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Average UK mum relies on 9 recipes to feed family

The average British mother relies on just nine different meals to feed her family, a study has found.

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Food product company Merchant Gourmet polled 4,000 Britons to discover that hectic lifestyles, fussy children and partners who work long hours mean mothers are stuck in a rut when it comes to experimenting in the kitchen.

Nine in 10 mothers polled admitted cooking the same meals over and over again while one in four made the same meals on the same day of the week.

The most common meal was spaghetti Bolognese followed by roast dinners, a shepherd's or cottage pie and a pasta dish.

"It's not surprising, given the demands of modern family life, that home cooks revert back to the recipes they know and love," a spokesman for Merchant Gourmet said in a statement.

"People are put off experimenting with new meals and ingredients as they're convinced it will be time-consuming or expensive.

The study also highlighted the rise of the fussy family.

"A massive 81 percent of respondents claimed they have to make two or more meals every night and 23 percent said they would stick to the same meals because their children are fussy eaters," the spokesman said.

The survey also found that dinner time takes the average mother 35 minutes from start to finish, and four in 10 mothers play safe by choosing meals they know their family like.

Over a third do not want to waste money by cooking something the kids turn their noses up at, and 44 percent don't have the time to experiment.

But two-thirds feel guilty that they don't make the time.

The survey also revealed that food enjoyment was the most important factor for 30 percent of modern mothers and fathers when choosing what to cook, followed by taste (24 percent), whilst health was third (23 percent).

Over half (55 percent) cook at least two meals to keep the whole family happy, with eight in 10 enjoying a sit-down with their other half later in the evening.

The research found that the average mother has eight cookery books in the house, but has attempted just five recipes.

Of the cooks questioned, 39 percent also found that at least half of the recipes they try from these books do not turn out as expected.

And two-thirds have at least four books that have never seen the light of day.

Three in 10 have the likes of Nigella Lawson and Delia Smith on their shelves just to impress visitors, and a third will only attempt a new dish at a dinner party.

However, three-quarters blame celebrity chefs' recipes for being too complicated, with too many expensive or hard-to-find ingredients.

Top nine meals relied upon by UK mums

1. Spaghetti Bolognese

2. Roast dinner

3. Shepherds Pie/Cottage Pie

4. Pasta dish

5. Meat and two veg

6. Pizza

7. Casserole/stew

8. Sausages and chips/mash

9. Indian/Curry

this news was taken from uk.news.yahoo.com

Sekadar ingin membuka mata para isteri, ibu-ibu dan girls out there... something that we should think and look at ourselves. Ask yourself, am I one of them?

Makan untuk hidup atau hidup untuk makan?

Salam semua...

Sedih... sedih... sedih...

Baru semalam ada kawan dari malaysia datang ke rumah sorang kawan di sini, duk cerita pasal ada kawan2 depa baru umur 37 tahun sudah kena buat heart bypass, malah pagi tadi hubby duk sembang2 (by phone) dgn ayah dan abg pasal masalah ni juga. Abang crite kawan dia umur dalam lingkungan sama juga tiba2 kena heart attack terus meninggal di tempat kerja.

Tup-tup bila buka utusan malaysia on9 kejap td, terus tertarik dgn topik 'senyum kambing' hari ni....

Rakyat Malaysia terlebih gemuk - bahana nasi lemak, roti canai dan teh tarik? Ada betul ke? Kena tanya diri masing-masing. You are what you eat!

Macam mana ni... rata-rata orang Malaysia sekarang dah tidak mengambil berat tentang masalah berat badan mereka? Bukan nak cakap orang, cakap untuk diri sendiri juga ni! Menulis untuk nak peringat diri sendiri.

Mentaliti dan paradigma masyarakat kena berubah, hidup bukannya untuk makan, tepuk dada tanya iman! Allah sendiri melarang manusia dari menzalimi diri sendiri. Tapi kita kini tak pernah fikir yang kita duk menzalimi diri sendiri dari segi tabiat pemakanan kita.

Macam mana yang dikatakan menzalimi diri dari segi tabiat pemakanan tu?

Ia terjadi bila mana kita makan makanan yang tidak berkhasiat dan yang boleh menjejaskan kesihatan contohnya makanan yang berlemak, berkolesterol tinggi, berminyak, tinggi kandungan gula dan garam dan macam2 lagi.... Bila tengok pada Piramid Makanan, rasanya semua orang dah selalu sangat dah tengok, dari kecik sampai ke tua dah, semua orang tahu pasal Piramid Makanan, tapi malangnya kita tak berapa nak ambil peduli.

