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Start A Healthy Lifestyle In Your Kitchen

With the many restaurants and fast food joints popping up everywhere, it can be a challenge to maintain a healthy lifestyle. According to an article from Harvard, a lot of people know that they need to eat more healthfully but do not know where to start.

Some say it requires discipline and motivation to start a healthy lifestyle. While there are various ways to jumpstart a healthier life such as exercise, we can also start with the food we cook at home.

Choosing the Right Kitchen Appliance

Home cooking is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Why don’t people cook more meals at home? Chances are, they either lack time to prepare meals or are not confident in their cooking skills. In the past few decades, people have been preparing food at home less often and are now relying on fast food. While it may be more efficient and speedy, the disadvantage of eating fast food is not knowing how it is cooked and the ingredients used. If more meals are prepared at home, there is a greater chance of controlling the portion size, cooking method and ingredients used.


Choosing the Right Kitchen Appliance

How do we get started and switch to a healthier lifestyle? It’s more than just searching healthier recipes online. We have to be willing to make changes at home. We have a few tips to get you started.

  1. Shop for fruits and vegetables at organic and farmers’ markets. Buying canned and frozen is alright but go for the fresher option if you can. 
  2. Make sure you have kitchen appliances that can help you make that switch. For example, instead of frying chicken on the stove, you can roast chicken in the oven. In this way, you can control the amount of oil used when cooking. 
  3. Cook food in large batches. You can prepare meals for the week beforehand. You can do this the weekend before the busy week starts when you don’t have any more time to prepare food.
  4. Start with something easy like soup, sliced fruits and steamed vegetables.
  5. You can get creative and substitute some of the ingredients. Learn and experiment with different alternatives. Instead of frying potatoes, you can switch to sweet potatoes and roast them in the oven.
  6. Use non stick pans and trays so you don’t have to rely on adding too much oil.

Do you have other tips you’d like to share? Our Craftbuilt Kitchens professionals can help you get started on planning a kitchen that can fit your lifestyle. We also have kitchen recipes that can help you get started. Visit our Updated Modern Kitchen Showroom at Stones Corner today and avail of our special offers!

The Modern Family – Living And Cooking In 2018

Kitchen Flat Lay Shot

We try our best to eat healthy amidst our lifestyle. Everyone is busy and with the pace of today’s decade, many find it difficult to plan for their weekly meals. But still, many are making the effort to find time to cook in the kitchen and eat in the warmth of their own home.

When it comes to living with our significant other and/or kids that would mean allotting a portion of our day to spending time with them and making sure they get the attention and nutrition that they need. From waking up in the morning to tucking the kids in bed, homeowners are investing in spending more time indoors with their loved ones and this include cooking nutritious meals in the kitchen.

Family Meals in Australia

The kitchen has evolved into a social space where partners cook together, parents prepare meals for the week and kids do their homework. According to a report from Hello Fresh, many Australians have a desire to cook homemade meals on weeknights.

A huge reason goes to making sure that household costs for groceries and food are kept to a minimum compared to eating out or buying food to go. Plus, homemade meals are far more nutritious and taste better than the store-bought and fast food options. While the parents cook, the kids can do their homework. The kids can also help prepare the meals or clean up afterwards. For newly-weds, partners are taking the opportunity to cook together (or for each other) as a means of spending time together after a long day at work.

Family Mealtime in Australia

And if there are leftovers, most would take them to work the next day rather than buy expensive cafe food. Last night’s roasted chicken can be an excellent filling for today’s lunch – shredded chicken sandwich! Parents would also make sure to prepare meals and snacks for the kids for school on the weekends, at night or early in the morning. Although it is often stressful to decide on what to cook for kids, (52% of Australian parents expressed that their kids are the most difficult people to cook for), families still try to allocate their time to provide nutritious meals.

