When Maria got the invite to take part in #TheFoodConversation, she jumped at the chance. “I’m a single mother and a carer for my teenage son who has complex needs,” she explains, “So my involvement with The Food Conversation came about mainly because I’m particularly concerned about food – about what we put in our bodies. As a parent and a carer, I’m interested in how food and diet can affect our mental health, as well as our physical wellbeing. There's this big talk about overconsumption of carbohydrates and other components of what we eat, and how this affects people who are neurodivergent. So, I joined in from that perspective as well.”

Maria’s concerns reflect the growing body of evidence on the dangers of ultra-processed food and an increased public awareness – both about how they impact our health and just how much they dominate our food system. Recent research suggests that UPFs could be linked to 14% of premature deaths in the UK, and some baby food pouches, though not always technically UPFs, have been found to contain more sugar than the recommended intake for a whole day. With the findings from a UNICEF study placing the UK near the bottom of high-income countries for child wellbeing, with overweight and obesity being one of the key factors, it's clear government needs to take urgent action to create a food system fit for current and future generations.

Maria enjoying dinner on a sunny day in her garden

Maria went into The Food Conversation with some of these issues in mind and was blown away at how, despite their differences, everyone came together over food: “You sit down and listen to people and how they’re impacted, and then you suddenly realise – she’s Black, she’s white, he’s Asian, we’re from all walks of life but we all have the same concerns. Food is something we can all work together on.”

At the same time, the deliberations were a challenging process for Maria. “I became a bit alarmed after learning about the complexities of food production and how much more there is to food than what we see on our plates. I’m also concerned about how much damage the current food system is doing to the environment.”

A far cry from her childhood in Nigeria, where she bought fresh produce directly from the farmers or grew fruits and vegetables herself, Maria was shocked at how farmers are treated in supply chains. In our recent report, Paying the Price, FFCC’s Dr Charlie Taverner demonstrated how the push for cheapening food has led to the stagnation of farmer incomes and the dominance of a few companies in the market, with detrimental effects on public and planetary health. “I’m more appreciative of farmers on every level now,” Maria says. “We need to look after our farmers. They’re not being looked after at all. I mean, how can you produce food and only get a tiny percentage of the profit?”

Maria would like to see government provide more support for farmers: “I’d like to see certain schemes put together by Local Authorities and the national government to help farmers with the losses they incur, with ideas they might have to want to expand on, and I'd also like support for more people to understand how important it is to look after our environment.” With an eye on the future, she’d also like to see more young people encouraged to farm, and for government to make farming an appealing career path.

Another snapshot from Maria's garden

But perhaps the biggest priority for Maria is for government to bring more perspectives into the policymaking process, so that everyone has a seat at the table. As a mother of a teenager with complex needs, Maria wants all levels of decision-making to include the voices of everyone – especially those with mental and physical disabilities:

“Being a carer, I'm looking at things not just for how they impact my son's health, but the wider community of people with special needs. The voices of disabled people aren’t really heard. So, how can we push this further?”

Taking the issue into her own hands, Maria is hosting a local Food Conversation at her son’s school, to make discussion and debate about food and the wider system more accessible to students from all over the spectrum. She’s also hoping to speak with her MP about the issue and is enthusiastic about keeping the conversation going. “Information is power,” she says, “Maybe if we could spread the information, maybe if people had better understanding, then we can become a little more proactive. I’d love for this conversation to go further, to government, and to the point where everyone is involved no matter the level of intellectual capability. Everyone is involved.”

Encouragingly, citizens from The Food Conversation are helping to shape the government’s new food strategy. Alongside industry voices, academics and civil society leaders, they’ll ensure the hopes, needs and concerns of people across the country are reflected in the policy development process. It’s a hugely exciting opportunity for government – and could help set the strategy apart as a world-class piece of food policy.

Maria's strawberries, which she plans on enjoying with meringue and Greek yoghurt

In the end, Maria wants a future where she doesn’t need to worry about her son when it comes to food:

“I would like to have my son go out and do some shopping without worrying about what he's buying. It's not so much the cost. The cost is important, but you want to be assured that when our kids leave the nest that they can look after themselves. Now, as a parent, you worry about what they're eating, if they're eating enough, if they’re eating healthy, I'd love to have a future where my son can look after himself, if it's possible. My son has all the support he needs, with plans and things, but I would love a future where he has access to healthy, good food, and where he’s supported to make the right choices. I worry about him being misled into buying something that is unhealthy for him and not having access to what should be the simple, basic necessity of healthy food. So that freedom of just having that peace of mind that my son can go out there and get what he needs – where he's in an environment that supports his health – that’s what I want. For me, that’s the future I want to see.”