Top marks for Tiff’s cookbook

SEPTEMBER was all about school books, bags and uniforms and trying to find digs. Children are apprehensive and excited, parents usually relieved and comfortable to be back into a routine.

For many it’s the most expensive time of the year, the following weeks feel a bit like January where everyone tightens the belt for a while to recover from the extra expense. As soon as the younger ones have settled in, it’s time to concentrate on getting the older ones off to college, scramble for places, and scramble for digs – how will they survive on their students’ budget? Will they feed themselves properly or will it all go on beer? Worse still, have they any idea how to shop or to knock a meal together with a few inexpensive ingredients? It would be worth buying a copy book to start a survival kit to record recipes and a few basic shopping tips.

Teach the kids how to judge when food is safe to eat by using their eyes, nose and sense of taste, rather than relying merely on use-by dates. Add a list of what’s in season – it’ll be better and cheaper then and far more wholesome and nutritious. Teach them how to make a big bowl of porridge, and maybe a scrambled egg, basic muesli and a smoothie to kick start the day.