Living in Australia

This is why Craftbuilt Kitchen caters to, not only your kitchen renovation preferences, but your personal needs as well. Imagine a bench top or breakfast table where the family gathers and you can ask how their day went. This can be achieved by creating a fun area with a warm atmosphere. This is a factor that Craftbuilt Kitchens considers. Craftbuilt Kitchens can help design and build kitchens that are meant to be the centre of the home.

Living in Australia

Many families who come to us for a modern, family kitchen renovation design emphasise the importance of making meal gatherings an attractive event. At Craftbuilt Kitchens, we believe that every mealtime reinstated is another opportunity to build those important, lasting relationships. Call us on  (07) 3341 9166 or visit our showroom at 2958 Logan Road, Underwood, QLD 4119 today.

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Last Minute Valentine’s Day Cooking Tips You Need To Remember

Last Minute Valentine’s Day Cooking Tips You Need To Remember

It’s Valentine’s day and you might have already made plans to go out on your date, reserved a table for two at a nice restaurant or booked a trip. If you are going to make a home-cooked meal tonight, remember to relax and take note of these Valentine’s Day cooking tips for a smooth-sailing date night! Here are a few last minute Valentine’s Day things to remember:

Valentine’s Day Things To Avoid When Preparing Food:

  1. Keep Calm, Let Go of the Pressure. The best way to impress your Valentine’s date tonight is to show your real self! Which means you need to be relaxed and happy. If you are stressing over the fact that you are going to make a crème brulee or beef wellington, remember that your date is there to get to know you. Having a great meal rakes in bonus points but showing your best and true self is much more impressive. Keep calm, avoid stress! 

Men Cooking In The Kitchen

  1. Sloppy Food Means Messy Food. Food with tons of sauce can be delicious and exciting but it can make one look messy! These meals may be great to eat but if your date is not into messy meals then it is best to avoid powdered donuts, ribs with BBQ sauce, burritos, meatball subs, meatball spaghetti, buffalo wings and hotdogs. It also means you’ll less likely have to clean a messy benchtop.

 Last Minute Valentine’s Day Cooking Tips You Need To Remember

  1. Don’t Slave Away In The Kitchen. It sounds impressive that you have decided to cook a seven course meal but you don’t want to be spending all your time in the kitchen cooking. If you think the meal will need prep time, do it in advance. And here’s a tip – if your date is all for it, you can also have your date help you during the cooking.

  Wooden Benchtop Countertop

  1. It’s Not About You. Remember that your Valentine’s date is about the both of you. You can introduce your date to the food you like as well as asking what his or her favourite food is. It is also important to consider if your date has allergies. You don’t need to cook the exact thing. What is important is you get to know the person and what he or she likes.

 Last Minute Valentine’s Day Cooking Tips You Need To Remember

At the end of the day, your kitchen is a hotspot for conversation and romance. Remember that your Valentine’s date is not just about the food, it is about you and your Valentine’s date. So have fun, (remember these last minute Valentine’s Day cooking tips!) and impress your date by being yourself!

Have a happy Valentine’s day! – A message from Craftbuilt Kitchens.

How To Engage With The Family In This Fast-Paced Age

These days, trying to gather the whole family for a meal is a challenge. Sitting down for a good home cooked meal or even take-out is not enough to get family members to put down their smart phones or take some time off to catch up over warm, hearty food.

The kitchen is the perfect place to gather family members and share the highlights of the day. It is the place where everybody has something in common. The love for food. What has changed? The introduction of TV dinners in the 70’s combined with the colour TV set in every living room was the first dinner time distraction. Now with smaller devices such as smart phones, the problem has worsened – conversation being the casualty.

How do we get the beauty of face-to-face conversation back? It may take some time but engaging in quality conversation, plus enticing them with their favorite dish certainly helps! Gather the family around the table and ask how their day went. This can be achieved by creating a fun area with a warm atmosphere. This is a factor that Craftbuilt Kitchens considers. Craftbuilt Kitchens can help design and build kitchens that are meant to be as the centre of the home.

