With the hospitality and retail industries being under much increased pressure due to COVID-19, there has naturally been some limitations in the fresh-produce supply chain with a multitude of commercial markets, food suppliers and independent retails having temporarily suspended trading.

We are running a limited menu at present with some of our popular dishes currently unavailable. New and returning dishes will be available from w/c 19th April and we thank you for your patience at this time if you favourite dish is currently unavailable.

Because of the above, we are also having to limited orders to a maximum of 12 meals per household and 3 of the same dish per delivery - this ensures we can manage our production levels to satisfy all customers, whilst also thinking about the health and well-being of our hard-working team (all of our dishes are hand created using fresh ingredients and there are only so many hours in a day to produce them in this tough trading environment.)

We thank you for your continued support,

Rach & Chris xx

This week is Eating Disorder Awareness Week and with around 1.25million people in the UK suffering with an eating disorder it’s about time we were all equipped with the information on how to identify and approach this subject.

Before you approach the subject with a loved one there are a few key things to note about eating disorders:

• Eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes. Individuals suffering are not always underweight. In fact, of the three main eating disorders anorexia (where part of the diagnostic criteria is to have a BMI of less than 18.5kg.m²) accounts for 8% of total eating disorders, binge eating accounts for 22% and bulimia for 19% with other eating disorders included in the rest.

• 25% of total cases are men. It’s commonly thought that only women are affected although this is not the case.

• Eating disorders are most common among teenagers although they can develop at any age, in particularly menopausal women and vey young children.

• Eating disorders change the personality of the individual. Individuals suffering with an eating disorder may become very reserved, defensive, angry and secretive. Note that this is not the fault of the individual but it is a common symptom associated with eating disorders.

Eating disorders are hugely complex and may look different between individuals. Although, should you be concerned about yourself or a loved one below is a list of behaviours which are just a few common amongst eating disorder sufferers. Please note the list could go on and therefore should you be concerned we encourage you to further your research.

• If an individual is pre-occupied with food. Are they weighing/ obsessing over food?
• Social withdrawal
• Avoids situations where food is involved
• Carries out excessive and rigid exercise routines
• Denies hunger
• Becomes aggressive, secretive or defensive
• Expresses huge weight concern

Due to the nature of eating disorders individuals can be a very difficult subject to approach so here are a few key pointers of what you should be aware of when approaching a loved one.

• Avoid approaching the subject when food is involved/ around meal timings.
• Show care and concern rather than attacking the individual
• If they agree, go prepared with information on where they can find help. Check out BEAT Charity and the NHS for further guidance.
• Explain that you’re there to listen and not judge them.
• Avoid discussing this in public
• Be sensitive in your nature
• Avoid approaching them in a group environment as this can seem intimidating.

Remember eating disorders are not something in which the individual chooses and in many cases they may feel embarrassed or ashamed of their behaviour. Therefore, approach the topic with kindness, concern and an ear to listen.

This month is ‘Wear Red Day’, a day designed for all of us to show our support to congenital heart disease by wearing red coloured clothes and accessories.

Congenital heart disease is an overarching term for heart conditions which are developed in the womb. To raise awareness for this day we thought we have highlighted some key red foods along with their associated health benefits. Disclaimer: this post has been written to raise awareness for congenital heart disease, whilst the foods we mention do have health promoting benefits we do encourage a healthy balanced diet containing a range of colours.

Below are a few of our favourite health promoting red foods:

Strawberries

These popular summer berries are a rich source of vitamin C, a key nutrient which plays a role in supporting the immune function. It’s often believed that vitamin C will help to cure a cold although we’re sorry to be the barer of bad news but vitamin C is required over a prolonged period of time to build up a healthy immune function rather than fight off an attacking pathogen.

Cherries

Cherries are a great source of potassium. Potassium plays a role in helping to lower high blood pressure. Cherry juice is also one of the few independent foods which has been proven to aid sleep. Cherry juice increases the availability of tryptophan, a key amino acid which is required for the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Struggle to get your Zzzs it might be worth trying some cherry juice for the win.

Tomatoes

This fruit (yes you read that correctly) are most well known for their lycopene content. Lycopene is a phytochemical (chemicals found naturally in plants) which provides the red colour in tomatoes and has been associated with reduced risk of prostate cancer in men. The bioavailability (amount of the nutrient which is absorbed and utilised) is increased when you combine it with a source of healthy fats. We recommend drizzling some olive oil over your tomato salad.

