Meat, poultry and fish

Meat, poultry and fish play an important part in a healthy, balanced diet. They are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, and are an excellent source of protein. Our bodies need protein for growth and repair. It is also a valuable source of energy.

Iron, zinc, selenium, the B-vitamins and vitamin D are just some of the vital nutrients found in meat, poultry and fish. These are needed for a whole range of bodily functions, from keeping the blood healthy to maintaining our nervous and immune systems.

Red meat

Red meat, in particular, is also a good source of easily absorbed iron. Lean meats, especially pork, provide the B-vitamins, and liver (chicken, calf and lamb) supplies many nutrients from vitamin A to zinc. Vitamin C, found in vegetables, aids absorption of iron from meat, when eaten at the same meal. However, iron found in non-animal sources, such as vegetables and grains, is less efficiently absorbed by the body.

Poultry

Poultry is high in protein and is a useful source of B vitamins. It is also low in saturated fat, especially if you remove the skin. In fact, Waitrose skinless chicken breasts contain less than two per cent fat.

Fish and seafood

Fish and seafood are high in protein and packed with nutrients. White fish, such as cod, halibut and plaice, contain less than five per cent fat, while oil-rich fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, is a valuable source of vitamin D and polyunsaturated fats called omega-3 fatty acids. These help reduce your risk of heart disease, and are thought to be important for the development of the brain of the unborn child, and for children. They may also help to ease inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis.

What about the fat?

Fat imparts flavour and provides succulence to meat and poultry during the cooking process, so it is fine to leave it on the meat during cooking. To limit your dietary intake of saturated fats, however, it is best to trim off any visible fat, and remove the skin from poultry, particularly before serving. Most of the important nutrients are found in the lean tissue. Meat can be quite low in fat, with the amount and type depending on the meat and the cut. For example, we sell a variety of mince, ranging from five to 20 per cent. Poultry and white fish are both low in fat.

How to cook healthily

The Food Standards Agency suggests meat, poultry, fish and vegetarian alternatives should make up 12 per cent of our daily diet. Experts also suggest that we should eat two portions of fish a week, one of which should be an oil-rich fish, such as salmon or sardines.

Avoid frying meat, poultry and fish in too much oil or fat. Options are:

Grill and griddle: Grill meat under a preheated grill on a medium heat. Or preheat a ridged griddle pan to very hot, brush pieces of meat or fish with a little oil and cook quickly on both sides.

Bake: Wrap fish or chicken and herbs in lightly oiled foil parcels and bake in the oven.

Dry-fry: Cook mince, sausages and bacon on a moderate heat until the fat and juices run. Increase the heat and continue until browned. Drain off fat before continuing.

Stir-fry: A fast way to cook bite-sized pieces or strips of meat, poultry and fish, using minimal oil over a high heat. Keep stirring to ensure even cooking.

Poach: Simmer fish in a shallow layer of liquid, such as milk or stock, over a medium heat or in the oven.

Roast: Place your roast on a rack in a pan to allow the fat to drip down. Later, discard the fat but retain the juices for the gravy. This is good for larger pieces of meat such as pork joints, lamb legs and rib of beef.

Casserole: Before casseroling, make sure you fry meat first in batches to seal the outside, then cook gently until tender.

Barbecue: Barbecuing meat and fish can impart wonderful flavours, especially if you marinade first. Always cook the food thoroughly.

Steam and microwave: Both methods help retain essential nutrients, taste and texture. Steam whole fish and microwave fillets.

Choice, quality and traceability

You will find a large selection of meat, poultry and fish at Waitrose. For fresh, quality cuts of your choice, visit our Meat and Fish Service Counters. Prepacked fish and meat products, such as sausages, pies and fish cakes, and ready meals, are available from our chilled and frozen cabinets.

Meat and poultry

All our meat is produced under Farm Assured Schemes, some of which are specific to Waitrose. These ensure our meat is of a consistently good quality, produced to the highest welfare standards and is fully traceable. We also offer a wide range of organic and free range meat and poultry.

Fish and seafood

We take our commitment to sustaining fish stocks in the world's oceans very seriously. We support sustainable fishing and fishing methods and it is our policy to source, wherever stock is available, from well-managed fisheries using sustainable fishing methods.