Tag: food and drink

Healthy Heart Tip: Influencing Children’s Eating Habits

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Every parent or guardian has their own style of child-rearing, but ultimately every family has the same goal, which is to raise a healthy and happy child.

With a little intention and the right tools, we can do a lot to help our little ones thrive as good eaters!

Here we explore some of the ways you can encourage your child to adopt healthy eating habits:

Reward and punishment

  • We have all been there; we just want our little people to eat something! But parents and carers should carefully consider the use of food as a reward or punishment.
  • Children have a natural ability to regulate their eating and using foods as a reward or punishment can undermine healthy eating habits, as it encourages them to eat when they are not hungry.
  • Why not offer children non-edible objects or experiences as rewards, rather than food? For example, you could offer stickers or a trip to the park, as an alternative treat. Also don’t underestimate the power of verbal praise!

‘Clean your plate’

  • Pressuring children to ‘clean their plate’ may work in the short term, but it doesn’t promote long term healthy eating. It can also lead to a distaste for those nutritious foods they are being forced to eat.
  • Instead, help a child to feel supported, safe, and relaxed at the dinner table, by creating positive interactions with food. When a child feels safe, they are much more likely to want to eat and try new foods!

Offering choice

  • As parents, we can’t give our kids complete control over food, but we can guide them on making healthy choices.
  • For young children, you may give them to 2 or 3 options to choose from e.g., ‘would you like either toast or cereal for breakfast?’. Guided choices can be helpful as they enable a child to feel like they have their say and a degree of control, without feeling overwhelmed.

Eating is so messy!

  • Unfortunately, as much as we hate the mess, letting your kids get messy with food can be a big positive in relation to their eating habits.
  • Being messy with food, gives children the opportunity to learn about new foods using all their senses. Children who feel safe to touch, squash and play with their food become more familiar with the food and are more likely to snack on this later.
  • Maybe consider if you can embrace the mess at mealtimes, or alternatively consider dedicated ‘food playtime’.

We hope this article has given you some ‘food for thought’ about your food parenting behaviours.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/

Morrisons to offer free coffee pod recycling scheme

  • Scheme turns used aluminium and plastic pods into new products such as beverage cans and furniture –
  • 1.2bn beverage pods bought in the UK in 2021, up 32% compared to pre-pandemic levels –

Morrisons has become the first supermarket to offer its customers a way to recycle coffee pods through a partnership with the recycling scheme Podback.

Over the coming weeks, Morrisons customers will be able to pick up free Podback Collect+recycling bags from its customer service desks.**

The Podback bags can be filled with used coffee pods at home, then taken to one of 6,500 Collect+ delivered by Yodel drop off points around the UK***. All postage back to Podback is free of charge.

Through the Podback scheme, used aluminium pods are turned into aluminium ingots for new products – such as beverage cans, and used plastic coffee pods are turned into other plastic items – such as furniture. The used coffee grounds also go through anaerobic digestion – to produce a combination of biogas and soil improver.

Podback is the first coffee pod recycling scheme of its kind in the UK, and was set up by Nestle and Jacobs Douwe Egberts UK. Current participating brands include Nespresso, Tassimo, L’OR, Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Starbucks by Nespresso, Starbucks by Nescafé Dolce Gusto, Cru Kafe, Artisan Coffee Co, Allpress Espresso, Colonna Coffee and Café Palmieri by Jomad Coffee.

Sales of coffee pods have increased by 32% from pre-pandemic levels, as more people have worked from home. It is estimated that 1.2bn pods were bought in the UK in 2021, making Podback even more important as an easier route for customers to recycle their pods*.  

Rick Hindley, Executive Director at Podback, said: “Podback provides consumers all over the UK with an easy way to recycle their coffee pods, no matter what brand they are buying.

“Morrisons is the first supermarket to become a supporter of the Podback scheme, as well as provide bags in store. This is a great step forward and progress towards ensuring recycling coffee pods becomes second nature. Our goal is to ensure every pod enjoyed is recycled and working with retailers, like Morrisons, is crucial to ensuring the scheme is convenient and simple.

