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Custard, sticky toffee puddings and other comfort food is making a comeback, as consumers try to ward off the economic crisis with nursery fare from their childhood. (The Telegraph 24 October)

Although we're cutting back on food shopping for the first time in over two decades, we're buying more puddings and pies. In the last 6 months, sales of custard have increased by 20%, Marks and Spencer bread and butter pudding by 15% and their sticky toffee pudding by 10%. Meanwhile, Tesco reports a 62% rise in sales of rice pudding and sales of shepherds pie and beef casserole ready meals have tripled.

Tesco spokesman Jonathan Church said: "The misery of the credit crunch has had a direct effect on our eating habits and shoppers are buying foods to cheer themselves up. There's nothing like a good old plate of pie and mash or a bowl of rice pudding to tuck into and help put a smile back on our faces."

Sales of luxury ready meals also appear to be on the increase as consumers are deserting restaurants and eating at home.

How have the contents of your grocery basket changed over the past few months? And would you like to see development chefs stepping back in time and creating more 1950's style ready meals?

People will have to be rationed to four modest portions of meat and one litre of milk a week if the world is to avoid run-away climate change, a major new report warns. (The Guardian, September 30)

The report, by the Food Climate Research Network, based at the University of Surrey, also says total food consumption should be reduced; especially "low nutritional value" treats such as alcohol, sweets and chocolates.

Tara Garnett, the report's author, urges us to return to the habits our mothers and grandmothers were familiar with; buying locally grown seasonal products, cooking in bulk and avoiding waste. (You can download the full report HERE)

In a nation that has become increasingly reliant on fast food and pre-packaged ready made meals, what impact will this new report have on consumers? And more importantly how will the food industry as a whole react?

The food industry must do more to stop millions of pounds of goods going to waste, according to a national charity. (BBC News 18 Sept)

FareShare, a charity which distributes food to projects helping the poor and homeless, is calling on suppliers and retailers to help drag thousands of Britons out of food poverty. FareShare acts as a waste broker, charging supermarkets and suppliers to take unwanted food which has been oversupplied, has packaging faults or is nearing the end of its shelf life. Companies like Kelloggs and Nestle are already among Fareshare's regular customers.

This sounds like a good solution for the food industry, but what should we as individuals be doing to curb the ridiculous amount of food we throw away each year?

The world is in the midst of a credit crisis, there's a global food shortage, and yet according to Philip Ward, director for local government services at WRAP, in the UK alone we throw away 6.7m tones of food every year. That's a staggering £10bn worth - and most of that ends up in landfill. Food waste that goes to landfill, decays to produce methane, which is a very potent greenhouse gas adding to climate change.

East Devon Council recently began a scheme to turn food waste into electricity. Kitchen leftovers and plastic bottles are being collected from about 12,000 homes in the Axe valley area on a weekly basis. The waste will then be recycled to produce a gas, generating electricity for the National Grid.

But can householders be bothered to further sort their rubbish? Do you want yet another wheelie bin cluttering up the garage or standing on the driveway? And how on earth do you keep track of which day to put out which particular bin?

We'd love to receive your comments...

Drinks Media Wire published an article last week informing us that new research from the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) shows that only one in four of us actually look for nutrition information on food packaging when we go to the supermarket.

The research, conducted in three UK supermarket chains with different labelling schemes (ASDA, Sainsbury's, Tesco), offers insight into how this information is used in real life shopping situations and is the first part of a broader study in six EU countries.

It appears that we are still lacking knowledge of the nutritional values of certain foods. 90% of consumers know that they should eat more fruit and vegetables, fibre and whole grains and yet only 5% of consumers surveyed knew that they should eat a lot of starchy foods such as bread and potatoes.

We also under-estimate calorie needs whilst over-estimating the amount of physical activity needed to burn them off. A major concern is people's understanding of the calorific needs of children. 35% of consumers think children need more calories than an adult man. Not surprising then that we have seen a dramatic increase in childhood obesity over the last few years.

