food and drink – Page 72 – The NEN

Capital collaboration between Wemyss Malts and The Chocolate and Pastry Bar

A new couple in (The West End of ) Town

– Edinburgh based Wemyss Malts partners with neighbour The Chocolate and Pastry Bar

– Exclusive coupling in time for Valentine’s Day

Edinburgh’s Wemyss Malts and the Chocolate and Pastry Bar have come together to form the perfect partnership – just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Following the rebrand of the Wemyss Malts Core Range last year, the family-run business is continuing its mission to champion local, by partnering with Edinburgh’s Chocolate and Pastry Bar – debuting a range of delicious handmade Belgian Couverture Chocolate bars, inspired by the Core Range’s three uniquely flavoured whiskies – The Hive’, ‘Spice King’ and ‘Peat Chimney’.

The Wemyss Malts team has worked closely with chocolatier Chef Chiara Scipione to create the trio of chocolate, infused, and influenced by the flavour profile and tasting notes of each whisky.

Handmade with 54% cocoa Belgian dark chocolate – ‘The Hive’ is expertly blended with caramelised orange pieces, ‘Spice King’ is carefully combined with cracked black pepper and smooth caramel and ‘Peat Chimney’ is delicately made with Islay peat-smoked oats and almonds.

The Core Range and inspired Couverture Chocolate bars are available to buy from wemyssmalts.com/shop from Monday the 8th of February – and if ordered by Wednesday 10th of February, can be delivered in time for Valentine’s Day.

The Core Range is available through spirit and whisky specialists worldwide from £39.95. The trio of exclusive chocolates are on offer at £4.95 per bar or free with purchase of one of the Wemyss Malts Core Range.

Steven Shand, Whisky Blender at Wemyss Malts, said: “The past year hasn’t been easy for anyone, so we wanted to do our part to support our neighbours while exploring a new territory for the Wemyss Malts brand.

“It’s been wonderful to collaborate with such a creative business owner like Chiara whose expertise and flair has created the perfect indulgent pairings for our Core Collection.

“Whether you’re celebrating lockdown love or searching for an isolation treat, our new range of handmade Belgian Couverture Chocolates are the perfect pick me up this Valentine’s Day. Now whisky lovers can not only match the hand-crafted whisky blend to their personality, but can now also pair it with one of the delicious, flavoured chocolate bars.”

Chef Chiara Scipione, Owner of the Chocolate and Pastry Bar, said: “I’ve loved exploring the unique tasting notes of the Wemyss Malts Core Range and matching them with the flavour tones of the Belgian Chocolate.

“From the beginning of this process, I’ve been inspired by the brand’s unique take on whisky blending and their selection of flavours to suit every type of personality. It’s been fantastic exploring each of the flavour profiles to find the perfect combination of taste and textures to compliment the whisky with the chocolate.”

Morrisons to give away 60,000 FREE pizza-making kits to families in need this half term

Morrisons is giving away 60,000 pizza-making kits across the UK this half term to help fight holiday hunger.

Colleagues working on Morrisons pizza counters in stores will each prepare 30 pizza kits per day, which will then be distributed to local schools and community groups to help support families in need via Morrisons Community Champions.

Each kit includes ready to roll pizza dough, tomato sauce, grated cheese and either peppers and sweetcorn or pepperoni and ham depending on whether families would like a meat or vegetarian option.

The kits also contain a recipe card with cooking instructions and details of a competition that families can enter to be in with the chance of winning £100 Morrisons vouchers. All they have to do is post a picture of their pizza tagging Morrisons on Instagram and include the hashtag #PizzaKitWin.

Morrisons pizza-kit donations follow the donation of over 75,000 lunchboxes to school children over the previous half term break in October 2020.

Sian Ayling, Head of Food To Go at Morrisons, said: “We want to ensure that as many children as possible have access to the food they need over the half term break, which is why we’re offering these pizza kits to those who need them in our local communities and would encourage as many people as possible to get involved with our competition.’

Morrisons also offers customers the option of buying their own ‘Pick Up Packs’, which are also distributed to local food banks, schools and community groups.

The packs’ cost between £1 and £5 and contain a nutritionally balanced mix of food products and other essentials that have been requested by the local community groups according to their needs.

The pre-packed parcels are available at the front of all Morrisons stores and are paid for at the checkout. The pack is then put aside in our dedicated donation areas ready to be passed on the local food banks and community groups.

