Steven Bock from 5th Avenue Dance tells us everything he has discovered about just how good dancing is for your wellbeing.
Dancing to be happy
We teach partnership. We teach men to lead so that he can ask any lady to dance, and absolutely know that he can. We teach ladies to follow so they can accept any invitation to dance and know that it will work. She will not have to take over or get trodden on. Once you know how to ballroom dance, you will be able to dance to any music that would be played at a ballroom, in a restaurant, on a cruise, in a club or at a party. That’s the fun part! But there’s other magnificent things to know about dancing. It’s incredibly good for your wellbeing.
DANCE THERAPY Dancing in your later years can have a wonderful effect on your body and wellbeing. A recent study concluded that one of the great ways to stave off cognitive decline was to learn ballroom dancing. It gets you out of the house, it gets you active, it is social, and it engages your brain. Says Professor Richard Powers of Stanford University, “For centuries, dance manuals and other writings have lauded the health benefits of dancing, usually as physical exercise. More recently we’ve seen research on further health benefits of dancing, such as stress reduction and increased serotonin level, with its sense of well‑being.”
In one study, out of 11 physical activities tested over a 21-year period, only dancing significantly helped. But more specifically, ballroom and Latin dancing. And even more specifically – SOCIAL ballroom and Latin dancing. The reason for why these two dances in particular are so good for your brain is because of the random nature of them. It is a lead and follow dance – there’s no set routine or sequence of step patterns. This means the brain has to make instant decisions. And that is what keeps your brain well oiled.
COGNITIVE BENEFITS
Another major study added to the growing evidence that stimulating one’s mind by dancing can ward off Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The 21-year study of senior citizens, 75 and older, was led by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, funded by the National Institute on Aging. Their method for objectively measuring mental acuity in aging was to monitor rates of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Dance parties
The study wanted to see if any physical or cognitive recreational activities influenced mental acuity. They discovered that some activities had a significant beneficial effect. Other activities had none. They studied cognitive activities such as reading books, writing for pleasure, doing crossword puzzles, playing cards and playing musical instruments. And they studied physical activities like playing tennis or golf, swimming, bicycling, dancing, walking for exercise and doing housework. One of the surprises of the study was that almost none of the physical activities appeared to offer any protection against dementia. There can be cardiovascular benefits of course, and exercise, as we all know, gives us health and longevity, but the focus of this study was the mind.
There was one important exception: the only physical activity to offer protection against dementia was frequent dancing.
■ Bicycling, swimming, golf – 0%
■ Reading – 35% reduced risk of dementia
■ Doing crossword puzzles at least four days a week – 47%
■ Dancing frequently – 76%. This was the greatest risk reduction of any activity studied, cognitive or physical.
BODY BENEFITS Dancing can:
■ Improve the condition of your hearts and lungs; due to the aerobic nature of some of the faster dances. At 5th Avenue Dance we structure your 45 minute lessons to warm up with a Foxtrot which moves around the room, then a slower Latin dance The Rumba, before we hit the faster tempos of Swing, a break with some wonderful Waltz, before moving onto a faster Cha Cha then cool down with a Tango.
■ Increase your muscular strength. When your dancing, you are moving! Our 5th Avenue Dance instructors are very aware of your starting level of fitness, and take this into account as we teach you to dance. Within a very short period of time you can increase what you can do!
■ Increase endurance. Dancing does not seem like exercise in the same way as going to the gym, riding a bike or training for a triathlon. But dancing and moving for 45 minutes a good workout. Plus there is music and fun (not to mention the skill you are learning).
■ Give you better social skills. At 5th Avenue Dance we are constantly recommending changing partners in group lessons. Even those who have their own partner go out of the way to dance with others. ■
BOOK YOUR FREE LESSON!
Don’t wait, come have a free lesson! Walk in – DANCE OUT!
An industrial design professor and her graduate class have developed adorable and lifelike robotic pets, designed to help care for older people.
DOGS AND CATS are long-treasured household pets, making their way as an undeniable members of the family across households and cultures. Aside from the joy they bring to families’ lives, numerous studies show that owning pets makes owners much happier and improves their health, along with helping decrease blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Owning Fido or Whiskers is a great idea for the elderly. But in some care homes and other places, sadly, residents aren’t allowed to have pets. But there could be a solution to this.
The future is wild! Could you see a little guy like this sharing your life in the future?
