Tuesday, 19 December 2023

I’m dreaming of a white poinsettia Christmas

With their delightful, vibrant scarlet colour, poinsettias have become as much a part of the festive season as Christmas trees themselves.   

But shoppers will be able to get their hands on the much rarer white variety when they go on sale at Tesco. 

The white ‘Alaska’ poinsettias have been grown for the supermarket by Lincolnshire-based horticulture experts Bridge Farm Group in order to help create a ‘wow factor’ for shoppers. 

Bridge Farm Group, based in Spalding, are one of the UK’s largest growers of poinsettias and now grow over a million a year as a result of their increasing popularity.    

Their rising popularity is also good news for British growers with Bridge Farm Group now taking over from the Dutch as the main supplier of the beautiful and vibrant house plants.  

In the last five years they have increased the supply of poinsettias to Tesco by nearly 1,000%.

Tesco plant buyer Vicky l’Anson said: “Over the last few decades poinsettias have established themselves as the number one gifting flower over the festive season and are as much a symbol of the start of Christmas as mince pies. 

“This year for the first time ever we’ll have the White Alaska which we think will create a real ‘wow’ factor with shoppers.” 

The white Alaska poinsettias originate from Sabaudia, a town 100 km south of Rome in Italy. The Alaska is recognised for its unique, large pure white bracts, making it one of the whitest varieties on the market. 

The poinsettia season is one of the shortest for house plants and they remain in stores for roughly eight weeks, from the end of October till the end of December.  

The bloom, which is also known as either the Christmas Flower or the Christmas Star in horticulture circles, is one of the birth flowers for December and represents happiness and success. 

Bridge Farm Group Managing Director David Brown added: “There are over 100 different poinsettia varieties in shades of red, pink, white, yellow, orange, purple and even multi-coloured ones so we’ll be excited to see how popular the white ones are with shoppers this year.” 

The white poinsettias, which are in a basket, go on sale at over 600 Tesco stores across the UK and cost £12 each. 

www.tesco.com.

Morisons. Where you can do your Christmas shopping and support beating food poverty

Until Christmas Eve, More Card customers will receive 100 points when they purchase and donate a 'Pick Up Pack’ in store. 

Demand for food banks can be especially high at Christmas and that’s why Morrisons Community Champions across the UK work so closely with their local community groups and food banks to help identify and provide the groceries they need the most. 

The pre-packed bags which cost between £1-£5 contain cupboard and household essentials specifically requested by local community groups; like cereal, pasta, sauces, tinned vegetable and toiletries, plus at this time of year festive items such as selection boxes.

Customers can pick up a pack on their way into the store, pay for it at the till and then place the bag in the dedicated donation station. The store's Community Champions will then distribute it to their local food bank.

Morrisons ‘Pick Up Packs’ is in addition to Morrisons surplus food programmes that sees unsold food donated to local groups all year round to help support local families.

Also, Morrisons has brought back its ‘Giving Tree’, which last year was successful in raising over £350,000 for local causes. Customers can pick up a bauble from the tree worth £1, £2 or £5 to donate to a local food bank or community group nominated by their store. Each bauble has a value which can be scanned at the checkout along with the customer's shopping.

Joseph Clark-Bland, Morrisons Community Manager, said: “Food banks are a lifeline for many people in the UK and demand can be especially high at Christmas. That’s why we wanted to make it easier for our customers to donate in whatever way they can, to help those in their local community get the items and support they need.”

The Morrisons Foundation has also launched its annual Christmas Appeal in support of The Trussell Trust. Customers who shop online are able to donate £1, £3, £5 or £10 with the final total match funded. Last year, customers managed to raise over £134,000 for the Trussell Trust through its Christmas Appeal. 

We'll be doing that later this week when we pick up our Christmas meat. Can't decide on turkey or beef this year. Still, our fully qualified and experienced Morrison's butcher will be able to advise us!

www.morrisons.com

Six-person roast for under £20 announced as 44% of Brits avoid hosting Christmas due to cost concerns

Brits are reportedly avoiding the responsibility of hosting Christmas Day this year, using extravagant excuses with having a broken oven (22%) and wanting to spend Christmas alone (21%) cited as some of the top explanations.

