Keep a good stock of herbs & spices - Food lovers don't do bland, so add paprika to your scrambled eggs, cumin, chilli & coriander seeds to that seared salmon (not forgetting a squeeze of lime) and be sure to marinate your lamb in mint and chilli.
Always check out your restaurants -There is no disappointment quite like the disappointment of bad food, so a quick 'Google' will sort out the must visit eateries from the 'avoids'!
Use up your leftovers and recreate them into a delicious meal - Leftovers are often overlooked but take some of that roast chicken & veg, mix with a garlic hummus dip, some crisp salad leaves and a sprinkle of paprika or sweet chilli sauce, wrap in a soft Mission Deli Wrap and you have a lunch time treat packed with flavour!
Get inspiration from recipe books and magazines - Always be on the look-out for new ideas from food pages. We can all get stuck in a recipe rut but a foodie will always tuck into something new and exciting!
It doesn't have to cost a fortune - You don't have to buy the most expensive cuts of meat or go Michelin Star with meals. A simple, good ploughman's at a local pub with homemade bread, or fish & chips by the sea (covered in salt and vinegar and eaten with your fingers), can be just as deliciously memorable. Remember, foodies crave an eating 'experience'.
Go colourful - It's true that you 'eat' with your eyes first. Take salads for example, they need to be jazzed up with colour, flavour and textures. Add pasta, pulses, herbs and fruit. Make a rocket salad with figs or melon, spring onions, capers, fusilli chicken & pinenuts. Finish it off by crumbling feta into a sharp lemon dressing to excite the tastebuds.
Shop locally - Farm shops often have unusual and delicious, locally sourced products. That jar of quince jam with a truckle of cheddar, fresh baked bread and a glass of the local cider would make a tasty summer lunch to please anyone!
It's all in the flavours - We lived in Cyprus for years so are big fans of Meze. Make a few quickly assembled dishes that everyone can tuck into, and spend as much time on the vegetables as you do the meat. Layer sliced aubergines with tomatoes and mozzarella in an oiled dish with a hint of garlic, dollop on some passata and some crumbled Parmesan & bake to go with grilled meats and dips - lush!
Start em' young! Rather than do two separate meals, the family should all eat the same meal! I found that getting my son to help with even the most basic preparation of food meant he was far more likely to tuck into that Paella or mild Thai curry from a very early age. Plus, Josh loved nothing more than to hear me say, 'Look Daddy.. Josh has made dinner tonight!" So ditch that 'Kids Menu'!
Don't rush past the reduced shelf- It's amazing what you'll find in the reduced isle of the supermarket and more often than not it's something unusual that you wouldn't necessarily have on your shopping list. My favourite find was a pack of two huge whole Cromer Crabs that I took home and made into a scrumptious crab claw pasta with a creamy brandy & saffron sauce - it took less that 20minutes and was utterly delicious!
Alex Hollywood
Alex Hollywood is working with Mission Deli Wraps on their 'Get Wrapping' campaign, encouraging the nation to wrap more of the things they love. Mission Deli Wraps are available from most supermarkets, RRP £1.70. For more ideas on how to wrap up mealtimes simply and easily, visit www.missionwraps.co.uk.