According to the BMA, the health service spends a staggering £2 billion per year treating ill health caused by poor diet and if current trends continue at least 20% of boys and 33% of girls will be obese by the year 2020.

As food industry professionals, what part should we be playing in solving this problem? What can we do to convince people that a well balanced diet coupled with regular physical activity leads to a healthier lifestyle?

As always, we welcome your suggestions...

Every time he ate a Yorkie he would curse that Nestle had reduced the number of chunks. He was right of course, there used to be 7 and they reduced it to 6. Every consumption of a Crunchie was analysed to the enth degree. I can't repeat what he said when he saw a Curley Wurley in a newsagents but it went along the lines of going to see Cadbury's in person to find out who was responsible.

I now switch off to such rants and raves but unfortunately, he could have hit on something. What do we see in the press today, but proof that branded goods are being packaged differently.

In short, your Pampers nappies or Birdseye peas look the same but you are actually getting less for your money. The National Consumer Council are on the case and feel that we are having the wool pulled over our eyes.

Billy Connelly once said his radio in the kitchen was covered in muesli because he rants so much when the news is on he is always spitting his breakfast out. I must say my paper is now splattered in Ben Shaw's Dandelion & Burdoch (a must for a Monday lunch time) because I am so enraged.

So, firstly, an apology to my husband who is not a consumer anorak but indeed a diligent shopper with an eye for detail. Secondly, where will it all end? Global macro-economic problems are one thing, but taking three cans of Strongbow out of a box of 18 and charging the same is something else entirely.

The squeeze is certainly on, with inflation doubling in the last six months, and city analysts suggesting this is a result of a surge in supermarket prices. For me, the mad trolley dash (to get it over with) round Sainsbury's or Tesco is less of a dash and more of an analytical event these days.

Gone are the days when adding some Tesco Finest or Sainsbury's Taste the Difference can be done without a second thought. I know colleagues and friends are also the same and are spending longer over making purchases.

Now the focus is not just on cost but choosing primary items that can be turned into two or three meals. This may be no bad thing for our diets in terms of salt and fat consumption but it adds pressure on those who have a family to cater for around the commitments of a job and other exciting activities like dragging your three ton wheelie bin down the drive every other Tuesday at 7am!

If you are expecting a solution in this blog you're in for a disappointment. However, I would be keen to hear anyone's views and obviously amazing recipe suggestions on how to 'feed a family for £2.50' would be gratefully received.

I sat with bated breath waiting for the Monday night airing of Despatches on TV, wondering which of our huge industry Sandwich Manufacturers was about to get a very public kicking - I was about to be very disappointed! What had the potential to shake the very foundations of the British Sandwich maker turned out to be a hugely uneventful programme, focussing on a tin pot organisation in the back streets of London servicing a few garage forecourts. And was it really groundbreaking news to any of us that if you order a big whacking Subway loaded with Meatballs and Cheese that it's going to be heavier in calories, salt and fat than a cucumber sandwich on a couple of slices of wholemeal? On the other hand, I did sleep a little sounder, safe in the knowledge that my usual Tesco BLT hadn't been dragged across a factory floor or cross-contaminated with the pest control boxes so I suppose there is a little comfort to be had in the tale. But come on Channel 4, if your going to get us food industry employees all fired up on a Monday night; let's make it worth switching over from Eastenders!

In the constantly inflated climate we find ourselves in at the moment, we all seem to be looking for ways to cut down on the costs of running our households to compensate for spiralling prices on mortgages, fuel, etc., and most of us are looking in the direction of our weekly food shopping bill hoping to make a few savings. But are the major supermarkets really doing all they can to help our money go further? With a branded loaf now tipping the scales at over £1.20 and recent significant increases on basic staples such as eggs, meat and cheese, to name but a few, it would seem that 'every little is not helping' contrary to what television advertising would have us believe!

