Paul Costelloe and Rosanna Davison, London Fashion Week, Sept. 2004
Where do you shop for food?
I always try my best to shop from different stores within our local area; the local butcher, bakery etc.
Can you list the contents of your typical weekly food shop?
If I’m lucky enough to be at home and not travelling my weekly shop would usually consists of fish, meat, vegetables, milk, bread and copious amounts of fruit.
Describe your daily diet under these headings:
Typical breakfast? Depending on what country I’m in but coffee is always included.
Typical lunch? I always go for a nice hearty soup for my lunch.
Typical dinner? It always varies but I do love a great ham and cabbage dinner with potatoes on the side.
Typical daily snacks? I am actually quite good at not snacking between meals but I would always choose a piece of fruit to snack on.
Is there anything you won’t eat? I do like salmon but when its grilled I just can’t eat it. I don’t know what it is. It must be something from my childhood!
What would you cook to impress someone? I try not to impress with my food but I would definitely cook a simple Italian dish like Pasta Carbonara with Garlic Bread.
Guilty food pleasure? Black chocolate, always.
Food hangover cure? You cannot go wrong with a good full Irish Breakfast. It can cure anything!
Takeaway order? I love Chinese food. I always order WonTon soup.
Rosanna’s Verdict:
With so many major supermarket chains opening stores throughout the country, I would imagine that smaller independent shops need more support than ever from local customers. So it’s really nice to know that Paul shops in his local butcher and bakery for essentials.
Paul stocks his fridge and cupboards with plenty of fresh whole foods, including loads of fruit and vegetables. Most of us are aware by now that eating lots of colourful fruit and veg is so important for supporting a healthy immune system and boosting energy levels, and especially for busy people like Paul who travel frequently. Airplanes are notorious for encouraging bacteria and viruses to spread more rapidly, so a healthy, balanced diet can make a big difference for frequent flyers.
Paul always drinks coffee with his breakfast, which changes depending on where he is in the world. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others, but if it’s not a problem for you then a coffee everyday is perfectly OK and especially when you maintain healthy hydration levels. As caffeine is a diuretic, it encourages your body to excrete water more quickly. Drinking a glass of warm water with lemon alongside your coffee can help balance that.
For lunch, Paul has a simple bowl of soup. Hearty, wholesome, warming and healthy when it contains plenty of vegetables. In fact, soups are one of the best ways to increase your intake of root vegetables, nutritious starchy veg including sweet potato and squash, and even protein-rich lentils and beans. I often recommend smoothies as a way to get plenty of fruit and veggies into your system, but cold drinks aren’t always as appealing in winter, so that’s where nourishing soups can really help.
For his evening meal, Paul usually opts for a simple, traditional meal of ham, cabbage and potatoes. I’m a big believer in keeping food as fresh, wholesome and simple as possible for the best health results, and this is a great example of a meal rich in protein, carbs and vegetables. To boost the benefits even more, my advice is to choose the best quality ham you can find, and try not to overcook the cabbage. It’s naturally rich in vitamin C, but this may get lost in the cooking process.
Paul’s snacks include a piece of fruit and a piece of dark chocolate when he fancies a treat. Fruit makes a great snack, and especially when it’s enjoyed in its whole form rather than juiced, which removes the fibre. Fruit also helps to boost your intake of colourful antioxidants, so aim to vary the type of fruit you eat to avail of a range of nutrients. Dark chocolate is considered a good source of antioxidants too, and especially when it’s high in cocoa and low in sugar. I really like raw cacao powder for its antioxidant and mineral content.
Chinese food and a full Irish breakfast are Paul’s hangover and takeaway meals of choice. As his diet is based on plenty of fibre-rich vegetables and other whole foods and is relatively low in sugar, a little indulgence shouldn’t make an impact on his health or waistline. Well done Paul.