Joanna O'Sullivan
What to eat after surgery or a hospital stay: A practical nutrition guide
Recovering from surgery or a hospital stay is hard work. Your body is doing an enormous amount behind the scenes — healing tissue, rebuilding strength, fighting inflammation, and restoring energy reserves. One of the most powerful things you can do to support that process is eat well.
But here's the challenge: when you're recovering at home, ...
Frozen vs fresh meals: which is right for you?
Nutrition, cost and lifestyle comparison for busy Australians.
Let’s be honest: nothing tops a home-cooked meal. Preparing food in your own kitchen, using fresh, quality ingredients, is hands down the best way to eat well, enjoy real flavours, and nourish your body. There’s a reason home cooking is the gold standard for health-conscious ...
Christmas cooking: Make it or fake it with Gourmet Dinner Service
How to host a stunning Christmas feast—no stress or fuss required
Dreaming of a beautiful, homemade Christmas lunch but finding your calendar packed and time short? You’re not alone! The festive season should be about celebration, not stress. That’s where the magic of “faking it” comes in—making every dish look like your own, while ...
Cook + serve the perfect roast turkey: 4 easy steps
Are you responsible for the Christmas feast or perhaps you’re celebrating Thanksgiving or another big event that calls for roast turkey? Many people get anxious on Christmas Day when they think about cooking turkey. But there’s no need to panic because it couldn’t be easier, even for the amateur cooks!
Here we show you how in just 4 easy ...
Meal planning: 7 healthy family dinner ideas for busy households
Quick, Nutritious and Affordable Family Meals for Aussie Families
If your evenings are a mad dash between work, school, sport and everything in between, you’re not alone. For many Australian families, finding time to cook healthy family dinners feels almost impossible. That’s why meal planning is a game-changer—making sure everyone’s fed ...
How to reclaim Christmas: from stress to celebration
It’s that time of the year again when the air is filled with the festive spirit, but for many, it also comes with a heap of stress and a never-ending to-do list. From planning the perfect Christmas Day lunch to managing demanding relatives, Christmas can quickly become a whirlwind of chaos, leaving you feeling more frazzled than festive. But this ...
Healthy meal planning for seniors: how to choose nutritious options for elderly loved ones
As our loved ones grow older, their nutritional needs and appetites evolve. This makes healthy meal planning for seniors more important than ever. Whether you’re a family member, carer, or senior looking to maintain independence, finding tasty and nutritious options tailored to seniors’ needs is essential. That’s because the right diet and ...
Top tips for new mums: guide to navigating the first year
Welcoming a new baby into the world is an exciting and life-changing experience. As a new mum, you may feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for your little one, but with some practical advice and support, you can navigate this journey with confidence. Here are some top tips for new mums to help you through the first year.
Healthy ageing: 4 daily habits for optimal brain health
If you’re in middle or older age, you may have noticed your memory and focus isn’t what it used to be. Thankfully there are things you can do to boost your cognitive health. In fact, play your cards right and you can create a huge turnaround so that you’re sharper than ever.
Your mental performance is an important part of who you are and ...
How to boost your immune system this Winter
Having a strong immune system is important all year round, but particularly so as we approach flu season. During the colder months, we spend more time indoors, in heated environments and with the windows closed. These factors significantly contribute to allowing all sorts of bugs being able to spread and multiply more easily.
Thankfully there are ...
Recipe: Minted Green Bean Salad with Yoghurt
Here’s a salad that can be appreciated all year round. It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and we guarantee it’s super easy, even for the most culinary-challenged!
Enjoy it as a meal in itself (top with chicken or bacon to boost the protein) or serve as a zesty side dish. The yoghurt and herb dressing make this salad the ideal ...
Top 10 tips to feed the kids & survive the school holidays!
School holidays can completely mess with your usual food routine. But that’s ok. The trick is to make holiday food feel a bit more fun, make it more relaxed, give yourself a well-deserved break, yet still nourish those growing bodies with healthy food for kids. We can help you do all this, with these simple tips to feed the kids.
Winter warmer meals: Best comfort food to warm you up
As soon as the temperate drops, do you find yourself reaching for a double helping of warming foods? We tend to associate meals like cheesy pastas, stews, rich creamy curries, pies and pastries, pub-style meals and chocolatey treats as Winter comfort food. Let us say, these meals are not called comfort food for nothing! Don’t worry, you’re in ...
Healthy kids: best brain foods for kids
Good nutrition is vital for healthy kids. That’s because growing and developing bodies need nutrients and lots of them! The brain is no exception, it needs a huge supply of certain nutrients to optimally grow and function. That’s where brain foods for kids come in.
Interesting fact - your child’s brain grows to 80% of its adult size by the ...
Party planning tips: how to host a successful party
Don't freak out. Planning a party does not have to be an intimidating process, even if it seems big and scary. Here is a guide for planning a party stress-free so you can enjoy yourself.
