Do I Want or Need a Tefal Actifry Plus?

As many of you will know if you follow me across social media as well as read the blog two thing about me are fairly obvious:

1)     I love to cook and especially love my kitchen gadgetry

2)     I attend Slimming World and have done on and off for the past thirteen years.

The burning question which I’m asking myself at the moment is “should I get an Actifry”? Many people at the group swear by them as they apparently allow you to make pretty much anything with very little effort and even better (from a slimming point of view) little to no fat.

I currently have an air fryer from another brand which is great however I’m not convinced that it will last the long haul, especially now the free warranty has ended (sods law and all that!). I have to say that anything that allows you to make Slimming World KFC chicken without any syns is worth its weight in gold and of course with this model being 1.2kg in capacity it seems to be the much more family-friendly as well as slimming friendly option.

kfcchicken

KFC Chicken Slimming World style – a huge hit in our house and one of the many reasons I’m considering a Tefal Actifry Plus, primarily so that I can make larger portions as well as save time!

The thing that has me pausing is the price. These are not £20 kitchen gadgets; they are often priced at over £100. That said I’ve read so many reviews that say that buying an Actifry has been a lifesaver and that the oven is rarely used anymore (mine is a Rangemaster and eats gas and electricity). I wouldn’t pay full price (the frugal fan / tight cow in me wouldn’t allow it) however using shopping comparison sites such as  http://www.dontbuy4more.co.uk/ I should help narrow down the best prices and save me spending more than I need to.

What I’m asking you all today is what you think of the Tefal Actifry Plus? Do you have one? Is it as useful and used as often as you thought it would be? What is your favourite recipe? Help me out here as I’m seriously toying with the idea of getting one (or Roy getting one for me as a Christmas present) and want to make an informed choice!

Diet Chef Review

I have been very fortunate to have been chosen as a member of #TeamDietChef, reviewing the Diet Chef food plan to report back to all of you.

Diet Chef Hamper

How Does it Work?
The way that  Diet Chef works is that you buy calorie and portion controlled foods from them and use these to make up the bulk of your daily food.You do of course add fruits, vegetables and two low fat sources of dairy are recommended daily. With your hamper comes a very handy “All you need to know” guide which details how the plan works, how much you should be drinking, a seven day meal planner and more.

Anyone struggling with portion sizes (a big thing for me, I eat like a horse) will find using the plan alongside the MyFitnessPal app / website a big help. MFP is a partner of Diet Chef and all of the DC foods are in their database. Scanning the bar-code of each food or searching quickly and adding to your diary helps you stay within your daily calorie level and so lose weight (I lost 2lb in a week).

Support
Despite being a “diet from home” plan there is plenty of support available. the website is packed with information as well as a forum, there is a Facebook page and their Twitter account is brilliant for news, getting a quick answer to any queries and for getting to know and share experiences with other Diet Chef-ers.

There is also a dedicated customer service line which I have called once and certainly the lady I spoke to knew her stuff, was really helpful and wished me well with my weight loss.


The Food
It really is all about the food and here are just a few of the meals I enjoyed as part of my review.

(Click pics to enlarge)

The sweet and salty popcorn, macaroni cheese (with REAL cheese in it) and the sweet potato and coconut soup are amongst my favourites.

Didn’t I Say I would Test for 28 days? What Happened?
Originally I had planned to test Diet Chef for 28 days rather than 10 however I’ve decided with DC’s approval to cut the trial short.

I have spent years at a slimming club, attending groups and having a consultant to talk to me personally, and face to face because that is what I need. Staying motivated without that is something I find incredibly difficult. This coupled with the fact that I am a kitchen goddess, or rather a kitchen goddess wannabe and live to slave over my Rangemaster, cooking up meals from scratch means means that I haven’t enjoyed the heat up and eat up part of this review. That said the convenience is undeniable!

 

My time on #TeamDietChef has been fun but the plan simply isn’t for me. Treated as a “real” customer from the beginning rather than simply a reviewer I discussed my decision with Diet Chef who informed me of their 21 day money back guarantee. You see, this isn’t a company who sells you food and lets you get on with it, this is a company that wants you to succeed, wants you to get to your dream weight and who are on hand pro-actively to help you every step of the way.
So, I am calling time on my review and yet would still recommend Diet Chef as they offer exactly what they advertise, a way for you to lose weight at a healthy rate without complicated pointing. For someone leads a busy life, who struggles with portion control and who needs a more prescriptive diet plan this really could be the answer.

 

*I received a Diet Chef hamper or free in exchange for an honest and open review, this is what I’ve provided. Diet Chef have no editorial control here and so what I have reported is based purely on my own experiences and beliefs.