As 42% would be more likely to host Christmas if it cost less, Sainsbury’s recently announced a festive roast that feeds six for under £20 with Nectar, its lowest ever cost.

TV Personality, roast dinner devotee, and well-known bargain lover Tom Skinner, has shared how he’ll be hosting a festive roast for his family this year, and saving money at the same time.

Brits are dodging serving Christmas dinner this year, as 44% of the nation say they have been put off the idea of hosting family and friends due how much they think it could cost them.

Of those not volunteering to host their families this year, over a third (36%) have admitted they are proactively avoiding the duties, and 26% have come up with extravagant excuses such as claiming their oven is broken (22%), wanting to spend Christmas alone (21%) and not having enough chairs (19%)². 13% have even blamed it on their dog not liking guests, whilst almost a fifth (17%) have admitted leaving the family WhatsApp group to dodge the discussion altogether.

As 42% would be more likely to host Christmas if it cost less, Sainsbury’s recently announced the return of its price-busting festive roast at its lowest ever cost. Savvy shoppers can get all the ingredients they need to sort out their Christmas day meal and dessert that feeds six for under 20 Quid at Sainsbury’s with Nectar. At just £3.24 per person, it subverts Brits’ expectations that feeding six at Christmas needs to cost an average total of £84, making it available for less than a quarter of that price.

The research also revealed, instead of hosting duties, many want to ensure they have money left to treat themselves to other things this year, including going out for a meal with friends and family over the festive period (36%), booking a holiday for the New Year (27%) a shopping trip (22%), and self-care (21%). 

Yet at a lower cost per head than a day of London bus fares, or a fancy coffee, even the most apprehensive about the price of hosting Christmas can serve up a feast for six people for under £20, thanks to Sainsbury’s. That means there’s change left to spend on everything else Brits would rather splurge their festive pay checks on.

The roast features fresh turkey,plus other items deemed the top essentials of the traditional Christmas dinner, like potatoes (79%), gravy (75%), stuffing (69%) and pigs in blankets (63%). Meanwhile, other festive staples like parsnips, carrots and brussels sprouts which all cost a mere 19p per pack, will be included as part of the roast, topped off with a fruit sherry trifle to further delight guests at the end of the meal.

Limited knowledge of how to cater for vegetarians is cited as another reason the nation is dodging hosting (28%). In fact, almost a fifth (18%) claim they’ve previously just served up a bowl of vegetables when hosting because they don’t know what to make. 

Luckily, Sainsburys’ great value roast offering also includes a veggie option that feeds six for under £17. At £2.77 per person, it sees the Sainsbury's Plant Pioneers Meat Free Wellington replacing the turkey, along with a veggie gravy and Plant Pioneers Pups in Blankets.

TV personality, MasterChef contestant and roast fanatic Tom Skinner discusses the struggles to serve up a high-quality meal at Christmas for the family without worrying about the price tag.

He said: “It’s no surprise I’m a fan of a roast dinner, so naturally Christmas is my favourite time of year. The big day in the Skinner household is always full of food, and I’m all set for another year of hosting. who'd have thought I could serve a banging two-course roast for under £3.50 per person and have enough for leftovers, with the Sainsbury’s Feed six for less than £20 roast? If that’s not the most wonderful time of year, I don’t know what is – BOSH!”

Rhian Bartlett, Food Commercial Director at Sainsbury’s said: “We know our customers want to enjoy Christmas and celebrate with friends and family, whilst also treating themselves, too. At Sainsbury’s we’ve worked hard to ensure Christmas dinner doesn’t have to break the bank and our festive roast has everything needed to serve up a delicious meal for loved ones. By investing in lower prices, we’re proud to be able to offer a full Christmas roast for six people, that costs less than £3.50 per person with Nectar Prices.”

In addition to exceptionally low prices, all proceeds from the Sainsbury’s festive vegetables included in the roast will be donated to the Nourish the Nation programme in partnership with Comic Relief. By ensuring communities have improved access to balanced, nutritional, and sustainable food sources, the Nourish the Nation programme helps face food poverty by supporting those most in need, whilst also supporting those at risk in the longer term.