Enter Claudia Rebola, of the University of Cincinnati. She is an expert on inclusive design and technology for the elderly. Rebola assembled a bunch of graduate students plus some boffins from the Engineering and Applied Science department. With her team, she set out to improve an existing line of robotic dogs. By giving them a more lifelike appearance and adding more senior-friendly features. These features include the ability to check one’s vital signs, and other expanded capabilities that allow these robotic pets to care for their elderly owners.
Begining of the Project
The project started in 2017 when Rebola won a grant for a project called ARIES (Affordable Robotic Intelligence for Elderly Support). With researchers, a hospital, and industry partner Hasbro, a toymaker, she began the project. The team received a $1.3-million grant to re-envision Hasbro’s Joy For All Companion Pets. Now owned by Ageless Innovation, a company composed of former Hasbro executives.
Rebola and her team are planning to redesign these pets in appearance and in function. Based on feedback from pilot studies and focus groups with senior living residents and caregivers in retirement communities. Some features in the works include detecting and preventing falls, providing psychosocial support, and enabling reminders.
Some of their feedback has already led to significant developments. Users wanted more realistic features, from its fur to its movements. Rebola and her team modelled the new prototype after the Yorkshire terrier, replacing the cartoonish, stuffed-animal design of its predecessor. The team also sourced high-quality faux fur to mimic actual fur, making the robot more pettable. They redesigned its body for more fluid and flexible movements.
Rebola’s team hopes to have a product ready for market next year. So let’s watch this space! ■
Erfan from Shiraz Persian Restaurant in Surfers Paradise teaches us how to make a classic Persian dish, Fesenjan.
Ingredients for Fesenjan
■ 3 Large brown onions
■ 500 grams of walnuts are needed.
■ 1 full jar of Kambiz pomegranate paste (available from Shiraz Bazaar online store: orders.shirazexpress.com.au)
■ 1.5 kg chicken thigh fillet, skin off (cut into 3 cm pieces)
■ 1 tablespoon salt
■ One tablespoon honey
■ 1/2 tablespoon sugar
History of Fesenjan
IF YOU HAVE BEEN TO IRAN, or if you have any friends who have ever been to Iran, probably one of the highlights of the trip would be the food. And one of the most amazing dishes they would remember is fesenjoon.
This beautiful dish is simple to make, but most people think it is hard to make! I have been married to my wife for three years and she has never made it! We make it in a different way at the restaurant with our own recipe, but at home, I make a simple version.
This dish can be made in a lot of different ways. But the ingredients should include ground walnuts, pomegranate paste, and meat (although there is some argument about this) plus simple seasonings like salt and sugar.
All the ingredients of Fesenjan
Different Representations of Fesenjan
This dish can be made in different ways because different parts of Iran have different tastes. In the north of Iran, there’s a very big mountain chain called Alborz, which works like a big, tall wall. Humidity and rainfall are stuck behind it, which is the north part of Iran. Those areas in the North are lush and green. The trees are acidic and the food is quite sour.
If you go to the North of Iran and have a fesenjoon, it’s ultra-sour. They don’t add honey. They don’t add sugar. None. Zilch. Zero. In the North of Iran, poultry is very popular. But if you have fesenjoon, they will make it with chicken, rather than the duck meat of the other parts of the country.
In Iran’s southwest, people love meat. They just love meat to death. Mostly they would probably have it for breakfast if they could. They make their fesenjoon with meat, meatballs et cetera. In other parts of Iran, like Esfahan with its historic sites, you’ll find everything is ultra-sweet.
Accordingly, the fesenjoon there is super sweet. The capital Tehran is where I was born and raised for 23 years of my life. The flavors there are subtle and balanced. It is a balance between sweet and sour and salt. So my recipe is the Tehrani version – we call it the dancing of flavours. It’s amazing.
Procedure
We start off by peeling the onions. If you have a mincer at home, go ahead and mince three-quarters of the walnuts and the onions. A good food blender will also suffice. Just blend the hell out of the walnuts and the onions.
Then put it on the stove and let it boil with medium heat. Add 750ml of water, and let it boil for about 45 minutes, or until it becomes thicker. Use a spatula to basically stir it every now and then, because walnuts tend to stick to the bottom of the pot.
After 45 minutes, add one glass of very, very cold water (you can add ice if you want). We are shocking this stew. This releases a bit of oil from the walnuts. By the way, this dish, when it’s made, if you leave it for a while, you will see a layer of oil on top. Don’t panic. That’s natural walnut oil. Just stir it in.
