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Our Chick’n Patties were named the best vegan chicken burgers in the world!

CRISPY CHICK’N PATTY BUDDHA BOWL

Global sustainability-focused consumer review app, abillion, recently named our Chick’n Patties one of the top 10 best vegan burgers!

The 2021 World’s Best Vegan Burgers Awards saw consumers from 62 countries cast 12,000 reviews to name their favourite vegan burgers. Our Chick’n Patties achieved the 10th spot, but they were the only chicken-style burger entrant to reach a coveted top-ten position.

Our team is so proud to achieve a spot on such a coveted list – especially as it was a public vote and in a market that’s highly competitive with an ever-growing range of great plant-based burgers to choose from.

We’re honoured to hear how voters praised our Chick’n Patties on their taste, value, and versatility. It gives us great motivation to continue delivering innovative, delicious meat alternatives to help people change the world, one bite at a time.

This award-winning burger is made from a blend of plant-based proteins, a fantastic source of fibre and protein. This vegetarian burger offers a crunchy crumbed coating with a succulent and flavoursome patty – similar to a traditional chicken schnitzel or nugget but 100 per cent free of animal products.

The versatility of the patties makes them perfect as part of a full meal like a classic burger and chips, or on its own as a quick snack. Simply put them in the oven, air-fryer or frying pan for a fast and fuss-free option at mealtime. A big selling point for our customers is how quickly the patties can be cooked, making them the ideal choice for an easy plant-based family meal.

Still need some convincing? Try these vegan recipes at your next family dinner and let us know if you think it lives up to its title of best plant-based chicken burger:

CRISPY ASIAN CHICK’N LETTUCE CUPS

Crispy Asian Chick’n Lettuce Cups
Crispy Asian chick’n lettuce cups

EASY CHICK’N PARM

Easy Chick’n Parm
Easy chick’n parm

CRISPY CHICK’N PATTY BUDDHA BOWL

CRISPY CHICK’N PATTY BUDDHA BOWL
Crispy chick’n patty buddha bowl
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Around-the-world burgers

burgers

Mexican Nacho Burger

Makes 2 burgers

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper, to season
  • ½ tomato, diced
  • ¼ onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
  • 1 pack Fry’s Traditional Burgers
  • 2 sesame seed burger buns
  • 3 slices white cheddar-style vegan cheese
  • ½ cup of corn chips

SERVING SUGGESTION:

  • Corn salsa
  • Corn chips
  • Guacamole

METHOD:

  1. Place the avocado in a bowl and squeeze over the juice of half a lemon. Mash it using a fork until it forms a chunky guacamole consistency. Stir through the garlic powder and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Combine the diced tomato and onion with the chopped coriander and squeeze over the juice of the remaining half lemon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Prepare the Fry’s Traditional Burgers as per package instructions.
  4. Slice the burger buns in half and lightly toast the inside.
  5. Build the burger by spreading a generous portion of guacamole on both halves of the bun. Layer the bottom half with a burger patty, cheese slices, the tomato salsa and corn chips. Sandwich together with the other half of the bun.
  6. Serve alongside bowls of corn chips, guacamole and sweet corn salsa and ENJOY!

Sweet & Smoky Hawaiian Burger

Makes 2 burgers

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 pineapple rings
  • ¼ cup barbeque sauce
  • 1 pack Fry’s Traditional Burgers
  • 2 sesame seed burger buns
  • ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise
  • 2 fresh lettuce leaves
  • 2 slices mozzarella-style vegan cheese
  • ½ red onion, cut into rings

SERVING SUGGESTION:

  • Orange sweet potato fries
  • Vegan barbeque mayo dipping sauce

METHOD:

  1. Generously baste the pineapple rings with half the BBQ sauce to coat and fry in a hot griddle pan, basting as you cook.
  2. Cook the Fry’s Traditional Burgers as per package instructions.
  3. Slice the burger buns in half and lightly toast the inside.
  4. Make BBQ mayonnaise by combining the remaining BBQ sauce with the mayonnaise.
  5. Build the burger by spreading the BBQ mayonnaise on the bottom half of the bun, and top with a lettuce leaf, a burger patty, a slice of cheese, red onion rings and a pineapple ring and sandwich with the top half of the burger.
  6. Serve alongside orange sweet potato fries and ENJOY!

