The problem with our diets isn’t a lack of protein, even though it’s being flogged everywhere you look. Here’s what we’re really missing.
Your shopping trolley might be filled with fresh produce, healthy whole grains, lean meats, dairy and legumes, but celebrity chef Jamie Oliver says there’s still one crucial thing missing: variety.
Following the release of his new cookbook, Eat Yourself Healthy, Oliver is urging Australians to shake up their shopping list. “We’ve got in the habit of buying the same things every week,” he says.
“If you look at your shopping basket last week, a month ago, a year ago, the problem is – it’s nearly always exactly the same. We’re not very good at variation.”
A diverse diet is one of the foundations of good health. “We work with some of the best experts in neuroscience, sleep and gut microbiome, and they’re all saying the same thing: your body wants variation. Please give it variation.”
The adage “eat the rainbow” is good advice, Oliver says. “Mix up the apples. Get a red one, then a green, then a different variety, then a pear.”
The idea contrasts with popular diet advice being pushed online – where a single ingredient or food group is marketed as a magic bullet to weight loss and health.
“You’re being upsold protein left, right and centre. Your average Australian and Brit – we’re not having too little protein. We’re being flogged more of what we don’t need.”
‘The uberisation of food, the apps, the gamification – this is a huge, growing business.’
Jamie Oliver
Oliver also wants people to get back to cooking at home instead of relying on takeaway and pre-made convenience meals.
“We’re not cooking enough,” he says. “The uberisation of food, the apps, the gamification – this is a huge, growing business.”
He acknowledges that people are busy, but warns of the dangers of putting convenience first.
“I admit people are working hard. I admit that when they get home, they’re knackered, and simple, convenient options are important. Convenience always wins above price. It always wins above nutrition. Convenience is powerful, and the industry knows it.”
Data from e-commerce software platform Lightspeed shows that Australians now order takeaway once every five days – a number that’s rising, with orders up 34 per cent year-over-year.
“It’s nearly always surprisingly expensive. It’s not nearly as fast as you think. It’s nearly always unhealthy. Even when people have it, as exciting as it is, there’s this weird guilt complex. It doesn’t sit great. It’s generally super high in salt, fat, sugar, and it’s not the best ingredients.”
Oliver admits his family never orders takeaway. “Why? Because I can do them quicker and better myself. I’m just being honest. If I want a burger, I’ll make one.
“I haven’t got anything against my kid going via a drive-through on the way back from rugby if it’s what they really want and it makes them happy. But the truth is, I can knock it out quicker, better, cheaper.”
Oliver isn’t opposed to food boxes that send out fresh ingredients and require cooking, but he does have a problem with the waste they produce, and says they rarely taste as good as they say they do.
“When they’re shouting and screaming about how good the product is, it’s often not,” he says.
“I’m not really convinced, but I think any way of teaching the next generation of Aussies to cook and feel empowered is a positive thing because it’s not happening at home like it used to.”
If you’re after convenience, frozen food can be a good solution, he says. “They’re amazing for giving you flexibility in a plan B or C. I think parents and modern-day people need a plan B and C. And also if you want to go out for dinner one night, and you don’t want stuff in the fridge going to waste – frozen [food] has got a lot to offer.”
Ultimately, when it comes to building a healthy, varied diet, there’s no substitute for home cooking. That’s the message behind his new cookbook Eat Yourself Healthy, the 30th book in Jamie Oliver’s collection and his first dedicated to long-term health.
The release comes shortly after Oliver’s 50th birthday, a milestone that prompted some reflection. “I can’t believe I’m 50 years old. I still feel like a 25-year-old, and I look in the mirror in shock,” he says.
“I’ve been on a rollercoaster for 25 years, so I’ve been thinking about what I could have done better – and how I can start getting it right. That’s the foundation of this book: how can I get it right more of the time.”
Eat Yourself Healthy features 120 recipes, focused on simple, nutritious meals with an emphasis on variety and flexibility.
The book opens with “principle recipes” that come with five or 10 variations, all designed to be adaptable. “I don’t want Aussies just to follow my recipes – I want them to own them. Then go forth with it being their recipe. That idea of cutting and pasting different ingredients, I feel, is really powerful.”
For best results, sub in an ingredient that you’ve never had before.
Eat Yourself Healthy by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Michael Joseph © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2025 Eat Yourself Healthy).
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Erina Starkey – Erina is the Good Food App Editor for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Previously, Erina held a number of editing roles at delicious.com.au and writing roles at Broadsheet and Concrete Playground.
