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Tesco urges shoppers to ‘take stock before they shop'

In the run-up to Christmas Tesco is urging its shoppers to 'take stock before the shop’ as a new survey reveals that a staggering 9 out of 10 shoppers don’t always know what’s in their kitchen.

It points out that "failing to plan sees food wasted as UK shoppers forget to check their cupboards, fridges and freezers before stocking up."

At a time when household budgets are squeezed, making the most of food is essential. But a new study from Tesco reveals nine in 10 (92%) shoppers don’t always know what they already have in their kitchens before heading to the supermarket.

Despite 65% of shoppers acknowledging a store cupboard stock take would help them reduce food waste, the majority (80%) don’t always do follow through with that and instead hit the aisles or order in a takeaway without checking what they already have. 

This leads to increased spending, duplicated purchases, incomplete meals and ultimately, food ending up in the bin as ingredients are overlooked and left to spoil. The research found:

• 68% of people have purchased food without realising they already have the same item waiting at home

• 62% of UK adults have missed items from their food shop because they mistakenly believed they already had the item

• As a consequence, 53% have had to change meal plans

The research, commissioned by Tesco via YouGov, shows three quarters (73%) of UK households have thrown away forgotten items lurking in cupboards, fridges and freezers that they never got around to eating. The amount of edible food an average UK household wastes each year equates to approximately £800.

Much of the food going to waste is produce that is often stored out of sight in kitchens, including:

• Baked goods like loaves and rolls are thrown out by 60% of households that admit to having ever thrown out unused store cupboard items

• 27% of such households bin jars of condiments like ketchup and mustard

• Even tinned produce, despite typically long use-by dates, is going to waste, with 13% of offending households throwing away cans of beans or tuna fish

As the cost of living increases and many households are looking for ways to be smarter with their budgets and their food, Tesco is encouraging shoppers to make a shopping list and take stock before they shop, order in a takeaway or even go out for dinner.

Tesco is encouraging the nation to implement a Use Up Day where, once a week, people cook a meal using up food already in their kitchen, without needing to go out to buy more. By adopting this simple food hack, the average family could reduce the amount of food thrown away at home by a third, equalling a potential financial saving of £260 per year.

This weekly kitchen clear out helps shoppers to take stock to see what food they already have, making it easier to write a list of what is needed before going out to by more food.

Tony McElroy, Tesco Head of Campaigns said: “At Tesco, we want our customers to be able to get more out of their food shop whilst keeping delicious meals on the table. That’s why we’re encouraging shoppers to implement a weekly Use Up Day, take stock of what they have in their kitchens and make a shopping list before venturing out to the shops. A little planning can help us spend less and reduce food waste, helping both our pockets and the planet.”

To provide inspiration, Tesco's chefs have compiled their top five budget and waste-friendly recipes to help everyone make the most of the most forgotten about items, all costing less than £1.50 per serving.

Tasty recipes from Chefs at Tesco to inspire Use Up Day:

• Chilli bean soup with cheesy garlic bread. Perfect for using up bread, tinned beans, onions and chopped tomatoes.

• Crispy chicken Caesar wraps. Perfect for using up potatoes, lettuce, wraps, and any chicken.

• Tomato and pesto spaghetti. Perfect for using up tomatoes, pasta, pesto and lemons.

• Slow-cooker sausage and butter bean casserole. Perfect for using up any sausages, peppers, pitta breads and cheese.

• Banoffee pie. Perfect for using up bananas, milk and biscuits.

Why not visit the Tesco food waste hub for more recipes and resources: https://realfood.tesco.com/reduce-food-waste.html.

Incidentally, we at That's Food and Drink are enjoying a very delicious bread and butter pudding made with stale bread this evening.

(Image courtesy of  RitaE and Pixabay)

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Fresh from the Press! Luscombe's Organic English Apple Juice

At this time of year, there's a veritable buzz in the air at the Devon farm of premium soft drinks producer Luscombe. 

