Take action to cut down on added sugar

You’ve made the decision to cut down on added sugar. But what next?

1. Learn how to spot added sugar
2. Do some easy sugar swaps
3. Remove temptation at home (read on!)

A great place to show you’re serious is your kitchen pantry. Removing temptation at home is key to fighting the addictive nature of too much added sugar. And it’s surprising once you know how to spot added sugar just how much is hiding in there!

If you’ve got a young family member you want to bring along on the journey, you could try counting some of the hidden sugar with them.

It’s not just about getting rid of the bad stuff, either. A low sugar kitchen is well stocked with the good stuff as well, so that delicious nutritious food is always available to the whole family.

Five steps to a low sugar pantry

1. Remove temptation. Go through your pantry and identify the products with high added sugar and low nutritional value – sugary drink powders, and breakfast cereals, for example. Say goodbye to them so you can say hello to better health for the whole family.
2. Know your products. Fresh fruit and vegetables are obvious, but what about breakfast cereals? Pasta sauces? Added sugar can lurk in many apparently healthy foods. Check our helpful #sugarswap for simple swaps you can make to lower the amount of added sugar you consume
3. Shop fresh not processed. Generally, even if you are cooking a sweet food like biscuits, you will add less sugar than a processed food. So try to buy simple ingredients and combine them yourself rather than relying on processed ones. 
4. Stock up on the good stuff.  Make sure you’ve got a good stock of whatever fresh food your family eats. If they love nuts, cheese or crunchy carrots, keep them stocked up!
5. Leave it in easy reach. If your kids know they can have an apple or a piece of cheese any time, they are less likely to whinge for sugary foods. Make sure there is a place they can find healthy snacks when they want them.

Inspired to do more?

Check out our top 10 online videos about added sugar.

Join the movement and call on our politicians to make decisions that put people’s health first over profit.