FESTIVE, NOT FAT!

You know the deal: when it comes to the holiday season, it’s cheat day… every day!

- Shelly Meltzer

And before you know it you’re packing on an extra 3kg, and your favourite climb has turned into a slog rather than a joy. This is the time of the year in which you can explore and discover new foods and concepts. Visit local farmers’ markets, and those new eateries sprouting up all over the place with creative fare incorporating a spectrum of foods from plants to insects (really!).

Many ideas can be recreated and adapted at home; so if you see a festive salad, pumpkin flapjack or black bean brownie you like, make a note; and when you’re home, search the internet for recipes that meet your healthy-eating criteria.

Then get organised, so you’re not tempted to hit the chip packet when the munchies bite. Start by organising recipes into a leverarch file that’s accessible. Once you’ve tried and tested a recipe,

file it, so that when you’re busy and need to think of an idea in a hurry, you can find it quickly. I also like to keep a record of dinner party menus and/or food combinations that have worked well.

STOCK UP