The apple press is whirring away and the sweet aroma of fresh apple juice fills the air, the apple harvest is well underway! Apples have been growing in the orchards of Luscombe since the 12th century. 

A long, hot, dry summer followed by September downpours resulted in a later harvest than normal, but a bumper crop of succulent apples, producing Luscombe's delightfully sweet Organic English Apple Juice (12x27cl bottles, £22.40 from luscombe.co.uk).

Apples require plenty of moisture to grow and the late summer rain was very welcome and just in the nick of time! The apples have since swelled, bringing out their best taste, an exceptional, sweet juice. It is this special taste that Luscombe apples are grown for, with carefully timed picking, and a trusted community of growers help to craft a delicious blend of varieties. 

Key to the recipe are the heritage apples which date back many generations, with Devon Crimson, Pig's Snout and Slack-ma-Girdle some of the best named among them!

With an impressive depth, Luscombe Organic English Apple Juice is a heavenly match for traditional roast pork and crackling and is magnificent served chilled with cold ham and chicken, grilled sweet fish, green leafy salads and goats' cheese. (It sounds to us at That's Food and Drink that this apple juice should be bought in for Christmas.)

Luscombe is justifiably proud to be the first drinks brand to have gained organic accreditation from the Soil Association and like all Luscombe drinks, it's important to know that Organic English Apple Juice contains no artificial additives, sweeteners or concentrates.

Producing beautifully crafted drinks on a farm in Devon since 1975, Luscombe gather nature's best ingredients and, with very little and careful intervention, turn them into their superb range of organic fruit juices, crushes, bubblies, tonic waters and mixers, plus a traditional organic Devon cider.

Founder and owner, Gabriel David, has become renowned for his pursuit of perfection and no compromise approach to creating the elegant and multi-award-winning range of drinks.

It's Luscombe's attention to detail along with the expertise and passion of their growers, which ensures only the very best quality ingredients go into their drinks.

For further information on Luscombe Drinks visit www.luscombe.co.uk, follow luscombedrinks on Instagram or 'Like' luscombedrinks on Facebook.

Tropical Sun Launch Ready-to-Eat Jackfruit Range Exclusively in Asda

Famous for its meat-like texture, young green jackfruit has been hailed as a “vegan sensation”. 

Whether preparing fresh or tinned jackfruit, the process can be long and manually intensive, making it impractical for those who are short of time or not inclined towards cooking from scratch. Or who live in a home which don't have a particularly good kitchen?

But fear not, faster food fans, for the UK’s top World Food brand, Tropical Sun, has partnered with Asda to offer its vegetarian and vegan customers two ready-to-eat jackfruit products that will delight anyone looking for a plant-based ‘pulled meat’ experience.

Tropical Sun’s BBQ and Tex Mex Pulled Jackfruit hit the shelves of the Asda World Food aisles on the 26th November, just in time for ‘Veganuary’.

The 400g tins will retail at £2.49 (check for current pricing) and are the perfect base for a quick and simple plant-based meal. Stuff the BBQ jackfruit into a lightly toasted brioche bun, top with salad and serve chunky chips for the ultimate ‘pulled pork’ experience. Load a tortilla wrap with the Tex Mex jackfruit, rice, black beans and guacamole for a burrito that goes beyond!

Says Vas Sideras, Tropical Sun’s Supermarket Lead said of the jackfruit products: “We’ve seen a soaring demand for plant-based foods in recent years and these ready-to-eat products build off the success of our Jackfruit in Brine and Jackfruit in Water products which are amongst the most popular foods in our entire range.”

Tropical Sun has been importing fantastic World Foods including spices, oils drinks and snacks from all over the world since 1996.

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Sandford Orchards Reveals Cider Done Right Is Better for Cider lovers and the Planet

Award-winning cider maker, Sandford Orchards, has revealed why drinking its fabulous cider is a more sustainable option than many other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on the market. Sandford 

Orchards' natural, low-impact approach to producing cider is good for soil health and wildlife diversity. It also has a short supply chain and uses a lot less energy and water than many of its counterparts.

