Celebrity Health – Sophie Morris

Image of Sophie Morris by Joanne Murphy

Sophie Morris is a Ballymaloe Cookery School–trained chef, food entrepreneur and author with a passion for helping people make smarter choices about what they eat. Best known for her popular Instagram videos filmed in supermarket aisles, Sophie has built a loyal following by demystifying food labels and showing how easy it can be to make simple, healthier swaps. Her new book, Sophie’s Swaps, brings together her practical, no-nonsense approach to food with her love of easy, nutritious cooking. A mother of two, she’s on a mission to help families cut down on ultra-processed foods without sacrificing flavour or convenience.

Congratulations on the new book! What prompted you to focus on the subject of ultra-processed foods?

The book came about in response to the popularity of my Instagram content. The videos I started making in supermarkets began to go viral. I was showing people that to really understand the quality of a food product, you need to look at the back of the packet and read the ingredients, and a lot of people found that quite eye-opening. Creating recipes is a huge passion of mine; it’s something I truly love doing. At the moment, my work focuses on raising awareness about what’s really in our packaged foods and highlighting the role marketing plays in the language used around ultra-processed products. My goal is to help people make more informed choices when shopping.

You talk about the 80:20 rule in the book. Why do you think this balanced approach, rather than cutting out ultra-processed foods completely, is more realistic?

I don’t believe we need to give up ultra-processed foods completely. That’s just not realistic in the modern world, and I don’t think it’s necessary either. The evidence shows that it’s diets high in ultra-processed foods that are most problematic for our health and they carry a greater risk of diet-related disease. If a small part of your diet includes ultra-processed foods that bring you joy, that’s absolutely fine. What matters is not becoming over-reliant on them in your daily intake. At the moment in Ireland, around 50% of the average shopping basket is made up of ultra-processed foods, so we’re not achieving that 80:20 balance. That’s what I hope the book will help people to work towards.

What would you say to people who rely on processed foods because of time pressures?

I’m a realist. I’ve got two young boys, aged six and four, and my house is a madhouse! I don’t manage to cook all the time. But if you’re smart about your supermarket shopping and take the time to read the back of the packet and the ingredients, you can often make a simple swap from an ultra-processed product to a minimally processed one. Minimally processed foods can be incredibly nutrient-dense and play an important role in our diets. That’s really the focus of the “clever swaps” I share online – showing how easy it can be to switch from ultra-processed to minimally processed options.

Do you encourage your children to help you with the cooking?

My six-year-old is really into cooking now, which is amazing, especially since he’s come through a picky-eating phase. Like many kids, he went through that stage, and what helped was getting him involved in the cooking process. He’s my little helper at dinner most evenings, which is so lovely to see. I’ve tried to nurture that interest by getting him his own kids’ knives, cooking utensils, and even his own special wooden spoon, which he loves. We talk a lot about the quality of food and the importance of cooking, so they’re definitely starting to understand that.

What do you and your family eat during a typical day?

For breakfast, I often make the kids pancakes by blending eggs, oats, peanut butter, and a banana. They’re so quick, the kids love them, and they’re packed with protein and fibre. For my own breakfast, I usually have Greek yoghurt mixed with frozen blueberries, lots of seeds, nut butter and coconut; it’s full of healthy fats and protein. At lunchtime, we’ll often have some kind of egg dish. Eggs are such a nutritious food and so quick and handy. For dinner, I do a lot of stir-fries with the kids. They really enjoy Asian-inspired flavours. I also love tray bakes; they’re tasty, convenient, and perfect for busy evenings.

Do you ever shop in health stores?

Yes, I do! My local one is Nature’s Gold in Greystones, and I love it there.

Do you take any supplements?

I take a vitamin D and K2 supplement. I think it’s really important in this part of the world since we don’t get enough sunlight, especially from October to March. I actually take it all year round. I also take omega-3 fatty acids, and sometimes I’ll take magnesium glycinate as well.

Is exercise and keeping fit important to you?

Yes. I’m a huge advocate for walking. It’s so underrated and so good for both the mind and body. I’m a huge believer in the importance of natural sunlight, supporting our circadian rhythm, and spending time in nature for nervous system health. I’m a big believer in strength training too. As I get older, I’ve become really aware of how important it is, especially for women, to maintain muscle mass, and strength training is the best way to do that. I’ve been lifting weights for a long time, and it’s the form of exercise I enjoy most. As we age, maintaining strength and mobility becomes so important. I think building that foundation now really matters. I’m turning 42 soon, and I feel like our forties are a defining decade. What we do now sets us up for how we’ll feel in our fifties and beyond.

Sophie’s Swaps by Sophie Morris, published by Gill Books, is available now.

More celebrity health articles...
Articles from our latest issue...