Classic American Cheeseburger

Makes 2 burgers

INGREDIENTS:

  • ¾ cup self-raising flour
  • ¼ cup of soda water
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ onion, thinly sliced into rings
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • 1 pack Fry’s Traditional Burgers
  • 2 cheddar-style vegan cheese slices
  • 2 sesame seed burger buns
  • Margarine, to spread
  • 2 lettuce leaves
  • ½ tomato, sliced
  • 2-3 pickles, sliced
  • Tomato sauce
  • Mustard

SERVING SUGGESTION:

  • Potato fries
  • Mustard
  • Tomato sauce

METHOD:

  1. Whisk the soda water with the self-raising flour and salt to make a batter.
  2. Heat about 2cm oil in a pan until hot and shimmering.
  3. Working in batches, coat the onion rings in batter and fry in the oil until they are golden and crispy.
  4. Cook the Fry’s Traditional Burgers according to the package instructions. Just before the patties are almost done in the pan, lay a slice of cheese over each, cover with a lid over the pan and allow the cheese to melt before removing the patties from the heat.
  5. Slice the buns in half and toast lightly before spreading margarine on both sides.
  6. Build the burger with a lettuce leaf on the bottom half of the bun, followed by a tomato slice and red onion rings, the cheese-covered burger patty and the sliced pickles. Squeeze over tomato sauce and mustard. Sandwich the burger with the top half of the bun.
  7. Serve alongside classic potato chips with mustard and tomato sauce to dip.

South African Gatsby Burger

Makes 2 burgers

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 medium sweet potato
  • 2 tsp coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tsp masala curry spice
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • Salt and pepper, to season
  • ¾ tin (410g) spicy tomato & onion mix
  • 1 pack Fry’s Traditional Burgers
  • 2 sesame seed burger buns
  • Margarine, to spread

SERVING SUGGESTION:

  • Coleslaw

METHOD:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  2. Make the masala fries by peeling the sweet potato and cutting it into spears.
  3. Pour over the coconut oil and toss to coat.
  4. Combine the masala spice, garlic powder, paprika and salt and pepper and toss in the sweet potato chips to coat.
  5. Place on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, tossing them halfway, until soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.
  6. Heat the spicy tomato and onion mix in a small pot on the stove over medium heat until bubbling.
  7. Cook the Fry’s Traditional Burgers according to the pack instructions.
  8. Slice the buns in half and toast lightly before spreading margarine on both sides.
  9. Build the burger by placing the patty on the bottom half of the bun. Top with some of the spicy tomato relish, followed by the masala fries. Sandwich with the top half of the bun.
  10. Serve alongside a portion of coleslaw and ENJOY!
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The ultimate food fight

plant-based foods

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We’re taking food fights to the next level by putting plant-based foods up against all the usual favourites in the ultimate nutrient breakdown. Which do you think will come out on top?

Round 1:

plant-based foods

In the left-hand corner, we have standard chicken strips, and in the right-hand corner, we have 100% vegan Fry’s rice protein and quinoa strips.

Both weigh up very similarly in protein levels, but the Fry’s strips land a significant punch with their lower fat content. The chicken strips take another knock from Fry’s with their higher fibre levels. The Fry’s strips also have no cholesterol at all, compared to the 47mg in the chicken strips – it’s a total knockout!

The Fry’s rice protein and quinoa strips steal the win!

Round 2:

plant-based foods

The legend (dairy) ?  battle continues! In this round, we have whole milk in the left-hand corner, and soy milk in the right, both fighting for the title of highest calcium levels! This round is stolen by the soy milk!