After the cold water, wait five minutes. Then, add three-quarters of the pomegranate paste, and stir.
Add in the chicken, precut in three-centimetre cubes. Thigh meat is the best option.
Add salt, honey, and sugar. All three should be in exactly equal amounts. Occasionally stir. After an hour, add the remaining pomegranate paste.
Add the remainder of the walnuts and boil on low heat for another hour. You may have to keep stirring it to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom. In Iran, the opinion is that the longer it cooks on low heat, the better it is. They say it has been settled.
Persian Rice
For the rice, Persian rice, please use the recipe from the Summer edition of Silver (silvermagazine. com.au) but you can skip the barberries.
The Dish
And that’s it! You’ve got yourself one of the most popular dishes of Iran! Nooshe Jan! (Which means, “May the food become a part of your soul.” ■
All the ingredients for this dish can be bought at the Shiraz Bazaar.
Want to do something different with your free time? Then how about working your way around the world in exchange for food and board? Check this out.
We live in the era of peer-to-peer exchanges. The internet has allowed us to share our houses, our cars, our caravans, our car parking spaces…You name it, we can share it.
Masks in a Mexican Market
With this new peer-to-peer economy, now, you can travel almost for free, by swapping food and accommodation for work. One website that is well known is Workaway.info. But there are many others too. Every one of these sites allows you to organise an amazing adventure from your computer…and all on a shoestring budget! Most charge under $100 for a year’s membership.
Each site is slightly different. If you join Workaway.info, then generally you will be expected to help around 5 hours per day in exchange for food and accommodation. And there are opportunities in 170 different countries, so the amount of adventures to be had are potentially endless. Some Workaway seniors share their stories with us below.
SUE AND ADRIAN: TRAVEL THE WORLD
Our personal quote is: “Making a big life change is scary. But do you know what’s even scarier? Regret.” Our first placement was at a place called Huayacocotla in Mexico – we stayed there for just over three weeks. My work included sanding, varnishing a chest of drawers, altering some support legs for a raised vegetable garden, cleaning off the old paint and re-painting a 300-year-old chapel.
Cancun
I trimmed some of the topiary animals in the garden, a little bit of cooking in the house – I introduced the hosts to my egg muffins! Luckily, they really liked them!
We first heard about Workaway after reading a magazine article. It was written by a well-known presenter. She was asked how she spent the winter months…One of the things she wrote was that she often logged onto the Workaway website and dreamed of warmer countries, working with local people and learning more about their culture and customs. Intrigued, I had a look at the website.
Taking a gap year in your 50s
We knew we wanted to visit Mexico for three months, so this seemed an ideal scenario for us! We have visited Mexico for many years (we even married in Mexico City six years ago!) but wanted to have a closer look and better understanding of the Mexican way of life. It is fine travelling to a country, but to understand the people’s everyday lives should be an important factor too.
Work and Travel for almost free
We have visited many different parts of the world – Sri Lanka, India, South Africa, USA and many parts of Europe. Yes, you can meet local people…. On buses, restaurants, sitting in a city park but these are fleeting moments, hours – if you’re lucky like us, be invited into someone’s home for a meal. But these are still short-lived moments (by the way, we are still in touch with the Iranian family we met in Istanbul who invited us for a meal). With Workaway, you get time to build a new relationship in a natural and free manner as you get to know your hosts. If you are lucky, (as we were) your host will show you things in the local area that tourists/travellers will never see.
We did not miss anything back home…With the exception of missing our grandchildren occasionally (we missed our granddaughters first birthday – oops!) but that was alleviated by the use of FaceTime and Skype twice a week. Our hosts helped me enormously with my Spanish language – which raised my confidence as we continued to travel through Mexico. But it takes a while. One day at the beach, instead of asking for coconut ice-cream, I asked for cocaine.
Our advice would be to give the best of yourself (you are representing your country), and enjoy it. Many people “wish” to do this but don’t. If you are lucky enough to be trusted by a complete stranger in their home, don’t ruin it for others.
Also, be open and honest with your host – they are not mind readers! Get to know your host – it’s not a one-way exchange. They are interested in you, your country, your experiences! And if you’re lucky like us, your host may just become your newest friend for life. Last but not least, laugh and smile! We are currently travelling south through Mexico. A lot of places were suggested by our host but we also had an idea of where we wanted to go. Our timescales have changed frequently. If we enjoy a place, like, for example, Campeche, we lingered a little longer. Our only fixed date is the dreaded flight home – 9th June.