Supermarket convenience store shoppers spend £320 more a year on their groceries

Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express customers are paying up to £320 and £280 respectively more a year than those who shop at larger stores for the same items, new Which? analysis has revealed.

The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on consumers’ shopping habits, with many people avoiding large supermarkets in favour of shopping online or using convenience stores near their homes.

But while convenience stores have been a lifeline for many people during the pandemic, they are not the most economical way for consumers to shop as prices tend to be higher.

More than half (51%) of Which? members surveyed who used convenience stores said cost was one of their biggest bugbears.

To determine how much more customers could be spending at supermarket convenience stores compared to their larger stores, the consumer champion analysed the average weekly price of 48 own-label and branded groceries for five months in 2020 across the two largest convenience chains – Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express – and compared it with the cost of the same items at their supermarket counterparts.

Which? found customers could be paying 9.5 per cent more a year (£322) at Sainsbury’s Local than they would at a regular Sainsbury’s supermarket.

On average, the shopping list of 48 items, which included Napolina Chopped Tomatoes and McVities Ginger Nut biscuits, cost £71.26 a week at Sainsbury’s Local compared to £65.08 at a Sainsbury’s supermarket – an average weekly difference of £6.18 and £322 annually.

Which? also found Tesco Express customers could be paying 8.4 per cent (£279) more a year compared to those that shop at a larger Tesco supermarket. The shopping basket of 48 items would cost £69.12 at Tesco Express compared to £63.75 at a Tesco supermarket – a difference of £5.37 a week and £279 annually, on average.

At Sainsbury’s the products with the biggest price difference were a 400g can of Napolina Chopped Tomatoes, which was a third more expensive at Sainsbury’s Local, and a 250g packet of McVitie’s Ginger Nut Biscuits, which was just over a quarter pricier at a Sainsbury’s Local store compared to a larger supermarket.

A number of Tesco own-label products were a quarter (23%) more expensive in Express stores than in supermarkets, including Tesco 0% Fat Greek Style Yogurt (500g) and Tesco Orange Juice With Bits, Not From Concentrate (1lt).

In some cases, however, products were the same cost or even a fraction cheaper in the convenience store. For example, a 500ml bottle of Flash spray with bleach was the same price (£1) at Sainsbury’s Local, Tesco Express and the supermarkets, while McVities Digestives were on average 1p cheaper in the smaller stores.

Which? shared its findings with Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Sainsbury’s said that product price is influenced by a variety of factors including special offers, while Tesco said that rents, rates and operating costs are higher in built-up areas.

The use of convenience stores increased during the first lockdown, offering an alternative for those who preferred not to travel or queue for supermarkets and – particularly in the case of local stores that launched delivery services – a lifeline to vulnerable and shielding people.

A Which? members survey found three in five (61%) had shopped at Costcutter between one and three times a month in the eight months after the first nationwide lockdown began in March, compared to less than one in 10 (7%) before the pandemic.

Similarly, one in five (20%) had shopped at a Co-op four to six times a month since spring 2020, compared to just 12 per cent before lockdown.

Natalie Hitchins, Head of Home Products and Services at Which?, said: “Convenience stores have been a huge help to many of us during the pandemic. However, our research shows that shoppers who rely solely on supermarket convenience stores, rather than their larger stores for their groceries, are paying a premium.

“Customers will generally get more for their money at larger supermarket stores, but for some products, the price difference may not be significant, so it is always worth checking prices to make sure you are getting the best deal.”

	Average week	Week with greatest difference	Average annual cost and difference
Sainsbury’s
Main store	£65.08	£62.85	£3,384
Local store	£71.26	£73.05	£3,706
Difference	£6.18	£10.20	£322
Tesco
Main store	£63.75	£61.96	£3,315
Express store	£69.12	£70.81	£3,594
Difference	£5.37	£8.85	£279

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson responded: “We’re committed to offering our customers the best possible value.

“The price of our products is influenced by a range of factors, including promotions which can vary between Sainsbury’s supermarkets and convenience stores.”

A Tesco spokesperson said: “Our Tesco Express stores are mainly in built-up areas where unfortunately rents, rates and the operating costs for these stores are higher.

“The difference in prices of some products reflect these increased costs, but our prices remain competitive as we strive to offer great value to our customers.”

Dobbies Edinburgh partners with Too Good To Go in bid to tackle food waste

The UK’s leading garden centre retailer, Dobbies, has partnered with surplus food app, Too Good To Go, in a bid to combat food waste in its Edinburgh store.

Leading the food waste revolution, Too Good To Go lets people buy surplus food and drink from restaurants, grocery stores, pubs and producers to stop it from going to waste. Consumers simply download the free Too Good To Go app and search for nearby businesses with unsold produce. They then purchase a ‘Magic Bag’ and collect it at an allotted time.

Customers in Edinburgh are able purchase a Magic Bag in the Dobbies foodhall, filled with fresh and delicious surplus food that would ordinarily go to waste. With an RRP of £12-14, the Magic Bags are available to buy for £3.99.

Archie Stewart, Head of Food at Dobbies, said: “Our partnership with Too Good To Go is an innovative solution for customers and Dobbies to work together on a shared goal of reducing food waste.

“The Too Good To Go Magic Bags can be collected with ease from our Edinburgh store.”

Paschalis Loucaides, UK Country Manager at Too Good To Go, said: “We’re thrilled to have partnered with Dobbies and help reduce food waste. We’ve already seen brilliant traction for the Magic Bags on our app and know together we can make a huge difference in making sure food is eaten and enjoyed instead of wasted.”

Coming soon, co-founder of Too Good To Go, Jamie Crummie, will feature as a guest on the latest episode of the Dobbies podcast. Joining host Louise Midgely, Jamie will talk more about the partnership, the inspiration behind the anti-food waste enterprise and share his top tips on reducing food waste at home.

As well as Edinburgh, Too Good To Go Magic Bags are available to purchase in the following Dobbies stores across the UK: Aberdeen, Ashford, Atherstone, Aylesbury, Ayr, Birtley, Braehead, Brighton, Carlisle, Chesterfield, Cirencester, Dundee, Dunfermline, Gailey, Gillingham, Gloucester, Gosforth, Harleston Heath, Havant, Huntingdon, Liverpool, Livingston, Milngavie, Milton Keynes, Moreton Park, Morpeth, Northampton, Perth, Peterborough, Ponteland, Preston, Reading, Rugby, Shepton, Shenstone, Southport, Stapleton, Stirling, Stockton, Stratford Upon Avon, Swansea and Telford. More stores will be announced on the Dobbies website soon.

To purchase a Magic Bag, download the Too Good To Go App, available via the Apple Store and Google Play. To find out more visit toogoodtogo.co.uk

For more information visit dobbies.com

Two new stores: Aldi to invest over £6.7m in Lothians as part of continued expansion

Aldi, the UK’s lowest priced supermarket, is to invest more than £6.7 million in two new stores in Edinburgh and Midlothian this year, creating 42 jobs.

The supermarket will open a new store at Hermiston Gait in Edinburgh and Thornybank Industrial Estate in Dalkeith before the end of the year.

Aldi continues to lead the way on championing great quality Scottish produce with twenty five percent of its range now locally sourced in Scotland. The supermarket now has 96 stores throughout Scotland and is set to reach its 100^th store milestone by the end of the year. This investment is part of the supermarket’s long-term target to reach 1,200 stores in the UK by 2025.

Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer, Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “With shoppers increasingly looking to make sure they get unbeatable prices on their weekly shop without compromising on quality, our stores are becoming ever more popular.

“This investment in Aldi stores over the course of this year will help make the UK’s lowest-priced supermarket more accessible to even more people, and bring us closer to our long-term goal of having 1,200 stores across the UK by 2025.”

“We have been investing in Britain for more than 30 years now, but we know that there are still areas that either don’t have an Aldi at all, or that need another store to meet customer demand.

Last summer, Aldi announced it was looking for new store locations in 19 towns and cities across Scotland – including Stonehaven, Castle Douglas, and Peebles – as part of its longer-term expansion plans.

Aldi has recently increased its minimum hourly rates, paying a minimum hourly rate of £9.55 nationally, up from £9.40. Store colleagues will now be able to earn up to £10.57 after three years nationally and £11.32 after two years in London. The new rates of pay are also boosted by the fact Aldi is still one of the only UK supermarkets to pay for breaks taken during shifts, which means Aldi colleagues remain the best-paid in the sector.

The supermarket, which opened new stores in Livingston and Stewarton during 2020, has also announced plans to increase the amount of food and drink it buys from British suppliers by £3.5bn a year by 2025, as it continues its rapid expansion across the UK.

Aldi is widely recognised as the biggest supporter of local suppliers and has already put plans in place to expand its Scottish range to hit 500 locally sourced product lines in the next two years.

Aldi is also investing £500m in new and upgraded stores, distribution centres and its supply chain in 2021, which will create over 4,000 jobs as well as new opportunities for British food and drink producers.

Support local independents when lockdown lifts

A group bookings provider is urging the public to support their local bars and restaurants once lockdown restrictions are lifted.

The county is once again in lockdown, and pubs, restaurants and hotels are forced to shut their doors. Many see this as the third major blow to the hospitality sector across the UK.

This hardship to hospitality is tough to take for many, and Bradley Gough, CEO and Founder of Groubook, calls for more support for independent businesses working in the hospitality sector.

Mr Gough welcomes the new government grants to help keep businesses afloat until spring whilst we are all in lockdown, but warns it is not enough.

He says businesses are continuing to incur mounting debt and the £9,000 of support offered will quickly run out. It is not enough to cover the costs of many businesses and certainly will not underpin longer-term business viability for the sector.

Bradley is now calling for a clear plan on what happens next, especially for those sectors which have incurred massive losses throughout – but he is also calling for the British public to play their part and support the local businesses that need it so much.

Bradley Gough, CEO of Groubook said: “With the uncertainty of Brexit and COVID-19, it’s been a tough year for the hospitality sector, and the future of the industry is less known. Nobody has had any guidance on when we can re-open.

“Unfortunately, many bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants will not survive the strict new regulations across the UK.

“We don’t want to see the industry disappear and that’s what’s slowly happening.

So, we call on the British public to spearhead the rescue mission and support their local bars, cafes and restaurants when lockdown restrictions are lifted.

“We get it – some people will be excited to be back out eating, drinking, and socialising, and some will think it’s all too soon and want to stay home. Both are OK and we need to be more aware and tolerant of each other. But whether you choose to stay at home, or go out, we can all do our bit to help rescue the hospitality sector.”

Here are eight ways customers can support local businesses in the current climate:

Book a table

When safe to do and lockdown restrictions are lifted, you will be able to visit SOME of your favourite places again. Others will open days, weeks or months later when they are ready. And when you are ready and comfortable, book a table. When the restaurants see the bookings come in, it will give them the confidence to get back going again!

Don’t forget to visit midweek, not just at the weekends too.

Order takeaway if preferred

This is also possible during lockdown for many local hospitality businesses, but rest assured most places will continue this even if they’re “open” again.

So if you don’t want to attend in person, order the products to take away. It’s still supporting the business.

It’s worth checking the best way to deliver or collect, as many delivery apps take a commission from the business.

Cook at home

Quite a few local restaurants are offering DIY packs, ready meals and “finish at home” style packs. You just need to be prepared to do the final bit of effort, in heating up and presenting it.

Invest in vouchers

A lot of establishments in the hospitality sector have vouchers available to buy and they can be used in the future.

Having the money come in from vouchers is great for business confidence, and it’s good for consumers to have something to look forward to.

Vouchers also make great gifts!

Don’t forget the high street

Even through lockdown, various local shops that sold food remained open, such as delicatessens. More will reopen and spring back to life when safe and allowed, so keep tabs on the local high street outlets as you can get great fresh produce from delis etc. saving you visiting the supermarket.

It’s also worth mentioning that some traders make a living off doing pop-ups in places like pub car parks. So when safe to do so, keep an eye on your favourite traders via social media so you don’t miss out.

Share on social media

Speaking of social media, something as simple as a quick post on social media reporting on a great visit or meal can lead to more bookings. As customers, we need to be cheerleaders for our favourite independents, as they need all the publicity they can get.

Sharing your positive experience means a lot to the independent businesses but also helps others find great sources to use in future.

Turn up to your bookings

If you book a table at a restaurant in the coming weeks and months, make sure you turn up. In previous lockdowns, many independent businesses were hit by a wave of no-shows since reopening, and these affect small restaurants more than you might think.

But we are human so if, for any reason, you’re no longer able to make a booking, simply contact the restaurant and let them know in advance.

Normalise deposits

Learning from previous lockdowns, independents have been forced to ask for deposits with their bookings, requiring customers to put down a small, refundable fee to reduce the risk of people not turning up.

If you’re looking to book a table at one of your favourite restaurants, don’t be put off if they ask for a deposit. It will come off your bill!

Scotmid’s Snappy Shopper service: swift delivery in response to second lockdown

Use of Snappy Shopper increased 43% during previous Tier 4 lockdown

Shoppers are turning to convenience stores to plug gaps in their shopping deliveries during lockdown, according to a Scottish national retailer.

Scotmid has seen a 43% increase in orders using its Snappy Shopper service during the first lockdown and has been working hard to respond to the continued growth in demand for the service at a time when full lockdown restrictions are back in place.

The rise in use of the Snappy Shopper service – which delivers to customers from as little as 30 minutes – comes at a time when consumers are increasingly switching their shopping habits from in store to online – and finding delivery slots from the bigger supermarkets have been booked up sometimes weeks in advance.

Since launching online delivery through the Snappy Shopper app in Edinburgh last year, the service has benefited many individuals during the COVID-19 crisis, including those considered high-risk and having to shield.

Kevin Plant, Head of Food at Scotmid said: “With competition for online shopping slots fierce, Snappy Shopper is filling a much-needed gap for many residents in Edinburgh.

“Feedback from the community has shown us how important this service is – especially for people who are shielding – and we’re pleased to expand our service in the community, especially as Tier 4 restrictions are taking hold.”

The first delivery for every customer is free when they sign up on the app*, with subsequent deliveries in Edinburgh costing just £3.50.

There is a £10 minimum basket spend with a limit of 25 products per delivery.** Deliveries are available to order between 10am and 8pm, with the last delivery at 9pm.

Morrisons announce more support for food banks

Morrisons has announced it will set aside a further £5 million of food supplies to help keep the nation’s food banks stocked up this year.

Last year, Morrisons led the charge to restock Britain’s food banks, who found themselves struggling with unprecedented demand for their services. Through Morrisons network of Community Champions, £10 million of stock was delivered direct to food banks across the UK.

As the UK’s largest fresh foodmaker, Morrisons ran its bakery, egg and fruit & veg packing site for an extra hour every day to make, prepare and pack food required to restock the food banks – with over 2 million eggs and over 300,000 loaves of bread distributed through Morrisons own manufacturing sites.

Morrisons also focused on the essential products food banks were calling out for supplying 1 million packets of pasta, 1.5 million litres of long life milk and over 800,000 tins of beans to those in need. Other treats to help bring joy to families included 1 million Easter Eggs and 50,000 packs of McVities Victoria Biscuits through an innovative buy one, donate one campaign in November.

Food was then distributed locally through Morrisons network of local heroes – the community champions – who work closely with food banks on the ground to ensure they’re getting the vital stock that they need.

Food banks continue to play a vital role in the pandemic for many of the most vulnerable people in communities, with research by the Trussell Trust forecasting a 61% increase in food parcels needed across its UK Network this winter – and six emergency food parcels given out every minute.

The £5 million donation by Morrisons will continue to distribute food to those most in need this year.

Morrisons Chief Executive, David Potts said: “As food banks continue to face the extremely challenging times they find themselves in, it is only right that we continue to play our full part at Morrisons in feeding the nation.

“As a business our priority remains to be kind and support those in society who find themselves struggling through this very difficult time; all of us working together means no-one need be left behind”.

Morrisons customers have also played their part throughout the pandemic, contributing over £180,000 to the Trussell Trust through Morrisons.com and donating hundreds of thousands of products in store through the Morrisons Pick Up Packs.

A scheme where customers can select a small paper bag filled with a number of items needed specifically by their local food bank labelled with a price at the front of store, pay for the items and drop off their bag on their way out.

Share Your Vegan Recipe and Let’s Get Cooking!

In honour of Veganuary a time of year when vegan lovers can share the joys of all things vegan, Need2Know Books are looking for the best mouth-watering vegan recipes from members of the public.

Using a range of aromatic ingredients alongside a variety of vegan staples the hunt is on to find the best of the best in vegan cooking. So, if you fancy trying your hands at a bit of creative vegan culinary enter Need2Know Books’ Vegan Recipe Challenge.

There are lots of free giveaways for the best eight entries with the top two winners winning a free copy of the Essential Guide to Vegan Cooking and Food for Health, a must have guide on how to get optimal nutrition from food. A selection of the best original vegan recipe entries will be given a chance to be featured in a fully illustrated colour cookbook published by Need2Know Books.

Ian Walton, the director of Need2Know Books says: “We want vegan food lovers to explore new ways of cooking vegan food. Using a variety of flavours and textures the challenge is to create an original culinary masterpiece that is simple to make and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

“So, whether you want to put a new spin on brown rice and lentils, or butternut squash with pumpkin seeds, creating something new is the challenge.”

Need2Know Books publishes a variety of essential guides that cover issues concerning health, mental health, fitness and diet. A range of essential guides are available that give dietary advice and guidance on children’s nutrition, weight loss, and food for health. All Need2Know Books highlight important ‘essential things to know’ written in easy to read language without unnecessary and confusing jargon.

Covid has certainly changed our home habits with many of us spending more time in the kitchen experimenting with new foods and flavours. Research has found that cooking at home has increased by 40% since the first lockdown in March 2020.

The love of vegan cooking has been growing in the last few years. Recent data revealed the number of vegans in the UK now exceeds three-and-a-half million, or 7% of the population. These figures indicate that veganism has seen a 700% growth in the UK in the last two years.

In the United States a similar pattern can be seen. A new study has revealed that the number of Americans following plant-based diets is up nearly 9.6 million over the last 15 years. This is a 300% increase and nearly 3 percent of the population in the United States are following a vegan diet.

Kelly Fairchild, a global business development manager from Ipsos Retail Performance said: “Plant-based diets are fast becoming mainstream, but the change hasn’t been a steady one.

“Recent years have seen rapid adoption of vegan diets and more meat-free products making their way onto shelves. As the dialog around veganism shifts from one of animal welfare, to wider concerns around climate change and personal health, we are seeing more and more people adopt this once minority dietary preference.”

The growing love affair with vegan eating and living is affecting all of our lives and can no longer be ignored. As more meat free products become available from the big chain supermarkets the opportunity to experiment with exciting new dishes will inevitably continue to grow.

To enter Need2Know Books’ Vegan Recipe Challenge send your recipe and a picture of your best dish. Remember to personalise it with a catchy title and a good quality photo. Shortlisted recipes will be featured on the company’s social media channels. Recipes need to be clearly written with appropriate ingredients, measurements and cooking time. All sorts of recipes will be considered from tasty dinner meals, to exotic breads, and yummy desserts.

Eight winners will be chosen in total with six given a book of their choice from Need2Know Books’ extensive book catalogue. The top two winners will receive a free copy of The Essential Guide to Vegan Cooking and Food for Health. The best entries will be eligible to feature in a new fully illustrated cookbook published by Need2Know Books.

Visit: https://need2knowbooks.co.uk/need2know-books-vegan-recipe-challenge/ for further information.

All entries must be received by the 22^nd March 2021 with winners announced on Thursday 25th March 2021.

Heart Research UK Healthy Tips

Take a leaf out of Veganuary

The number of people following a vegan diet has risen in recent years and this month, many people are challenging themselves with ‘Veganuary’. A vegan diet contains only plant-based foods, such as grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. It is generally accepted that a vegan diet can offer benefits for the environment, animal welfare and your health.

The benefits of the vegan diet for your heart depends on which foods you choose and what else you do with your lifestyle. People who cut animal foods out of their diets tend to benefit from more fruit, veg and fibre and less saturated fat, with favourable blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Why not try out some of our Vegan inspired Healthy Heart Tips:

Try a new recipe

You can find lots of tasty vegan recipes online, such as on the BBC website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/diets/vegan.

Oil up

Rapeseed oil, flaxseed oil, walnuts, green leafy vegetables and soya products contain omega-3 fat which, when swapped for foods high in saturated fat, like fatty meats and cheese, could help to protect your heart and arteries. To cut down on animal fats, why not try swapping minced beef in your recipes for lentils, beans or chickpeas.

Look for reinforcements

To make sure your body isn’t missing out on essential nutrients, a vegan diet needs to be well-planned and you might need to top up on some vitamins. This time of year when sunlight exposure is limited, everyone in the UK should consider taking a vitamin D supplement.

This is especially important if you’re cutting out animal products. You’ll also need to supplement on vitamin B12 as you can’t get this from plant-based foods. Check food labels for the word ‘fortified’- most vegan spreads, breakfast cereals and soya products have vitamin D, calcium and B12 added to them.

The Vegan Society provides information about good nutrition for people following a vegan diet. Take a look at: https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/nutrients

The vegan diet isn’t the be all and end all to good health, but taking a leaf out of the vegan way could set you off in the right direction when it comes to heart health.

So why not give it a go, start with one meal a day or one day a week and see how you like it.