In our modern society, moms have numerous roles to play and are often juggling different tasks such as career, family life and wellbeing, all the while staying active and trying to look good. It’s inspiring, yet not easy to achieve. Supermom Zuraida Jardine is the epitome of this image: she manages to juggle a demanding career, while studying and being a loving, supportive mom to her two kids. One of the many things she’s learnt from Clover’s Little Big Cook Off is that quality family time is often shared while preparing, and enjoying food.

The kitchen has always been the heart of the home, and it’s the perfect place to bring busy families together. All three of Clover’s Little Big Cook Off judges echo the value of cooking to bring the family together. Chef Martin Kobald believes that bringing kids into the kitchen helps them learn valuable life lessons, and Chef Coco Reinarhz uses the kitchen to balance work and life.

“Our lives are so hectic at the moment, so spending family time in the kitchen creates a beautiful sense of community and homeliness,” Zuraida comments.

Zuraida is first-and-foremost a mom to five-year-old Zaria and four-year-old Shia. And as if that weren’t enough, she’s also studying towards a degree in Media and Psychology; but how does she manage to maintain a balance in her career and home life? “I’m constantly striving to achieve balance, and having a great support structure around me definitely helps me to get closer to the ideal. Support is king, and I’m fortunate in that my husband is very supportive and proud of my accomplishments.”

Zuraida adds that Clover’s Little Big Cook Off teaches us that spending time together in the kitchen can help maintain a strong family bond. “Enjoying any meal together is special for us, but my kids really enjoy the energy of having a braai,” she says. “And they absolutely love baking! Anything that they can watch rising in the oven adds to their fun,” she adds.

Clover has been a household name for more than 117 years, bringing South African families the nutritious, delicious products we love, from dairy products to beverages, all the while making our job as moms easier. Clover’s Little Big Cook Off reality television show exemplifies the family values that Clover stands for by making the kitchen a fun playground for adults and children to experiment and enjoy cooking together.

The first series of Clover’s Little Big Cook Off won the Best Game Show category in the 2015 South African Film & Television Awards (SAFTAs). Winning contestants on the show received a seven-night family holiday to Disney World, USA, in October 2014, as well as a kitchen makeover to the value of R300,000. They also had their recipes published in the Little Big Cook Off Recipe Book, the proceeds of which went to the winning team’s charity of choice.

Entries to compete on the second season of the show are now closed. However, by purchasing any two promotional Clover products and following the instructions on pack, you stand a chance of winning R1,000 in cash prizes daily until 30 September 2015! Visit www.clover.co.za for more info and T&C’s.

Season 2 of the show will run over 13 episodes, starting from 28 June 2015 on SABC 3 at 16:30. This year’s show features new teams and even more fabulous culinary challenges, and promises to be even bigger and better than before. Once again, the object of the show is to demonstrate how the adult-child teams can bond through creating delicious food and learning from each other, which is a lesson we can all apply to our own families.

What concluding advice does Zuraida have on keeping a family happy and maintaining a successful career? “Each family is unique… find out what works best for yours, and always remember to take care of your wellbeing first in terms of health and joy. When you are healthy and happy, you are pleasant to be around.”