Barny Butterfield, Chief Cidermaker at Sandford Orchards reveals why: “Starting from the ground up, our apples grow in local orchards, many of which contain diverse and often historic apple tree types.

"Once planted, the soil in these orchards remains untouched, often for centuries, allowing the natural drawdown of carbon into the earth. Undisturbed soils are better for natural fungi, small and large invertebrates, burrowing insects, small mammals and all the greater food web that relies on them. Healthy soils are the super-power at the heart of any thriving ecosystem.”

Barny went on to say: “The apple trees are fantastic carbon sinks too. The deep roots, the trunk and branches all lock in carbon, as do the leaves and unharvested fruit. They are also an amazing food source for a huge range of creatures. 

"During blossom time, a 20 acre orchard serves up 900kg of nectar and 3.5 tons of pollen and the apples, both on the tree and later on the ground, all provide a hugely welcome larder for insects, birds, bats, hedgehogs mice, voles, owls, foxes, badgers and more.”

Also, Sandford Orchards has put a number of features in place to reduce their energy consumption and use renewable sources, where possible.

Barny added: “We like to keep our supply chain short and to recycle any waste. Our furthest orchard is only 20 miles away and our by-products of pressing and fermentation are both sent locally to be bio-converted into natural green gas, and to re-capture CO2. This CO2 is then returned to the ciderworks to carbonate our ciders.”

Barny elaborates: “We use locally coppiced regenerating woodlands for fuel for heating water and have installed solar panels which produce 25% of our required electricity. We have switched to electrical forklifts, and currently two of our company cars are EV with a plan in place to have all our company vehicles charged by renewable power. 

"We use the clever architecture of the building to keep the premises at a constant temperature and also maximise the use of natural lighting, plus we move the apples into the mill using rainwater harvested from our roofs. In areas where we require temperature control, we have retro-fitted full insulation and rapid closing doors, hugely reducing the energy required to keep an even temperature.”

Another key point that sets Sandford Orchards' cider apart from many other drinks is that they use minimal heat in the production process. 

Barny explains: “By using filtration and cold sterilisation much of the time, the warmest our cider gets is when you drink it! Compared to other drinks that require massive heat inputs to boil ingredients, the energy we need to use to make our cider is really tiny. 

"It's all about fabulous apples, grown in wildlife-rich local orchards with minimal other inputs. Our low impact approach to cider-making means you can enjoy a pint in the knowledge that you've made a sustainable choice.”

Founded in 2002, independent, family-owned Sandford Orchards is based in Crediton, Mid Devon and is based in the UKs oldest working cider mill. 

The area has long been known as one of the most fertile parishes in all of Britain, both for its grazing and ability to grow apples. Crediton sits in the lee of the moors, so receives the perfect amount of rain and the right units of summer heat.

Sandford Orchards takes a fresh, natural and low impact approach to producing cider. Combining tradition and innovation, Sandford Orchards produces an award-winning range of core session, traditional, fine and fruit ciders.

For further information on Sandford Orchards please visit www.sandfordorchards.co.uk, follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

Ideal for Vegetarian November: The Collective Suckies range

You could well have heard of The Collective Suckies range: an easy mess free pouch,  great for lunch boxes or eating on the move. 

Now they come with dairy free and no added sugar options. But without compromising on taste, of course!

The No Added Sugar Suckies are made with British milk and real fruit for a sweet and mild taste, providing a source of Vitamin D for immune support. Available in three brand new flavour combos, strawberry & banana, banana & cocoa or mango & peach, the delicious new range is available in Tesco and Ocado from the 12th September for just 85p.

Available in three flavours, strawberry, peach and apricot and banana, Dairy Free Suckies are available in Tesco, Ocado and Waitrose for just £1.

Made with a unique combo of oats and coconut blended with real fruit, the dairy-free alternative boasts a thick and creamy texture (with no pips and bits!). What’s more, each pouch is packed with live cultures and provides sources of vitamin D & B12 for immune support and calcium for strong bones.

https://www.thecollectivedairy.com/dairyfree.

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