To take advantage of these great prices between 19th and 24th December, customers should scan their Nectar app or swipe their Nectar card at the till in store to save. Those shopping online will have their discounts applied automatically if their Nectar and Sainsbury’s accounts are linked for orders delivered between 20th – 24th December.

Those who don’t have a Nectar card can sign up to Nectar Prices by joining Nectar online at https://www.nectar.com, on the Nectar app, or by picking up a Nectar card in store. In fact, my wife and I did that only a week ago and already the savings we have made have been mounting up.

The full Festive offering is as follows:

Sainsbury’s festive roast for less than £20 includes:

by Sainsbury’s Standard Small Turkey, £3.75 per kg

by Sainsbury’s White Potatoes 2kg, 15p

by Sainsbury’s Brussel Sprouts 500g, 19p (x 2 required)

by Sainsbury’s Carrots 1kg, 19p

by Sainsbury’s Parsnips 500g, 19p

by Sainsbury’s Gravy Granules for Meat 170g, 60p

by Sainsbury’s Sage & Onion Stuffing Mix 85g, 40p

by Sainsbury’s Pigs in Blankets x12 260g, £2.50

by Sainsbury’s Fruit Sherry Trifle 900g, £4.50

Sainsbury’s vegetarian festive roast for less than £17includes:

Sainsbury's Plant Pioneers Meat Free Wellington 500g, £3.40 (x 2 required, frozen)

by Sainsbury’s Carrots 1kg, 19p

by Sainsbury’s Parsnips 500g, 19p

by Sainsbury’s Brussel Sprouts 500g, 19p (x 2 required)

by Sainsbury’s White Potatoes 2kg, 15p

by Sainsbury’s vegetable gravy granules 170g, 60p

Plant Pioneers Pups in Blankets 241g, £3.40

by Sainsbury’s Sage & Onion Stuffing Mix 170g, 40p

by Sainsbury’s Fruit Sherry Trifle 900g, £4.50

Selected Sainsbury’s seasonal vegetables available for 19p or less with Nectar Prices (with all proceeds donated to the Nourish the Nation programme in partnership with Comic Relief):

by Sainsbury’s White Potatoes 2kg, 15p

by Sainsbury’s Brussel Sprouts 500g, 19p

by Sainsbury’s Carrots 1kg, 19p

by Sainsbury’s Parsnips 500g, 19p

by Sainsbury’s Red Cabbage, 19p

by Sainsbury’s White Cabbage, 19p

by Sainsbury’s Swede, 19p

Seasonal vegetables available on Nectar prices from 18th December- 24th December.

What's new for Christmas? Tesco has the answers!

Move over cocktail sausages, mini quiche and prawn rings. Get ready for exotic bao buns, gyozas and teriyaki skewers as Pan-Asian delicacies are set to take over this season’s festive party food.

The traditional British party food classics have given way to flavour of the moment Eastern delicacies that include mainstays of Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Indian cuisine. 

Tesco is seeing shoppers this year turn away from traditional finger foods like chicken wings and prawn toast.

Instead, in come trendy new Asian bitesize favourites such as Yakatori chicken kebabs, Vietnamese style prawn pancakes, salmon Teriyaki skewers and Katsu chicken bites, as customers look for more exciting ways to impress their guests.

According to market-wide research from retail analysts Mintel, Pan-Asian cuisines such as Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese grew by nearly 17% in 12 months to June 2023, faster than established Indian, Chinese and Mexican food.

At Tesco demand for Pan-Asian food has grown so much this year that sushi has even replaced the smoked salmon sandwich as Britain’s favourite premium lunchtime treat. 

And since the beginning of the year, when Tesco launched its £5 Finest Meal Deal, sushi sales have rocketed by a stunning 90%. 

As a result of this growing demand, the supermarket has given its festive party food lines an Asian makeover. Among some of the exotic items that feature in this year’s Tesco party food range are:

Tesco Finest 8 Bao Buns

Tesco Finest Prawn and Vegetable Nests

Tesco Finest 9 Rainbow Gyoza Selection

Tesco Finest 10 Mini Keema Pies

Tesco Finest 6 Duck And Orange Steamed Buns

Katsu Chicken Bites

8 Vietnamese Style Prawn Pancakes

8 Salmon Teriyaki Skewers

10 Battered Crispy Sushi Rolls

Tesco party food buyer Natalie Linden said: “Pan-Asian food is very much the taste of the moment with Japanese and Thai among the fastest growing cuisines in the UK right now.

