We run workshops exploring the relationship food, nutrition, and wellbeing, and encouraging people in adverse circumstances on their own journey to wellbeing. It is important to us that we take a holistic approach to these topics.

We understand that things such as food and health sit within complex societal systems that dictate who gets access to ‘good’ food, and who can engage in health-promoting behaviours. We encourage health-promoting behaviours that are meaningful to people we are working with, rather than using weight, shape or size as the only indicator of health.

How we work

Food Matters works with people in the criminal justice system, young care leavers, children and those struggling with mental health to build skills, knowledge and confidence around food. That might be cooking food, nutrition knowledge, learning to budget and shop well or advocating for change. 

We understand the transformative potential food has on people’s physical and mental wellbeing. However, many people face complex and overlapping barriers when trying to access nutritional food, due to the food systems that we exist within. Our approach to food and nutrition is a holistic one that looks at the wider picture around food and access, rather than just the food on an individual’s plate.   

This includes working within the Health at Every Size principles. Rather than focusing on an individualising narrative of weight and weight loss, we emphasise nurturing healthy lifestyle habits, fostering emotional and social wellbeing, and celebrating size diversity. We see health as something much more complicated than weight, and do not attach health-based judgements to weight when delivering or preparing our workshops.

The Health at Every Size principles are as follows: 

Weight Inclusivity. Accept and respect the diversity of body shapes and sizes and reject the idealizing or pathologizing of specific weights. 

Health Enhancement. Support policies that improve and equalize access to information and services, and personal practices that improve human well-being, including attention to physical, economic, social, spiritual, emotional and other needs. 

Respectful Care. Acknowledge our biases, and work to end weight discrimination, weight stigma and weight bias. Provide information and services from an understanding that socioeconomic status, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and other identities impact weight stigma, and support environments that address these inequities. 

Eating for Well-Being. Promoting flexible, individualized eating based on hunger, satiety, nutritional needs and pleasure, than any externally regulated eating plan focused on weight control. 

We do also take into account the landscapes in which we work, especially in the criminal justice system where choices around food are much more limited. We acknowledge the limitations of an approach that promotes individualised and flexible eating within settings where choice is limited, but still seek to promote an indvidual understanding and relationship to hunger, satiety, nutritional needs, and pleasure. 

 

Get In Touch

Reach out to the Food Matters team to find out more about what we do, get involved or to collaborate with us on a future project.

Get In Touch

Get in touch with the Food Matters team to find out more about what we do or get involved. We also want to hear from you if you would like to collaborate with us on a future project.