• Use local resources - I've been buying free-range organic eggs (with lots of double yolkers!) from our local farm shop paying £1 per ½ dozen compared to £2.15 at our local supermarket. The price is almost scandalous in comparison and there is the added benefit of the reduction in my carbon footprint. There are lots of local farm shops selling a range of fresh produce at a fraction of supermarket prices, so well worth giving them a try.


• Use your local butcher - he's a master of his art and in great need of your support and with his meat often at lower prices than the major multiples, there is a definite saving to be had. There's the vast reduction in unnecessary packaging to consider with this option, which again, brings its own benefits. There's also the added bonus of his experience and knowledge, which, for a well below par cook such as me, is always worth its weight in gold!


• Try discount supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl. Most people have shied away from these shops up until now but, although many of the brands are not what we are accustomed to, we should remember that although these discount supermarkets are relatively new to the UK, they are huge major multiples on the continent so have a massive buying power. The quality of their deli meats, cheeses, fresh fruit and vegetables is really good from my experience and the cost savings on basics such as milk, sugar and bread are significant. They also have a 'quick payment policy' in place for their suppliers, which again, gives the benefit of price reductions on branded goods. Give them a try and once you have got used to the 'pack your own bags' theme; you'll see the benefit in your purse maybe.


• Grow your own - I'm not suggesting for a minute that in our hectic lives we should attempt a return to 'the good life' but there's a definite saving to be had on items such as herbs, which retail around 50p in your local garden centre and once unceremoniously shoved in a pot, will give a year after year supply and taste much fresher than the plastic bag variety. Fruits such as rhubarb, raspberries and blackberries, take little if any care once planted and tomatoes are easy even to the most un-green of fingers. And, of course, there's nothing quite like picking your own produce for dinner.

What is happening to our traditional butchers and other independent food retailers? They are rapidly disappearing and so is the sense of community in towns and villages.

Why? The stranglehold of giant supermarket chains increasingly tightens as they open more and more "express" and "convenient" stores into these areas.

I can see this with my own eyes. Within a two mile radius of my home in Cheshire we have three "mini" stores opened by the big multiples at petrol stations!!!

The point is that the role of the local butcher is often overlooked - they are a key part of the community, they are often family-run businesses, they generally sell high-quality meat and the staff are in many cases highly experienced and knowledgeable about their products.

I think people can feel more secure when they pick up a packet where the meat is portioned up and priced, but do you really know what they are buying and is it really the best?

I guess most people think a chicken is a chicken and beef is beef, and I am not suggesting that the meat you get is below standard, it isn't, but there has to be a reason why the supermarkets can reduce the prices.

We have become so used to seeing well-packaged meat products, that have good colour, that is all the same size and is nice and plump, but there is a reason for that - they are mass produced and are on the shelf as quickly as possible. Yes they meet all the required regulations and can rightly declare free range and organic and they are readily endorsed by the celebrity chefs but surely there is nothing better than having meat that has been nurtured and matured in the traditional way that makes it tender and taste better and also can give you traceability.

A good butcher will be able to tell you not only about the age and cut of the meat but will also be able to tell you about its provenance as well as being able to pass on their knowledge about such matters as cooking times, cuts and menu suggestions - how often do you get that at the supermarket counter?

Supermarkets have come someway to stocking a greater variety but in these times of "watching the pennies" there are so many traditional cuts that are undervalued and under rated that are sold by your local butcher: oxtail, neck-end, breast of lamb, brisket, belly pork and shin beef, these are all fabulous flavoursome cuts that are great on a budget and you won't find in your supermarket.

Treat yourself to the succulent steak or Sunday joint that has been hung and tenderised correctly, the flavour is just not comparable to something vac-packed in a wrapper.

I am not saying never use your supermarket, but don't let your community go, support your local butcher, make friends with them, take their knowledge and you might actually expand your diet as well as save some money in your purse.