How to make a resolution you can keep in 2021

When was the last time you stuck to a New Year’s resolution?

Most are so big that we set ourselves up to fail before we even start.

Eat healthier, eat less, exercise more…

And after the year we’ve just had, such big goals are not what we need. Instead, as we welcome a new year ahead, focus on the little things. The small changes that make a real difference.

Here are some simple changes that you can easily stick to:

Choose quality over quantity.

Despite our passion for meat, we know you don’t need to eat it every day. But when you do eat it, make sure it’s the best you can afford.

The best meat comes from animals that have been properly cared for. Animal welfare isn’t just about tick boxes, it means that we care deep down about where and how all our animals are raised.

For example, our chickens come from Yorkshire. The grain they eat is from Yorkshire. They live in light, spacious, airy barns or pastures. And they go from farm to customer in 24 hours which means you get the freshest, tastiest, most succulent chicken you’ll ever taste. Every time.

Make small changes to your everyday meals

Making small swaps to create a more balanced diet is such a simple way to make a change for the better.

You’ll add important vitamins and minerals, reduce saturated fat, and increase protein, all of which will contribute to making you feel healthier and happier without much effort at all.

You could try:

• Using thinly sliced pork in your stir-fry or curry instead of beef or chicken. Pork tenderloin is quick and easy to cook so makes for a simple midweek meal in just minutes.
• Combining mince beef with lean pork mince to learn the secret to perfectly soft Italian-style meatballs. Just mix half and half of each meat. Not only do they taste delicious, but they might save you a few pennies too.
• Making your own chicken nuggets. You won’t want to go back to the supermarket or frozen options again. Simply cut chicken breasts into chunks or strips (you can ask your butcher to do this for you), coat in flour, then beaten egg and then breadcrumbs. Pop on a baking tray and they’ll be ready in 15-20mins. It won’t just be the kids having them for tea!
• Using leftover chicken bones from your roast to make nutrient-rich stock. There’s so much goodness in the bones of chicken so don’t let them go to waste. Instead pop them in a large pan of water with a carrot, onion, celery, a few peppercorns, and a bay leaf. And within an hour or so you’ll have a delicious chicken stock that you can use for soups, stews, and risottos (it freezes well too).

Buy from a butcher

Supporting local businesses has become more important than ever in the last year and it continues to make a big difference.

Our industry has been hugely impacted by the loss of trade to restaurants, hotels, and caterers, where our exceptional meat was chosen by some of the best chefs in the country. And this will return eventually. But in the meantime, simply switching where you buy your meat from could make a massive difference to us.

So instead of big New Year’s resolutions this January, what simple changes can you make in 2021?