This learner has completed ID verification. Find out more.
Cecilia Montague
I am passionate about human rights, the environment and sustainable development.
Location Cork, Ireland
Achievements
Activity
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Great course thanks!
-
That's my plan also, even to choose one product per shopping visit.
-
The Irish government are doing enough to protect consumers from labelling that is inaccurate or difficult to read and understand.
There is legislation to guarantee the safety and hygiene standards of food for sale, and also the genuity of information on food labels.
However, I would like if the government reduced the prices of organic foods. It would make... -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
This course is helping me to take more time now to explore food packages and read the labels.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I have just switched from buying fresh basil herbs produced in Africa to fresh potted Irish basil herbs grown locally in Ireland.
The price difference is only 49 cents.
I contacted the company O'Hanlons herbs for some tips about preserving the herbs and they were extremely helpful. -
Having a fridge is so important especially to prevent milk from going sour and to extend the shelf life of vegetables. This can help to prevent food waste.
-
I use the FIFO (First In First Out) system since I've learned about it.
It helps me to use my ingredients in a logical way and to avoid food waste.
Or I apply the logic of FEFO, (First Expired First Out) when using all the food in the fridge and kitchen cupboards. -
Organic products that have labels/text for example;
Grass fed, Pasteur raised
Certified organic
Sustainable packaging
Suitable for vegan and vegetarian -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I choose the EU organic symbol myself. In my country we have the same animal welfare certification and symbols as mentioned above.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Comparison:
Weetabix vs. Supermarket brand of wheat biscuits.
Although they are both high in fibre and low in fat, there's a slight difference in the Nutrition declaration between the quantity of sugars and salts.
E. G.
Weetabix 1.6g sugars
Wheat biscuits 1.7g sugarI would choose Weetabix as its a reliable cereal plus it has a certified red tractor...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
At the moment, I am trying the supermarkets own brands, (Tescos, Dunnes Stores) to see what the quality is like. E. G. Dunnes Stores organic milk and Tesco's organic wholewheat semolina spaghetti.
For pastas, rice's etc I might select Roma, or Bionsa or health shop packaged in Ireland brands, like" True " and"Rainbow".
The thing that's mainly influencing... -
Cecilia Montague replied to D. L..
I chose the blue box because the other one had wine in it and that's possibly what the company is charging more money for.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Thanks for the information provided on food labelling.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Annatto in red cheese. I'm going to try leaving out red cheese in favour of yellow cheddar which is more natural.
My Action plan is being put to good use.
I want to try to make my lunch box more exciting and less about leftovers.I plan to use foods with little or no ingredients to make more varied and interesting lunch time treats.
For example, I'm...
-
I buy Bunalun Organic corn cakes. In a description of their corn cakes on the Tescos website Bunalun make a NUTRITION CLAIM
It states that their corn cakes are
"gluten free".... and.... "free from artificial additives and preservatives"The company also use the term "natural" to describe and sell the product.
This term "Natural/naturally" is...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
My vote went to jar A because the high sugar content was highlighted by the red colour.
Although the sugar content is much lower in jar B, I did not see this because it was not colour coded in green or amber. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Yes, the commercial breads in my country contain very long lists of ingredients.
I don't actually eat bread myself for this reason but I am researching a bread recipe that I can bake! -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Does anyone know of a cheese that's made naturally?
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I never knew that palm oil has over 200 names.
https://orangutanalliance.org/whats-the-issue/alternative-names-for-palm-oil/
-
No, I rarely have time to read and understand the nutritional information on food labels. This is the reason I have chosen to do this course.
I am hoping to gain a better understanding of the data and apply it to my everyday eating plan. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Yes, ingredients lists can be almost frightening especially if the manufacturers use, in the production of the, substances that you do not recognise.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
The section on Food Fraud has raised some concerns in my case.
It's impossible to tell if foods are diluted or tampered with because the shops are over stocked with food products and it would be too difficult to test everything.