Red apples

Apples (both red and green) contain prebiotic fibres which help to feed the good bacteria in your gut. We recommend eating them whole rather than juicing them to ensure you’re getting in all the good stuff! The fibre will also help to slow down the release of the sugar into your blood stream and keep you fuller for longer.

Red grapes 

Grapes (red in particular) are a source of resveratrol. Resveratrol is another phytochemical which has been associated with heart health promoting benefits. It’s resveratrol which underpins the associations between red wine and heart health. Although, some research suggests you’d need to drink 40 bottles per day to actually see any benefit (Note: WE DON’T RECOMMEND THAT). Remember though grapes are high in sugar and therefore we recommend you watch your portion size.

Watermelon

It’s all in the name! Watermelon is packed with water which makes it a really great hydration option on those summer days.

Red peppers

Red peppers are rich in vitamin B6, a water-soluble nutrient meaning that it cannot be stored in the body. Vitamin B6 plays a role in carbohydrate metabolism and the synthesis of stress hormones.

Red chilis

Red chilis are rich in Vitamins A and C, two vital immune boosting nutrients. It’s the capsicum in chilis which is commonly associated with increased ‘fat burn’, we’re sorry to let you down but to put it simply there is no evidence to suggest that eating chili (in the moderate amounts which we can handle) will have any affect on your metabolic rate and consequent fat burn.

Pomegranates

These powerhouse jewels have been associated with numerous health benefits including heart health and reducing inflammation. They’re also rich in vitamin K, a nutrient which is required for blood clotting.

In light of Wear Red Day to raise awareness for congenital heart disease we are promoting the health benefits of red foods although please remember a healthy diet is one which encompasses a wide range of colours, nutrients, textures and flavours!

In light of ‘World Pistachio Day’ (yes – there really is a day for everything now) we wanted to share some health promoting benefits of nuts, dispel some of the common myths associated with eating these plant-based nutrient powerhouses and shine some light on some of the lesser known varieties.

For this article we’ve partnered with our friends at Protein and Pantry who deliver some delicious and innovative nutritious snacks using one of our favourite ingredients – the humble nut.

So firstly, let’s dispel the most common myth associated with the consumption of nuts:

MYTH: Nuts cause weight gain

It’s well understood that nuts are a great source of healthy fats and unfortunately with that understanding comes the assumption that healthy dietary fats cause weight gain. This is not the case at all. In fact, healthy dietary fats have been associated with increased brain health, improved joint health and improved heart health. Monounsaturated fatty acids (the kind found in nuts) are associated with increasing the HDL (high density lipoprotein – aka the good cholesterol) and decreasing the LDL (low density lipoprotein – aka the bad cholesterol). We have a whole article on this so please click here for more on cholesterol.

One of the reasons why it is assumed that dietary fat contributes to weight gain is due to the calorie content of dietary fats. 1g of dietary fat contains 9kcal compared to carbohydrates and protein which contain 4kcal per 1g. Although, dietary fats and protein contributes to satiety and therefore you’re likely to consume less when you’re more satiated.

Another reason why dietary fat and the healthy fats from nuts are so important is that they help to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, namely: Vitamins A, D, E and K.

Now that we’ve gotten over that myth lets talk about some of the benefits associated with individual nuts.

As this post is in light of ‘World Pistachio Day’ we thought we would start with the great pistachio!

Pistachios

These green goods are a rich source of plant-based iron. You can increase the bioavailability (the amount of the nutrient which can be absorbed and utilised) of plant-based iron by adding a source of vitamin C. We recommend chopping up an apple and enjoying the pair together.

Almonds

These are among the most popular kids on the block. Almonds are rich in magnesium, a nutrient which is required in over 300 processes in the body and helps with muscle and neve relaxation. When almonds are consumed whole the fibre prevents the absorption of around 25% of the calories, therefore if you are someone who is concerned about the calories in nuts these may be a better option. Why not try the popcorn almonds delivered by our friends over at Protein and Pantry.

Brazil nuts

These are less common, although no less nutrient dense. Brazil nuts are known for their selenium content. Selenium is required in male fertility as it’s role is to help the sperm to swim. Selenium is also vital in supporting a healthy immune function. Remember though portion size is key when it comes to these larger nuts.

