MAKELESI believes healthy shopping plays an important part in maintaining the family’s wellbeing.
She often reflects on one of her favourite quotes: “The food you buy is the food you eat.”
She said this encourages her to stock her pantry and refrigerator with wholesome ingredients, which makes preparing nutritious meals easier and more consistent.
Makelesi also believes that healthy eating should go hand-in-hand with other positive lifestyle habits.
“It is wise to prioritise regular physical activities, get adequate sleep, and stay hydrated — simple but essential steps towards better health.” she said.
Though she does not follow a formal daily training routine, Makelesi says she walks every day to attend her classes, which is a natural way to stay active.
With rising expenses, she shares that careful planning is essential to stretch every dollar without sacrificing quality or nutrition.
She also encourages creating a meal plan to avoid wastage and to save time and money.
She said another helpful way to contribute to eating healthy is by planting vegetables in the backyard gardens.
Makelesi said growing your own produce can reduce grocery budgets and ensure access to fresh, healthy food all year round.
When it comes to grocery shopping for the family, her husband accompanies her and they usually do their shopping together on a fortnightly basis.
They shop at several supermarkets like CJS Supermarket in Nabua and Shop N Save Supermarket as it is closer to home, but they prefer Extra Supermarket.
Makelesi said their choice is driven by Extra’s wide variety of products — from local Fijian goods to international brands — all offered at affordable prices.
“This allows us to choose from a variety of products as everything is all under one roof,” she said.
Besides supermarket shopping, Makelesi also frequents the local market where they buy fresh vegetables such as moca (also known as tubua) and ota, which are essential ingredients for their Sunday lunches.
They typically spend around $50 on fresh fruits and vegetables, making health-conscious choices a priority despite the rising costs of food items in some places.
Makelesi said spending more on vegetables and fruits is something that mustn’t be taken lightly as it helps with our wellbeing.
She also shared that shoppers must be aware of what they’re buying from these supermarkets.
She urged shoppers to be conscious of the products they bring home to their families, highlighting the importance of careful consideration.
Makelesi stressed that reading labels and instructions is a wise practice to ensure safety and informed choices.
“By encouraging awareness, consumers will better understand what they are purchasing and how to use it properly,” she said.
“This caution helps protect our loved ones from potential harm or misuse.”
