As South Africa moved to level 4 of the lockdown, which allows for some limited economic activity, people all over the country immediately started ordering in from their favourite fast-food restaurants, while others saw the lockdown as an opportunity to get over their junk food cravings once and for all.
But what alternatives are there for those who would like to start eating healthier? Owner of Gia’s Kitchen, Gia Kramer shares below some of her thoughts on why ordering frozen foods will not only benefit you during lockdown but also in the longer run.
What alternatives are there for those who would like to start eating healthier? Picture: Wendy Lategan Visionary Studios
Options for days
One of the highlights of ordering frozen foods is that there is something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re a vegan, pescatarian, vegetarian, or someone who eats just about anything, there is a huge variety of foods that you can enjoy. Ordering frozen foods is also great because you can order a range of different types of meals from one place instead of waiting for Uber Eats or Mr Delivery to collect the food from different restaurants.
Convenience
Naturally, the most popular benefit of purchasing frozen food is convenience - with the bulk of the work done for you, what could be easier than just popping a top-notch, tasty meal into the oven? A great thing if you want to take a break from cooking now and then. And what a bonus if you’re not the world’s keenest cook! Buying frozen foods is also a great way of contributing your bit too big family lunches after the lockdown.
What alternatives are there for those who would like to start eating healthier? Picture: Supplied
Reducing food waste
Because freezing is a great way to increase the lifespan of your food, it can also help reduce unnecessary food waste. How many times have you thrown out leftover fast foods which got stale the next day? The great thing about ready-made frozen foods is you can skip the preparation stage as the chef who put together the frozen dish sorted out all that already.
Cost-effectiveness
If you do your research, you’ll find that buying frozen foods can be a lot cheaper than ordering fast food. A larger portion for a family meal can work out less than ordering, say, four separate items from the local fast food joint, which charges per head, rather than for a bigger dish that’ll feed the whole family.