Dr Michael Mosley’s day on a plate

From his favourite kitchen gadget to the one food he cannot resist, the host of Australia’s Sleep Revolution tells us how he eats.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

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 weeknights on SBS Food (Ch.33) at 7.00pm. Stream all episodes anytime at SBS On Demand. You can watch Michael Mosley's Eating For Good Sleep episode on Monday, March 4 at 7pm. ---

There's no doubt that Dr Michael Mosley practises what he preaches when it comes to eating. He eats well to feel well, cooks a lot at home (with his wife, GP and journalist Dr Claire Bailey), and follows a Mediterranean-inspired diet. Here's what he eats on a typical day:

Breakfast

Dr Mosley does a form of intermittent fasting where he fasts for 12 hours overnight. He wakes up around 7am and will exercise or work, before having breakfast around 8am.

Breakfast is scrambled eggs with homemade kimchi or sauerkraut, or an omelette with tomato and kippers, the latter being a favourite of the late Queen, he says.

"There is good research showing the benefits of eating more protein for breakfast to keep you full for longer," he explains. He also drinks a large glass of water (which he does with every meal) and a cup of tea.

Coffee

At 9:30am, it's time for a first cup of coffee, usually instant. Based on research, Dr Mosley waits around 90 minutes after waking up to have his first cup.

He drinks a second or third cup of coffee around 10:30am, this time made with an Italian cafetiere, with his wife. "It's a nice opportunity to have a bit of a break. We both work from home, in different parts of the house, so we meet in the kitchen to have coffee and a chat," he says.

"We both stop drinking coffee at about 11 because we're quite sensitive to caffeine and it can interrupt our sleep."

Lunch

Lunch tends to be leftovers. "We are big fans of lentils. We'll cook up some onions and put in some curry powder and a bit of turmeric. Add red split lentils, put in some stock and simmer. We always have some, it's a very easy and convenient soup. Grate some cheese and you're good to go," he says.

Afternoon snack

If he feels peckish in the afternoon, Dr Mosley snacks on a handful of Brazil nuts or walnuts. But if he's in a meeting and chocolate biscuits are on the table, all bets are off.

"Given the chance, I’ll have plenty of chocolate. I love chocolate, that's why I can’t have it in the house," he says.

"I'm like a Labrador, if the food is there, I will eat it, so I try to avoid it."

Dinner

Dinner is typically fish, with vegetables and a whole grain like brown rice. "Our kids gave us an air fryer for Christmas, and I never thought I would use it, but we use it a lot. We cook salmon with some miso paste on it and a little bit of olive oil in the air fryer," he says.

He recommends reheating then cooling starchy food like rice and potato, so it becomes a healthier, resistant starch.

For dessert, he'll throw an apple in the air fryer with a bit of coconut oil. "And on the weekend, we'll have a glass or two of wine, but we try to avoid drinking alcohol during the week."

To promote better sleep, he stops eating at least three hours before going to bed.