PLAN YOUR MEALS LIKE A PRO

With busy family schedules not leaving much time to cook evening meals, we have a few suggestions for making things easier, simpler and more cost-effective.

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With busy family schedules not leaving much time to cook evening meals, we have a few suggestions for making things easier, simpler and more cost-effective.

It seems every visit to the supermarket costs us more than the one before, so consumers are looking for ways to cut their food costs while still eating healthily this winter.

One of the best ways to do this is to eat fresh, not junk or processed food – and this is on trend with global thinking that a healthy diet is one that returns to the eating habits of our ancestors.

THE SHOPPING LIST
The first ground rule of healthy and hassle-free meals is eating what’s in season. So if it’s the season for citrus and your local food market is selling a whole bag of oranges for a song, grab them!

Sharing with family members, friends or neighbours means even more cost saving and no wastage, and if you do have a bit more than you need you can always make orange juice and freeze it.

Planning your week’s meals on a Saturday or Sunday – and shopping for the ingredients – means you don’t have to stress about choices or shopping lists during the week. A golden rule is that when something is packaged, it costs more. So aside from bulk specials you can take advantage of, take the time to pick out individual fruit and vegetables and have them weighed at the scales. That way you not only avoid the additional cost, but you get the exact number that you need and you can check for bruising or signs of rot.

LEFTOVERS 101
Food that is cooled or reheated incorrectly can become tainted with bacteria and cause food poisoning, so there are some basic rules to follow. Keep these in mind when planning ahead:

• Remove leftovers from the hot pot or pan and cool down completely (for no longer than two hours) before refrigerating.
• Use leftovers within two days of being refrigerated.
• When defrosting frozen food, put the container in the fridge for a day rather than leaving it out at room temperature.
• Leftover food should be heated through thoroughly, and you should never reheat anything more than once.