On this trip we have visited Mexico City, Monarch Butterfly reserve (Cerro Pelon), Huaya (as locals call it!) Papantla, El Tajin, Tecolutla, Xalapa, Villahermosa, Campeche (our recommendation here is to visit Edzná!). We stayed in Mérida for two weeks with our host’s daughter and family for a few days. We hope to go on to Chetumul, Tikal in Guatamala, Oaxaca, and Mexico City. And then home! Boo! We plan to do Workaway again in two years’ time when we go to India for four months.
GRAEME AND BRENDA: TRAVEL THE WORLD
It’s never too late to pursue your dreams of travelling the world. As of February 2017, we’ve visited 19 countries – we’ve been Workawayers in four. First in France, then we went to Greece, Bulgaria and Hungary. We mostly helped with gardening and garden maintenance, which can involve some heavy lifting and DIY tasks such as painting and putting shelves up. We also cleaned, fed horses and walked dogs.
It is never too late to fulfill your dreams
The best thing about travelling this way is definitely the host families we’ve met. And, the places that we would never have even visited if it hadn’t been for Workaway. Spending time in local communities and being involved in the day-to[1]day lives of some amazing people was far more rewarding for us than just visiting the obvious tourist places. We’ve stayed in tiny villages with people trying to live a simple self-sustainable lifestyle. We’ve also stayed at a 500-year-old chateau in France, plus everything in between.
We feel we had a lot to offer to potential hosts. Having owned our own houses, we’ve gained a lot of experience renovating and maintaining homes over the years. Other than that, we’ve mainly stayed in hostels. We never felt left out, even though we usually were the oldest there. We’ve spent some great evenings having a beer or two in the common rooms with people of different nationalities and age groups.
Most of the hosts we’ve stayed with were our age or a bit younger. Half of the hosts that we stayed with invited us, so it was probably our age and experience they were looking for. We’ve had to turn down at least 10 offers in Europe just because of time limitations.
Enjoying by the Stairs of a Beautiful Pagoda
It’s not always the things in life that you do that you sometimes regret, it’s the things that you don’t do. If there’s something that you really want to do, just take a chance! You can always go home if it doesn’t work out. It was a bit scary thinking about it and we talked about travelling for about a year before we realised that the only thing stopping us, was us. We’re planning on staying on the road for another 6 months or so and then see where life takes us.
We decided not to plan more than 2 or 3 weeks in advance to give us the freedom to go where we felt like going at any particular time. We always have a rough idea where we’ll be going next, but we decided not to fix any dates, so we can just go with the flow and never feel pressured to leave or stay. Workaway allows us to keep the trip going, because when we’re staying with hosts, the two major outlays — food and board — are pretty much covered. We still do go sightseeing and explore local towns and villages when we are staying with hosts families, though!
SINGLE TRAVELLER DANIEL
After 52 years of employment and family life, I decided to sell my house, my car and all my possessions. I wanted to fulfill my dream of travelling the world. Nowadays my sole possessions are in my backpack.
Daniel in the desert
I hadn’t originally planned on going to Africa, but then I came across so many other travellers who had such positive experiences there. Quite often, I was intrigued to find out for myself and it has been fantastic so far. Even though I have always wanted to travel, but in my 20s I was busy starting a family and career. Once you embark on that path, it is hard to get off. Not travelling is one thing I had always regretted.
I don’t plan very much at all when I travel. Sometimes I have a vague idea of places that I want to go to, but sometimes I don’t decide until 24 hours before! I go wherever the wind takes me. I love being free. My relationship with time has totally changed, and yet it is hard to get used to having that freedom too. My attitude towards consuming, possessions and money in general is now totally different. I used to earn a decent amount and saw myself as a big spender. I was caught up with the importance of having stuff, a nice house and car. That became a focus, but now I see that I don’t need any of that to be happy. Now everything I own is in my backpack, I can’t buy more stuff because it just won’t fit, not even an extra book!
My attitude towards other people has changed too. I am more open and trusting, I used to be more reserved especially when meeting new people. I have developed more faith in humanity.
Daniel in Kenya
When I retired I saw it as a unique opportunity. If I didn’t head off now when would I do it? I have seen people of my generation and older who had accumulated wealth and possessions. But when they retired, they didn’t know how to be happy with what they had. They had no plans, no projects, just a bank account. I saw some of them age and become ill. With my children and grandchildren settled, my partner and I made the decision to live our dream and travel the world. The plan to travel with my partner didn’t work out. We separated, and that’s when I came across Workaway.
