Community Larders and Mood Boosting Food

Each summer I look forward to eating the food I've grown in my garden. This year I've had particular success with my hanging basket strawberries, potatoes and herbs. 

According to the ONS 1 in 8 households in Britain do not have access to a private or shared garden but a lack of outdoor space doesn't need to stop you growing. Containers and window boxes can produce great results with crops such as herbs, strawberries, spinach, beans, lettuce, carrots and celery.  Or you could try joining your local community garden or registering for an allotment with your local council.

Some community projects, food banks or larders will offer trays of micro greens or pots of herbs to encourage people to try simple growing at home.

Community Larders are different from food banks. They are pop up hubs that enable people to purchase good food at a significantly reduced price. They can also make a difference to the environment by reducing food waste. Surplus food, that may have otherwise been thrown away, is regularly donated by supermarkets and food producers. Larders offer a range of fresh, frozen and packet produce that may differ each week. They also offer support and advice on topics such as work, health or finances. Many larders have a small annual membership scheme that enables people to purchase a number of items each week free of charge.

The access to good nutritious food can not be overestimated for our physical and mental health. Food and its impact on health seems to be in the spotlight at the moment with discussions about the links between ultra processed food and chronic diseases. 

An article by the Harvard Medical School in 2022 discussed how multiple studies have shown links between the type of food we eat and the impact on our mood and mental health as well as physical health. Diets high in refined sugars impact on the bodies regulation of insulin, promote inflammation, impair brain function and worsen the symptoms of mood conditions such as depression.

The charity MIND suggests that eating protein rich diets such as nuts and seeds, milk, eggs, cheese, lean meat, fish, soya and legumes can support good mental health. They also suggest eating regularly, eating slow release energy foods such as brown rice, nuts and wholegrain bread, drinking plenty of fluids such as water, herbal tea and tea to avoid dehydration and aid concentration, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, eating healthy fats from oily fish, nuts and seeds, avoiding alcohol and minimising caffeine.

Sometimes it can be hard to know where to start in the face of so much medical or scientific publicity or advice but maybe it is possible to start with one step or one thing as recommended by the late Dr Michael Mosley in his books, television shows and podcasts. 

What will be your first step?

Home grown tomatoes