Many families who renovate their old kitchens emphasize the importance of making meal gatherings an attractive event. At Craftbuilt Kitchens, we believe that every mealtime reinstated is another opportunity to build those important, lasting relationships. Pretty soon, the smart phone and the TV will become mere distractions to quality meal-time.

 

 

The Kitchen Is The Most Happening Place

Nowadays, it is all about going to the most happening place in the area. Which is why the kitchen is still considered to be the most happening place – anywhere.

The kitchen is the heart and center of everything in the household. It contains one of the most important aspects of our socializing culture, and that is – food!

Sharing meals with other people is an opportunity to bond, share stories and connect. While it is still enjoyable to dine and party out, being invited to someone’s home for a home cooked meal is such an awesome privilege. Guests would often marvel at the luxurious spread that their host has prepared. While others appreciate the simplicity of the spread. Especially if the food and company are great!

Imagine getting invited over for dinner and your host went to the effort of preparing perfectly seared scallops with herb-infused brown butter. Buzzfeed considers this dish as one of their top 4 recommendations. Plus points when your host cooks it while you are watching. What a way to catch up on their latest news and show some frying-pan talent.

 

When it comes to family, everybody’s busy with school and office work, but they still know that it is important to sit down and eat together. This is often the focus when the Craftbuilt Kitchens Designers work with their clients. A warm and welcoming space is part of the creation.

Having friends over is a great way to just chill without the hassle of crowded places. Plus, it’s a break from the usual take-outs. There’s definitely going to be some Instagrammable shots in the kitchen. So when someone asks you where the most happening place is this weekend or tonight, you already know that it’s the kitchen.

 

If you’d like the same feel and atmosphere for your home, our Craftbuilt Kitchens designers can certainly help you plan and build the right kitchen for your family. Call us at (07) 3341 9166 or visit our showroom in 2958 Logan Road, Underwood QLD 4119 today!

Kiddies and Kitchens

Any parent with a child knows too well how often they will wander into the kitchen. This can be when mum or dad is in the kitchen cooking or it can be when no one is present and the child is looking for something to entertain him or her.

We could all agree that the kitchen is not the best place for a child to be spending time, especially alone, but it does happen. Often parents can be whirling about preparing a meal only to find a small child under foot and a tripping hazard.

With this knowledge in mind at Craftbuilt Kitchens we encourage the design of a kitchen that will allow for the safe presence of your little loved ones. After all, the kitchen is considered the heart of the home more and more these days.

Family members often congregate in the kitchen area to chat and catch up after the end of the day so it goes without saying that young ones want to be there too. The choice is yours how you want this situation to pan out.

If you like to include your children in meal preparation or simply allow them to be nearby and watch, there are things you can do to keep them safe in the kitchen area.

Getting Involved

Being involved with cooking meals is great for little ones and if you have the patience it is a great bonding experience. If this is something you would like to do, there are a few different ways your design can allow for this.

There can be part of the benchtop which is lower than the rest. Perfect for little bodies to stand at but also sit at to do homework whilst being near you. A lower drawer or cupboard can be made as ‘their’ cupboard with access to the kitchen items they are allowed to grab and use.

This gives them a sense of independence and confidence that they are able to help in the kitchen.

Being Nearby

Some parents are pushed for time or don’t have the patience for mini master chefs, and that’s okay. In this instance you can again have a lower bench top or seat where children can sit and draw while they are opposite you.

Safety

Whichever way you decide to go, safety is important too. In the design phase, plan for sharp knives and glassware storage to be out of reach and inaccessible to kids. You can discuss other options that can be incorporated with one of our professional kitchen designers.

Drawers that contain items children shouldn’t have need to be locked or child proofed and, as suggested early, consider giving them a low drawer or cupboard that they can call their very own.

At Craftbuilt Kitchens we want you to have the perfect kitchen for your family situation. Contact us today to arrange a discussion with a designer for a kitchen that keeps toddlers and kids safe and happy.

Family Mealtimes Are Character-Building

Technology has changed the way we work and live, and many time-honoured traditions have fallen on the sidelines as a result. Snail mail has been replaced with email responses and instant messages. These are now considered to be “old school.” Posting messages on social media to be read on smart phones and tablets has replaced face-to-face conversations and are considered to be a popular means of communication.