Stress-free Christmas catering for the masses
Make a list & check it twice!
1. Planning is the most important thing when it comes to Christmas catering. Firstly, sit down with a cuppa and a notepad and work out your Christmas menu from snacks, mains, side dishes, desserts, cheeses, chocolates and sweet treats and drinks. What items will you make yourself, order in or ask others to bring?
...
Indian Recipes: Cucumber raita + other condiments
Add some flair to your curry night with these three simple condiments that can be made ahead of time and enjoyed alongside just about any Indian meal. We’ll show you how to quickly and simply prepare delicious cucumber raita; a salad of tomato onion and coriander; plus cardamom rice in the recipes below. These little side dishes are great for ...
Freezing Food: Eat well, save money + help the environment.
Our *trade secrets* revealed!
If you’re looking for ways to be healthier, save time, save money and help the environment, then learning to effectively utilise your freezer is a good step. That’s because, it’s possible to always have a meal to fall back on; so long as you’re accustomed to freezing food portions as you buy or cook. We’ve ...
Hazelnut and Mushroom Salad Recipe
While mushrooms are grown all year round, wild mushrooms are in season along the East Coast of Australia from February to May. At this time you can pick them yourself or buy inexpensively from your local green grocer. Never eat wild mushrooms you find in your yard or out in nature, unless you’re an expert – they can be dangerous or deadly! ...
Benefits of walking: radically improve your health, in just 20 minutes a day
“Walking is man’s best medicine” said none other than Hippocrates, the great Greek physician who is recognised as the founder of modern medicine. Even today, experts agree that there is no other medicine that can positively impact our health in the same way as a daily walk. And that is despite the vast range of pharmaceutical drugs and ...
Mexican Recipes: Easy Peasy Guacamole! + Quick Corn Salad
Mexico ranks as one of the world’s most popular travel destinations. Known for its ancient ruins, colonial cities, nature reserves, festivals, beach resorts, friendly people and tasty cuisine.
If you’re dreaming of a getaway to Mexico, you’re going to have to wait. In the meantime, why not bring the zesty flavours of Mexican gastronomy to ...
Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin & Prosciutto Salad
Did you know that pumpkin is a fruit, not a vegetable? That’s because the edible part is from the seed-bearing structure of the plant. October is the perfect time to enjoy this recipe as the pumpkins still taste good (and you’ll find plenty of them around as Halloween approaches!). Plus, Springtime means fresh crunchy carrots and delicious ...
Poor diets now killing more people than cigarettes!
According to the latest released results from the Global Burden of Disease Study (2019), poor diets cause more deaths globally than tobacco!
This study is the most comprehensive worldwide observational study of its kind, spanning nearly three decades. The results show that annually, tobacco was associated with 8 million deaths and unhealthy, poor ...
Recipe: Lamb Ragú Pasta in 10mins
Ragù is the name given to a collection of Italian pasta sauces made with meat, vegetables and occasionally, tomatoes. Bolognese is probably the best known type of ragù. But, our lamb ragú is something else! It’s easy peasy and super scrumptious, plus requires little more skill than an ability to boil water!
Most pasta sauces will pair with ...
Recipe: Easy Mushrooms on Toast
If you’re looking for a quick but nutritious and filling meal, try this one on for size. It’s perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner or just as a side dish – so versatile!
Mushrooms on toast is actually a classic British dish, typically cooked slowly so that the mushrooms release their juices which are then absorbed by the toast when poured ...
How to stay productive at home in quarantine
If, like most people, you’re spending more time than normal at home, you’re probably already worried about how you can avoid going stir-crazy! Here are some ideas on making your home time more productive and rewarding.
Potato Recipes: Two Ways (Herb Roasted & Garlic Mashed)
The humble spud unfortunately is often labelled, well, humble… boring or bland. This couldn’t be further from the truth! In fact, potatoes are one of the most versatile foods out there and can be cooked and served in many exciting and enticing ways. It’s true, they’re not often the star of the meal, but their beauty lies ...
Recipe: Peach & Pancetta Salad
Peaches are the ultimate Summer fruit and it doesn’t get much better than this salad for a suggestion of sunshine and sweetness. The juicy, perfumed peaches perfectly balance with the crisp salty pancetta and creamy smoothness of the feta. Enjoy as a weekday meal or side dish, with a BBQ or try it next time you’re asked to bring a plate.
6 Easy New Year’s Resolutions Everyone Should Make
Happy New Year! It’s that time again, yup, time to recommit to your health. We all do it every January but do we follow through? Sadly not. So, instead of setting yourself up for fail with unrealistic goals, here are 6 simple resolutions that will improve your wellbeing and are easy enough to stick to for the long term.
Creative Ideas for Christmas Leftovers
If your dining table is groaning under the weight of excess catering, then don’t waste it! Let us show you how to creatively repurpose the extras into delicious next-day meals.
