Clever Marketing

Maybe the title of this blog post is a little straight forward. It’s a bit like the saying, "Is the Pope Catholic?" or  “Do bears ..............?" Of course they do.

Are marketers clever? Of course they are. That’s their job remember!

I wanted to bring to your attention a couple of ads that I’ve recently spotted on the tv or on a billboard, which I think reflect the title of ‘clever marketing’. And I feel, as a dietitian, it’s MY job to stand up and give you the honest truth about these products, to reveal just how healthy, or unhealthy, they really are. 

 #1 Clever Ad: Nutri-Grain

Now yes, the marketers are right. Nutri-Grain is high in protein. It also contains essential vitamins and minerals. But let’s go back to basics and have a look at this cereal from an overall nutritional perspective. The shape and the fact that it looks highly processed is your first clue. This high level of processing means that dietary fibre and other essential vitamins and minerals are lost in the process, some are then added back in. Refined products generally have a higher glycaemic index (GI) and are lower in fibre. Nutri-Grain has a GI of 66 (moderate) and contains 2.7g fibre per 100g. Dietary fibre is a crucial nutrient in breakfast cereals as breakfast is one of the highest contributors to fibre intake throughout the day. Aim to choose a cereal that contains >6g/100g fibre. 

Other nutritional specifications not mentioned in the advertising campaign are its high sugar and salt content. Containing 9.6g of sugar per 30g (1 cup) serving of Nutri-Grain, this means that for every cup you have, there are 2 tsps of sugar already in that serving. Now, if most growing young lads are anything like my brother was, then their cereal bowl would probably be around double or triple that serving size. So for example a 90g serving of Nutri-Grain will contain almost 30g sugar, or 6 teaspoons! Not to mention if sugar is then added on top. Nutri-Grain also contains a surprising amount of added salt, with 600mg sodium per 100g. A good guide for breakfast cereals is to choose one with less than 400mg/100g sodium.

All in all, if you are striving to be an iron man, or maybe you just want to take care of your body and know that you are making a healthy breakfast choice, the best cereal choices are those that are low GI, wholegrain, minimally processed, low in saturated fat, with minimal added sugar and salt.

My recommendations: Natural mueslis (not with too much dried fruit) in the summer, and porridge (made on rolled oats, not quick oats) in the winter.

#2 Clever Ad: Subway - Win a Trip Around the World

This ad is clearly marketed to the young people of today. It’s the one where that young, messy haired surfy guy is sitting on the beach in his wetsuit talking about how if you buy a Coke with your sub, you could win a trip around the world.

And don’t forget, it’s gonna be epic.

I love this ad, the language, the actor, the competition, everything is perfectly suited and marketed to the target group, particularly those with the travel bug or those that need any excuse to get up and go overseas.

The fact of the matter is though, it’s just a sales pitch. They are luring you in to buy that Coke by waving that carrot at you, the very slim chance of winning a trip around the world. If you check out the Subway website they even have a page dedicated to the promotion and an interactive map of places where you could end up if you win the comp. 

My advice: Don’t get caught up with these promotions. Go have an epic journey overseas, you don’t need to drink Coke to get you there. Coke is not a drink that you should be having with your lunch, dinner, or any meal for that matter on a regular basis. The best fluid you can go for is water, it's calorie free, additive free, acid free and sugar free. It won't rot your teeth or expand the waistline. Now that’s a marketing campaign right there!

I think it’s also a little sneaky of Subway to have this campaign going, as Subway have always marketed itself as one of the ‘healthier’ take away choices ie. their slogans of "eat fresh" and "less than 6 grams of fat". Having a promotion with Coke goes against this principle and also gives young people the idea that it’s ok to have a soft drink with their lunch. This is not a habit you want to be getting into!

#3 Clever Ad: Vitamin Water

I once flew into Brisbane airport, walked off the plane, and in the distance I see a large billboard, with the words

“Spank Those Naughty Little Oxidants”

I must admit this billboard was quite amusing to me at first. I could imagine that some young hot shot marketing grad had come up with this one. Then I wondered how their marketing team had got away with this sexually derived billboard - had no one complained?

This advertising was for a product called Vitamin Water. It is a flavoured water that is marketed to Gen X & Y consumers who think it's cool to drink out of a bottle that apparently is 'healthier' than soft drinks as it contains 'vitamins'. Of course it does, that's why it's called Vitamin Water, right?

Does Vitamin Water contain vitamins?

Yes. The drink has been fortified with vitamins (vitamins have been mechanically added).