Macadamia nuts

Macadamia nuts are said to have the best omega-3: omega-6 ratio. A low ratio of omega-3 to higb omega-6 is associated with increased inflammation. Therefore, try mixing your nuts up to pack in the omega-3s too! Try our roasted fruit and nut mix to load up on the macadamias.

Cashew nuts

Cashews are a very good source of magnesium that ever so important micronutrient discussed above. They also contain some calcium which is important if you’re on a plant-based diet.

Peanuts

We apologise that we’ve lumped these in with the nuts when they’re technically a legume. Although, forgive us please as we felt it was important that these kings didn’t get left out. Peanut are very high in protein (significantly higher than the other nuts). Therefore, they’re more likely to keep you even fuller for longer and help to stabilise your blood sugar levels. Peanut butter is one of the most popular ways to consume peanuts in the diet. Ensure that you’re going for one with no added sugars and no palm oil where possible. We also recommend trying our delicious chicken satay made with Manilife peanut butter… If you don’t know, let us introduce you!

There you have the spotlight on nuts. Hopefully we’ve managed to convince you that these really are nutritional powerhouses which we would encourage you to incorporate into your diet (unless of course you have an allergy). Remember though portion size is key. A typical portion is around 25g (one small handful).

Happy snacking!

January is the time for quick fix dieting, ‘new year, new me’, high expectations and unrealistic goal setting.

When it comes to dieting there’s often much more to it than the oversimplified saying of ‘eat less and move more’. After Christmas there’s also an added pressure to lose weight which the media pushes despite whether you have weight to lose or not. All of these pressures can be contributors to the struggle to lose weight.

You might be surprised to hear that we’re not here to jump on the ‘new year, new me’ bandwagon. In fact, we’re here to talk more about the emotional aspect of eating. This is something which regularly gets swept under the carpet in all the all-consuming talk around diet and weight loss. It might be January but let’s take weight loss out of the equation for now whilst we highlight some key facts around understanding emotional eating and top tips for what you can do about it.

Firstly, emotional eating is to some degree very normal, it’s not something to feel guilty about, it’s more just something to be aware of. Emotional eating often refers to the excessive overconsumption of highly palatable (high sugar, high fat) foods consumed in one go.

Although, emotional eating can also describe eating patterns which are utilised to manage emotions. One doesn’t always have to be consuming large amounts of high sugar, high fat foods. Everyone’s eating patterns will look different and your emotional eating might look different to someone else’s.

How to know when you’re emotionally eating.

Learning to identify the difference between emotional hunger and true hunger is really important when it comes to identifying whether you’re eating for comfort or whether you’re eating as a result of biological hunger. Below are a few key signs which will help you to tell whether you’re emotional eating are.  

• If the hunger comes on suddenly
• If you’re craving certain foods
• Feeling guilty after eating
• Acknowledging a large consumption of food but feeling out of touch whilst eating or eating at a fast speed
• Removing yourself from social situations and comforting yourself with food
• Negative self-talk around eating

If you’re beginning to feel out of touch with your eating patterns and have noticed some chaos within your eating behaviours there are a few questions which you can ask yourself.

• Are you experiencing any difficult relationships?
• Are you stressed at work?
• Are you worried about something?
• Is there something you’re not speaking up about?

For some people, their emotional eating may be a familiar pattern which has played a role in their life for many years and therefore it might be rather challenging to identify. In such cases, we encourage you to seek professional personalised help. Should you find that you’re emotional eating every now and again there are a few things which you can do to help to manage this style of eating.

• Engage in self-care activities.

Emotional eating often comes about as a result of stress. Opt for relaxing activities such as reading a book, enjoying a cup of tea or listening to a podcast.

• Get active

This has nothing to do with the food you’re consuming. Getting active can play a huge role in helping to reduce overall stress.

• Sleep, Sleep and Sleep

The combination of a lack of sleep on your mood and appetite hormones makes emotional eating more likely when you’re tired. Try to ensure that you’re getting between 7-9 hours sleep per night.

• Eat a healthy balanced diet

Eating a healthy balanced diet rich in good quality proteins, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables can help to stabilise your blood sugar levels and contribute to a reduction in sugar highs and lows.

We hope these tips are helpful. Remember should you feel that you’re struggling to control your eating patterns or your relationship with food then we recommend seeking personalised, professional advice.