Consumption defines what should be included in the basic food basket proposed by Yolanda Díaz

Fruits and vegetables, fish, cereals, eggs, nuts... The Ministry of Consumption has drawn up a guide to essential products to "compose a nutritionally quality, healthy and sustainable shopping basket" within the framework of the proposal of the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, that large distributors establish a list of basic foods with capped prices to combat inflation.

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The Spanish Food Safety Agency (Aesan) has prepared this listingwith which part of the Government –another part is not so in agreement with Díaz's proposal– aims for large supermarkets to offer all families a basic food package with a minimum of quality at affordable prices. In addition to the list of foods, the guide includes comments on some of them, such as their properties or recommendations for frequency of consumption.

The Consumption guide, which does not include drinks because the ministry considers that water is sufficient, recommends that "for a healthy diet" the diet should be made up of 50% fruits and vegetables, 25% cereals "preferably whole grains" and 25% protein, "remembering that legumes and nuts are a source of healthy protein."

The Aesan explains that "vegetables and greens should be the main daily intake in the three meals and seasonal ones are preferable"; cereals, such as rice or pasta, "are consumed daily and it is recommended that they be whole grains"; so daily consumption is not recommended; highlights legumes as an “affordable protein source with low environmental impact”; and recommends blue fish. Regarding meat, remember that poultry and rabbit are healthier. He also warns that potatoes and other tubers have a "limited nutritional contribution", and finally explains that prepared dishes "must have a reduced presence in the shopping basket".

"In the selection, these recommendations and works have been taken into account, both for the distribution of the products in the three daily meals -breakfast, lunch and dinner, also contemplating the possibility of using some of them as a snack-, as well as in the way of consumption, to complete a nutritionally balanced daily intake by healthy food groups”, explains the document.

The text is not limited to preparing a list of foods. “As a complement” and “in line with the current situation of high energy costs”, he explains that “preparation by cooking or steaming is preferable” and “the use of microwaves and pot from the point of view of energy consumption ”. It also recommends Consumption "make large quantities that are frozen and consumed later."

These are all the foods included in the Consumption guide, which can be consulted here: vegetables and fruits; cereals (bread, rice, pasta); potatoes; vegetable oils ("preferably olive"); fresh or canned vegetables; nuts (without added salt or fat), fresh, frozen or canned fish; eggs; milk and dairy products; meat (with the possibility of including canned lean meats); Regarding the possible prepared dishes, he gives the examples of crushed tomato or vegetable cream with an "occasional" consumption.

For the moment, the only large supermarket that has reacted to Vice President Díaz's idea has been Carrefour, which presented a basket of 30 products for 30 euros last week, although that list has little to do with the Consumer proposal: it includes perfumery and hygiene, household cleaning and processed foods such as meatballs in sauce.