“Eating sustainably doesn't mean giving up your traditional recipes”

In Ealing, food is more than fuel: it is memory, identity, and connection. But as conversations about sustainability grow, many residents are left wondering how to balance cultural food traditions with the need for healthier, planet friendly diets.

A new initiative, the Planetary Foods and Cultural Competence Project, is helping to tackle that challenge. Based on the Planetary Health diet, the ethos is to eat nutritionally whilst having the least impact on the planet.Promoting more wholegrains, fruits, vegetables and nuts, and less meat, dairy and fish. A way of eating which is shown to help prevent Type-2 Diabetes and cardiovascular disease, preventing long term conditions,

Led by the Healthier Lifestyle Service (HLS) at West London, supported by Ealing Council and the Ealing Food Partnership, the project brings together residents, community organisations, and the University of West London (UWL) to co-create a planetary health  cookbook which also honours the food and recipes of local people.

In 2021, only a minority of adults in England were a healthy weight, with obesity far higher in deprived areas (34%) than with higher-income (20%) areas, with a difference in total of 14 percent. Rosanna Jones, Health Improvement Practitioner, Diabetes Health and Wellness Coaching, West London NHS Trust, leading on the project said: "At West London, we’re working with communities in Ealing to ensure that cultural food heritage and sustainable, culturally relevant, health‑promoting diets can exist side by side."

Using local data, the project began with a series of focus groups where residents shared stories of family recipes, shopping habits, and the meaning of food in their cultural traditions. These conversations revealed a clear need for a practical guide to planetary health diets, complete with culturally diverse recipes.

Community co-designers have since been trained and supported by UWL lecturers and HLS staff. Five co-design sessions later, the book is now taking shape, with an idea of a booklet that blends cultural pride, sustainability, and practical advice. Abbie from the Ealing Food Partnership said: “We want everyone in Ealing to know that eating sustainably doesn't mean giving up your traditional recipes. You can keep your cultural traditions and simply adapt them to be healthier for you and better for the planet. Our goal is to make sure our communities have the tools to improve their health, support our local farmers, and protect the environment.The mid‑project event, Planetary Health in Action, held on Monday 27 April, marked a key milestone. It showcased early learning, highlighted the importance of cultural competence in community health, and invited new partners to join the journey. 

For further information and to learn more, send an email to the Healthier Lifestyle Service team. If you want to get involved and find out how you can help get the word out about this work, fill in the Microsoft form with your details.