Learning Small Talk Takes Practice

What we began to lose then, which has continued to this day, was practice at establishing a personal connection with others. As a result, we have a whole generation of young people who struggle to make small talk, to instigate a dialogue with someone interesting or just to tell the family what happened during their day.

Here at Craftbuilt Kitchens, we believe this is one of the reasons for much of the family discontent that pervades our society. It is also a waste of one of the most important rooms in the home. We design and build spectacular kitchens that are meant to be used and enjoyed as the centre of the home, not just admired from afar.

Family Dinners Once A Seat of Learning

The family dinner table was the place to air your views, tell funny stores, share dreams and aspirations, or just bemoan the challenges of life. Children informed their parents that they needed new shoes, made it in the school choir or the football team and kicked their siblings under the table to get them into trouble.

The family dinner was where we learnt table manners and memorize the right cutlery to use with each dish. We were taught to eat with our mouths closed and to ask permission if we wanted to leave the table. But we also learnt much more.

Problems Shared, History Uncovered

We learnt to share our experiences, even the difficult ones, and felt a burden lifted because it had been shared. We heard snippets of family history, giving us a sense of belonging and place. We discovered that we could have spirited debates and still be respectful.

New Family Dinners Need New Kitchens

Much has been lost since we stopped having regular family dinners. Busy people who are aware of this and re-instigated them have seen positive changes in family interaction. To make the occasion more exciting, some households have also decided to renovate their old, tired kitchens to make these gatherings more attractive to everyone.

Craftbuilt Kitchens works with you to design your dream kitchens. We work our magic to make it happen and rediscover the importance of family mealtimes, once again. Every family dinner we reinstate is another opportunity to build those important, lasting relationships.

Organised Kitchens Are Good For Your Health

With so much more knowledge about our physical and mental health these days we see more ideas that come about to aid in improving how we feel. Often our mental health is compromised by day to day occurrences that can bring us down, but our actual environment can contribute to feeling our low, too.

Homes that are disorganised and cluttered have been proven to have a negative effect on our mental state. For this reason it’s important to look around our home to see if there are any clutter contributing to this effect.

Don’t Put Up With Clutter and Disorganisation

The longer you leave clutter about your home, the worse it will get. The less organised your home feels the less org

organised you will feel. You will begin to feel less efficient, less energised and more muddled. As the issue continues around you, the task to get it all sorted gets bigger and feels bigger. The vicious circle of disorganisation begins.

Health Risks Involved With Clutter and Disorganisation

If you are feeling sceptical you only have to ask yourself if there has been a time when you have felt low. In this time did you find you let the housework or other chores go a little? Did this make you feel worse? Did the problem seem bigger?

Declutter Your Home

Clutter and disorganisation can make you feel stressed, anxious and fatigued. Following on from this you can experience sleep disturbance and more.

Don’t Delay The Job Any Longer

The best way to tackle clutter and disorganisation is one room at a time. At Craftbuilt Kitchens we believe the most important room in your house is the kitchen, so it should be first priority. Kitchens are often seen as the heart of the home.

Family or house members often chat here and share some time together and of course your meals are prepared here. Disorganised cupboards and items that are left on the bench due to lack of space quickly become a bother and make the space feel smaller.

Preparing meals on old worn benchtops is not an enjoyable task at all either. When you spend so much time in the kitchen of your home it’s important for this to feel like a warm, open, inviting space that is a pleasure to be in.

We can easily set you on the path to organising your home by providing you with a beautiful new kitchen that is functional, organised and lifts your mood. Our professional installers at Craftbuilt Kitchens will work efficiently so you will be on the road to organising your first room in no time.

Give us a call at (07) 3341 9166 to arrange a chat with one of our professional designers and start planning a new you, a new home and a new kitchen for the New Year.

