Welcome to the Living Smart Program | Welcome to the Living Smart Program

"This season I promise to spend with intention, waste less and more time enjoying the celebration.”

Mother and daughter making gifts in glass jars

The Plan

This week, you’ll cook smart, store smart, and make simple changes that keep food safe in our Queensland heat and trim energy use.

Week 2

Make Sauces

batch mango‑lime dressing and pineapple‑ginger ham glaze; label and freeze

Mango‑lime dressing (freezer‑friendly): blitz 1 ripe mango, juice of 2 limes, pinch of salt, 2 tbsp olive oil. Freeze in small jars; thaw in the fridge the day before serving.
Food‑safety tip: Use shallow containers to cool quickly; follow the 2‑hour/4‑hour rule if anything leaves the fridge during prep. [foodstandards.gov.au] , [qld.gov.au]
Pineapple‑ginger ham glaze: simmer 1 cup crushed pineapple, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp soy, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 1 tbsp vinegar until glossy; cool, label, date, and freeze.
Cooling standard: 60 °C → ≤ 21 °C within 2 h, then ≤ 5 °C within 4 h before freezing. [qld.gov.au]
Garnish kits: pre‑chop mint stems and lime wedges; store airtight and date‑labelled. Keep your refrigerator ≤ 5 °C; move drinks to an esky so food stays properly chilled. [qld.gov.au] , [sbs.com.au]

Craft pre-Christmas gifts

dried orange and seeds in glass jars, ready to be decorated with natural materials

The kids are finishing school, and you have what seems like a million thank you gifts to buy. Try these easy-make at home gifts that show thought and thanks without the price tag.

Dry Mixes

These are shelf‑stable, making them a great make-ahead gift. Experiment with what you have or try different variants, like meat rubs, salad sprinkles, even pre-prepped dry cookie mixes.

Macadamia dukkah

Toast macadamias, sesame, coriander seed, cumin
pulse to a coarse crumb
place in a jar with a handwritten label listing ingredients and a note to 'sprinkle on salads/veg'
cover with a fabric topper and decorate with what you have.

Non-food gifts

Non‑food gifts side‑step school food‑safety sensitivities.

Bath salts in reused jars

mix epsom salt and a little citrus zest or essential oil
add a simple ingredient label
cover with a fabric topper and decorate with what you have.

Why it's important to prep your fridge

A lady cleaning her fridge. Fridge is open and empty

Protect your calm – prepping your fridge now means you'll already have a clean fridge, with room for the fresh produce, seafood, and chilled desserts you'll be buying and making in Week 4. Plus, a cluttered fridge means poor airflow and uneven cooling.

Check, empty and clean:

old leftovers or forgotten jars can leak or spoil, contaminating fresh food. Clear these now to prevent cross-contamination.
save any jars, wash in a hot dishwasher to sterilise, you'll need these later
group remaining items by category so you can find things quickly when the kitchen gets busy
if you have a second fridge or an esky, consider using this during Christmas week so the fridge door isn’t constantly opened helping to maintain a safe temperature.
wipe shelves with warm soapy water, then dry
check seals: Close a sheet of paper in the door—if it slides out easily, the seal may need replacing

Calibrate your fridge

In our Queensland summer heat fridges work harder. A correctly set fridge saves energy and keeps food fresher longer. If the temperature creeps above 5 °C, bacteria multiply fast. The safe zone is ≤ 5 °C for cold storage. Use a fridge thermometer to check—don’t rely on the dial.

To measure the temperature, place a thermometer in the centre shelf – aim for ≤ 5 °C

Put your summer energy plan in place

As the mercury rises so do power bills. A few simple things can make a big difference

choose an AC set‑point: start at 24–26 °C (most households find 25 °C comfortable). Every degree warmer can save ~5–10% on your energy use
use ceiling fans first (≈ 2–3 c/hour)
close blinds in peak sunlight hours
clean your AC filters for efficiency.