“We welcome other retailers to join to make it even easier for consumers to recycle pods in the future.”

Lorraine Wheeler, Environmental Packaging Manager at Morrisons, said: “Many of our customers want to brew fresh coffee at home using a coffee pod. But to date, coffee pod recycling has been confusing for consumers, with several different schemes by multiple brands. Podback offers an easy, simple scheme for all of our customers.” 

The partnership with Podback is part of a wide ranging waste reduction initiative. Since 2017 Morrisons has reduced its own brand plastic packaging in its 497 stores by over 8,000 tonnes a year and was the first supermarket to ditch plastic ‘bags for life’ in favour of paper bags, to use traditional paper bags for loose fruit and vegetables instead of plastic, and to introduce a refillable container service on its fish, meat and deli counters to reduce single-use packaging.

The move marks a key step for Podback, which recently made its recycling bags available online via Coffee Supplies Direct.

For further information please visit www.morrisons.com or www.podback.org.

Cooking up a storm!

Gordon Ramsay to open new restaurant at St James Quarter

Gordon Ramsay Street Burger will be opening its first Scottish based restaurant in a flagship location at St James Quarter

St James Quarter confirms another meaty arrival with Gordon Ramsay Street Burger set to open its first restaurant in Scotland.

Gordon Ramsay Street Burger will open within the Ribbon building at levels 4 and 5 of St James Quarter, opposite the Everyman Cinema which opens its doors in April this year.

The Gordon Ramsay team will elevate its concept for the Edinburgh branch, bringing a games lounge, DJ booth and stunning interiors designed by internationally acclaimed Russell Sage Studio.

The news follows the recent announcement of the March opening of Ka Pao, an East Asian restaurant from Glasgow that was presented a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin guide, a prize awarded to outlets offering exceptional quality cuisine at accessible prices.

Nick Peel, Managing Director at St James Quarter, commented: “It’s been a big week for St James Quarter with a number of iconic brands confirmed to be joining the family.

“We are delighted that Gordon Ramsay has chosen a flagship space within The Quarter for Street Burger’s Scottish debut. Edinburgh is clearly a city close to his heart and we think our guests will be wowed by what he and his team have got planned for the space.”

St James Quarter has gone from strength to strength since opening in June 2021, and offers an impressive and growing list of names at the retail led destination, which includes & Other Stories, Mango, Zara, REISS, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Stradivarius, Miele, Next, H&M, JD Sports, John Lewis and many more.

Getting into the Spirit: St James Quarter to introduce The Botanist

St James Quarter can reveal the award-winning brand The Botanist is set to open its doors later this year as it ventures into Scotland for the very first time.

Renowned for lavish botanical themed interiors, world-famous quirky cocktails and signature hanging kebabs, The Botanist will bring an immersive new experience to Edinburgh in the spectacular St Andrew’s Hall overlooking Leith Walk.

The Botanist will add to a formidable foodie offering that already includes Bonnie & Wild Scottish Marketplace, alongside pitstop dining brands such as Wingstop and Bross Bagels.

Nick Peek, Managing Director at St James Quarter, commented: “Spring has officially sprung here at St James Quarter as we welcome The Botanist to the family. With botanical themed interiors and refreshing cocktails, our customers are going to feel like they have been transported to an idyllic holiday destination.

“At St James Quarter, we pride ourselves on providing world-class facilities that will continuously offer unique and new experiences for our customers and The Botanist is set to do just that.”

Natasha Waterfield, Chief Operating Officer at New World Trading Company said: “Bringing our unique concept to Scotland for the first time is a hugely exciting moment for the business.

“Finding the right space in any location is paramount and St James Quarter is an innovative development that aligns with our brand and proposition. We can’t wait for the residents of Edinburgh, as well as the many tourists that visit the area, to experience our one-of-a-kind offer at The Botanist.”