Does this mean it's healthy?

No. Now don't get me wrong, it's great that CocaCola (the company that makes Vitamin Water) wants to add vitamins to their beverages. Unfortunately, the drinks have very little nutritional value. The vitamins added are a great way to entice consumers to purchase the product, as it  looks healthy. They also come in a range of flavours, each a bright colour, that contains various properties which can be very appealing to the consumer. 

But when I tell you that a Vitamin Water has almost as much sugar as a can of coke, would you reconsider? Not only are these products ladden with sugar, they also have many additives such as artificial colours which in some studies have been linked to hyperactivity in children. Another 'additive' that is a selling point for these drinks is caffeine. 

These products also do not come cheap. A Vitamin Water I looked at purchasing for the purpose of this blog cost $3.59 for a 500mL bottle. When you compare this to tap water, which is free, or bottled water, at $2 per 600mL, water is clearly most cost effective option.

When you compare sugar, water comes in at 0g whilst Vitmain Water comes in at 27g (or 6 teaspoons!!) When you compare calories, water comes in at 0kJ whilst Vitamin Water comes in at 470kJ. Water is clearly the best choice. 

What about the antioxidant stuff?

'Spanking those naughty little oxidants', using the Vitamin Water language refers to the fact that these flavoured waters contain antioxidants, which act to reduce free radical or ‘oxidant’ damage in the body. However you don’t need to drink vitamin enhanced waters in order to get your antioxidants, and the Heart Foundation does not recommend it. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and drinking black or green tea is the best way to get your daily dose of antioxidants.

CHOICE Magazine also reviewed vitamin enhanced waters recently, and found that “they’re really just cordials with a few added vitamins. CHOICE recommends you treat them like any other sugary or artificial drink and enjoy only as an occasional treat.” Well said.

Now I hope I've set the story straight on a few products for you, I don't want you getting tricked by all those brilliant marketing gurus. If you've seen an ad and you want to know if it's all it's cracked up to be, let me know and i'll post an update! 

Until next time, stay epic and get spanking those oxidants.

The dreaded birthday cake

This afternoon at work I declined the offer of a slice of mud cake.

It was a birthday cake, to celebrate the big day for a colleague of mine, Cosmina. Happy birthday to you Cos, remember not long ago how old I told you you look! :)

Now we've all been in that situation. Birthdays are wonderful occasions, but for some it means facing moments of temptation and anxiety when it comes to being offered a slice of birthday cake.

Do I have to have a piece of cake because it's their birthday? Is it rude if I don't? What if I only have a small piece... that would be meeting them halfway. But why should I, if I'm going to feel guilty and fat afterwards? And if I ask for a slither is that bringing attention to myself and the fact that I'm trying to lose weight? I don't want to have any but I don't want to feel excluded by not having any!

Now I know many men reading this are probably thinking, geez, are you serious, just eat the damn cake! But these thoughts are very common, and can cause a lot of distress to people.

So after you have that debate in your mind about whether to have some cake or not, then come the thoughts about what you are going to say when you decline the offer. Isn't it funny that just saying "No thanks" doesn't seem to be enough, that we have to find a reason to justify why we are not going to choose to eat a food that is not recommended as part of a healthy diet anyway.

No thanks just doesn't seem to cut it

As birthdays come around every year we never run out of occasions to celebrate them. And what is a birthday's best friend, cake of course. Rarely is there a birthday celebration without cake. In fact, most celebrations do have some sort of cake or dessert. Think about it. Who has been to a wedding without a cake, an engagement without a cake, a christening without a cake, a kitchen tea without a cake. Anyone?

It really fascinates me to watch the social dynamics that go on during these sort of occasions and the discussion that arises. It stems from dieting, to waistlines, to new years resolutions, to calories. There's talk of "you can eat well tomorrow" and justification of why they should be allowed to eat the cake ie. "I went to the gym this morning." A comment I heard today was "It's a birthday cake, so I'm going to have a piece" (insinuating that they would have a piece as a mark of celebration of Cos' birthday), while another stated, "Sorry no thanks I'm watching my waistline, it's my new year's resolution". Another, our CEO, just simply stated, "No thanks I don't need it".

When I was asked if I would like a piece, I said "No thanks". I didn't add any excuse, I didn't make up a lie, I just said a simple "No thanks". It was amusing that someone responded back saying "Boring" and although said off the cuff as a joke, it was interesting that my decline came with a negative response. This is a very good example of the challenges that so many people face every day when it comes to sticking to their healthy eating plans. Saying no in a social situation is not an easy thing to do!

