Hiding vegetables in meals is one of the world's best known parenting hacks and chef Magnus Mumby is expanding on the concept … for adults.
His school catering company Food Nation has recently branched out to include Food Nation Go, a meal delivery service accessible through an app.
UAE residents can expect a range of meals, from breakfast to mains to school favourites and then “premium health” available at the push of a few buttons. There are no meal plans, subscriptions, sign-ups or minimum orders.
This is the first time the brand has, quite literally, catered to adults, although its coffee shops, located at 25 schools in the UAE, have meals that are also popular with parents.
Much like the food the catering company has been dishing out to school children over the last five years, there is a heavy focus on health. All the dishes delivered are non-processed, additive-free, and low in sugar and saturated fat. This should come as no surprise since Mumby himself is both a chef and nutritionist, and places a lot of emphasis on what’s going into the food – or what’s not.
“Our concept is all about hidden nutrition and goodness – reducing the meat content and adding more vegetables without compromising on the finished the product. We take normal dishes – say chicken butter masala or cottage pie and see how we can make it healthier,” he says.
To better explain, he cites the example of the lasagne which looks just like traditional dish, but 40 per cent of which is shredded root vegetable to make it nutritionally-dense. Even the white sauce is a low-fat version made without butter.
Also on the menu are dishes like the skinny shawarma box, falafel and hummus wrap, vegetable tom yum soup, cauliflower katsu and noodles and salmon tartare fishcakes. The kids’ “easy eats” range features dishes that have been tried and tested in schools for years like the pumpkin, black beans and feta enchiladas and the spaghetti bolognese (with vegetables hidden in the sauce). Nutrition, per 100g, is mentioned alongside every dish.
“We came to realise that if you keep changing dishes – adding brown rice instead of white or more quinoa, people can get bored and they want to stop eating healthy. We’re not changing anything radically but making good food with a higher vegetable inclusion and less processed substances. It’s all about improving our health bit by bit,” he says.
It’s tied in with another mantra that the brand has. “If we don’t make it, we don’t serve it,” says Mumby. “Absolutely everything is made-in house from sauces to salad dressings. We even roast our own spices.”
The launch is a reaction to the coronavirus as many schools and students opt for distance learning. Having the capacity to make large batches and deliver them across the UAE has helped keep costs down, with most mains and meals averaging at Dh20. True to its slogan, the packaging aims to be recyclable and plastic-free wherever possible.
According to Mumby, the move towards a healthier lifestyle and diet, even if it is baby steps, is the need of the hour. “If you see the kinds of lifestyle diseases that are killing people these days, they can all be linked to diet. It’s a combination of heavily processed food and a more sedentary lifestyle that we’re now leading. The problem is that our desire for cheap comfort food outweighs the harmful side effects they have. And these are side effects that will start to show years down the line.”
The solution – and his advice to parents? To stock up on more whole foods. “Fats and carbs are not the enemy, as long as they are moderation. But eating unprocessed foods – whether it’s chicken, fruits, vegetables, nuts – is far more effective than calorie counting.”
Food Nation is available for download on Google Play and the App Store. Orders need to be placed by 8pm for the dishes to be delivered to the doorstep the next day. Delivery is made throughout the UAE.
Craving healthy food with minimum effort? Here are three more healthy delivery services in the UAE to try:
1. Love Food
This delivery service has doesn’t quite believe in a “diet” but a “sustainable way of life”. Which means customers can expect dishes that are sugar-free, organic and free-range, with gluten-free and dairy-free options also available.
It has monthly plans wherein three meals and two snacks are delivered daily (excluding weekends), with dishes like Thai curry and a lamb shank on squash puree.
There are a number of plans to choose between depending on a customer’s overall goal. Vitality is a balanced meal for weight management, Lifestyle is a low carb one for weight less, Power packs a punch with high protein and there’s also a Keto plan. Monthly plan prices start at Dh2,628.
Weekdays; monthly prices start at Dh2,628; delivery across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah; www.lovefoodme.com
2. Right Bite
Launched in 2004, Right Bite provides personalised healthy meal plans in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The service offers a number of plans depending on customer’s preferences like The Basic (simply breakfast, lunch and dinner), Balanced Mom (for pregnant women), Low-Carb, Vegan and Renew You (for healthy weight-loss).
Customers can book also an appointment with licensed dieticians to discuss their needs. The meals have been designed by dieticians and use natural and wholesome ingredients.
Available daily; Dh2,310 for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 20 days; delivery across Dubai and Abu Dhabi; www.rightbite.com
3. Kcal Extra
The restaurant chain that prices itself on healthy fast food has its own meal delivery service to encourage healthy eating.
There are a number of plans to choose between, and they can also be further customised based on personal preferences (there’s an international menu and the Chef Hala plan for a more Arabic menu).
Customers can also see just how many calories they are consuming on a daily basis, with a daily meal plan including breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks.
Available daily; prices start at Dh2,450 for 20 days; delivery throughout the UAE; www.kcalextra.com
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
The five pillars of Islam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixtures:
Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm
Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm
Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm
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GYAN’S ASIAN OUTPUT
2011-2015: Al Ain – 123 apps, 128 goals
2015-2017: Shanghai SIPG – 20 apps, 7 goals
2016-2017: Al Ahli (loan) – 25 apps, 11 goals
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm
Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: From Dh1 million
On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
