Cooking: Preparation

The difference between dates on food packets.

• Best-before dates indicate when food will be at its best quality until.

• Use-by dates indicate when food could possibly start to harm a person.

Always follow use-by dates, seeking consent and offering to remove food if it is passed it's use-by date.

When storing food in the fridge make sure it is labelled and dated. Always store raw meats below other food in the fridge.

When preparing food, always check for physical hazards such as bones or bits of packaging.

Plan to Save Time

With so little time as a carer, planning for cooking from fresh is essential. To save time:

• Plan as far ahead as you can when preparing meals, and see if other carers that visit can support with preparation.

• Chop things smaller as this speeds up cooking time.

• Store vegetables you've prepared before in sealed bags so you can easily grab handfuls when needed. Tinned or frozen vegetables are easy ways to save time, as is heating up pre-cooked meats rather than roasting from scratch.

• Cooking equipment, like slow cookers, can be really useful for in-house carers."