True food is just a class away

PRACTICAL: Heidi Hendrikse of True Food has plenty of advice for Wairarapa locals living on a shoestring budget when it comes to culinary flair.

For locals struggling to make ends meet and put a decent home-cooked dinner on the table, help is still at hand.

Carterton's Heidi Hendrikse founded the True Food programme last year, which runs small cooking classes for those who lack confidence in preparing meals.

Since May, she and her fellow instructors and food-lovers at True Food have run three courses, and will be starting the first class for the year on February 20.

In an interview with the Times-Age last week, Masterton Foodbank co-ordinator Maureen Potts said her clients lack basic cooking skills and are living on two-minute noodles - and Mrs Hendrikse hopes these clients seek her culinary advice in 2014.

"There is a real need out there," she said.

"We've seen the grocery prices going up. We know that families are finding it hard.

"But there are lots of ways you can make good meals and save money. Plus, we help people have fun with food."

In the Times-Age article "Wake up and smell the breadline", Mrs Potts said the foodbank gave out 521 food parcels in the last few months of 2013, an increase of almost 25 per cent compared with the previous year.

Price increases have hurt low-income families, but families were also disadvantaged because they were unable to cook using "the basics", such as potatoes, canned corn and pasta.

Mrs Hendrikse said her True Food classes not only teach hearty recipes from simple ingredients, but also offer practical advice for those finding money and time a headache.

Her tips include: making enough of left overs and "doubling up" meals, plan your "menu" ahead of time, and compare prices on different items.

"Planning your meals is very important," she said.

"To be honest, in life today, we want things to be easy.

"When you're tired at the end of the day, your partner and kids are hungry, and you're only just thinking about what to have to eat at five o'clock, takeaways are the easiest option.

"But if you've planned your menu, you're more focused and determined. And you'll have more fun."

And don't be afraid to use "budget" supplies, she said.

"We're so used to grabbing the ingredients we know.

"But the Home Brand stuff or any other generic brand does the job just fine."

When Mrs Hendrikse started True Food, her planned target audience was older men living alone, young flatters, and mums in need of inspiration.

So far, the classes have attracted all of the above, and many others.

"We get a great mix of people every time," she said.

"The students get much more confident and inspired. It's helped broaden their horizons, and take all the angst out of cooking for themselves."

True Food also recently ran a "cooking crash course" for students at Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre, which Mrs Hendrikse said was "fun".

"Young people in flats often live on takeaways, but you don't have to do that," she said.

"There are always positive things you can do if you want to help yourself."

This term's True Food cooking classes will begin on Thursday, February 20, at the Homely Building at 37 Herbert St.

Classes run for six weeks from 7 to 9pm.

For more information, contact Mrs Hendrikse on 06 378 6622 or Sunny Martin on 378 8747, or email truefoodcooking@gmail.com.