 “As a result we’ve brought some excitement and innovation to our new festive party food range, and moved away from some of the more traditional products that are no longer top of customers’ shopping lists.

 “This year we’ve seen really strong growth for our Finest Meal Deal which includes tasty treats like Poke Bowls, sushi boxes, gyozas and bao buns.

 “This has really inspired our team of chefs to develop a range of mini-bite versions of some of the most popular Pan-Asian dishes which we think will help create a real buzz at any festive party this year.”

This year Tesco have more than 90 chilled and frozen party food lines with the chilled items. The frozen ones will be handy to have around for any guests calling round unexpectedly.

Morrisons is the place for your Christmas parties

Morrisons is helping people get into the Christmas spirit without having to break the bank by making its cafés available to book for parties during the festive season.

Groups of between 8 to 20 people will be able to book a space at their local Morrisons café from 27 November to 23 December 2023 by speaking to a café colleague in-store.

Christmas parties at Morrisons offer a pocket-friendly way for people, community groups and businesses looking to celebrate during the festive period.

A Morrisons two or three course festive feast can be enjoyed for £10 for two courses and £12 for three. The menu includes classic dishes like prawn cocktail or tomato soup for starters, a Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings and a traditional Christmas pudding with cream or custard and chocolate fudge cake for desserts. 

Vegans and vegetarian diners need not worry as Morrisons has catered for these dietary requirements, with a pumpkin and cranberry roast served with seasonal vegetables available.

To add to the celebrations, all tables will be dressed with tablecloths, crackers and a free mince pie served after your meal  – because no Christmas party is complete without one. 

Chris Strong, Café Buying Manager at Morrisons, commented: “Our cafés are popular meeting spots for many groups, so it’s only right that we make them available for Christmas parties during the festive season to help spread some cheer. The menu offers delicious food fit for any Christmas gathering at a pocket friendly price so that as many of our customers as possible can join the celebrations. There’s even a free mince pie to enjoy on us!”

2-courses for £10 or 3-courses for £12, menu includes: 

Starters:

Prawn Cocktail

Prawns in a seafood sauce on crispy salad, with buttered wholemeal bread.

Tomato & Basil Soup

Served with a Market Street bread roll and butter.

Mozzarella Dippers and Cranberry Dip

Sticks of mozzarella coated in breadcrumbs served with a cranberry dip.

Mains:

Classic Christmas Dinner

Succulent turkey, roast potatoes, mash potato, pigs in blankets, sage & onion stuffing ball, cauliflower cheese, seasonal vegetables, Yorkshire pudding, cranberry sauce and gravy.

Veggie Christmas Dinner

Pumpkin & cranberry roast, roast potatoes, sage & onion stuffing ball, mash potato, cauliflower cheese, seasonal vegetables, sprouts, Yorkshire pudding, cranberry sauce and gravy.

Vegan Christmas Dinner

Pumpkin & cranberry roast, roast potatoes, sage & onion stuffing ball, seasonal vegetables, sprouts, cranberry sauce and gravy.

Desserts:  

Christmas Pudding 

Christmas pudding served with fresh cream or custard.

Starry Night Chocolate Fudge Cake with Cream

Served warm with cream.

Zesty Lemon and Mascarpone Cheesecake 

For more information on Morrisons Cafés, visit: https://my.morrisons.com/morrisons-cafe/ 

Christmas Parties at Morrisons Cafés, Ts&Cs:

Bookings are available in all Morrisons cafés from now until Monday 23rd December 2023 and require at least 7 days notice.

Parties from 8 up to 20 people can make a reservation by speaking to a café colleague.

To make a booking, guests will need to provide: lead name for booking, contact number, date and time of visit, food orders in advance and a non-refundable deposit of £2 per person.

Group parties will be permitted to use the café at any time of day including between 12pm - 4pm (12pm - 2pm in selected stores).

Drink purchases are not included and meals cannot be exchanged for an alternative café menu item.

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