St James Quarter has gone from strength to strength since opening in June 2021, and offers an impressive and growing list of names at the retail led destination, which includes & Other Stories, Mango, Zara, REISS, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Stradivarius, Miele, Next, H&M, JD Sports, John Lewis and many more.

New roles available at the venue will be listed at https://nwtc.uk.com/careers.  

Eating everyday ‘Cupboard Heroes’ can save your life

New research from World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) reveals that 97% of Brits already own the foods that could help to prevent cancer

  • Brits who spend the least on their weekly food shop own the most cancer preventative staple foods
  • Nation’s favourite staples revealed as tinned tuna and pasta
  • Nation’s least favourite voted as dried pulses, seeds and tinned carrots

World Cancer Research Fund, the leading authority on cancer prevention, is urging people to look in the back of their cupboards and make heroes of their forgotten basics.

While 40% of cancers could be prevented by lifestyle changes including diet, only 10% of Brits realise this, and 7% of people think that no cancers can be prevented.*

However, you don’t need to eat goji berries or other ‘superfoods’ every day to help prevent cancer. The basic foods that often languish in our cupboards can hold the key to improving our health. Even better, most of us already own them.

Respondents were asked to select from a long list of common, nutrient rich staple foods including tinned tomatoes, rice and pulses, that all aligned with one of the charity’s key cancer prevention recommendations: ‘Eat a better diet’. 97% of people owned at least one of these items.

The nation’s most loved staples were revealed as tinned tuna and pasta (both 27%), while the nation’s least loved foods included dried pulses (4%), seeds and tinned carrots (both 6%).


To help people make the most of these ingredients, the charity has developed a Cupboard Heroes recipe generator where people can type in their cupboard (or fridge, or freezer) basics and discover an array of delicious and healthy recipes that can also help reduce the risk of cancer.

Interestingly, the research shows that the majority (42%) of people spend £20-30 per person on their weekly shop. And it’s those who spend under £30pp who were shown to own the most cancer preventative foods, proving that eating a healthy diet doesn’t have to break the bank.


Bestselling author, chef and ambassador for Cancer Prevention Action Week 2022, Phil Vickery, said, “I’m thrilled to be partnered with World Cancer Research Fund to raise awareness of these important findings.

“Eating fuss-free staple foods has so many benefits, particularly in the current context. It’s never too late to change your diet and improve your health and you really can make showstopper meals which are full of flavour using unexpected ingredients.”

Rachael Gormley, CEO of World Cancer Research Fund said, “We have seen the power of prevention first-hand. Healthy eating can often feel unattainable, but our evidence shows we don’t need to rely on heavily marketed, expensive ‘superfoods’.

“Whilst canned, dried and frozen items often get a bad rap, the good news is they are also packed full of vital nutrients and can help to reduce your risk of cancer. This Cancer Prevention Action Week, we wanted to provide people with the tools and information that can help them reduce their cancer risk.

“Our latest research shows that people already have the right ingredients they just need some inspiration to turn them into delicious dishes.”



World Cancer Research Fund’s recipe generator enables people to input up to two basic ingredients and discover an array of nutritious meal ideas at the click of a button.

Recipes include lentil & tuna salad – mixing the nation’s least favourite store cupboard staple with one of its favourites, vegetable pasta bake – a simple and budget conscious option from the charity’s Family Flavours cookbook, and a chickpea & bean casserole.

For all recipes fresh ingredients can also be swapped for tinned.

Find out more at www.wcrf-uk.org/cpaw and watch the campaign video here.

IT’S ONLY FLIPPING PANCAKE DAY!

ALDI OFFERS QUALITY, VALUE AND STACKS OF CHOICE

Whether it’s sweet or savory, plain or packed with toppings, Aldi Scotland will be a pancake paradise this Shrove Tuesday (1st March) with a wide range of top quality pre-made pancakes and locally sourced ingredients all at ‘in-crepe-ibley’ good value.

With the delectable mixture of low prices, pancakes, crumpets and more toppings than you can shake your pan at, Aldi Scotland is making this Pancake Day the best flipping one yet. 

