Catering for families with different tastes is hard enough, but for mums living in a world increasingly dominated by social media, the pressure to lead Instagram-perfect family lives can feel exhausting. New research revealed that 92% of mums in the UK struggle with stress at meal times.
Food and Drink on Female First
To help mums ease the pressure, Birds Eye has uncovered the top five hacks to make tea time easier:
Using frozen food to save time
Getting children to help with the meal preparation
Disguising foods children don’t like
Make food more fun with shapes and faces
Offer a sweet treat to the kids only if they finish tea
Let’s take a look at some more reasons why turning to the freezer is a great option for families.
Top ten reasons to reach for the freezer at mealtimes
You’re not alone: Birds Eye and Mumsnet found 70% of mums turn to frozen food to avoid some of the pressure of family meal times.
Nutritious: 30% of mums feel guilty about the nutritional value of the choices they feed to their family, however frozen food offers great options for parents to feed their kids a balanced tea. While frozen peas can contain more vitamin c than their fresh equivalent, frozen chicken and fish are fantastic sources of protein for growing kids.
More than just chips: Frozen food doesn’t have to be limited to chips. Frozen meat and vegetables can be used in a range of tasty and nutritionally balanced meals for both children and adults alike. Birds Eye recently teamed up with 7 parenting influencers to show how frozen food can be used in a range of meal options including katsu curry, tacos and pesto pasta.
Time saving: Mums spend more than 45 minutes preparing food for their family but frozen can cut down on the time they spend in the kitchen.
Less wastage: Frozen products last longer than fresh produce, meaning there’s always something to be found in the freezer for tea. A longer-shelf life also means more opportunity to plan ahead and in a nation that throws away tonnes of food every year, that can only be a good thing.
Easy to cook: With many frozen food products pre-prepped and ready to cook, you don’t need to be a culinary genius to use frozen food in tea-time creations.
Great for a range of diets: The range of frozen foods on offer today means there really is something for everyone – there are even gluten-free fish fingers for those looking to cater for specific dietary needs.
Value for money: Less food waste means less spending. If not eaten, fresh food will perish and you’ll need another trip to the supermarket for an extra spending spree.
Healthy cooking methods: Most frozen vegetable products can be steamed or boiled, with no need for a fryer, pan, oil or butter, meaning healthier cooking options for the family.
No preservatives required: No need for preservatives as the action of freezing naturally preserves the food.
Having just relaunched its entire chicken range, Birds Eye is on a mission to challenge common misconceptions and take the guilt out of frozen food. Find out more about how frozen food can be used in nutritionally-balanced meals at www.birdseye.co.uk