Food labels definitely need more information to help guarantee the authenticity of the food product.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
1.read labels more carefully
2.read more labels
3.look more closely at the country of origin -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
The horse meat scandal.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I'm not surprised by the selection of photos on the padlet wall.
Its interesting to see what people keep in their store cupboard. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Steps that I am taking to avoid food contaminants:
I am a vegetarian so I don't have to worry as much about contamination from animal products such as meat, eggs, fish etc.
Also I cook my food as thoroughly as possible.I am trying to educate myself about nutrition, food labelling and food sustainability so that I know what's going on in my own country...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I'd try it if it was an affordable gadget and readily available on the market.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
For me, I am OK with either
Bold
Capital
Underlined
Italic
Or
Different colour -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Sustainability labels.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I buy foods that have as few ingredients as possible.
Dried beans and pulses for example. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
The most important information for me is where the food comes from.
I would like to see a lot more food labels with my own country of origin i.e.
Local produce... -
I do something similar when I am shopping and cooking.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I was not until now fully aware of the legislation regarding food labelling.
This course is making me more vigilant about reading labels on the food shopping that I buy.
I'm going to spend more time browsing in the supermarkets so that I can read food labels more carefully.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Hello, I have joined this course to find out more about food labelling and if I am reading labels correctly.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
When reading food labels......
I check :
the price per kg, the country of origin/source of produce, the ingredients, best before/use by date, and the nutritional content. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I like this idea of becoming a food citizen.
Although I have not participated in any of the new initiatives, (food sharing apps or special food events), that are designed to share surplus food, I will consider it in the future.
Right now, I am happy to donate food to charity, shop for local organic produce and share what I am learning with others.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Yes, I think the EU is doing enough to tackle food waste and find solutions to meeting SDG targets.
However the problem should have been addressed years ago when it first became an issue of concern.
Its a shame that we still see people begging on the streets, hungry and destitute.
And it's also disgraceful that during a conflict crisis, it can be...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
According to the Environmental Protection Agency in Ireland, 2021 we generated 753,000 tonnes of food waste.
Initiatives :STOP FOOD WASTE...
National campaign to reduce household food waste.
FOOD WASTE CHARTER...Companies and organisations acknowledge the need to reduce the amount of food being wasted.
FOOD WASTE PROTOCOL FOR THE MANUFACTURING...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
No I am not familiar with Wasteless technology.
Advantage to a consumer..
Buy the same product for less and consume it straight away.Disadvantages to a consumer..
You may only shop once a week so you need your food to have an extended shelf life. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
It's best to be positive about the topic of food waste and encourage supermarkets to work towards a waste free system.
I am optimistic that food waste can be reduced to zero waste in the future.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
In the article below there is information about what Irish supermarkets are doing towards reducing food waste.
In 2021,amendments were made to the Waste Reduction bill. Supermarkets are banned from throwing out food that is fit for consumption.
They are under obligation to redistribute food either to charity. Alternatively they can recycle it for...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I am more discerning now as a shopper as a result of these tips.
I am also recommending affordable organic food to others.I would like to do something during September to raise awareness about food loss. Maybe post on social media.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Action 4.
I am planning to explore healthy recipes that I can make and share with my elderly mother and family when they visit. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
In my community we have a project known as The Cork Church.
They are given surplus food from Tescos.
This food is given out one or two days a week to people who are struggling to make ends meet.The rental costs in our city are scandalous so many people have nothing left over after paying the rent and bills.
The Cork Church gives people enough food...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
TOO GOOD TO GO and FRIDGLEY are 2 food sharing apps in use in my country.
I have had not used either.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/food/arid-41255662.html -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I want to support the kitchen, in the hotel, (an accommodation centre for refugees), where I am working, to reduce food waste.
I have already made some suggestions to the chef based on what I have learned.
If anyone on this course has ideas or suggestions please post a reply. Thank you! -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
The products that I use are soap, shampoo and toothpaste.
