CHILL OUT & DROP 5LBS

Make the most of your freezer – it could hold the secrets to your weigh loss plan

Take a look at what’s in your freezer, as chances are it is packed full of nutrientrich fruit and veg. These can be used in smoothies, soups and family meals that’ll help you lose weight, too. Frozen veg and fruit is nutrient dense as it’s picked and frozen fresh. You can turn frozen meat such as mince, chicken pieces – even fish fingers – into tasty, low-fat family meals. Cooking using frozen ingredients is easy – you can either double up on meals you were already cooking and freeze extra, or get the family involved and have a cook-up day to make food in advance. Steer clear of frozen ready-made meals as they’re often loaded with preservatives and salt. Diet expert and author Dr Josh Axe suggests: ‘Turn favourite recipes into freezer-friendly dishes by prepping and freezing the main part of the meal, then add fresh ingredients like seafood or herbs when you reheat.’ 5 Let meals cool completely before you freeze to ensure freshness and mark each meal with the date it’s prepared. Meat including chicken should be eaten within three months, while fish, fruit and veggie dishes will last around six. Defrost in the fridge rather than on the worktop for better flavour results. Our fabulous freezer plan uses some store cupboard favourites, too.