Round 3:

plant-based foods

In the last round, we’re putting salmon up against flaxseeds in the battle for the highest omega-3 levels. Fish has always been thought of as the champion of omega-3, so we thought this round would be an obvious win for salmon (the fish with one of the highest omega-3 levels), but we were dead wrong! This was the biggest win of all, with flaxseeds having a whopping ten times more omega-3 per 100g!

There are so many more examples where plant-based foods absolutely trump their animal-based alternatives when it comes to nutritional value. Some other examples include the iron in levels in pumpkin seeds (15mg of iron per 100g) compared to beef (3.8mg of iron per 100g) or the vitamin A levels in sweet potato (961μg of Vitamin A per 100g) compared to tuna (757μg of Vitamin A per 100g).

Eating a plant-based diet isn’t only good for your health; it’s also great for the environment. Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water depletion and pollution, and is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the entire transportation industry. Lastly, of course, it’s far better for the animals we share our planet with. Humans kill over 60 billion land animals and 2.7 trillion fish every year for food. Not only is this completely unnecessary, but it invariably includes cruel practices like dehorning or castration without anaesthetic.

Thinking of trying to eat more plant-based foods? Join us by pledging to take the Veganuary challenge this January! Veganuary is the world’s largest vegan movement, inspiring people to try going vegan for January. Take the pledge with us to receive helpful tips, recipes, and more.

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Keeping fish off our plates, and our oceans alive

food system

As a family business, all of our products that we make are created with our children and grandchildren in mind. Our current food system is totally unsustainable and if we keep on going at our current rate, there will be nothing left for our future generations to survive on. Indeed, as the Native American proverb goes: “We do not inherit the ocean from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”

 

We are driven by our own family’s need for food that has a light impact on the planet and by our own children’s livelihood in the years to come. This is why we started creating meat-free products. It became apparent, however, that it’s not only the forests and the land that are impacted by our food choices, but the oceans as well.

 

The ocean covers 71% of the earth’s surface, serving as a major component of our ecosystem. It is responsible for every two breaths we take. The ocean produces more oxygen than the entire world’s rainforests. It absorbs almost half of the carbon dioxide. 86% of drinking water comes from the oceans. Our survival is closely linked to the survival of the ocean. Yet it is under threat due to overfishing, ocean dead zones, pollution, species extinction, habitat destruction, climate change.

 

With scientists confirming that we could see fishless oceans by 2048, we were determined to create a plant-based alternative to fish. Sure, we had already created the Fry’s Battered Prawn-Style Pieces – which, through our customers purchasing, resulted in over 3 million prawns from being caught in 2018! But we needed something else. We needed something bigger, better and different, and that would save our oceans and the lives of millions of sea creatures. And we needed something that would nostalgically speak to good ‘ole fashioned fish and slap chips, wrapped in newspaper, that also contained the same amount of omega fatty acids as tuna.

The idea behind creating a fish-style fillet began when my family were at the beach. My youngest son saw fish being caught in the distance. As a young, passionate ocean lover who dreams of becoming a marine biologist and protector of the seas he was deeply saddened at the thought of ocean life being killed; and so asked his grandparents what they could do to help. This sparked the idea to create a product that offered the taste, texture and versatility of a piece of battered fish, the Fry’s Fish-Style Fillet!

 

What is the state of our oceans?

  • 3/4 of the world’s fisheries are exploited or depleted.
  • As many as 2.7 trillion animals (fish and by-kill) are pulled from the ocean each year, by fishing methods such as trawling, purse seine, long lines, explosives, and other techniques that are damaging ecosystems.
  • As many as 40% of fish caught are discarded every year.
  • 1/5 of fish worldwide are incorrectly labelled. This means that seafood labels cannot be trusted.
  • Animal agriculture is fueling sea life depletion at a rapid rate.

 

How are land animals negatively affecting our seas?

Pigs, chickens and cows being responsible as the world’s leading oceanic predators. Farmed land animals are the leading causes of sea pollution, species extinction, habitat destruction and ocean dead zones. Our appetite for meat is affecting the state of our waters.

 

Why is this the case?

