Australians are being encouraged to swap takeaway meals for quick, heart-healthy home cooking this winter, with the Heart Foundation launching a new recipe collection and step-by-step cooking video series aimed at making healthy eating easier.
The initiative comes as heart disease remains one of Australia’s leading causes of death, claiming a life every 12 minutes. Poor diet is a major contributor, with many fast food and convenience meals containing high levels of salt, saturated fat and added sugar.
New findings from the Heart Foundation’s State of the Heart Survey 2025, which surveyed more than 5,000 Australians, suggest time pressures are driving many people towards unhealthy food choices. Younger adults were particularly affected, with 46 per cent of respondents aged 18 to 34 saying unhealthy foods were more convenient, 37 per cent describing them as too tempting, and 32 per cent believing healthy meals took too long to prepare.
In response, the Heart Foundation has released a free winter recipe collection alongside six online “how-to” cooking tutorials designed to help Australians prepare affordable, nutritious meals at home.
Heart Foundation dietitian Maria Packard said many Australians were consuming almost twice the recommended daily amount of salt, placing their heart health at risk.
“Cold weather can often tempt us towards salty, high-fat comfort foods, which is why the Heart Foundation has released these new tools to encourage more home cooking this season,” Ms Packard said.
“Making meals at home doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming. Simple winter meals can be quick, comforting and full of flavour, while also being good for your heart.”
Ms Packard said cooking at home gives people greater control over ingredients, helping reduce salt, sugar and unhealthy fats while supporting a heart-healthy eating pattern.
She said practical strategies such as meal planning, keeping healthy pantry staples on hand and using simple recipes could help make home cooking part of a regular routine.
“When it comes to eating healthier, small changes can really add up over the long term,” she said.
The winter recipe collection features a range of easy-to-prepare meals for colder weather, including soups, curries and one-pan dishes. Recipes include Green Shakshuka and Breakfast Tacos for breakfast, along with mains such as Thai-Inspired Ramen, One Pan Gnocchi Bolognese and Mediterranean Antipasto Pizza.
Several recipes are accompanied by online tutorial videos that guide home cooks through each step.
“Whether you’re learning to cook or returning to the kitchen, these are practical meals people want to eat that fit into busy lives while supporting heart health,” Ms Packard said.
The Heart Foundation’s new winter recipe collection and cooking tutorials are available free through its website.