An article worth reading

I read a great article written by Allan Borushek, registered dietitian, who addresses this topic very well. It's called How to Handle Sabotage. Now as the article rightly states, many people do not intentionally mean to sabotage your diet, even though they actually can be.

Let's go back to today where we have the birthday cake at work and let's just imagine that instead of saying "No thanks", that I said, "No thanks, I'm trying to lose weight" (in all seriousness). Now I could bet my bottom dollar that someone would have responded with, "Don't be silly, you don't need to lose weight", or something similar. Now although these comments come spilling out of people's mouths uncontrollably (I even do it) to make that person feel better, what it's actually doing is sabotaging their efforts to lose weight. It's encouraging them to go against their mind and principles, and rebel against their healthy eating goals. Allan says that sabotage can also stem from a lack of knowledge, a lack of empathy or simple jealousy at your determination to improve your body and health.

This section of the article is especially great as it gives you some tips on what to say in different situations, and how to deal with really pushy people.

'If you have the kind of "helpful" friend who is constantly barraging you with pointless criticism, simplistic solutions for weight loss, and nosy questions about your food plan, try saying something like: "Actually, my approach to weight loss is working out well for me at the moment, but thanks anyway." That ought to get the “butt out!” point across, without sounding too harsh.'

'If saying no just doesn’t work, and the food is still plunked down in front of you, be strong in your resolve; leave the food there and don’t eat it. You might feel a bit rude, but let’s face it, a person who simply refuses to listen to you is ruder!'

Here are a couple of ideas for what you can say in the future when the occasion arises if "no thanks" will just not cut the mustard.

• No thanks, I've just eaten lunch
• No thanks, I'm watching my waistline
• No thanks, I don't eat cake. I'm just not a cake person. 
• No thanks, that's a little too rich for me
• No thanks, I'm being good
• No thanks, I'm actually not a fan of _______ cake, I prefer _____.
• No thanks, it looks delcious but I just can't fit anything more in

I hope this post gives those of you out there a little more confidence and some strategies to put into practice when it comes to dealing with social pressure. I think it's important that we can acknowledge how difficult these situations can be and although a difficult skill to master, saying no is one that you will need to conquer in order to stay on track with your health and wellness goals.

How to stay in control this Christmas

Guys, let's be honest, for some people Christmas is a scary time.

It's a time when there is soooo much delicious, tempting food, and for those of you that are following a healthy eating plan it is very difficult to stay on track during this indulgent time of year.

Here's some tips for you that just might help you get through the silly season... without ending up looking like Mr Claus himself.

1. Don't deprive yourself

A recent study and other past research has shown that deprivation of food actually results in more food being eaten in the long run. I'm sure you can think of a time when you've had a craving for a certain food, let's say chocolate. You might say to yourself, "No, I'm being good, I'll have a piece of fruit". So you eat your piece of fruit which is nice but it doesn't quite hit the spot. So you make yourself a hot chocolate, thinking that the hot chocolate will eliminate the craving. It may, or it may not. Everyone is different. Let's say it doesn't. So you are still imagining that delicious piece of chocolate and can't get it out of your mind. So what do you do? Give in and eat it anyway.

Now looking back when you do the calculations, you've eaten a piece of fruit, a cup of hot chocolate, AND that piece of chocolate you craved in the first place. If you had just had that little square of chocolate you would have saved yourself around 1000 kilojoules. You may then also eat more than 1 piece of chocolate since you missed it so much, and that then adds even more kilojoules.

Moral of the story? Depriving yourself often brings out that rebel inside you that makes you want it more. Giving in and allowing yourself to have it will actually mean that you will want that food less (see Dr George Blair-West's book, an amazing read.)

2. Don't eat too much

You are probably loving my advice after point number 1. But this doesn't mean you get to eat the whole box of chocolate... (I said 1 piece remember.)

Just because it's 'Christmas' does not give you an excuse to overindulge. This is just a way that people like to justify to themselves that it's ok to eat and drink more than they should... because.. it's Christmas right? I can bet my bottom dollar I can guess the same group of people's new years resolution.

My advice is to plan ahead and stick to your usual healthy eating habits. And if you would like to have a little treat, do so, but have 1, not 10. Don't overdo it. Some foods you may not be able to stop at 1 (tim tams are those for me), so if you know this, don't let it even go near your lips and physically sit yourself away from that food if you need to. Remember your health and wellness goals and keep them at the front of your mind throughout the entire silly season. (My motivation is imagining myself in a bikini.... what works for you?)