  • Livestock operations on land have resulted in more than 500 nitrogen flooded dead zones in our oceans around the world due to waste runoff.
  • Pesticides and chemical fertilizers used in the production of feed crops poison waterways.
  • Animals are sometimes fed fish as part of their diet, further depleting the seas.

 

Could farmed fish (aquaculture) be the answer?

  • Farmed fish are unhealthy: They are fed antibiotics, and prone to many bacterial pathogens and diseases that are highly contagious due to the crowded pens in which they live. Their waste and parasites spread to nearby wild fish, plants and surrounding ecosystem too.
  • The ocean is still being depleted: 1/3 of all wild fish caught are fed to farm animals and farmed fish.
  • It is not energy efficient: takes up to 2kgs of fishmeal to produce 0.4kg of farm-raised fish sold in stores.

 

What then is the solution?

To stop eating fish – there is no such thing as sustainable seafood. We can no longer fish at the scale that we are currently doing, otherwise, we could see fishless oceans by 2048 and we will not be able to survive.

  • As a society, we all need to reduce our global demand for meat and animal by-products. This means switching your meat with a plant-based alternative (like our burgers, nuggets, sausages and pies), taking part on Meat-Free Mondays or going entirely plant-based!
  • We need to switch to fish-free plant-based alternatives. You can try out our new Fish-Style Fillets and Battered Prawn-Style Pieces.
  • We must limit the use of agricultural fertilizers.
  • Farms must implement effective water treatment to off-set chemical run-off.
  • We need commitment and change on a local, national, and global level from the public and private sector and consumers.

We are the only hope for the ocean. And the ocean is our only hope for survival.

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By Tammy Fry, International Marketing Director of The Fry Family Food Co. and Director of Meat Free Mondays in South Africa

About the author:

Tammy is a dreamer, a philanthropist and a person who believes they can change the world.

As the eldest daughter of the Fry Family – three generations of vegetarians and makers of plant-based protein foods, she is a passionate advocate for plant-based nutrition and cruelty-free foods.

She has been at the helm of product marketing at The Fry Family Food Co. and Director of Meat Free Mondays in South Africa and Australia for over a decade.  In these roles, she is guided by nutritional expertise, a love of fitness, love of the environment and outdoor lifestyle. Enabling others to live a happier and more energetic lifestyle through plant-based nutrition is the cornerstone of her passion.

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Getting serious on cereal: The Kasha Back story

kasha-smoothie

When my dad started Fry’s in 1991, his idea was to craft nutritious and convenient alternatives to meat that my whole family (and friends) could all happily eat. Fast forward a good few 26 years later and now we are a fully-fledged second generation family business. And that means upping the ante a notch or two, all the while continuing to keep things plant-based, nutritious and tasty – just as my dad would have wanted!

My sister, Hayley, and I are both working mums and are avid crossfitters, so we find the time in the day just slips by, while we are left scrambling in the morning to drop the kids off at school on time, getting to meetings, and working out, let alone finding the time to make wholesome meals! We needed to make things easier, and it needed to start with our food. We asked ourselves, “What can we make that is easy and doesn’t compromise our health and our kids’ health?”

It needed to be a pre-workout shake, post-workout shake, breakfast on the run, desk eating-approved, important meeting-accepted, lunchbox-friendly and afternoon snack-OK’d. It needed protein and superfoods. It also had to be natural, low in sugar, low GI and 100% vegan. Basically, we wanted to make superhero food. Not easy task.

But we were determined to make our dream of crafting a nutritious and yummy triple-threat meal a reality.

And so Kasha was born.

First we had to decide on the flavours and develop the recipes. Figuring out which ingredients went well together without one or the other dominating, getting the texture perfect, and ensuring it was nutritionally balanced was certainly a learning process. We played around with superfoods like moringa and chia seeds, healing spices like cinnamon, and some of nature’s finest plant proteins, soy isolate, buckwheat and oats. As my sister and I, as well as our four young children, follow a plant-based diet it was important that the ingredients were healthy, comprehensive and light on the planet. After having countless breakfast-for-dinner nights, we got the two recipes – Chocolate and Vanilla & Chia – exactly how we wanted them to be.

