Are you ready? with Leigh Elder

Eat For Keeps (EFK) are working on a new project which could play a part in both raising awareness on one of the major issues surrounding obesity and diabetes, and help many kiwis learn how to make the right food choices and understand why. Judge for yourself, and any comments appreciated – are we onto something, or is this simply, ‘pie in the sky?'

Initially, our group looked at running a national wellness challenge and received a lack lustre response. What we found was that the overwhelming interest was in food, and that people simply cannot get enough of all matters pertaining to this subject.

So, on this very subject, here is our proposition: Ballooning obesity and diabetes numbers are big news today, and we believe that the fast food industry could play a significant part in helping turn around this major problem!

This theory is certainly contrary to what seems to be popular opinion, and more particularly from sundry media and health professionals' opinions. In that case, how could it possibly work?

What the legions of fast food industry bashers have forgotten, and they always forget to ask, is actually the opinion of the public at large. Nearly 2 billion dollars a year is spent by kiwis on fast food, and at a say $10/spend for each takeaway, this accounts for a total of 200 million items, ie. just under 50 each per annum for our entire population.

A reasonable assumption to take from this, is that fast food is incredibly popular, and statistics suggest that on average, kiwi families have takeaways at least twice a week.

Not only do we visit these establishments on a very regular basis, we are also spending more time in these places. Free Wifi, comfortable couches and kids playgrounds add to the attraction and business meetings are also now firmly part of the mix.

Background

Fast-digesting, simple carbohydrate type foods like rice, pasta, flour and sugar are cheap food ingredients and found in large quantities in many food items like cakes, biscuits, slices, muffins, scones, buns, focaccia and pizza.

Collectively they play a major part in our ballooning obesity and diabetes numbers, and shifting the goalposts by reducing simple carbohydrate and increasing complex carbohydrate, protein and fat is relatively easy to do and the benefits both obvious and transparent

The increased ingredients costs are offset by the often slightly smaller, sustaining new food serving sizes.

Providing more sustaining, balanced food offerings with good levels of protein and fat has recently received wide ranging media coverage, and now appeals to a large market, which includes diabetics and a fast-growing group of fitness and generally health conscious people.

Over the past 10 years EFK engaged with a number of cafes, and in 2008 a national programme was run across Robert Harris Coffee Roasters 50 plus cafes.

By substituting sustaining ingredients like rolled oats, eggs and yoghurt for fast-digesting white flour and sugar a range of sustaining muffins, cakes, slices and sandwiches were produced.

This was well received by customers and a worthwhile initiative.

Robert Harris Story - click here

New World Café - click here

* Both these cafes have discontinued this initiative – it is likely that some of these sustaining food items are still part of their cabinet food.

How will it work?

EFK with a small operation have helped thousand's of people with weight and diabetes issues by focussing on eating more sustaining food to balance up their blood-sugar levels and the benefits are easy to see and sell:

Sustaining food with a good balance of protein, fat and carbs

• Keeps you fuller for longer

• Balances blood-sugar levels – diabetic friendly

• Provides sustained energy

• Helps maintain a healthy weight.

The idea is for food-service outlets to ‘shift the goalposts' on some of their own food options and find ways to communicate to their customers which items these are, what the changes are, and this can be done in 2 ways. On-site posters, table talkers and/or hand-outs and staff being familiar with the concept. And a dynamic new phone App we are developing, will help customers check out

the back stories, deals and new options at any particular location.

To ‘grow' this idea exponentially, we will run a social media programme which will encourage people to have fun taking photos and commenting on any new food or drink items they may

Over time, there is potential for large slices of this billion dollar industry to get involved, and large slices of our population learning how to make the right food choices and actually knowing why.

What are our chances of pulling this off?

Our past experience with food businesses is, that they love this concept because it makes good sense, is easy to carry out and provides customers with healthy choices. And hey, they all know that the

well known mantra, ‘Doing good is good for business,' is oh so true.

After talking with thousand's of kiwis, our own research tells us that many are simply sick and tired of all the negative stuff from media and countless naysayers regarding the fast food industry. And we

have heard plenty of great stories from many of them, about the actual fun and enjoyment they and their friends and families get from frequenting many of these outlets.

‘Shifting the goalposts' will be a really positive initiative and should attract widespread interest - we are hoping that heaps of kiwis will want to get involved.

We are working towards a launch of this dynamic new concepts in March 2017.

We need your help!

Please give us some feedback on ‘Shifting The Goalposts', positive or negative. And any new ideas or offers from food industry businesses to get involved would be very much appreciated.

Let's get some momentum going for what could be a ‘game changing' concept, and boy do we need it?

Contact: leigh@eatforkeeps.com 027 2941980