Having lived for several years in the UK in various capacities (student, wife, mother, dietitian in the private sector, in the NHS and as a freelancer) I have experienced myself but also heard first-hand from my clients the difficulties in adapting to the UK nutritional environment having grown up in Greece. Let’s answer some frequently asked questions.

What nutritional challenges do Greeks who live in the UK face?

The biggest challenge is adapting to a whole new nutrition reality. This includes different mealtimes, routines, working conditions, food availability, social life, eating out, and lack of support network.

What is different about mealtimes and working conditions?

There seem to be a big difference here. On the one hand, it is very positive that most workplaces in the UK offer eating facilities (e.g., equipped kitchen with fridge, microwave oven, etc.) and protected time for lunch. On the other hand, both lunch and dinner are too early compared to Greece.

Also, there is often a lot of time spent in commuting or business trips, resulting in long hours away from home; this makes it difficult to meal prep and organise your meals and snacks. At the same time, post-COVID, working from home has become a new reality for many professions, with effects on nutrition: skipping meals, increased snacking, longer working hours, less personal time, and, by extension, less time for nutritional considerations.

Of course there are solutions for all this, however when you have to get used to a whole new lifestyle, diet is often not a priority. The end result is an unbalanced and most importantly unpleasant eating pattern.

How difficult is it to find Greek food and ingredients in the UK?

To be honest, that it’s not that difficult anymore. Greek foods are available in UK supermarkets and in Greek physical and/or online stores. What I often hear from my clients is that they don’t always find the quality and variety they are looking for; also, the cost of Greek products in the UK is higher, as expected. Still, with some planning, this can be easily resolved.

How are social life and eating out different?

This is another area that’s quite different compared to Greece. In the UK, the most common part of social life is going to the pub for a drink after work. Going out for a meal is more rare, often due to cost. On a positive note, the UK offers lots of opportunities to experience different cuisines. Ready meals are much more widespread, while Greeks are more used to homemade food.

At this point I would also like to mention something I have noticed from conversations with Greeks who live in the UK: the difficulty of socialising. This can lead to social isolation with negative psychological consequences and implications for eating (e.g., emotional eating).

What difficulties may a Greek family with children face in the UK?

This is a very common discussion topic in my sessions with Greek mums who consult me. If both parents work, grocery shopping, meal prep and eating out can be a struggle for a new family. On the other hand, when the mother is not working (temporarily due to maternity leave or systematically due to difficulties with childcare) she may feel lonely and isolated, while the father may feel under pressure due to the family relying on him financially.

In any case, for a new family in general and more so when living in a foreign country, personal time is limited, sleep often insufficient and the routines and priorities after having children different. All these can easily make parents neglect diet nutrition and become more vulnerable to emotional eating.

Also, let’s not forget that, in Greece, the role of grandparents in raising children and supporting a new family is crucial both on a practical and psychological level. There are differing opinions on whether this is good or bad, but it seems that for many families who have migrated, the lack of this network is important. On a positive note, with the right guidance and support, dealing with these difficulties can significantly strengthen the family and the relationships between them.

The bottom line

In conclusion, Greeks living in the UK are facing several nutritional challenges. The good news is that for all these challenges there are practical solutions. With the right guidance and determination, these challenges can turn into unique opportunities to optimise our diet. After all, once we decide to live in a foreign country, we have to become adaptable and resilient.