Then we had to figure out a name. Oh dear. After going through the dictionary, we settled on “Kasha”. Kasha is a type of cereal or porridge made from buckwheat groats that have been roasted, soaked and simmered until soft, and because one of the main ingredients in the cereal is buckwheat, we decided on the simple and catchy name.

We then moved to the packaging: a critical component to the whole endeavor. How could we package Kasha in such a way that was different to the run-of-the-mill cereal brands? We wanted our packaging to obviously be fully reusable while conveying the health benefits simply and effectively. As we were moving into another category (from frozen foods to cereals), we also had to consider how to portray Fry’s so that we were still recognizable to our current customers and impactful to new customers.

We decided on a distinctive tub-shape for the box. But finding a supplier was a nightmare! The lid width was completely unique so had to be especially made but we were adamant on settling for what we wanted! The other design challenges were massive too. We brought together some of the best minds in the industry: one Australian (who was in Durban at the time on a surfing trip), myself (a Durbanite living in Australia), a marketing guru from Cape Town, and our own in-house designer, based in Durban. This was our small team of four who took on the challenge to design the cereal pack. We spent months of trial-and-error on designs that didn’t really work. Revert after revert, we finally nailed it. Kind of.

After months of hard work, we supplied the artwork to the printer. This started a whole new set of problems… They could not reproduce the colours correctly and the Chocolate variant colour looked identical to Vanilla & Chia. It was back to the drawing board!

And then everything was ready. Our desire to be different paid off and our protein-packed, gluten-free instant cereal, Kasha, was finally good to go! It was time to hit the shelves around the world as the perfect on-the-go meal option that could be used as a superfood breakfast cereal or added to smoothies. Made from only the best that nature has to offer and an ingredient list you can understand, Kasha is a product very close to my family’s heart and mine too.

I hope you enjoy Kasha as much as we do. Life is what happens between bowls of Kasha!

Love Tammy Fry

xxx

 

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Tips on raising conscious kids in the kitchen

kids-eating

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” – Native American Proverb

When meal time comes, kids can be tougher than any fancy food critic. Making food that is convenient to prepare, tastes good and is nutritious, is no easy task. As a family with kids ourselves, we understand the need to not only make meal time entertaining, but also the importance of raising awareness around where our food comes from. Cooking is an excellent way for children to learn responsibility, understand healthy food choices and to make the connections about what is on their plate.  It also creates quality family time and treasured memories.

With this in mind, we have put together our top eight tips for making healthy, wholesome meals fun, simple, educational and inspiring for the whole family!

  1. Get everyone involved while learning new skills! From measuring the wet and dry ingredients, to stirring and whisking, there is a task for everyone! And don’t forget about the rinsing, scrubbing, chopping, dicing and even julienning! Get the really little ones to help clean the veggies while the slightly older kids can assist with measuring and handling the sharper equipment.
  2. Art class is now in session! There is so much more to cooking than just the final meal. Setting the table and plating the food in artful ways are some fun methods to get creative and expressive with food.
  3. Get a roster going. Get the whole family to take turns to make snacks and school lunches in the week or cook dinner on the weekends. From date balls to sandwiches, and from easy pizzas to burgers, there is a meal for everyone to take responsibility of. It’s a great way for everyone to learn about balanced eating and nutrition.
  4. Be the star of the show! Choose a colour like red or purple, or a veggie that you love, and create a meal around that these! Start a conversation around that veggie: Why it is healthy to eat this plant? What are the different ways to prepare it? How does it grow and where did it come from (eg.: homegrown or from a farm nearby)? It’s a fun way to learn about the cycle of an ingredient’s life from seed to table as well as encouraging out-the-box thinking (try think of all the creative ways to cook the veggie…the crazier and more hilarious, the better!).
  5. Talk about the gratitudes in your life. Be grateful for every meal you eat with your family and say it out loud. Showing appreciation for the nourishment the food is giving to your body, to the farmers who grew the various ingredients, for the transport that helped bring the food all the way to your plate, and for the people sitting around the table with you, develops a deeper connection and respect.
  6. Talk about where food comes from, animals included. Educating yourself and your family about the health benefits of fruits, veggies, starches, grains, plant proteins and fats are important. Talking about where animal products come from too may seem daunting, but it could help the rest of the family understand your point of view. Try to keep the emotions out of these discussions – be honest, logical and be prepared to answer many questions.
  7. Be ready for social gatherings. Be prepared for events like school outings, parties, camps and sleepovers; they often always include animal products. Pack some options like meat alternatives for your child the night before so that they don’t have to go hungry or feel left out, but also be flexible. In these environments, children will often explore and try new things that they wouldn’t normally do at home. As parents, all we can do is offer guidance and provide knowledge. Parenting can be tough; let your children make their own choices outside of the home.
  8. Honour that fact that everyone is on their own journey. We cannot enforce our own feelings on our children, other parents or their children! Listen to their point of view openly, be kind, and give your own thoughts in a non-confrontational way. Plant seeds. Do not judge.