Allah anugerahkan kita akal untuk berfikir dengan sebijak2nya. Maka, bijak-bijaklah memilih makanan. Ubah gizi pemakanan kita dan makanlah makanan yang seimbang selain bergerak aktif dalam aktiviti fizikal.

Selain dari pemakanan yang kita perlu jaga, kita juga kena aktif dalam aktiviti fizikal, iaitu bersenam. Selalu sangat dengar orang kata 'berpeluh tu tanda sihat'... Ye lah tapi peluh yang macamna tu? Adakah peluh tu keluar sebab keadaan cuaca yang panas, atau makan makanan yang panas atau pedas, atau peluh keluar disebabkan oleh aktiviti fizikal yang dilakukan. Kalau peluh tu keluar dari aktiviti fizikal yang dilakukan, maka sihatlah orang tersebut, tapi yang lain-lain tu takde kena mengena pun dengan faktor kesihatan seseorang.

Memetik ayat Tun Dr M dari Utusan Malaysia on9 hari ini:
"Pada masa ini, orang yang obes amat ramai, malah semasa mereka berjalan, gear box (merujuk kepada perut) mereka turut bergerak dan dibuai dengan kuat.

"Ini tidak elok kerana jantung mereka terpaksa bekerja lebih kuat untuk menampung keadaan itu, " katanya.

Ha, tu dia....Kesian kan.... Mari kita tolong diri kita untuk jadi lebih sihat dan lebih aktif. Saya sokong dengan kempen 'Walk-a-Mile (WAM)' yang dianjurkan oleh Yayasan Jantung Malaysia, dan dirasmikan pada hari ini bersempena dengan Hari Jantung Sedunia 2009, iaitu pada hari ini, 18 Oktober. Objektif program adalah untuk mengajak orang ramai berjalan kaki sekurang-kurangnya 1 kilometer setiap hari dalam rangka untuk menjadikan amalan berjalan ini suatu riadah rutin kepada masyarakat Malaysia dan bagi mengurangkan risiko penyakit kardiovaskular. Semoga kempen ini mendapat perhatian oleh seluruh rakyat Malaysia yang menyayangi diri anda.


Meh kita kenal dengan jantung kita: Fakta jantung ni amik kat website IJN (www.ijn.com.my).

Berat jantung adalah antara 350 gram hingga 450 gram bagi orang dewasa.

Jantung mengepam sekitar 80 cc darah bagi setiap degupan. Degupan jantung adalah antara 70 denyutan setiap minit, dan dalam satu hari jantung akan mengepam 8 ribu liter darah ke seluruh tubuh.

Jantung bekerja secara automatic melalui kumpulan sel yang istimewa, jantung mempunyai perentak jantung yang natural yang akan mengawal denyutan jantung.

Beberapa sel otot yang istimewa bertindak sebagai jalur seperti sirkuit elektrik.

Signal daripada perentak jantung dialirkan ke otot jantung secara teratur.

Injap jantung memisahkan berbagai laluan dan pembuluh darah yang besar. Dia bertindak seperti "pintu" yang membantu darah untuk mengalir hanya ke satu arah. Terdapat empat injap dalam organ jantung yang normal.

Arteri koronari adalah pembuluh darah yang istimewa yang menjalar di permukaan jantung. Arteri ini menyediakan darah yang kaya akan nutrien kepada otot jantung yang bekerja keras. Penyempitan atau halangan pada arteri ini akan menyebabkan serangan jantung dan penyakit arteri koronari.

Faktor-faktor utama yang menjadi risiko untuk mendapat penyakit arteri koronari adalah:

• Merokok
• Tahap kolesterol yang tinggi
• Darah tinggi
• Diabetes mellitus (kencing manis)
• Keturunan

Senaman meningkatkan permintaan sistem pengaliran darah membuat jantung bekerja lebih efisyen. Adalah disarankan untuk berjalan, berjogging ringan, berenang atau berbasikal selama 30 hingga 40 minit sekurang-kurangnya tiga kali seminggu.

Penyakit jantung mungkin tidak boleh didiagnosis pada peringkat awal. Oleh itu, amat penting untuk melakukan pemeriksaan kesihatan dan ujian stress secara rutin, terutamanya jika anda berumur lebih daripada 45 tahun.

