KNORR AND MR. POTATO HEAD RALLY TO END MEALTIME MONOTONY TO SAVE THE PLANET ON WORLD #EATFORGOOD DAY

Knorr, Unilever’s largest food brand, has teamed up with Hasbro Inc.’s MR. POTATO HEAD, the world’s most famous vegetable icon, to inspire everyone to change the world by changing what’s on their plates. The unlikely duo will join leading chefs and food influencers worldwide, including Netflix’s Restaurants on the Edge chef Dennis Prescott, in asking everyone to swap at least one ingredient in their routine meals for a Future 50 Food starting on World Eat For Good Day (19 February). 

Future 50 Foods developed by Knorr and WWF, are 50 foods that we should all eat more of because they are naturally nutritious, have a lower impact on our planet than animal-based foods, and can help safeguard the future of our food.

To mark the occasion, MR. POTATO HEAD will make a change to his iconic outfit and dress up as a Cilembu sweet potato. His costume swap into this Future 50 Food shows people everywhere how easy it is to make a change on their plate that is good for their health and the planet.  

A spokesperson for MR. POTATO HEAD says: “Playing with food is nothing new for Mr. POTATO HEAD. Today, he is dressing up as Cilembu Sweet Potato for World Eat For Good Day and encouraging everyone to make a change to what we eat to help protect our health and planet. He suggests everyone should take a peek at who else made it onto the Future50Foods list – and take their pick of the fun swap they can make.”

 

Mealtime monotony is a global issue: 75% of the global food supply comes from only 12 plant and five animal species. Just three (rice, maize, wheat) make up nearly 60% of calories from plants in the entire human diet despite there being 50,000 edible plants species[iii]. [iv] This not only bores our palates but excludes many valuable sources of nutrition while taking excessive amount of resource from the planet and harming the precious soil. 

This is why on World Eat For Good Day, Knorr is using its flavour expertise to inspire people around the world to swap at least one ingredient to diversify their dish, which not only helps to beat mealtime boredom, but increases the nutritional value and lowers the environmental impact of the meal. 

 

Try these tasty Future 50 Foods swaps to liven up your plate and your palate:

 

•  Swap rice for quinoa to get three times more fibre, plus a source of magnesium and folate, while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 50% and reducing water use by up to 90%[v] compared to white rice (when grown).   Recommended recipe: Veggie Parmesan Quinotto. 

 

•  Swap beef for lentils[vi] to get 10 times more fibre and no saturated fat, while emitting approximately 80% less greenhouse gases than ground beef[vii]. If you prepare this meal once a month for one year (using lentils instead beef), you save approximately 25kg of greenhouse gases![viii]  Recommended recipe: Spicy Red Lentil Balls.   

•  Swap potatoes for a scrumptious Cilembu sweet potato to get three times more vitamin C and calcium than other potato varieties. Cilembu sweet potatoes have a sweet, honey-like flavour and are native to Indonesia. Eating more varieties of similar foods helps make the food system more resilient while providing more nutrients.   Recommended recipe: Spiced Mung Bean, Cilembu Sweet Potato and Kale Stew. 

‘Most of us believe our energy or transport choices cause the most serious environmental damage. In fact, it’s our food system that creates the biggest impact,’ as quoted in Knorr and WWF’s Future 50 Foods report.  Knorr is committed to bringing food that is good for people and the planet to seven billion plates via Future 50 Foods with the 19th February as a milestone toward this ambition. 

Dorothy Shaver, Registered Dietitian and Global Marketing Sustainability Lead, Knorr, says: “It’s time to banish mealtime monotony for the betterment of ourselves and the planet. World Eat For Good Day is the perfect opportunity to start. From ‘magic beans’ to deliciously different veggies, by swapping ingredients in our favourite recipes, we can eat our way to a better food future. Together with partners such as MR. POTATO HEAD, Dennis Prescott, the Chefs’ Manifesto network, reNature and WWF, we are building a community to inspire and enable billions to eat for good.”

 Knorr is passionate about flavour and uses its expertise to unlock the fabulous flavours needed to make naturally nutritious foods taste great through its products, recipes and tips. To join the movement to Eat For Good, visit knorreatforgood.com. Here you’ll find a wealth of tips and delicious recipes (included those noted below) to inspire you #eatforgood on World Eat For Good Day and beyond. 

SPICED MUNG BEAN, CILEMBU SWEET POTATO AND KALE STEW 

Ingredients

• 400g mung beans pre-soaked

overnight, drained

• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 400g diced sweet potatoes
• 1 Knorr Vegetable Stock Cube
• 1 litre water
• 1 bunch chopped kale
• 1 handful chopped walnuts
• 1 handful chopped coriander

Method

1.Place the soaked mung beans in a medium

saucepan and cover with water. Simmer for 15-20 mins until soft. 

2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a big saucepan,

add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 7

minutes or until the onion has softened.

3. Add in the turmeric powder, cayenne pepper,

tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for 5

minutes then add the sweet potatoes.

4. Add in the mung beans and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Combine the Knorr Vegetable Stock Cube

with 1 litre boiling water and pour over the

vegetable bean mix. Add the kale and stir for

2 minutes. Half cover and simmer for 15-20

minutes.

6. Sprinkle the coriander and walnuts on top and serve.
   
   

SPICY RED LENTIL BALLS Ingredients 1 onion 1 garlic clove 3 tbsp oil 150g red lentils, raw 300ml water 1 tbsp curry powder 50g oat flakes 1 ½ tbsp flour 200ml light/low fat coconut milk 1 tsp Knorr Reduced Salt Vegetable Granules 300 ml water 1 lime

Method 1. Peel the onion and garlic and finely chop. Fry in 1 tbsp of oil. 2. Add the lentils and curry and fry briefly. 3. Add 300ml of water, bring to the boil and cover, cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Stir from time to time until all the liquid has evaporated. Let cool down. Stir in oat flakes and let them soak for 10 minutes. 4. Make about 24 small balls from the lentil dough. Fry in a pan in 1 tbsp of oil for about 8 minutes, remove and keep warm. 5. Dissolve the Knorr Reduced Salt Vegetable Granules in 300 ml boiling water. Allow to cool. 6. Add remaining oil to the pan, add the flour and sauté for 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and water with Knorr Reduced Salt Vegetable Granules (from step 5). Stir in the spices. Serve the lentil balls in the sauce. Drizzle with lime juice.

Photos: ©2021 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Licensed by Hasbro

NB: This recipe was graciously contributed by Justin Horne, Chef Director of Sativa Restaurant

in London, UK for inclusion in the Knorr Future 50 Foods Cookbook.