 

Starting in the kitchen may seem a bit far-fetched when talking about consciousness but it is the one place in the home where many important topics all come together, such as socio-economic issues, health and nutrition, environment challenges, the wonderful miracles and beauty of nature, and more in practical ways.

Of course we all want the very best for our children. We instill morals and values in them, hoping they will turn out to be good, upstanding members of society. We want to feel proud them, knowing we have done our job. However, our children are their own selves, acting out their life’s purpose and fulfilling their own destiny. Indeed, raising conscious children is an on-going job; and it requires presence and remaining connected with them.

 

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The Back story: New artisan coconut ice cream

vegan-ice-cream

 

by Tammy Fry Kelly, Marketing Director – Fry’s Family Foods

I know you haven’t heard from me for some time…I have been working hard together with my family to develop and launch an Artisan Coconut Ice Cream (exciting stuff for sure!) Yes, ice cream from coconuts developed in our kitchen at home and inspired by a simple pot of salted caramel. I wanted this post to reflect on some of the process of getting ice cream from our kitchen to supermarkets around the world.

Roughly 2 years after we made that first pot of salted caramel from Himalayan salt and coconut sugar, we finally did it! Hello, amazingly creamy, artisan, dairy free ice cream! (OK, it wasn’t as simple as that, but this post gives you the some of the “back story”.)

Just toasted coconut, Vanilla Bean Espresso, Tons of Cookies, Salted Caramel and Madagascan Vanilla Bean. From REAL INGREDIENTS…not flavours bought in bags, but the real deal! And to top it off, it is sweetened only with agave making it LOW GI.

We didn’t want to mass produce something which we had made with so much care so we took the time to find someone that was willing to go on this journey with us and to duplicate the “homemade-ness” of our ice cream.

The Back Story

Hayley, my sister, takes care of the inside (the ingredients, the flavours, sourcing the raw materials and carefully choosing what belongs in the best tasting ice cream in the world) whilst I take care of the outside (how it looks, feels, and how we reach everyone in the world). This isn’t a daunting task at all when you have your family by your side and a world class plant powered team to help out ?

The process followed is quite simple but the detail can be overwhelming. Designing packaging without an agency and relying on your own creativity can give you many sleepless nights, especially when you feel you haven’t quite “nailed” it. This packaging development took over 100 concepts to finally get right. The number of times you change a photo, change a colour, change font type, change the font type on the other Fry’s product to see if it works across the whole brand, change a background, change concept, start again, go for a surf for momentary inspiration, start with a new concept… And then starts the work of writing copy, changing copy, editing copy, compliance with multi – country food packaging legislation (which can be soul destroying at times, believe me!). Of course food photography is required and again the level of detail is painstaking. I learnt a few new things about photographing ice cream. It melts faster than you planned it to and coconut husk hairs never lie exactly the right way! This goes on for months (and no, you haven’t yet shown a buyer or “bounced your ideas off anyone”). You make 3D versions of the packs, you hold them and feel them and then you start all over again with more changes. Artwork finally, finally is sent off for printing.