At just £0.75, Browning’s the Bakers are keeping things sweet with their ready-to-eat Large Maple Syrup Pancakes, while their Large Buttermilk Pancakes (£0.75) ensure the pancake conventionalists aren’t left feeling flat. 

Stack your maple syrup pancakes high with Aldi’s Specially Selected Scottish Streaky Bacon (£1.99, 240g) and a smothering of Specially Selected Ayrshire Sea Salted Butter (£1.65, 250g) for the ultimate sweet and savory experience.  Mix it up with a six pack of Browning’s the Baker crumpets (£0.55) topped with a smear of Specially Selected Scottish Strawberry or Raspberry Preserve for just £1.19. 

Aldi’s Pancake Day products are on sale now and are available across all 102 Scottish stores, so be sure to prepare for a perfect Pancake Day this year.  

You can find your nearest Aldi store here. 

Aldi currently work with over 90 local suppliers, stocking 450 Scottish products and are constantly looking to bring more of what Scotland’s vibrant food and drink industry has to offer to their customers. 

Call for Capital’s sustainable food projects to sign up to new directory

Edinburgh’s sustainable food producers and suppliers are being called upon to apply to have their details registered in a new directory.  

The Sustainable Food Directory is designed to help people find out where they can source sustainable food locally and to support the promotion of the capital as a leading food destination in Scotland. 

Managed by Edible Edinburgh, and supported by the City of Edinburgh Council, the directory will aim to showcase the best places to find local, sustainable food in Edinburgh, for residents and visitors.

Local food growing projects, community food organisations, shops, markets, cafes and restaurants are all being asked to apply to become part of the directory – with the aim of gaining recognition as  the most sustainable food places in the city.

Applicants are being asked to complete a short form, detailing why they should be included in the directory, along with a sustainability statement outlining how they’re actively working towards sustainability in their services; supply chain, packaging and recycling.

Councillor George Gordon, Chair of Edible Edinburgh, said: As a food partnership, we want to promote the breadth of sustainable, healthy, local food choices on offer to residents and visitors to Scotland’s capital city. Food that’s grown locally has less distance to travel to get to our plate, meaning less carbon emissions from things like transportation and storage. 

“We know that Edinburgh’s amazing local food and drink producers work hard to bring high quality, sustainably produced food to people’s plates. So, we’re calling on sustainable food businesses, growers, suppliers and producers in the city to apply to be listed on our new directory, highlighting their business action and ambition, to make it easier for people to support local food producers, shops and communities in Edinburgh.”

The project to create a Sustainable Food Directory was announced as part of Edible Edinburgh’s Inspiring Food event at Edinburgh College Granton Campus on Friday.

The college event promoted some of Edinburgh’s leading food businesses, charities, growing projects and pantries.

Business can find out more about the directory and how to register by emailing Edible Edinburgh on hello@edible-edinburgh.org.

The directory is scheduled to go live to the public in early summer.

Four ways to enjoy a flipping good Pancake Day at Fort Kinnaird

Sweet or savoury? Short stack or pile them high? With Pancake Day just around the corner, we’ve come up with four tasty ways you can celebrate Shrove Tuesday (1st March) at Fort Kinnaird.

  1. Tuck into an American classic at Frankie & Benny’s

If you’re a fan of brunch, then look no further than Frankie & Benny’s this Shrove Tuesday. Tuck into classic American-style pancakes topped with maple syrup and bacon, or why not sweeten things up with banana and chocolate sauce?

Visiting with the whole family? Kids are also catered for, with their breakfast stacks including apple juice, orange juice or milk in the price. View Frankie & Benny’s full menu here.

  1. Get your quick fix at McDonald’s

Looking for a quick and easy option that the whole family will enjoy? McDonald’s is renowned for its McMuffins, but did you know it also serves pancakes for breakfast too?

Diners can enjoy three golden pancakes drizzled with syrup and served with a classic pork sausage patty. Available to sit-in and savour or devour on the go.

View McDonald’s’ full breakfast menu here.

