When the clocks go back and the rain starts to rattle the windows, it is hard to get excited about a salad. A bowl of something hot and hearty feels like exactly what the doctor ordered.
Interestingly, the British Heart Foundation says those cravings are likely to come from how comfort foods make us feel, rather than a physical need. Its senior dietitian Victoria Taylor explains that most of us in the UK do not spend long outside in freezing conditions, so we do not need more, or higher-calorie, food in winter. Low mood on grey days, more time snacking in front of the television and a steady stream of festive adverts can all play a part.
That does not mean giving up the foods you love. It means giving them a gentle makeover.
Start the day with something warm
The British Heart Foundation suggests swapping cereal and cold milk for a warm bowl of porridge topped with chopped or dried fruit. Oats contain a type of soluble fibre which, the charity says, can help lower cholesterol. It is a cosy start on a frosty morning, too.
Make soup your winter friend
A homemade vegetable and bean soup is a lovely alternative to a lunchtime salad, says the BHF. Leftover vegetables can go straight into the pot, and adding a tin of cannellini or butter beans makes it more filling. The NHS notes that beans and pulses are naturally very low in fat and high in fibre, and an 80g portion counts towards your 5 A Day.
Give stews, pies and mash a makeover
Adding root vegetables, lentils and beans to stews, curries or chilli lets you use less meat and reduces the saturated fat in each portion. That matters because, as the BHF explains, saturated fat can raise cholesterol. Try a vegetable moussaka made with lentils, or a pie that uses lean chicken breast and mushrooms in place of bacon.
For a colourful mash, mix your potatoes with parsnips, carrots, turnips or cauliflower. And when you cook, the BHF suggests using rapeseed, olive or sunflower oil instead of butter, lard, goose fat or ghee.
Frozen and tinned count too
There is no need to brave the cold for fresh vegetables every day. The BHF says frozen fruit and vegetables are as nutritious as fresh, and sometimes more so, and the NHS confirms that fresh, canned or frozen fruit and vegetables all count towards the 5 portions a day it recommends.
A well-stocked cupboard helps on days when the weather keeps you indoors. The BHF suggests wholewheat pasta, brown rice, couscous, tinned fish, beans, pulses and tinned vegetables. Many supermarkets will also deliver heavy shopping to your door.
Fish twice a week
The NHS recommends at least two portions of fish a week, including one portion of oily fish such as salmon or sardines. A fish pie topped with carrot and cauliflower mash is pure comfort, and sardines on wholegrain toast with tomato make a quick, light supper.
Flavour without the salt
The NHS warns that eating too much salt can raise blood pressure. Spices are a good way to add warmth and flavour instead: a pinch of chilli or curry powder can transform a simple stew. It is worth checking the labels on ready meals and sauces too, and choosing options lower in saturated fat, sugar and salt.
Yes, there is still room for pudding
The BHF has a recipe for an apple and blackberry oat crumble with less saturated fat and sugar than the traditional version, and a baked egg custard made with semi-skimmed milk. Treats are part of life, especially at Christmas. The charity's advice is to enjoy them occasionally and plan ahead, so the festive season does not become one long buffet.
Do not forget to drink, either. The NHS suggests at least 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day, and a warm cup of tea counts.
Cooking for two
Good food is one of life's great pleasures, and it is even better shared. Once you have got to know someone well, cooking for each other is a lovely way to spend a winter evening. In the early days, a warming bowl of soup in a busy café makes an easy, relaxed first date, as we explain in why winter is a great time to date.
One last tip: a lighter evening meal, eaten a few hours before bed, can help you sleep better too. Our guide to better sleep after 50 has more ideas for cosy winter nights.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. If you have a health condition, or are planning a big change to your diet or activity, please talk to your GP or pharmacist first.
Sources
British Heart Foundation, Healthy eating winter tips, 10 December 2025. British Heart Foundation, Winter comfort food: why do we crave it?, Victoria Taylor, 1 November 2023. NHS, Eating a balanced diet (reviewed 30 June 2026).
© 2026 Wise Owl Dating. You are free to reuse this article, in whole or in part, provided you credit Wise Owl Dating as the source and include a link to www.wiseowldating.co.uk. This permission covers the article text only, not photographs or our logo. The article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.
About the author: Ernie S writes news, views and lighter pieces for Wise Owl Dating, the UK dating site for the over 50s and part of the Cafe Dating Collection.