Then starts the actual manufacture.

Hayley called me in tears from the first production run…the stress of making food by hand and still keeping it at minus 20C while you move it from one freezer to the next and into containers is enough to break someone. And tasting over and over again to make sure that nothing has changed (because you swear that something may have changed). Of course there are always hurdles to jump through at your first production run. It’s tough. This after she had undertaken almost 8 international trips in just one year to pull the project off.

You need to go to these lengths and then further to do your absolute best so that when you go to the world with your product, they accept it and love it!

And then after all the hard work, and secrecy, the cat is out of the bag and you put your product out to the world. And you hope and pray that they do love it. Because after all every comment and every bit of feedback is taken incredibly personally (think about that next time you write to Fry’s – be kind!). You hope that they can see just what one family has gone through to do their absolute best.

Just like that a dream takes flight, an emotional moment for sure, a moment of elation and terror all rolled into one. And the first person that nods their head when they taste, rolls their eyes with enjoyment…that affirmation is like nothing you can imagine. You breathe. Again.

So before you tuck into that incredibly delicious Fry’s Ice Cream, you will know the backstory. I think it may taste even better (if that’s even possible).

P.S: As you know, we are a proudly family owned business. We make food that makes the transition to a plant based diet easier, nutritious and sustainable. We eat our own food every day, our children eat our food everyday…you can trust the ingredients and know that the food was made with love and attention to good quality.

Looking for the new range of Artisan Coconut Ice Cream? Find out which stores stocks the range here!

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The post Fry’s curry cook-off competition

19-the-post-frys-curry-cook-off-competition

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Meat-free curried dishes don’t have to be boring – they can be just as delicious as their meat counterparts but with all the added health benefits of a vegetarian diet. And to get the gastronomic creative juices flowing, we partnered with Fry’s Family Foods for our first vegetarian Curry Cook-Off in South Africa.

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To help prepare food fit for the Gods, the POST/Fry’s Curry Cook-Off will take place during September and October to coincide with the month-long Tamil fasting month of Purtassi, as well as the Hindu period of Pitru Paksha, when ancestors are worshipped. Two regional semi-finals will be held at Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom in Durban and at Carnival City in Johannesburg. The final cook-off will take place at the Wild Coast Sun.

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Celebrity chefs such as Deena Naidoo and Asha Maharaj will sample the dishes to choose a winner. Now get ready to take part in the POST/Fry’s Curry Cook-Off by creating original dishes incorporating any of Fry’s 21 products.

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To enter, simply fill in an entry form (download here) and attach it to your original recipe using one or more of the Fry’s range. Then scan and email to tashni.bridgmohan@inl.co.za or drop off at Independent Media, 18 Osborne Street, Greyville, in the POSTcompetition box.


Deadline for entries is 12 noon on June 17!

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Sneaking in the goodness every day

25-sneaking-in-the-goodness-every-day

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by Cath Jenkin, Freelance Writer and Journalist 

Overcoming fussy eaters in your family

I’m one of those annoyingly lucky parents – my daughter loves eating her vegetables but simultaneously enjoys chocolate too. This didn’t just happen though – it was an actively aware approach to healthy eating that started from the day I first spooned cereal towards her mouth.

 

Choice makes it a personal investment
From the moment she was toddling around and scaring me with her vocabulary, dinner became a matter of choice. By actively enabling her to choose between two or three meals I’d be happy to put on the dinner table, she felt like her dinner was the result of her decisions. Kids love making decisions and being given a sense of responsibility for their lives, and yes, this is a little thing – but it’s not that difficult to implement. While I’ve never had to hide vegetables in her dinner, I have done that more recently since our family expanded (this is why my fiancé loves my lasagne so much, but don’t tell him!).

Colourful food is your friend
Ask a kid what their favourite food is and why, and they may just tell you it’s all about the colour of it. Strips of yellow and red peppers make for great finger food, while cubes of Fry’s Slicing Sausage on a kebab stick with chunks of fruit or vegetables makes for a great dinnertime treat (that’s not actually a treat!) Offering a varied plate that’s big on colour and on crunch as often as you can, does help to eliminate the “Oh, no, I don’t eat that” phrase.

