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Princess Diana's chef reveals how to make your food last longer at home

The royal chef has also cooked for the Queen

empty shelves in supermarket
Aisha Nozari
Online Writer
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Princess Diana's royal chef, Darren McGrady, recently spoke to HELLO! about everything from royal recipes to the impressive ways the family coped during war eras. What's more, Darren also revealed one of the best ways to make your food last longer while stuck inside during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it doesn't involve stocking up on canned goods.

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Instead, the royal chef recommends buying root vegetables such as carrots and parsnips, or cheap cuts of meat. With those, it's simple to make an "amazing" stew or soup, which, by using up to "five times" the recipe portion, can last days. Darren explained: "I remember going into my grandmother's house as a little boy and smelling her stews in the oven, and that was comfort food. So I would tell people, this is the perfect time [to make stew]."

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prince harry prince william princess diana © Photo: Getty Images

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He continued: "You're self-isolating, you're at home, you can go to the store, you can stock up on root vegetables like carrots, parsnips and onions, and all of those things with just some chicken or some cheap cuts of beef – you can make the most amazing stew or soup.

"Use four, five times the recipe, and it freezes well and it stores well. You've got food in the house then. That's something I would recommend. And it's super healthy, too, and there's no need to be stocking up on cans and things that have a million additives that you don't really need."

While stews and soups are a healthy, long-lasting and nourishing option, Darren also reminds people of the importance of comfort food during these uncertain times, adding: "This is a time we're all stressed. We're in uncharted waters right now, we don't know what's going to happen. This is when our bodies turn to comfort food."

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