Camphill Kitchen Renovation Laminate Benchtop

A Kitchen Lay-Out for the Whole Family

Planning for a new kitchen renovation is an exciting time for the whole family. The kids can also look forward to the new home addition, just as much as the adults.

When you think about the design and layout of your new kitchen, you think about functionality, trends and storage space. There is also another thing to consider – is the kitchen family friendly?

Oftentimes, the parents prepare the meals in the kitchen. However, a nice idea might be to have a kitchen design that can bring the whole family together.

A Kitchen To Accommodate Everyone

How can you bring the whole family together into the heart of the home – the kitchen? The answer is in the lay-out. Food preparation, meal time and family gatherings are great moments to create memories and form strong bonds. Which is why the lay-out of the kitchen is important.

When you think of benchtops, for instance, a kitchen island can be a great unit. Island benches keep things a little more sociable. This gives you and family members the opportunity to stand around the benchtop and chat while meals are being prepared. It also gives enough room for members of the family to move about.

Making the kitchen kid-friendly is important, too. Thinking about space saving ideas for your kitchen is great but considering other parts of the kitchen that should be within the kids’ reach is a notable point. For example, which cupboards, shelves or drawers can they reach so they can grab items for you and participate in the meal process?

Open Plan Kitchen

Have you  considered an open plan kitchen? Compared to closed kitchens, an open plan kitchen design looks outwards to the outdoor entertainment area. While the adults are cooking in the kitchen and the kids are playing games in the living room, this lay-out encourages members of the family to still talk and connect with each other.

Imagine still being able to help your children with their homework and ask about what happened during their day while you are preparing dinner in the kitchen. You would still be able to keep eye contact with them and you will no longer be isolated from the whole family because an open plan kitchen encourages socialising in an open space.

There are other ways you can bring the family together in the home too, such as attending cooking classes so that once the new kitchen is installed you can all take what you have learnt and bring it into your very own modern kitchen.

However you decide you want to make your kitchen more family friendly, an expert kitchen designer can listen to your ideas and help you create the perfect space. For more information on building the perfect family kitchen for your home, talk to our consultants at Craftbuilt Kitchens today.

Kids In Your Kitchen

Now that our professional team at Craftbuilt Kitchens have created an amazing place for you to create delicious meals, you might be thinking about bringing your little ones into the mix. Cooking with children is a great way to bond with them but also teaches them valuable life skills that they might not learn in school.

Not only that, it is also fun for them and will be a memory they will keep with them forever. Setting up the groundwork for kiddies to enjoy cooking means they have a better attitude towards preparing their own meals as adults. If you’re ready to take the plunge into cooking with your young ones, here are some great tips to get you on your way.

Hygiene First and Foremost

First of all, it is important to teach your little ones about hygiene. While this is an important lesson anyway, it is even more so when it comes to preparing food. Teaching your children proper hygiene early in life will be remembered in their adult years.

Timing and Planning

Timing and planning is everything. Firstly, you will need to choose a recipe that is suitable for your child’s age group. Choosing a meal or dish that is above their capability will not only cause disaster, the experience won’t be enjoyable for either of you.

Once you have chosen your recipe you need to set up well and allow for time to prepare. Children will naturally be a little slower at cooking and some extra time set aside, along with some patience, will go a long way.

Get Ready For Mess

This mission is going to get messy, so prepare for it. Lay down newspaper if you like; also wear aprons or even old clothes. Just be prepared for mess and plan not to worry about it until after the fun is over. Children are often not as dexterous as adults in the kitchen until they have had time to learn and practice. Teach them this skill with love.

Learning and Enjoying

This is an adventure. Have fun with your children; let them taste foods that are safe to eat raw. Talk about the different nutrients present in vegetables, for example. Teach them about cleaning up; teach them that patience and care can bring great rewards in tasty meals.

This is a fantastic opportunity to teach your youngsters about hygiene, tastes, healthy food, homemade treats and more. Enjoy your bonding time with your children and family in your Craftbuilt Kitchens dream kitchen and build memories that last forever.