Mother’s Day is about saying thanks to all the mums, mams and mammies, and is the perfect opportunity to pamper them.
This year’s Mother’s Day will be different with restrictions keeping many families apart – and that only makes it more important than ever to show we care.
We might not be able to take our mother out for dinner this year, but we can make sure they have a delicious meal, and all the trimmings, in the comfort of their own home.
So if you’re looking for a way to make a Mother’s Day dinner to remember, SuperValu has you sorted, with delicious meals, including starters, mains, and sides, in its Freshly Prepared range.
There are dozens of ready-to-cook dishes to choose from, each one freshly prepared by one of SuperValu’s experts in-store. Mix and match for a great value, super-convenient and delicious Mother’s Day celebration.
Expertise is the secret
In SuperValu Walkinstown in Dublin, butcher Kevin O’Sullivan creates a range of oven-ready dishes in-store each day.
O’Sullivan started out as a chef and worked in hospitality and catering for a number of years before training as a craft butcher.
All the dishes are prepared by me and my team to exactly the same high standard I'd have for myself
“I always had an interest in food,” he says, adding that not only does the Freshly Prepared range make a terrific and tasty option this Mother’s Day, it also takes the stress out of cooking.
The in-store range has grown as a result of customer demand, having proved extremely popular among those who want an easy, home cooked meal made from the finest Irish ingredients.
“All the dishes are prepared by me and my team to exactly the same high standard I’d have for myself,” says O’Sullivan. “They are also beautifully presented because people eat with their eyes. Every aspect of it has to be top quality.”
His team specifies exactly the quality they want from their suppliers and he prepares each dish from scratch, mixing the marinades and sauces and prepping all the fresh vegetables on site, using ingredients taken entirely from within the store.
“You should see me going out to choose from the shelves here, I’m like a kid in a candy shop,” he smiles.
All of the Freshly Prepared meals come with convenience baked-in. “The instructions are on the tray, you simply put them into the oven to cook. They use top notch ingredients and are unbelievably good value,” O’Sullivan says.
With that in mind, here are three menu ideas to treat your mother to this March 14th.
Winner winner, chicken dinner
A starter of cauliflower bites, followed by Portuguese-style spatchcock chicken with a tasty side of chunky potato chips coated in a crunchy beer batter along with honey glazed carrot and parsnips is just the ticket for a mum who loves a Sunday roast.
“We do spatchcock chicken in a number of marinades and they make a great option in winter and summer alike, taking just 55 minutes in the oven. They’re great on the barbecue too,” says O’Sullivan.
This makes it really easy to prepare a family feast that is fast, tasty and affordable. “It would cost you more to prepare the marinade you’ll find in one of our dishes than it does to buy a whole meal in the range,” he says.
Fishing for compliments
Among O’Sullivan’s personal favourites in the range are the fish dishes. How about starting your Mother’s Day feast with ham and cheese bites, followed by salmon with orange as a main course, and a side of baby potatoes with garlic and rosemary butter?
It’s a delicious, varied menu that’s a cinch to put together because all the work is done for you. “I mix the ginger, chillies and lemons, or make the coating of breadcrumbs. We’ve a huge range of flavoured butters too,” O’Sullivan says.
Vegetarian variety
While you’ll find main many meals, such as beef stir fry or Italian style meatballs, for just €6 each, and sides such as a potato gratin with cheese for €3, there is also a terrific array of vegetable and vegetarian dishes to choose from too, all selected and prepared fresh in store.
For the mum who’s making a move towards meat-free eating, how about picking up a Mother’s Day meal that’s vegetarian? Tasty cauliflower bites as a starter, followed by delicious vegetables en croute with a cheesy potato gratin on the side will fit the bill nicely.
“All the dishes are generously proportioned, they’re really great value for money and because there is so much choice in the range, you can mix and match as much as you want,” says O’Sullivan.
If you’re looking for a way to make Mother’s Day special this year, there’s a huge range of fish, chicken, meat, and vegetarian dishes to choose from.
Really, it’s the perfect recipe for Mother’s Day.
Discover the Freshly Prepared range, available at SuperValu stores nationwide. Supervalu.ie