  1. Mix it up with Marks & Spencer

Preparing your pancakes at home? Marks & Spencer at Fort Kinnaird has all the essentials you need to create your dream stack. Along with the key ingredients of eggs, caster sugar, lemon juice, flour and milk, shoppers can also pick up various fruit, syrups and sauces. Kids will love the Percy Pig dessert sauce!

Short on time? Pick up a pack of buttermilk pancakes or try a pre-made shaker mix. Available in classic or vegan varieties, simply add your milk of choice, shake, pour and cook.

Browse in-store or visit Marks & Spencer’s website for more Pancake Day recipe ideas.

  1. Perfect your flip with ProCook

For those looking to show off their skills at home, ProCook has a variety of quality crepe pans to help you flip the perfect pancake.

While the simple carbon steel crepe pan (£7.99) is ideal for little ones having their first attempt, ProCook’s Professional Granite crepe pan (£34) will allow budding chefs achieve the perfect flip. With a non-stick coating and a cast iron body, this pan comes with a 25-year guarantee – making it a great investment for Pancake Days to come!

Pop in store to view the full cookware range or visit ProCook’s website for more inspiration.

For more information about planning a trip to Fort Kinnaird, please visit:

www.fortkinnaird.com.

Not seen them here-bivore!

MORRISONS CUSTOMERS SPOT NEW VEGAN PASTRY RANGE

Morrisons has launched a range of vegan pastries, available in store now at its Market Street bakery counters across the UK.

Prices start at just 75p per sausage roll, making the Morrisons offerings more affordable than other established options on the high street. 

The range has been getting an overwhelmingly positive response on social media, with customers commenting “Morrisons you have my heart”, “Oh my! I didn’t know how much I’d missed cheese and bacon turnovers until I saw this!” and “THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE”.

With over one million people pledging to go vegan since 2014, and over 600,000 sign ups to Veganuary in 2022, the range is ideal for anyone that’s looking for their pastry snack fill – without the meat. 

The new range includes:

  • No Sausage Rolls, 2 pack – £1.50 
  • No Steak Slices, 2 pack – £2.00
  • No Bacon & Cheeze Turnover – £1.20
  • Vegan Pasties, 2 pack – £3.00  

Mark Pearson, Pie Shop Buying Manager at Morrisons said: “We’re always looking to add new and exciting products to our Pie Shop  range.

“Customers are looking to expand their eating habits with a heavier focus on plant based and meat free alternatives and for this, the new vegan range of pastries are ideal. We’re excited to offer these meat-free options that taste as delicious as the originals.”

The pastries are available from Morrisons Market Street Pie Shop counters nationwide now. 

GRUBS UP at Morrisons!

Feed the family for a tenner this Half Term

– Includes two adult meals, two kids’ meals and four drinks – 

– Offers customers up to £13 in savings –

– Deal running now and all through February half term –

Morrisons has launched a ‘Feed the Family’ offer for just £10 in its cafés nationwide.

It includes two adult mains, two kids’ mains and four drinks and means savvy parents can save up to £13 compared to the usual cost of the meals. 

The deal is available now and will be running throughout February half term to help families stretch their budgets and dine out together. 

Adults can choose from a range of café favourites including hand-battered fish and chips, lasagne, jacket potatoes and burgers as well as drinks such as soft drinks or coffee. For the kids, the offer includes smaller portions of chicken nuggets or macaroni cheese along with drinks such as Tropicana or milk. Children will also receive a piece of fruit and a snack alongside their main meals. 

Loved-up couples can also get a Valentine’s biscuit and coffee deal for £2.50 in the cafés and our new BREW coffee bars. 

Ali Lyons, Head of Cafés at Morrisons, says: “This great offer comes at a time when our customers really need it. For the price of one main at a high-street restaurant, you can feed your whole family of four. 

“We’re also running it throughout the February half term to help families stretch their budgets.”

Morrisons Feed the Family offer is available in all our 406 cafés nationwide until Sunday 27th February and the offer will be automatically applied on paying.

For more information visit: https://my.morrisons.com/blog/food/new-cafe-menu/