is not to suggest that good nutrition makes us immune to illness. Rather, it equips our bodies with the essential building blocks needed to better withstand and recover from health challenges. It supports resilience, recovery, and overall well-being—both in the short and long term.
As someone who loves food and the fellowship that happens over food, I was taken aback when a comment was shared that Filipino foods are not healthy. That is probably because the usual foods / recipes featured in social media are foods prepared over festivities of life celebrations.
You will be surprised that we have a wide array of honest to goodness wholefood recipes, healthy and daily comfort food to the soul. And most importantly, they are easy to cook and budget friendly.
With the cold season sweeping across the New Zealand, vegetable soups like chicken ginger soup – “tinola”, sour soup (beef, pork or seafood) – “sinigang” and the famous vegetable stew – “abraw” or “dinengdeng” always finds their way in my family’s dinner table. I would love to share these recipes. Disclaimer, I am not a chef. I am a mother who learned cooking wholefood from my own mother who was very particular with what we eat every day.
Let’s start with the Chicken in Ginger soup / “Tinola”
Ingredients:
1) Any chicken part that you prefer, cut into small pieces
2) 1 whole garlic bulb, peeled and crushed (I want lots of garlic)
3) Ginger – same amount with garlic; but for those who would like for the ginger flavour to stand out; the more the merrier.
4) 1 pc white onion; peeled and cut into slices
5) Choko or bottle gourd; peeled and middle seeds removed; slice into thick wedges.
6) Your choice of spinach, kale or bokchoy; some would use cabbage
Cooking instructions:
1) To lessen use of cooking oil, boil the chicken for at least 5 minutes and dispose the water
2) Add water again and boil to tender
3) Add ginger and onions
4) In a small fry pan, add some oil, enough for the amount of garlic you will stir fry. You do not need a lot of oil here; just enough for the garlic to cook to crispy fried. Once golden brown, remove it from the hot plate and transfer the crispy garlic plus its oil into a ceramic dish.
5) You can season your soup with salt, pepper or fish sauce to your liking.
6) Then add your choko or chayote or bottle gourd; cook just right
7) Add your leafy veggies – spinach, kale or bokchoy; some would use cabbage
8) When serving into soup bowls, you can then add some crispy garlic as toppings. This adds that flavour and aroma to your gingery soup.
Serve steaming hot.
Sour Soup (Beef, Pork or Fish) – “Sinigang”
Ingredients:
1) Beef / Pork – any part with bones; cut into small cubes; Snapper, Tuna or Salmon heads
2) If you are using salmon heads (sliced in butterfly halves), sprinkle some salt and leave in a colander allowing the fish slime to drain for around 30 minutes.
3) If you are using beef or pork, I prefer using a slow cooker to tenderise.
4) 2-3 ripe tomatoes cut into slices or cubes
5) 1 white onion – sliced
6) Sour soup powder; for Beef and pork – I use tamarind and miso-based powder; for fish I use miso-based powder. You can buy these in Asian shops.
7) Fish sauce or salt
8) Long green pepper
9) Leafy veggies - spinach, kale or bokchoy ; cleaned and base removed
10) Radish – peeled and cut into diagonal slices
11) Eggplant or Okra – cleaned and sliced into diagonal slices but 3 inches long
Cooking Instructions:
Beef or Pork:
1) Tenderise your beef or pork (remember to remove the scum floating on the water); once tender transfer meat and stock into a bigger pot for soup.
2) Add tomatoes, onions, tamarind / miso powder; season to taste with fish sauce or salt and ground pepper
3) Add your vegetables – hard ones first, and leafy ones last; most of the time I remove each batch once cooked and transfer to deep platters; this prevents overcooking.
Salmon Heads/ Other Fish (Sliced or Fillet); you can also use Shrimps
1) If you are using salmon heads (sliced in butterfly halves), sprinkle some salt and leave in a colander allowing the fish slime to drain for around 30 minutes. Wash & drain before cooking.
2) In a big soup pot, allow water to boil, then add tomatoes, onions, tamarind / miso powder; season to taste with fish sauce or salt and ground pepper
3) When the tomatoes / onions are mushy, add your salmon heads or any other sliced fish
4) Add in the fish and allow to cook; once cooked, carefully remove from the soup and transfer to platter or wide soup bowl; being careful not to break the fish to prevent fish bones falling in the soup.
5) If you prefer fish fillet, that would be fine.
6) Once all fish are transferred, add your vegetables – hard ones first, and leafy ones last; most of the time I remove each batch once cooked and transfer to deep platters; this prevents overcooking.
Serve steaming hot.
Mixed Vegetable Stew – “Abraw” or “Dinengdeng”
Ingredients:
1) Left over fried or grilled fish; you can also use shrimp
2) Vegetables – leafy veggies, eggplant, okra, winged beans, string beans, squash, legumes – washed and peeled; squash or eggplant sliced into cubes; long ones cut into 2-3 inches length
3) Tomatoes (2-3), onions (1 big) and ginger (as much as you like)
4) Fish sauce, or salted anchovy paste (I prefer the salted anchovy paste)
Cooking Instructions:
1) In a big pot pour desired amount of water; as long as all ingredients can be submerged
2) Allow to boil with Tomatoes (2-3), onions (1 big) and ginger; then add either fish sauce, or anchovy paste.
3) Once #3 is cooked add your squash, legumes (hard to cook first) then followed by easy to cook ones. Do not overcook the vegetables. Halfway through, add your fried or grilled fish or shrimp on top of the veggies. Do not stir to leave the fish intact.
Serve steaming hot.
We also recognise that even with a good, wholefood diet, it may not always be enough to meet our daily nutritional requirements. This is where health supplements can play a supportive role. They are designed to complement a healthy diet and lifestyle — not replace them.
At About Health Supplements, we focus on providing true value for your money, helping you make informed choices that support your wellbeing.
Supplements can be especially helpful during busy, stressful, or highly active periods, where maintaining energy levels may be a challenge. For example, B-group vitamins are known to support energy production and overall vitality.
You may also wish to explore our Healthy Ageing and Deep Sleep Package, carefully put together to support rest, recovery, and long-term wellbeing:
Our Multiva Advanced formula has been thoughtfully developed to provide key nutrients that may be lower in New Zealand diets, such as selenium, iodine, and chromium. It also supports immune function, bone health, and general wellbeing:
That said, the foundation of good health remains consistent — a balanced diet, adequate sleep, proper hydration, regular movement, and effective stress management. Nutritional needs will also vary depending on the individual, including age, diet, lifestyle, and any maintenance medications.
Alternatively, you can call us on 0800 999 309, and one of our friendly team members will be happy to assist you.