I am going to find out if any of these products are now being made from upcycled food or sidestreams from the food production industry.
I will certainly consider buying these items if the price is right.
-
Cecilia Montague replied to Cecilia Montague
Yes, the food pyramid is quite good.
So many countries now have their own food pyramid. I think that food scientists base the arrangement on customs, climate, availability of foods and cultural likes. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Biasol is a company in Ireland that are in the business of upcycling spent grains.
Their products include ;
Cookie mix
Pancake mix
Sodabread mix
Breakfast grains -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I have not wasted food in the last week.
The Action Plan that I have designed is making me think a lot more about my shopping lists and make more rational purchasing decisions when I am shopping.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Yeah, I'll definitely make sure to check the dates when I'm shopping.
Also this article helped me to understand the system of sell by date that the shop uses, so I'll be able to ignore that in the future. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
All of the tips mentioned in the article are very good.
My tip to prevent food waste is to use tubs and boxes to store all dried foods so that you can enjoy a wide variety of produce and make different meals every day. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
To answer the question in the video.. Do you know what initiatives are running in your local area?
Here are Some...
Penny dinners in the name of a local soup kitchen.
The Simon Community is a charity that feed homeless people.
The Cork Church distribute free food to anyone who is struggling to pay their bills.
Meals on Wheels delivery free cooked meals... -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
My Action plan... A quick outline.....
1.Shop around for good deals on organic foods. Do price comparisons.
2.Try recipes. To get more value from my food and my budget.
3.Do interesting stuff with left offers and stop shopping in excess for food.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
WHO CREATES THE MOST WASTE?
Consumers are going to be responsible for influencing the future of food security.We probably generate the most food waste.
Some of the ways that we do this are as follows;
-Buying veg that's not in season.. This puts pressure on food producers and retailers to supply the stuff.
-Expecting food to be flawless....
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Yeah of course, I share my food with homeless people.
I work in a hotel. Our clients often tip me with foodie treats, chocolate, biscuits, or fruits.
If I have too much, I give to people who are begging on the street, or to the supermarket charity bins.
Supermarket chains should consider giving damaged or unsaleable fresh food items to their staff.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Practices:
1) always
2)always
3)never
4)never
5)alwaysAttitudes:
1)strongly agree
2)strongly disagree
3)strongly agree
4)strongly agree
5)strongly agree -
Yeah, I planning to do the same. Thank you for sharing.
-
We need more community projects to prevent food waste especially from homes.
This could include;
Fresh food bins for homeless charities and shelters. (We already have food bins for non bio degradable foods).
Take back schemes from retailers of food. I.e. Use of unwanted food for repurposing into recipes and meals.
Give prisons more food to feed...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Why do you think we throw so much bread away?
Bread is mass produced mostly.
People think that mass produced bread is inferior and it's OK to throw it out.What could we do to reduce the problem?
Shop around for nice quality artisan breads or bake your own bread if you can. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
At the horticultural level, in Ireland, most of fruit and veg waste is because of foods not being saleable at Retail and Distribution level.
Supermarket waste in Ireland.
Statistics from... -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Considering that food is costly to buy the statistics around food loss and food waste are SHOCKING!
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I want to get some contemporary ideas on how to reduce food waste so I can share my knowledge and help others in my workplace and community.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
We all have to learn from this and ensure that FOOD WASTE becomes ...ZERO WASTE!
SILLY, STUPID,POOR -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I thought the course was excellent. I decided to be as honest as possible when making comments.
I'm not a nutrition expert or doctor so I'm really pleased with my final score of 86%!Thanks to the teachers on this project! -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
If we abuse the earth we end up with poor diets and in an unhealthy, unhappy state as human beings.
If we love and respect our planet we stand a better chance of it producing an abundance of rich and nutritious foods that can be shared equally by the global populations. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Everyone should have a good understanding of nutrition, not just medical doctors.
Patients themselves should find reliable sources of information about eating healthily.
