For Dr Tammie Jakstas, helping teachers rethink food, nutrition and self-care is central to supporting their wellbeing. A Teachers Health Foundation grant recipient, Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) affiliate and senior researcher at the University of Newcastle, Tammie is turning years of research into practical support for teachers.

Her new online wellbeing program invites teachers and those training to become teachers from across Australia to take a fresh look at their everyday approach to wellbeing.

The Food and Nutrition Wellbeing Program for Teachers and Training Teachers is informed by research into teachers’ attitudes and behaviours around food, nutrition and self-care.

Here, Tammie (who’s also a dietitian and a teacher herself) outlines what the research reveals, shares practical strategies for refreshing your approach to wellbeing, and explains how you can access the online training modules.

Dr Tammie Jakstas

Eat better, feel better: Easy food strategies for busy teachers   

Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions, but it can also be one of the most demanding. Long days, heavy workloads and limited breaks can make it difficult to prioritise your own health.

Many teachers experience high levels of stress and burnout, while also struggling to maintain healthy habits. During the past five years of research as part of our Teacher Food and Nutrition Wellbeing Study, we found:

• Very few teachers meet the recommended intake of vegetables
• Skipping meals, especially lunch, is common
• Time pressure and workload significantly influence food choices
• Energy and motivation to cook after work are often low.

Across our research, one theme came up repeatedly: “I don’t have time.”

Participants constantly reported that they lacked the time to plan meals, to cook after long school days, even time to stop and eat lunch.

These time pressures often lead to reliance on takeaway or convenience foods and skipping meals altogether. Both lead to intake of a reduced variety of food, in particular vegetables and healthier whole foods.

One teacher shared: “I struggle to find the energy to cook meals … and often don’t have time to eat properly during the school day.”

These challenges don’t just affect teachers’ physical health, they also impact mental wellbeing, energy levels and their ability to cope with everyday demands.

It’s well established that diet is linked to mental health and wellbeing. But knowing what to eat isn’t always enough. Knowing how to deal with day-to-day activities and still put a meal on the table is key.

Improving your wellbeing doesn’t mean changing everything

Research shows that a few small, realistic changes to how you plan, prepare and eat food can help reduce your overall risk of burnout and support your wellbeing.

Small, practical changes make a difference

We developed an online program designed specifically for teachers, focusing on realistic, achievable strategies. Here are some of the key themes.

1. Focus on variety, not perfection

Rather than aiming for the ‘perfect diet‘, small improvements in variety - especially vegetables, wholegrains and legumes can make a meaningful difference.

Simple changes like adding an extra vegetable to a familiar dish or changing up your fruit choices instead of eating the same ones every day can be impactful.

2. Build simple food skills for busy days

Food skills go beyond cooking. They include planning, shopping and using what you already have.

Helpful strategies include:

• • Batch cooking and repurposing leftovers
  • Keeping staple ingredients on hand
  • Quick meal assembly rather than “from-scratch” cooking.

3. Make time to eat, not just to cook

Skipping meals, especially lunch, is a major issue for teachers.

Some easy to introduce workarounds can include:

• • Booking in your lunch like an appointment or meeting
  • Eating with colleagues (for accountability)
  • Preparing easy, ready-to-eat options (think grab and go).

Those who took even short breaks to eat regularly during the day reported better energy and mood.

Our findings

We tested the program with teachers across Australia and the results were encouraging.

After taking part in the program, teachers reported:

• Increased awareness of how their diet affects their wellbeing
• Incorporating more vegetables into their meals.

Most importantly, they told us the program worked for them because it offered flexible, realistic goals based on practical, time-focused strategies they could fit in around their workload.

Why this matters for teachers

Improving your wellbeing doesn’t mean doing more; it’s just about doing a few things differently (and you don’t have to do it all at once).

By focusing on small, practical changes to how you approach food, you can:

• Support your energy and mental health
• Reduce stress around meals
• Build healthy habits that fit within your day, not compete with it.

And as a teacher, these changes don’t just benefit you; they also influence the students and school communities around you.

Want to try it for yourself?

We’re now inviting teachers across Australia to take part in the next stage of this program.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Access the online wellbeing and nutrition modules
• Explore practical strategies tailored for teachers
• Trial (audit) the program and provide feedback
• Be part of research shaping future teacher wellbeing initiatives.

Register your interest to access the modules and audit the program

Final thought

Teaching is a demanding profession, and supporting your own wellbeing is not always easy. Small, intentional changes, especially around food and daily routines, can have a big impact.

Because looking after yourself isn’t just important for you, it’s part of creating healthier classrooms, too.