What is the cost to your family’s health to not make changes? You don’t have to jump in and turn everything upside down all in one go. Small steps can make an enormous difference. Start with one change per week. It may be swapping soft drinks for water. It may be adding in a couple of fresh vegetables at dinner. It might be switching a packet sauce for a fresh version. Swapping frozen chips for roast potatoes. Small differences add up and the long term outcome will be a healthier happier family.

This is not Masterchef and there are no complicated recipes. The idea is to make your life easier. We’ll be covering some basic cooking techniques and showing you how to put tasty meals together from scratch, really in no more time than a packaged version.

As you get yourself set up with the pantry basics, you may need to do an initial bigger shop, but as you become more comfortable with the meals you are preparing and are stocked up on your pantry basics, you’ll actually spend less money and have less waste. Your family’s lifestyle and personal preferences will also determine your overall spend. Think of the money you will save in take away alone!

You will be buying more fresh, whole food and less packaged food which may seem expensive at first. If you think about the cost of a trip to the doctor, medications, dentist visits and so on, imagine filling your trolley full of nutritious whole foods as an insurance policy for your future health.

I truly hear you and feel your pain, as there is one in my house too. I will share all my tips and secrets from both my clinical experience and the battles that have gone down at our own dinner table. Your kids won’t starve and nor will you have to cook separate meals. You are not a chef and you are not running a restaurant.

By providing children with the correct balance of nutrients they need at each meal and snack, this will eliminate the highs and lows they can experience. By eating balanced, nutritious foods you will see improvements in their concentration, tantrums, hyper behaviour, low energy and less of my personal favourite – the hangry (hungry angry) monster!

While this isn’t necessarily a weight loss program (and we never want children to lose weight – we want them to grow into their weight) by replacing processed foods with fresh nutritious meals, there is a good chance that you may lose weight. What you will notice though, is you will have more energy, feel less bloated and will sleep better.

Your energy levels will increase as you will be nourishing your body with the right balance of nutrients that it needs at each meal. This will overcome that mid afternoon energy slump that sees you reaching for the biscuit tin.

Yes, you do. But that’s not what this program is about, so you’re off the hook. For now. Just remember to be a role model for your kids.

It’s not the end of treat food, but we will be looking at where they fit into a healthy food plan. Years ago, “treat” and “party” foods were just that. The problem is they seemed to have crept into our daily diets and we really don’t need them. They are OK to keep as just treats – occasionally. Don’t buy them and you won’t be tempted.

Yes, you can. Coffee has been shown to have many health benefits, although there is always a way to make things healthier. If you are savouring your one or two coffees a day, go ahead and enjoy! If you are having more than a couple of milk based coffees, then it might be time for a rethink. Coffee itself isn’t so much the issue (unless you are caffeine sensitive and it is affecting your health and sleep) but rather the milk and sweeteners, which can spike your blood sugars and fill you up, taking space of more nutritious foods.

Try a long black with hot milk on the side, or a piccolo latte. Here you will get your caffeine fix, with a smaller amount of milk.

Never! Although it’s always a good idea to check in with your drinking habits. Are you drinking every day? Are you drinking for stress relief? Or to block out work/life/home? Can you go a few days without a drink? Be aware of your drinking habits and when alcohol can become problematic for your health.