With meal planning becoming even more challenging as schools reopen and households return to packed weekday schedules after the mid-year break, Checkers has partnered with world-renowned chef, Jamie Oliver, to help solve the “What’s for dinner” dilemma.

An ordinary afternoon school run took an unexpected turn when Jamie surprised parents waiting to collect their children at Durbanville Preparatory School in Cape Town's northern suburbs. He invited them into a classroom for a hands-on cooking session, demonstrating how simple it can be to prepare delicious home-cooked meals using Checkers' new Dinner Done Better recipes.

Michelle Adams, a mother to four boys and one of the parents surprised by Jamie at the school, described the experience as a real “pinch me” moment: “It was completely surreal. The first recipe collection I ever bought for myself was one of Jamie’s cookbooks, so I was naturally nervous cooking alongside him. But he was incredibly approachable and his instructions were so clear. What struck me was how the recipes manage to incorporate everyday ingredients that many of us already have at home, in fresh and creative ways. I can really see Checkers’ new online meal options helping busy parents bring more variety and excitement to weeknight meals.”

“It was a bucket-list moment I didn't even know I had,” added Lente Swift. “One minute I was picking my son up from school and the next I was cooking alongside Jamie Oliver – who made me feel completely at ease, with no judgement about my culinary skills, or lack thereof. And I loved the recipes: they're fresh ideas, delicious and take the stress out of deciding what to cook. For any busy mom, having one less thing to think about is a real gift.”

Jamie believes that dinner doesn't need to be a daily drama, especially for Checkers customers who will now get exclusive access to 60 of his easy-to-prepare recipes – now made shoppable through the Checkers Sixty60 app, with enough inspiration to cook an easy fresh meal every weeknight for the entire school term.

Five new Dinner Done Better recipes will be available on Checkers Sixty60 every week, with ingredients deliverable in under 60 minutes.

 “As a supermarket obsessed with making everyday life easier for busy South Africans, Dinner Done Better is about taking the effort out of deciding what to cook and putting great meal ideas within easy reach. Jamie brings the trust and inspiration of simple, delicious recipes, while Checkers Sixty60 makes it easy to get the ingredients delivered to your door the very same day,” says Ilze Bylos, Chief Marketing Officer for the Shoprite Group.

“Our customers face thousands of decisions every day, and our aim is to remove friction at every step of the shopping journey, from inspiration to checkout, helping them reclaim time and mental space for the things that matter most.”

One featured recipe each week will be brought to life through a step-by-step video with Jamie Oliver, helping customers recreate the dish at home with confidence. The recipe will also appear on printed cards included in selected Sixty60 orders, complete with a QR code linking directly to Jamie's instructional cooking video.

The family-focused meals cater to a wide range of contemporary tastes, including superfood salads, meat and fish dishes, pasta favourites and hearty winter vegetable stews.

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