Before I had my child, when I thought about what type of parent I would be I always imagined myself as the mother who would cook all organic and never let my baby eat packaged food.

Now that I am actually a Mum I honestly wish I could be that parent and I am in awe of those who can but for me it’s not my reality. As a super busy Mum, business owner and blogger sometimes I just don’t have the time to think ahead or time to prepare all our meals from scratch.

But, I do really want to and try my hardest to still make the healthiest choices for myself and my family, even when buying packaged foods. This is where the “Health Star Rating” comes in.

In collaboration with The Health Star Rating, I would like to explain to you all about this system and show you how you can make healthier choices in the supermarket quickly and easily.

WHAT IS THE HEALTH STAR RATING?
The Health Star Rating is a very simple and easy to understand front of package labelling system that helps you make healthier choices when buying packaged foods. It makes it super easy to compare different brands and make the choice on what best suits you and your family. Basically, the more stars the healthier the product is!

Before I had my child, when I thought about what type of parent I would be I always imagined myself as the mother who would cook all organic and never let my baby eat packaged food.

Now that I am actually a Mum I honestly wish I could be that parent and I am in awe of those who can but for me it’s not my reality. As a super busy Mum, business owner and blogger sometimes I just don’t have the time to think ahead or time to prepare all our meals from scratch.

But, I do really want to and try my hardest to still make the healthiest choices for myself and my family, even when buying packaged foods. This is where the “Health Star Rating” comes in.

In collaboration with The Health Star Rating, I would like to explain to you all about this system and show you how you can make healthier choices in the supermarket quickly and easily.

WHAT IS THE HEALTH STAR RATING?
The Health Star Rating is a very simple and easy to understand front of package labelling system that helps you make healthier choices when buying packaged foods. It makes it super easy to compare different brands and make the choice on what best suits you and your family. Basically, the more stars the healthier the product is!

 

 

 Example Image from HSR website.

HOW DO I USE HEALTH STAR RATING?
The simplest way of using it is to look at the stars – the higher the amount, the better the choice.
If you wish to delve a bit you can head to the Health Star Rating website for a whole lot more info or there are a few things you can take note of when making your choice.
NUTRIENTS YOU WANT TO BE LOW:
These nutrients are considered to be “RISK NUTRIENTS” and can contribute to higher risks of chronic disease and/or obesity if they are consumed in excess:
•    Salt (sodium)
•    Saturated Fats
•    Sugars
•    Kilojoules (energy also known as calories)
NUTRIENTS YOU WANT TO BE HIGH:
•    Protein
•    Calcium
•    Fibre
•    Certain vitamins and minerals

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO ME?
Did you know that Australia has one of the highest rates of obesity in the world? That includes one of the highest rates of childhood obesity. As parents I believe it is up to us to help change this for the next generation and to ensure our children grow up as healthy as possible. Not only that, I also believe we as the parents need to be looking after our own health too to ensure we are around for as long as possible and in the best health possible for our children and hopefully one day our grandchildren.
In saying this, I also understand how time poor we are as parents and how confusing and sometimes stressful supermarket shops can be, especially with young children. I believe this system can help us make better choices quickly and easily with a simple glance at the package.

HOW TO IMPLEMENT HSR INTO YOUR SHOP:
1. Look for health star labelled products in your local supermarket where you buy packaged foods.
2. From each category (eg dairy, cereals, breads or snacks) choose the product which has the most stars – and fits inside your budget of course.
3. Combine these products into your shop along with a large range of unpackaged foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and meats to make up a healthy and balanced diet.

Thank you so much to Health Star Rating for allowing me to help share with you all information about the system. I will be implementing this in to my weekly shop and would love to see you doing so too! I will keep you updated on how my health stars experience is going over the next couple of months!

For more info please head to The Health Star Rating website. #Healthstars #HealthStarRating #spon

 

With Love,
Brittany