3. Don't get boozed

Drink responsibly. Yeah, heard it all before? Well it's time to take note. Let's take a look at the maths:

Carbs yield 16 kJ per gram
Protein yields 17 kJ per gram
Alcohol yields 29 kJ per gram
Fat yields 37 kJ per gram

What does this mean? You can easily consume a lot of kilojoules in alcohol, as alcohol comes 2nd highest to fat in terms of the amount of calories you consume. Go easy on the alcohol and choose low alcohol wines and beers, and if you like spirits, drink them slowly on the rocks or with a mineral water. Stay away from soft drinks, they are full of sugar and will rot your teeth, just like your mother said.

My favourite party trick is to have a water between every wine. It keeps me hydrated and means less of a hangover the next day, which is always a bonus.

And if you are in a social situation where you'll cop a bit of stick for having a "Water... what??!!", then why not order a mineral water with fresh lime, which you can disguise as a vodka lime and soda. No one will know the difference!

4. Winning grandma's heart doesn't mean eating her entire plum pudding

Remember that showing your love to others doesn't have to mean ruining your healthy eating plans. Think of some non-food ways that you can show your friends and family your love and appreciation this Christmas.

Also, often when people know that you are trying to eat healthy and/or lose weight they will not only be understanding when you politely decline their food offering, but they will then be supportive of you by not continuing to make a big deal about why you keep refusing their food. They won't take it personally as they know it has nothing to do with their cooking or the food that they are providing.

Being honest when it comes to your healthy eating goals is always the best policy, and it will help to gain the support of others to keep you on track.

5. Two words is all you need

Don't be afraid to say "No thanks"

It takes a bit of courage but give it a go and you will feel much better about sticking to your goals. Remember to acknowledge how amazing the food looks and thank them for the offer. Being appreciative doesn't always have to correlate to you eating their food.

I like to remember that the person trying to convince you to eat that high fat, high calorie food is not going to be there to make you feel better the next day, when you are standing in front of the mirror, feeling awful and wishing you hadn't overindulged the night before. Stay in control of what you want to do and how much you want to eat, and don't be persuaded by others against your will.

6. Don't give yourself an excuse not to exercise

If you enjoy your physical activity, don't change your habits just because it's Christmas. Staying active over the Christmas period will mean that you may be able to get away with eating a couple of extra chrissy treats without putting on weight. It will also make you feel good about yourself and feel less sluggish.

If you are travelling somewhere away from home this Christmas, find a gym in the area you are staying in, suss it out and make sure you go (don't forget to pack your gym clothes and sneakers). My gym, Fitness First has a membership option where I can go to any Fitness First in Australia, which makes it easier when it comes to travel and means there's no excuses for me not to go.

Not a gym person? There are a thousand other ways to get active. Go for a walk, jog, play some backyard cricket, kick the footy, walk the dogs, these are just a couple that come to mind. Get creative and get the whole family involved, and have fun!

7. Sharing is caring

If you get chocolate or other yummy food as a chrissy present this year, don't be greedy, share it with your loved ones. The more you share, the better you will feel and the less calories you will consume. 

Signing off... 

Christmas is a lovely time of year that brings friends, family and food together. We often share many special moments around food, and it's easy to get swept away with the festivities and eat and drink much more than we mean to. This Christmas, why not keep focused on maintaining your healthy habits, with both eating and physical activity. I'd love to hear any other tips you have on how to stay in control this silly season.

Merry Christmas to you and thanks for your amazing support this year. I have loved every minute of sharing my passions with you, and I hope you've learnt a thing or two along the way.

Kangaroo... nutrition vs ethics

BBQ season is here, so why not throw some kangaroo on the barbie.

The advantages

Here's a little number story for you.

Bacon rashers contain 40% fat
Bacon shortcuts, pork and salami contain 30% fat
Beef & lamb contain 15% fat
Chicken & fish contain 5% fat

Kangaroo? 1.5% fat

Why? Kangaroo is classed as game meat. Meaning it's not domestically bred, it has to find its own food and isn't just spoon fed in a farm. Game meats, such as kangaroo, pheasant and deer (venison) are all very lean because they are more active than other animals as they have to hunt down their own food. It makes sense doesn't it... (think back to the hunter and gatherer days, there weren't many obese men or women back then).

 Believe it or not this photo was taken on my parents' property a month or two ago. Incredible!

