Who thought plastic would be such a problem?
Plastic, one of the most useful and convenient materials we use, is coming back to haunt us.
Charmian Smith
When it comes to fish, you are what you eat
When it comes to fish, you are what you eat
It’s well known that eating fish is good for your health. Dr Anne Williams of the University of Otago tells Charmian Smith about the pros - and some of the cons - of eating fish.
When it comes to fish, you are what you eat
When it comes to fish, you are what you eat
It’s well known that eating fish is good for your health. Dr Anne Williams of the University of Otago tells Charmian Smith about the pros - and some of the cons - of eating fish.
Produce problem-solving idea blooms into business
Produce problem-solving idea blooms into business
Food boxes or meal kits delivered to your place each week are not only a convenient way to save time planning and shopping but also to eat healthily.
What kind of place is being carved out for fake meat?
What kind of place is being carved out for fake meat?
Changing our diet isn't not always easy and innovative companies aim to enable meat-lovers to continue eating products that look and taste like meat but are actually made from plants.
Growing, selling local produce better all round
Growing, selling local produce better all round
The growing trend of eating locally produced food helps not only the local economy, but also the planet, our health and even food security and resilience.
Coasting through whitebait territory
Coasting through whitebait territory
"Travelling up the West Coast over the holiday period," Charmian Smith writes, "I couldn’t help noticing how many places advertised whitebait."
Coasting through whitebait territory
Coasting through whitebait territory
Whitebait is famous out West - but it’s also caught in many other places around the coast, writes Charmian Smith.
Intact whole grains may be better than ground
Intact whole grains may be better than ground
Most people know that whole grains are better for you than refined grains such as white bread or white rice, but how whole grains are processed - whether the grains are intact or milled into flour - can also make a difference.
Study delivering heart-healthy diets to the front door
Study delivering heart-healthy diets to the front door
Many of us know that a healthy diet includes lots of high-fibre foods such as vegetables, fruit, whole grains and legumes and healthy non-saturated fats. But sometimes people say it’s too expensive or too difficult to eat.
Much still to learn about gut microbes
Much still to learn about gut microbes
It may come as a surprise that each of us is a multitude.
Bad butter experience highlights packaging problem
Bad butter experience highlights packaging problem
Landfills are full and people don’t want new ones near them, but we continue to buy and throw out stuff, writes Charmian Smith.
Sugar is evil: science trumped but advice spot on
Sugar is evil: science trumped but advice spot on
When Prof Jim Mann was a young man, his father, a GP, was obsessed about people eating too much sugar.
Singing the blues
Singing the blues
Developing a blue cheese can be a complicated process involving science, experimentation and tasting. Charmian Smith talks to Simon Berry and Chris Moran of Whitestone Cheese.
The good oil on growing olives in Central Otago
The good oil on growing olives in Central Otago
Rich, olivey and peppery, Central Otago extra virgin olive oil is different from oil grown elsewhere Charmian Smith discovers.
Taking tea, New Zealand-style
Taking tea, New Zealand-style
Tea growing is associated with hot climates and high altitudes in places like China, India, and other Asian, South American and African countries.
Moving feast: life on the road a foodie’s paradise
Moving feast: life on the road a foodie’s paradise
Like many other Kiwis this summer, Charmian Smith has been travelling around the country and been fascinated by the regional variety of what is available at farmers’ markets and roadside stalls.
Kaicycle urban farm more than just sustainable farming
Kaicycle urban farm more than just sustainable farming
Tucked away behind Wellington Hospital in Newtown is a section flush with growing vegetables and compost boxes arranged around the edges.
Unearthing a good compost
Unearthing a good compost
Michelle Cox, an organic and permaculture educator who leads composting and healthy soil workshops for the DCC, describes compost as "gold".
Fungi and mould can be toxic, beneficial or just a nuisance
Fungi and mould can be toxic, beneficial or just a nuisance
Mould on your cheese may not always be bad. Charmian Smith finds out what's OK and what's not.