Cara hidup yang sihat amat penting dalam penjagaan kesihatan. Adalah penting untuk melakukan senaman yang rutin, menjaga berat badan, mengamalkan diet baik dan seimbang serta mengurangkan stress

Zaman recession ni, kena fikir banyak... kata ayahanda 'it is cheaper to be healthy rather than to be sick'. Kasut jogging and stoking tak semahal kos perbelanjaan perubatan/pembedahan ditambah lagi kos-kos tambahan yang lain (keluarga yg dtg ziarah hari2 di hospital, yang terpaksa stay kat hotel)... tambah lagi kalau dah sakit dan tak dapat nak bekerja, siapa nak tanggung kos sara hidup (terutama bagi yang dah berkeluarga)? Fikirlah sedara sedari sekelian...

Jadi secara kesimpulannya, jagalah kesihatan diri kita, jaga pemakanan dan bersenam, ingatlah pepatah 'lebih baik mencegah daripada mengubati'.

Yok, kita berjalan....

BBQ Do's and Don'ts

This article was taken from www.tv3.ie

With the gorgeous weather upon us, barbeques are out of the sheds and ready for action but how do you know if your meat is properly cooked.

BBQ Do's and Don'ts

• Before handling food, cooked or otherwise, wash your hands and any utensils you plan to use, so that bacteria won't be transferred onto safely cooked food.

• Wash salads and raw vegetables well to remove all traces of soil and insects

• Use separate chopping boards, plates and utensils for handling raw and cooked foods

• When preparing your foods for the grill, be careful never to mix different raw foods (i.e. fish and chicken) in the same marinade. Always keep them in separate containers.

• Keep salads and other cooked foods separate from uncooked meat and fish

• Poultry, pork and your homemade burgers should be cooked until they are piping hot all the way through, with no pink meat left and until the juices run clear. This is because these types of meat can contain harmful bacteria throughout, so they must be cooked thoroughly to make them safe

• Cover all food to protect it from dust and insects.

Enjoy BBQ!

Age Preventing Food

Age preventing food

Taken from www.tv3.ie on 04.06.09

Looking good on the outside is very dependent on how we treat our insides. If you are trying to lose weight, doing so slowly and properly are vital to avoid that Old and scrawny look often associated with weight loss. Eating the right foods will help to reduce the risk of this happening.

Below are the ten of the best anti-aging foods.

1. Brazil nuts

These are high in selenium an antioxidant which helps protect the skin from the suns ageing UV rays. Selenium zaps free radicals which can cause damage. Brazil nuts are also high in Vitamin E which also helps to protect the fat in the skin preventing wrinkles from forming. Other foods similar here would be cashew nuts and sunflower seeds.

2. Salmon

High in Omega 3 - an essential fat our body cannot make. Omega 3 forms hormone like substances in the body which reduce skins dryness. Salmon is also high in protein which is essential for skin repair, other sources of omega 3 are mackerel, herrings, sardines.

3. Cherries

These are bursting with anti aging super nutrient anthocynanins. These keep the cell walls of the tiny blood vessels strong ensuring good supply of blood and oxygen. This ensures skin rejuvenation .They are low calorie and great for snacks or desserts, other sources here are plums, blueberries, black grapes.

4. Lean red meat

Lean red meat is a great source of protein for skin repair but also of iron which is crucial in carrying oxygen around the body Protein is important for giving skin its structure. Other sources are lamb, pork. Choose lean and grill, bake or barbecue.

5. Sweet Potatoes

These are full of betacarotene. Once eaten beta-carotene collects in the fat layers of skin and reflects harmful UV rays which have a strong aging effect. They are similar in calories to potatoes so can be used as an alternative. They are also high in Vitamin E. Other sources would be carrots, red peppers, apricots.

6. Soya Milk and other Soya products

These are rich in isoflavanes which act in a similar way to natural oestrogen and help the repair of collagen and elastin. This will slow down the age related changes that lead to lines and wrinkles. Other sources are soya yogurts, soya beans, lentils.

7. Oats

Oats, are rich in silicon which maintains the spongy structure between collagen and elastin fibres. By keeping this supple this helps to prevent the thinning and ageing of skin. Other sources are mineral waters, muesli.

8. Strawberries

Strawberries are rich in vitamin C and bioflavanoids . These help to defend the walls of fine capillaries preventing the formation and appearance of thread veins. Strawberries are also low calorie and great for desserts etc. Other sources are citrus fruits, kiwi fruits.

9. Shell fish

A good source of copper which is necessary for the formation of melanin, which helps the skin to absorb UV rays. Shell fish also help to create collagen and elastin. Shell fish are also high in zinc which make collagen and elastin. Good sources are mussels, clams, crab, and non fish sources are wheat germ and sunflower seeds.

10. Nori and other sea weeds

These are all good sources of iodine which helps the dermal layers of the skin to grow at a regular rate. They can be added to soups/ casseroles. Other good sources are Haddock, Cod. Mussels