As the fat on animals is predominantly saturated fat (the artery clogging fat), we want to minimise the amount of fat on our meat. Trimming the fat off any meat before cooking is a great strategy, but some meats still contain a lot of fat inside the actual meat (think a wagu marbled steak), so even if you trim the fat off the outside, some meats will still be relatively high in saturated fat. Kangaroo meat is very low in both total and saturated fat. It is also high in iron and a great source of protein. 

So my friend Julie, born in France who has been living in Australia, told me I should give kangaroo a go (how ironic). So I did, and I've gotta say it's delicious. I cooked it like a steak, with some onions. You could add garlic or other spices as well.

Now for those of you that look at this meal and put it in the too hard basket, it's not. I actually cheated just a little.

 Here's how to whip this meal up:

1. Heat a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan.
2. Chop up some onions and sautee over low heat until they go clear and lightly browned.
3. Add kangaroo, cook like you would a steak - remember you only need to turn a steak once!

4. Serve with your favourite vegies, I used some reheated frozen greens and some sweet potato superfries.

Quick and easy, Tick
Absolutely delicious? Tick
Nutritious? Tick

Price? I bought these 4 steaks for $9.74 from Coles (at $19.80/kg). I would expect to pay just as much for other red meats.

Ethical considerations

There has been a lot of debate recently about kangaroos, the killing of these animals and sustainability. There are many people out there fighting for kangaroos and asking for the culling or slaughtering of our national emblem to stop. This is an important issue that needs to be addressed, as there are many ethical and environmental issues to consider. You can read more on this here and here.

Let me know if you've tried kangaroo and your thoughts on this meat. You can also buy kangaroo pre-marinated which would be convenient to take along to a mate's barbie. Let's hope the cricket's not on...

Product Review: Sweet Potato SuperFries

Those of you that enjoy the occasional bit of TV may have seen the launch of a new product from McCain, Sweet Potato SuperFries. The ad is set with a family sitting around a table. The daughter brings out a bowl of Sweet Potato SuperFries, and encourages her father to try something a bit different. I think it's something we can all relate to. It reminds me of the movie The Castle, with the classic line, "What do you call this?" "Chicken".

Anyway back to the SuperFries. Have you tried them? Let me know what you think.

The Ingredients

The ingredients list is quite extensive.

Sweet Potato (72%), Vegetable Oil (Soy), Potato Starch, Rice Flour, Tapioca Starch, Sea Salt, Corn Starch, Corn Fibre, Baking Powder, Sugar, Dextrin, Dehydrated Sweet Potatoes, Dried Carrots, Thickener (415), Malt Powder (Malted Barley, Wheat Flour, Dextrose), Natural Flavour, Maltodextrin, Molasses, Spice, Natural Colours (150b, 160b, Paprika).

As you may know, the largest ingredients are listed first and so on.

It is suprising that sweet potato is listed as only 72%, I was expecting this to be much higher. It is also disappointing at the number of colours, thickeners and flavours that appear in these fries. I'm not sure why added flavours and colours need to be added to such a yummy, vibrant vegetable.

The Nutrition Panel

Nutritionally, the fries rate quite well. Note that a vegetable oil is used, and the fries are very low in saturated fat (0.6g per 100g), trans fat (less than 0.1g per 100g) and total fat (7g per 100g). Sea salt is the 6th ingredient, and contributes 370mg of sodium per 100g, which is not too bad, but could be lower (‘low salt’ means no more than 120 mg of sodium per 100g). McCain claims that Sweet Potato SuperFries are a rich source of vitamin A, and it's true. A 90g serving of these fries will provide almost half your daily requirement of vitamin A. What does vitamin A do? It has a powerful role in vision and preventing night blindness, as well as roles in cell function and immunity.

The Taste

Taste wise, I give the fries a big thumbs up.

The Cost

The price is a concern, when you compare these to how much you could buy with fresh ingredients. Yesterday at Coles I bought a 450g packet of the Sweet Potato SuperFries for $3.65. I also bought some regular sweet potatoes at $1.98/kg. So when you compare both at a weight of 450g, the SuperFries cost $3.65 whilst the sweet potatoes cost 89 cents. Although some consumers may argue that they are happy to pay more for the convenience of the SuperFries.

What's the verdict?

Overall the Sweet Potato SuperFries are a great substitute for regular deep fried chips. McCain uses a small amount of heart healthy oil and sweet potatoes will lower the glycaemic index of the meal. They are quick and easy to prepare (the instructions advise a 210 degree oven for 10 minutes). Oh and they come in Thin Cut and Crinkle Cut.

