What can I do to shop safely?
Dear concerned citizen,
It’s important that we all try and shop safely as we unite against COVID-19.
Here’s a few things we should all now do, that will help slow the spread of the virus:
• send one person from your household to do the whole shop
• be aware that stores will limit numbers to help you keep 2 metres away from others
• be kind to essential workers, and others you’re sharing the shop with
• come with a list so you can get in and out as quickly as possible
• only touch what you want to buy
• if you like, take a soapy towel in a small container to wipe down trolley or basket handles etc
• keep 2 metres away from others, including staff. They need to keep safe too!
• use payWave if you can, not cash
• bag groceries away from others if you can
• take out produce when you get home, and wash first in soapy water to protect against the virus, then rinse to remove any soap residue wipe down packaged goods with a soapy clean towel, then dry
• wash your hands before and after you shop.
Can I bring people in my household with me to buy essential supplies?
You should dedicate one person per household to be the shopper. This is the safest way to get essential supplies, as it reduces the number of people who are out, and helps stop the virus from spreading.
Leaving online shopping to those who need it most
• If you are healthy, or aged under 70, you should go to the supermarket to do your shopping. This leaves online delivery slots free for those that need them most.
• If you’re a parent on your own with children or over 70, move to online shopping if available. This is important for the safety of your children and others – especially essential service providers.
• If that’s not possible, reach out to nearby friends, family or neighbours who can assist you with the shopping and get it to your doorstep. Your local community may also be able to assist, or you can contact your local store – some are putting special systems in place to help.
Thank you
If we all do our bit we’ll get through this. Thank you for working together and staying home. We can, and must stick with it.
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Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.
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83.9% Same!
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16.1% Would have liked to try something different
7 tips for buying your Christmas ham
It’s the centerpiece of the Christmas table, so when you’re peering into the supermarket chiller or ordering from the butcher, choosing the perfect ham can feel like a daunting task.
Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing one to bring home with you.
1. What type of ham to buy
You’ve got some decisions to make when it comes to the type of Christmas ham you’re going to buy.
Cooked on the bone (COB) ham is the traditional Christmas ham. If you’re buying a half ham, you’ll have the choice of the shank or fillet end. The shank is the part with the bone sticking out that gives the ham that traditional look. The fillet end is the round part that gives more meat. If you’re deciding whether to get a whole ham or half, consider how quickly you’ll be able to eat it all. You only have about a week to eat an opened ham before it will go off, so it can be a good idea to get two halves. That way you can eat one half during the week of Christmas and save the other for January.
Champagne ham has had the bone removed and only has the hock left on, so it’s easier to carve.
Pressed ham – also known as continental ham – has had the bones removed and has been pressed, so it’s also easy to carve.
2. Check the pork percentage
The label on a packaged ham will say what percentage is actually meat. Hams are injected with brine, to keep them moist, and additives. The brine injection level for manufactured hams is usually between 10% and 35% of the ham's weight. A manufacturer that wants to produce a cheap ham will add more water to bump up the weight.
3. Know how to tell if it’s New Zealand pork
By far, most of the hams bought in New Zealand this Christmas will be from pigs reared overseas. New Zealand imports pork from about 25 countries. It’s frustrating for New Zealand pig farmers because this ham can come from farms that don’t have to meet the same animal welfare standards as we have in this country. As a result, overseas meat is often cheaper.
If buying New Zealand pork is important to you, look for:
words on the packaging like ‘New Zealand pork’ or ‘born and raised in New Zealand’
4. Have a good look at the ham
If you’re going to be glazing your ham, look for one that is covered in a finger-thick layer of fat. This will give you the thickness you need to make good score lines.
New Zealand Pork’s website also advises looking for a ham that has a meaty texture rather than one that looks wet or rubbery. It says the ham’s skin should be smooth with even colouring. “If the knuckle is sunken, it may be overcooked. If the rind is buckled or uneven, it may be a sign of dryness.”
5. Ask a lot of questions
If you’re ordering your pork from a butcher, you probably won’t be able to compare hams like you would at the supermarket. So, make sure you ask lots of questions, now that you know what you’re looking for.
You could ask:
Is the ham made from New Zealand born and farmed pork?
What will be its injection percentage?
What flavours will it have?
You could even ask if there’s a glaze the butcher thinks would work particularly well with those flavours.
6. Know what size you’ll need
If the ham is the only meat on your Christmas menu, New Zealand Pork advises allowing 1kg of ham for five people. Or if you’ve got other meat options, 1kg will feed about six to eight people.
7. Know the best hams in New Zealand
The best hams of the year were awarded at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards earlier in the year so you can check out which ones got medals. Some of them are only available in the city the butcher is based, but a Farmland boneless ham available nationwide won a gold award and Woolworths bone-in and boneless hams picked up bronze.
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