Food as Medicine has been a topic of interest to humans since ancient times.
-
A diet for the planet....
What are we to do in 2050 if the earth is actually dying from humans abusing it and our food is really scarce?
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
The Planetary Health Diet..
Will it be effective in reversing the effects of climate change?If the entire global population change their eating patterns and follow the Eat Lancet guidelines will this bring about the end to floods and drought, storms etc.?
Or are we too late to save our planet from destruction?
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
We have bike schemes to reduce pollution, GHG emissions etc.
Also school schemes to feed children.
We have recycling schemes to reduce waste. It includes weekly recycling of food waste.
Our supermarkets have food bins dedicated to local charities and its extremely popular to grow your own food. Many people in rural areas have a Polytunnel and urban spaces... -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Main determinants of food insecurity:
Any system or crisis that is bringing about the failure of crops and putting strain on global agricultural productivity.
Armed conflict ;Refugee crisis, use of nuclear arms, destruction of land and territory
Climate change; Recurring storms, droughts, hurricanes, floods..
Economics; Unequal distribution of...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Foods discovered in travels..
Chillies
Slow dried pasta
Quinoa -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Three favourite foreign dishes...
Oriental stirfry
Mexican bean stew
Welsh split pea champ -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
McDonald's salads... Since 2020 the chain have no longer served salads. People weren't bothered with them. And the chain also wanted to cash in during the pandemic. https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-salads-disappeared-from-menu-april-2020-2020-12
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
As a volunteer with Amnesty International, I have participated in a campaign that advocates for peace in Israel and an end to Israeli apartheid.
The campaign is called "Picnics Against Apartheid" and involves bringing Palestinian people together with the public, Palestinian speeching out about oppression in their country and the sampling of traditional...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
We have an obligation to question food content if we know our food stuffs are contributing to illhealth.
And our governments have an obligation to act on scientific data especially where food contents are linked to mortalities.
-
I would like to buy more local organic produce, loose fruits and veg that don't require packaging and to reduce waste from food preparation.
To be able to fulfill this goal, I need to consider my budget and how it could be spent on a more sustainable weekly food shop. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
We have 884 DEIS schools in Ireland, both primary and secondary levels.
They are for disadvantaged communities.
These schools provide free nutritious meals for students. -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
In Ireland, approximately 63%of women actively breast feed their new born babies, (a 5% increase since 2019).
https://www.childrenshealthireland.ie/news/hse-national-breastfeeding-week/
These statistics are interesting for me. I think there is a misconception that Ireland has a low breast feeding rate.
Although one hundred years ago most women gave... -
My dietary habits changed due to influences like
Food journalism
Population changes
New scientific information -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Although our nutritional guidelines in Ireland are good and easy to follow, people here don't always apply the guidelines when they are shopping.
The food pyramid as shown above is the Visual representation.
Irish people also enjoy finding out about what nutritional guidelines are being utilised by foreign countries E. G. the wheel of five.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Components of a healthy and sustainable food system.
- Equal access to healthy affordable foods.
- Government campaign to raise awareness for health and healthy eating.
- Farmers paid a fair price.
- Sustainable, transparent and ethical agricultural practices.
- Restoration of habitats and emphasis placed on biodiversity and soil health.
-...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Is the idea of diet, nutrition, health and sustainability effective if science is predicting such an increase in a non communicable disease like diabetes by 2045?
(From 436,000 million in 2019 to 700,000 million in 2045?)
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I liked the section on motivational interviewing.
I think this counselling technique could be helpful for encouraging people to make important lifestyle changes that might lead to improvements in their health.
-
Scenario B is more effective than Scenario A.
A healthy diet can support patient recovery and help to stabilise the patient's medical problems. -
Thanks for sharing that. I would use a similar response to the response if I was a motivational interviewer.
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
https://positivepsychology.com/motivational-interviewing/
Please see link to the article above that discusses in Motivational Interviewing in detail.Step 1.The interviewer can begin with scaling questions...
e.g.On the scale of 0 to 100, how much do you want to make this change right now?
