Are supermarket BBQ chickens a smart shortcut or something to avoid? Today, we separate facts from fear — plastic bags, heat lamps, skin vs breast, sodium, additives — and how to enjoy a “chook night” without the blow-outs.

We also rant (productively!) about convenient nutrition “rules”, seed-oil panic, and the “natural = healthy” trap. Plus, a Woolies pantry hack we genuinely rate: Lebanese-style grains with chickpeas that make a high-fibre lunch in minutes. We finish with your listener question: how to find whole-grain, protein-forward options on weekends when everything seems to be white bread.

In this episode

• BBQ chicken decoded: plastic packaging under heat, microplastics concerns, skin vs breast, sodium, stuffing, and MSG sensitivities — what actually matters for health and what doesn’t.

• Rant time (useful, we promise): convenient “rules” that only apply when it suits, seed-oil scaremongering, and why “natural” lollies with “fake fibre” aren’t a free pass.

• Product spotlight: Woolworths Lebanese-style grains & chickpeas — why the ingredient list stacks up, clever add-ins, and how to split the pouch into two balanced lunches.

• Listener Q: weekend grab-and-go wins when whole-grain options seem non-existent (Subway builds, Vietnamese rice-paper rolls, Mexican bowls, and pre-packing strategies that beat mindless snacking).

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