Being a Workawayer is a totally different experience, a different way to travel. You enter other people’s lives, share their world – exchange knowledge and ideas. I would never go back to tourism, I would get bored after 2 days.
I have been travelling and workawaying for 2 years and I never get bored. Workawaying gives you the initial contact with someone who lives locally, and this often leads to other opportunities. I have had offers of lifts to new destinations and even invited to be interviewed by a local newspaper. My life now unfolds in this way and it is truly fantastic. I think Workaway is such a great initiative.
Without a doubt, this is my way of life now and I’m going to continue as long as I can, another 10 years, 20 years, even to 100. I would if I could that’s for sure!
Totally, I am learning all the time, from everyone I meet, regardless of their age. Last week I spent time at a school in Kenya. The kids ranging from 10-14 years old taught me that the secret to being happy does not depend on what you have, as they have so little. What they do have is a sense of community and shared experiences.
I earned quite a lot during my working life…but I have spent it all! However, I have my pension. It is not a large amount, but it’s an income which allows me to keep travelling extensively, as does Workaway. I tend to choose destinations which have a lower cost of living, so that I can get by. Workaway is also useful for visiting places which would be outside my budget, as I can save on accommodation costs.
My motto is…“Happiness is NOW!”
SINGLE TRAVELLER GISELA
At the moment I am based just north of Medellín, Colombia. I am loving it. The weather’s just absolutely gorgeous. It’s just like eternal spring – blue sky and sunshine every day. It rains at night and in the morning, so it is so fresh and crisp. I have been based at this current place for two weeks. I am house sitting at the moment, looking after a gorgeous place with five dogs.
from the Caribbean
to Colombia meet the Workaway traveller travelling through her taste
I choose all my Workaway experiences with things that really interest me. I go for something that I specifically want to learn. A highlight was in the Caribbean on the little island of Grenada on a cocoa farm. During my three-month stay, I learned every single step of the chocolate production. This is from growing the cocoa beans to harvesting to fermenting to roasting them. Everything! They called it tree-to-bar. It was totally amazing!
They were all masters in their field which I loved. I have been working with chocolate for quite a few years in my career as a vegan chef. So I really wanted to learn how to grow it. The most amazing part was that when I arrived, the owner of the farm said, “While you are here, you can eat as much chocolate as you want.”
It was really good quality dark chocolate, so you only needed a little. You wouldn’t eat a whole bar, but I ate a piece every day and fresh cocoa beans as well. Another highlight with Workaway was an assistant to a travel guide who was leading a crew from Europe. I would help with translating at the borders etc. This was such an amazing experience as well.
Gisela Traveling the World through Workaway
I also choose places where I can learn something about either food, medicine or herbs. There are so many possibilities, I could just go on and on for years!
Next on my wish list is to learn how to build a tiny home. There is actually a host on the Workaway website that offers that. He is in New Zealand, but unfortunately, New Zealand is off-limits at the moment.
I entered Colombia in mid-February, and then in mid-March, the lockdown started. It’s been months, but I have stayed at Workaway places the entire time, so I was lucky as I was out in the middle of nowhere in nature. I was not locked into an apartment or a big city like Bogota.
Travelling as a single female has been fine. What I always do if I go to a new country is to ask the locals. They always tell you what you’re not supposed to do – and then I just don’t do it!
To start this kind of lifestyle, pick something that you really like and maybe don’t commit for that long. Just do a couple of weeks to see how it goes. It’s not for everybody, but if you open up, there’s just so much to be learned – all around the world! There are so many amazing places and amazing people doing amazing work. The possibilities are never ending.
CONNECTING
If you think this might appeal to you, log onto the workaway.info website for further reading. There are other peer-to-peer sharing platforms. You can try Helpx.net, WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) at TRAVEL THE WORLD FOR FREE (ALMOST!). There’s also WorldPackers.com. If you go on an adventure, be sure to let us know, we want to hear about it! ■
Southport Sharks is a leading entertainment, sports and leisure precinct. Featuring two restaurants, a café, six bars, kids’ club, gaming facilities and free entertainment, it is the most happening venue on the north end of the Coast. And, they have some amazing new deals that you need to know about!