Step 2.Reflect on answers provided...
e.g.What led you to...
-
Get quality sleep.
Manage stress.
Get regular health screening tests.
Reduce alcohol consumption.https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=how%20to%20lower%20risk%20of%20CVD&mid=5AABA
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
How do you make sure to maintain enough variety in your diet?
-Make shopping lists and try to include new or interesting healthy foods.
-Go to different shops to get the best value for your food shopping budget.
-Use money off coupons to reduce the cost of your bill so that you can afford nutritious foods on a weekly basis.
-Educate yourself about...
-
There is no National Diabetes Registry of people living with diabetes. Estimates are vague.
An approximate figure is over 300000 people in my country with diabetes.Strategy in place to support people with diabetes in...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Make a delicious one-pot colcannon with cabbage or Brussel sprouts , broccoli and cauliflower, a small brown onion some yellow split peas/or green split peas and combine with millet.
(choose organic vegetables for this dish as organic vegetables are not grown using fertilisers, pesticides and fungicides which could be harmful to cancer patients ) -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus ,(T2DM) is non insulin dependent.
Obesity is one of the main causes of T2DM.Global Statistics (2017); 425 million patients recorded with T2DM and an estimated 4 million deaths from the disease.
Scientific evidence indicates that T2DM can be prevented or managed through adherence to a healthy diet and lifestyle.
For people...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
The Okinawa Diet seems to meet the criteria that constitutes a healthy diet and helps to prevent non communicable diseases.
1.Lots of plants
2.Adequate proteins
3.Minimally processed foods
4.Limited saturated fats,added sugars and sodium
5.BalanceThe traditional diet of the islanders (of Okinawa, Japan) contained sweet potato, green-leafy or root...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
I don't really want to change an area of my diet at present.
What I am doing, at the moment, is trying healthy foods that I have not fully considered before now.
Buying organic vegetables is something I have always wanted to try doing. I'm doing some price comparisons at the moment to see what I can afford.
I am also exploring cooking foods in a...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
https://www.who.int/health-topics/brain-health#tab=tab_1
When I looked at the World Health Organisation website(see link above please) , it didn't really give me specific information about eating a healthy diet to maintain a healthy body weight.
The text in the link is about brain health and their are lots more interesting topics to browse through.
I...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
https://www.nutracheck.co.uk
The web site above allows you to check how many calories are in the food you are eating.For example, I typed apple in the search bar on the Web page.
The results showed a variety of well known supermarket brands such as Royal Gala, Pink Lady etc and the corresponding calories that each apple contains.
(approximately 34... -
Cecilia Montague made a comment
"Prepared foods are foods that are typically prepared for immediate consumption.
Preparing is any act other than washing with water and may include peeling, cutting, dicing or cooking of a food item."
https://cofarmtomarket.com/prepared-foods/No I don't think that prepared foods are the same as ultra processed.
" Ultra processed foods are entirely... -
Do you think this hidden sugar is harmful for your health?
Yes, I have had to go for a lot of dental surgery in the last fifteen years, and this has made me very conscious of the idea of "sugary snacks"and hidden sugars in foods.
What are the main sources of hidden sugars in your diet?
I try not to include foods with sugar. I eat a fruit instead.How...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
Firstly we have to understand what food does for us and how it impacts our health.
For instance,
-Food provides us with energy
-Protects our bones, skin, teeth and muscles
-Our food feeds our nerves, tissues, cells, blood and vital body organs.
-Prevents disease and infection and can help with wound healing.Promoting change towards a healthy...
-
Cecilia Montague made a comment
In your own words, what is the relationship between eating patterns and diseases?
If you eat "rubbish foods" or junk , you get sick because certain foods have little or no nutrition so your immune system suffers; e.g living out of fast food restaurants can lead to dietary deficiencies of vital macro and micro nutrients and as a lot of fast food is cooked in...