Of course nothing ever beats home cooked food, so if you have a half an hour to spare, why not make your own version of these!

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Wash and leaving the skin on, chop up some sweet potatoes into chip shapes (or whatever shapes you like), spray or brush them lightly with a mono or polyunsaturated oil such as olive or vegetable oil, and throw them in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until crunchy! It's that easy. And a much more cost effective option. Here's some I prepared earlier...

 These sweet potato chips were delicious on a Friday night with a nice piece of grilled salmon.

Junior MasterChef

The final episodes of Junior MasterChef are airing tonight and tomorrow night, and I'm excited. Who will be the winner?

Personally, I love this show. Some of those dishes the kids plate up are truly amazing. When I was young I used to love baking, although I would never compare myself to any of these Junior MasterChefs.

I've read a lot of articles over the past couple of months with writers criticising the show for exposing children to anxiety and stress, and all the rest. Let's take a look at the nutritional side.

Nutritionally, how is Junior MasterChef doing?

On Friday night in the final Masterclass they made the most delicious looking chocolate pudding using butter, full cream milk and chocolate. These ingredients are all high in saturated fat (the bad artery clogging fat) and high in calories in general.

The focus of Junior MasterChef is on cooking, not nutrition (if it was on nutrition I would have been picked to go through to the top 50 during my audition last year, for the adult show that is).

We do see a lot of ingredients that are not so ideal nutritionally that the kids are encouraged to use, like butter, cream, full cream milk, sugar, white flours, salt, salt, and salt!  It was sad to hear one of the young girls say to the judges when she was critiquing her dish that she "could have added more salt".

Despite this, I must say that if anything, this show is teaching and inspiring kids to cook!

It is suprising the number of Gen Y and even Gen Z kids these days that have little cooking skills. Even just having the basics, such as cooking a piece of meat, or steaming vegetables is unknown for some. What will happen if kids don't develop these skills when they are young?  Chances are when they move out of home they may eat out regularly or worse buy fast food as their staple meals.

 What I love about Junior MasterChef... 

All in all I think Junior MasterChef has a lot of positives to offer. This show encourages kids to develop cooking skills, which are really priceless skills to have. Kids can be educated over time on foods that should be eaten most, and those that should be eaten least, but cementing basic cooking skills is essential.

When I was a kid, there was nothing I liked more than to bake cakes and desserts. Pavlova, cheesecakes, brownies, muffins and lemon meringue pies were just a few of my 'signature dishes'. As I got older, I learnt more about what foods were better for me than others, and I started to experiment with my cooking to see how I could make it healthier. For example I would add crushed up Weet-Bix and fruit to my muffins, and when serving pavlova I would make sure that portions were small, and everyone received plenty of fresh fruit on their plate. I would use a brownie recipe that used olive oil instead of butter, and cocoa powder instead of chocolate.

 Pav - 2004

Junior MasterChef should also be applauded for how it encourages vegetable consumption. With almost every main meal there are vegetables served, and the show teaches the kids the many ways of cooking vegetables, and that they don't have to be boring. Thumbs up to any TV show that encourages kids to eat their vegetables! Junior MasterChef has also had Cook-A-Longs, where they give viewers the recipe in advance so they can buy the ingredients and 'cook-a-long' as they watch the show at home. So again this is promoting kids in the kitchen, with parent supervision required, meaning the whole family gets involved.

I have to give a big shout out to my wonderful parents, who endlessly encouraged me to get in the kitchen and whip up a storm. Dad would even eat the salads I created even though there was sometimes no meat in them.

 (That's me and my mum)

Sometimes it ended in tears (and a few tantrums when my cakes were a flop), but looking back I am so thankful that they gave me this opportunity to learn how to cook. I reckon it's one of the reasons I am a dietitian today!

Here's a couple of pics of my dad who recently cooked some amazing pizzas for the family (with labels and all - that's his sense of humour for you).

 The best pizzas you will ever taste

 Pumpkin, Baby Spinach and Toasted Pine Nut Salad

 And here's a couple of embarrassing ones from back in the day...

 No caption required for this one

Calzone - 2004

 Roast Pork - Mother's Day - 2007

 Gingerbread House - Christmas time

 Raspberry Baked Cheesecake - 2005

 Hot Cross Buns - Easter - 2009

 Pear and Almond Flan - 2009 

I suprised Mum for a very special birthday occasion with an afternoon tea for her and her friends

I think what we sometimes forget is the power of food to bring people together, and share many special memories.