Charmian Smith

Charmian Smith talks to Prof Rachael Taylor about her research into children, sleep and the risk of obesity.

Most of us don't realise people go hungry in NZ. We don't know how many because there hasn't been a survey for a decade, since the 2008-09 nutrition survey, according to Katharine Cresswell Riol.

Consumers want food that tastes fresher, is safe, and has a long shelf life, so manufacturers are exploring new processing methods to achieve these goals, Otago University's Phil Bremer says.

The paleo diet has become popular over the past 20 years. It's supposedly based on what our Stone Age ancestors may have eaten before they developed agriculture, but is it really what it seems?

When people find themselves putting on weight after dieting they blame themselves, rather than realising that diets don’t work in the long term, says Otago Uni's Associate Prof Caroline Horwarth.

Knowing what's in food, its nutrients, where it comes from, as well as having basic skills to prepare it is necessary to function healthily and sustainably in today's world, writes Charmian Smith.

Learning to cook is beneficial - whatever your age.

Meat and milk from animals grown on farms may well be a thing of the past for many people when the new products of cellular agriculture come on stream in an estimated four or five years, Charmian Smith writes.

Californian chef Samin Nosrat had a childhood obsession about NZ, so when she was invited to speak about her best-selling book at the Wellington Writers and Readers' festival recently, she jumped at the chance.

At the Otago Farmers Market a couple of weeks ago, stallholders were wearing brightly coloured hats to celebrate the market's 15th birthday.