Here’s the scoop for our readers – in 2021 membership is only $5. Plus joining as a member comes with heaps of benefits including $20 of food and drink credit on the month of your birthday. You’ll have plenty of time to use up those credits – Southport Sharks is open every day of the week, for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
EATING AND DRINKING: SOUTHPORT SHARKS
Let’s start with everyone’s favourite subject. Food! Here, seniors are in luck. Southport Sharks have a seniors’ discount if you are a member. Simply present your Sharks membership card and seniors’ card to get $2 off the dining menu, seven days a week.
Frenzy’s Restaurant is a favourite of Gold Coasters. Both members and guests can eat here. Between 11.30am and 2.00pm you can enjoy a delicious lunch from just $13. Our pick is the beer[1]battered flat head fish and chips. You can also order something from the premium range starting at $16 which includes Roast of the Day with roast potato, pumpkin, greens and rich pan gravy.
Dinner at Carmodys
More Food
If you are an early riser, then check this out. Breakfast menu delights include the Brekky Burrito – toasted tortilla with scrambled egg, baby spinach, Mexican cheddar, chipotle, chorizo, guacamole and tomato salsa Yum! They also serve traditional breakfasts too.
There is an à la carte menu available for lunch or dinner which includes crowd favourites such as chicken schnitzel and roast of the day, along with newcomers like creamy chicken and chorizo linguini. This dish is crafted with Portuguese style chicken breast, chorizo, semi-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, caramelised leek, egg pasta and shaved pecorino.
Carmody’s Bar and Restaurant is an award[1]winning, stylish restaurant offering modern Australian Cuisine. It is open for lunch on Friday from 12pm-2pm, and dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings from 5.30pm. It is THE place to end your week in style. You will adore the exemplary service and the exceptional dining experience. After your meal, you can stay longer to enjoy the elegance and sophistication of Carmody’s Bar. Make sure you sample the selection of premium spirits, fine wines and delicious cocktails.
You can book online for Carmody’s or Frenzy’s via OpenTable.com.au or call 07 5532 1155.
FITNESS CENTRE: SOUTHPORT SHARKS
Southport Sharks’ super-modern Health and Fitness Centre has a wide selection of Les Mills classes, and a team of experienced personal trainers. From cycling to yoga, this is where you can go to hit your workout goals.
Fitness center at Southport Sharks
Entry of the Southport Sharks
STAY A WHILE
If you don’t want the great night to end, you can stay at the on-site hotel. Mantra at Sharks has 120 rooms so the good times can roll on. At the top of the hotel sits the stunning Aviary Rooftop Bar. The hotel also has light-filled meeting spaces ideal for gatherings or conferences. To book, call 07 5603 3200.
PARKING
There are over 500 free car parks for Southport Sharks members and guests. Nice! We will see you there. ■
SOUTHPORT SHARKS
Corner of Olsen Avenue and Musgrave Avenue, Southport
If you don’t want to shop, cook, or clean up, then here is an idea for you!
corned beef
GOURMET MEALS is a Gold-Coast based, Australian-owned and operated business. They deliver healthy, nutritious, and great-tasting frozen meals to your door. You can eat healthier and stay living independent in your own home for longer.
NDIS Delivery Guy
History of the Gourmet Meals
The company is an approved NDIS provider of home delivered meals. This means that home delivery of these meals is part-funded under the NDIS. If you are eligible, some of the cost will be covered.
Brilliant Company Offering Delicious Meals
The company has an old-fashioned personalised service. You can actually speak to a “real person” over the phone and can opt for a friendly delivery driver to assist you with packing your meals away. Every suburb is serviced once a week.
If you want to try just a couple of meals first, then the meals are also available in the gluten-free freezer section of selected IGAs, Foodworks and independent stores. You can look up your nearest retailer on gourmetmeals.com.au. Or, you can pick up meals directly from the factory at 46/215 Brisbane Road, Biggera Waters, between 9:00am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday.
Delicious Dishes
Gourmet Meals are very competitively priced and taste like good old-fashioned home cooking. They are wholesome, nutritious, and well balanced.
Soup
Options include gluten free, dairy free, reduced‑salt and reduced-fat options, plus there’s portion-controlled and calorie-controlled meals too. The meals are snap frozen for freshness, so they don’t add preservatives.
Cottage cheese lasagna
There are no contracts, orders can be made on a casual basis, and all that is required is a minimum order of $49 and a delivery fee of $7.50. They have a full menu online at www.gourmetmeals.com.au
website picture
To ask for more information, or to order your meals, call Gourmet Meals on 1300 112 112 or 07 5529 3000 or buy online at gourmetmeals.com.au
Logo of Gourmet Meals
Want to know more info about the latest restaurants, click here.