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Lekker Lunches
There’s a lot to be said about lunchboxes. Many parents will tell you that it seems like they plop an apple into their children’s lunchbox, just to give it a trip out of the house for the day, only for the process to be repeated throughout the week. My go to lunchbox meal again are made up by variety and colour. My daughter often ditches the sandwich and enjoys more snacks, so a healthy lunch is made up of raisins, celery or carrot sticks, rice cakes and – of course – a treat.

Treats are part of the plan
You can berate me for saying this and that’s okay – I believe that treats should be a part of your family’s eating plan. If you demonize treats or make them a forbidden item, the attraction of them becomes all that more real, and could lead to binging when your children have more power over what they choose to eat. Instead, we treat treats (haha!) as part of the plan when it comes to family eating. Maybe we’ll have ice cream today, but tomorrow, we’ll double up on the salad and that’s totally okay.

What’s the secret to avoiding fussy eaters? A solid plan and an awareness that, if you fail today, there’s always tomorrow to try again. Good luck parents!

Cath Jenkin is a Durban-proud freelance writer and journalist who enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, but it only works out sometimes. Don’t ever ask her to cook rice. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter or check out her blog.

 

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This Movember, it’s time to pass up that ham roll

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Last week, The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of the World Health Organisation (WHO), announced that they were going to classify processed red meat as carcinogenic to humans “based on sufficient evidence in humans that the consumption of processed meat causes colorectal cancer.”

Globally, public and media reaction was immense and overall there is a sense that humans need to rethink their meat consumption. Whether a flexitarian or passionate meat eater – moderation and conscious consumer buying behaviour can now be seen as active health benefits in the fight against cancer.

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Says Tammy Fry, International Marketing Director of Fry’s Foods. “As a family we have been vegetarian for over two-decades.  My parents started Fry’s Family Foods in their kitchen in 1991 in an attempt to find healthy, delicious meat-free alternatives.  They knew then that a meat-heavy diet was not good for your body or for the environment. Science is now agreeing with them.”

Fry’s Family Foods’ product range is entirely vegan and is made from grains and legumes.  As complete proteins, they contain all 8 essential amino acids.  They are also NON GMO and have zero cholesterol.  The fact that they are tasty and appeal to non-vegetarian palettes is an additional bonus.

“I believe that WHO’s report had a massive impact on everyday consumers around the world because it dealt specifically with processed red meat,” says Fry. “People lead increasingly busy lives and convenience food has become the norm.  But convenience doesn’t have to mean unhealthy eating.  Fry’s products and recipes are specifically designed for ease-of-use and versatility.  Our food is easy to prepare and delicious.  For example our quick meal section on our website has loads of recipes, like this Delicious Deconstruction, which is an epic burger designed to satisfy the most-meaty of hungers,” she adds.

The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) also emphasis the role that diet and leading a balanced lifestyle plays in reducing your cancer risk. They recommend eating five portions of fruit and vegetables while limiting your intake of meat. Instead of eating meat, CANSA recommends you rather eat more beans, lentils and soya products.

In the developing world cancer kills more people than AIDS, malaria, TB combined and it is predicted that those numbers are just going to increase. A study published by medical journal Lancet predicts that South Africa could see an increase of 78% in the number of cancer cases by 2030. The same study listed Prostate Cancer as being the number one cancer diagnosed amongst South African men.

“The timing of the WHO report and the fact that we are currently in ‘Movember’ means that this is the perfect time to show South African men in particular that eating less meat does not make them less-manly,” says Fry.  “In fact taking control of one’s health is a very powerful thing to do.  And it can start with choosing to make an epic, meat-free burger.”

Try the Meat Free Movember Challenge. Go Meat Free for November and spread awareness about health on your plate and your face! Check our Eat Better section to download ecookbooks, meal plans and more to help you go Meat Free!