NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • Herald NOW
    • All Herald NOW
    • Ryan Bridge TODAY
    • Herald NOW Business
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Herald NOW Business
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • Deloitte Fast 50
    • Generate wealth weekly
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Gisborne
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Eat Well / Food News

Seven light and healthy lockdown recipes

Megan Wood
By
Megan Wood

Digital editor and writer

VIEW PROFILE

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article

After four weeks of baking up a storm, with no one to share it with except our small bubbles, it now feels like time to lighten up a little on the meals. Whether boredom led you to bake (like us), or proximity to the fridge allowed some bad snacking habits to creep in, the over-indulgence of four weeks in lockdown means it might be time to make a change. These seven ideas are light, healthy and utterly delightful.

1. Lighter start: Low fat healthy muesli

Getting an unhealthy start to the day can put the whole rest of the day off kilter. Unlike sugary cereals this homemade muesli is low in fat and sugar and you can tailor it to include your favourite nuts, fruits and grains.Get the recipe here...

2. Veg-packed snacks: Root vegetable chips

A simple and effective way to take a slightly lighter approach to your snack time is to make it all about veggies.Get the recipe... Here's a couple other ideas to get you started: try our broad bean crush recipe or our carrot and chickpea dip.

3. Substantial salad: Smoked salmon, avocado and potato salad with lemon mayo

Sometimes if we tell ourselves the indulgence is over and restrict ourselves too much it can be counter-productive. This salad is filling enough for a main meal, packed with good fats and won't make you feel deprived at all. Get the recipe...

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

4. Carb-less: Lettuce leaf burgers

Next time you are having a burger night at home consider ditching the bun. Wrap your patty and other salads in a crunchy lettuce leaf instead. Get the recipe...

5. Eggs anytime: Pumpkin and leafy green frittata

A frittata is always your friend. Essentially a crust-less quiche it is a healthy and delicious way to use up all kinds of leftovers and inject a hefty helping of vege into your week.Get the recipe...

6. A lighter way: Light butter chicken

Some of our favourite takeaway meals taste amazing because they are packed with sugar and fat. Butter chicken, everyone's favourite, is a great example of that, so why not switch it out for a lighter version like this one. Get the recipe...

7. Guilt-free treat: Lusciously layered pear and chia slice

An almond base, infused with chewy dates is topped with a fruity filling and a coconut cream ganache. This slice is completely vegan and tastes so good you will think it is really bad for you (but it's not!).Get the recipe...

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest Recipes

Are homemade sauces, dips and dressings really cheaper? What the NZ supermarket maths shows
Food News

Are homemade sauces, dips and dressings really cheaper? What the NZ supermarket maths shows

12 Feb 06:00 PM
Which NZ cooking oils are healthiest – and the one you shouldn't be using every day
Premium
Food News

Which NZ cooking oils are healthiest – and the one you shouldn't be using every day

05 Feb 09:00 PM
Christmas sauces and trimmings recipes
Recipes

Christmas sauces and trimmings recipes

21 Dec 02:18 AM
Why you're making your scrambled eggs wrong - and how to fix it
Food News

Why you're making your scrambled eggs wrong - and how to fix it

12 Dec 05:00 PM
How to make Christmas dinner for four people for less than $100
Food News

How to make Christmas dinner for four people for less than $100

09 Dec 10:59 PM
Why homemade chips never taste like the ones from the chippie – and how to fix it
Food News

Why homemade chips never taste like the ones from the chippie – and how to fix it

20 Nov 10:00 PM

Latest Food News

The NZ supermarket swaps that actually save money – and the ones that don’t
Food News

The NZ supermarket swaps that actually save money – and the ones that don’t

23 Apr 07:00 PM
Premium
The best 'functional' supermarket breads in NZ – and the nutrition claims to avoid
Food News

The best 'functional' supermarket breads in NZ – and the nutrition claims to avoid

16 Apr 07:00 PM
Premium
The healthiest NZ butters and spreads – and the ones you shouldn't be eating every day
Food News

The healthiest NZ butters and spreads – and the ones you shouldn't be eating every day

02 Apr 06:00 PM
Premium
Are the food additives and E-numbers in NZ shopping baskets friend or foe?
Food News

Are the food additives and E-numbers in NZ shopping baskets friend or foe?

22 Mar 07:01 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Food News

The NZ supermarket swaps that actually save money – and the ones that don’t
Food News

The NZ supermarket swaps that actually save money – and the ones that don’t

Find out where real savings lie – and the swaps that cost you more at checkout.

23 Apr 07:00 PM
Premium
Premium
The best 'functional' supermarket breads in NZ – and the nutrition claims to avoid
Food News

The best 'functional' supermarket breads in NZ – and the nutrition claims to avoid

16 Apr 07:00 PM
Premium
Premium
The healthiest NZ butters and spreads – and the ones you shouldn't be eating every day
Food News

The healthiest NZ butters and spreads – and the ones you shouldn't be eating every day

02 Apr 06:00 PM


Endangered bird gets another chance
Sponsored

Endangered bird gets another chance

21 Apr 02:30 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • NZME Digital Performance Marketing
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP