Category Archives: Food and Drink

Shoppers already stockpiling Christmas food

Brits have already started to stock up on their ChristmasCupboard, according to new research.

The cupboard is filled with all sorts of festive treats including confectionary tins, savoury snacks like crisps and nuts and Christmas puddings, according to the study conducted by Asda.

The lastest income tracker shows that families now have less than £15 to spend each week, when compared to 2010, which means that spreading the cost ofChristmas is becoming more important than ever before.

Over three quarters of shoppers opt to shop ahead of November by buying a couple of treats each time they shop.

However, temptation is too much for some people with more than half admitting to dipping into their Christmas cupboard and scoffing food which is supposed to be saved for the festive period.

The research also revealed that one in ten blame the kids for the missing food in the run up to the big day.

Jessica Bates, Christmas confectionary buyer at Asda, says: “Our customers are certainly price savvy when it comes to spreading the cost of their festive shopping. We’ve sold almost three million tins of chocolates this week, although I’m sure quite a few of those won’t make it unopened until the big day.

“Luckily, we always have low prices on a whole range of Christmas Cupboard essentials, so it won’t cost the earth to replace an item here and there if they go missing.”

Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts at Taste of Christmas

Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts will join with Taste of Christmas this year to serve up the show’s first ever sit down dining offering between 2nd and 4th December at ExCeL, London. The brand new Jamie Oliver’s Dining Ticket at The Big Feastival pop up Restaurant  will not only delight over 2,000 people with delicious food in The Big Feastival pop-up restaurant but will also help raise funds for charity with £2 from every ticket sold going to support The Jamie Oliver Foundation. After opening the show with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Jamie will attend the first dining session, to oversee the start of service. The fantastic food on offer includes starters of seasonal Italian cured meats, marinated veggies and crunchy south coast squid with lime and chilli mayo. The main event will also not disappoint foodies with roasted shoulder of lamb, potato dauphinoise and tray baked seasonal veggies. There’s also a vegetarian option of ‘awesome’ baked spinach and ricotta cannelloni served with smashed slow roasted tomato sauce & ‘loadsa’ basil. Diners will also be treated to a festive glass of mulled wine, Jamie Oliver recipe book and entry to the show with access to over 200 seasonal producers, plus food and drink masterclasses and tastings. Taste of Christmas is proud to support The Jamie Oliver Foundation, a charity designed to empower, educate and engage people to love and enjoy good food. To reserve your place visit www.tasteofchristmas.com

It’s British Chocolate Week

It’s British Chocolate Week, so what will you be doing to celebrate?

As much as I like to this that this occurs every week, it doesn’t. But this does mean I can use it as an excuse to eat copious amounts of chocolate and feel no guilt, right?

Are you a big chocolate lover?

Try and incorporate as much chocolate as you can and let us know how you got along. I had chocolate milk for breakfast.

How I’m An Everyday VIP

Ladies, you don’t need to be as skinny as Victoria Beckham or as rich as Paris Hilton to be a VIP these days… look at me, I’m a size 12 and my obsession with (high street) shopping and smelly candles means I can barely afford to pay the bills, but I still make sure I make myself feel like a VIP at least once a week.

I am quite lucky in that I work as a music journalist so get to meet and interview some of the people I look up to in life on a regular basis (as well as a few folk who would do well to take a look at their over inflated egos too!) and let’s face it, what would life be without music? Firstly I’d be out of a job, but secondly I wouldn’t get that warm fuzzy feeling I get when I sit down with a musician of any calibre and have a cup of tea and a biscuit or two whilst we have a good chat and put the world to rights.

It doesn’t take expensive dresses, red carpets and champagne to make me feel special, whilst it would be nice from time to time, there’s nothing like a brew, biscuit and good company to make me feel like the luckiest lady on the planet. What’s more you can be your own VIP too if you join the McVitie’s VIP Club. Become a member and collect points to earn lots of exciting tea break treats ranging from free music downloads to iPod nanos!