Monday, 29 December 2014

Students Starving to Save

Hello my Lovelies! 

I recently received a really interesting email from the lovely Chloe which contained some information about student food and spending habits. I thought those of you who, like me, are students may find this quite surprising to read.


'An estimated 1.7 million students will go hungry in order to pay bills. A new study conducted by Bacofoil and The National Student looked at shopping and cooking habits amongst students only to highlight the issue of food deprivation.

Almost 50% of students confessed to not cooking everyday and a further third said they didn’t eat a healthy diet. The cost of fresh food was cited as an obstacle to cooking, with two out of three prioritizing bills over food.

With the size of student loans already under fire, the study shows that students need more help.
On a more positive note, 7 out of 10 students said they eat vegetables on a daily basis and an increasing number are finding creative ways to cook on a tight budget.

“Eating healthily doesn’t have to be expensive and the calibre of entries for the Bacofoil Student Cook of the Year shows how it’s possible to cook imaginatively and cost effectively” said Adrian Brown, MD of Bacofoil.

Interestingly most students thought that studying art provides the best skill set for culinary creativity.” Perhaps it’s because you’re having to use your imagination that it’s somehow easier to come up with new ideas for recipes.” Said Arianna Lucia, who is studying a BSc in Management at the University of Manchester.'

Are you one of the many who choose to survive financially by not eating properly? It's possible.
If you're one of the people who is actually rather creative in the kitchen then don't forget about the incredible competition being run in association with Bacofoil.


Bacofoil Student Cook of the Year Competition

Until the 31st December 2014, students can enter the competition by posting a picture on Twitter or Facebook of a dish they have created, along with its name and the hashtag #BacofoilStudentCook. Entries will be judged on their presentation skills and the creativity of the dish’s name so get as creative as possible.

Once the finalists have been selected they will be invited to the final cook off, a high-pressure culinary contest at Cactus Kitchen in London, in which they will need to prepare a dish for the panel of judges. This year’s judges are celebrity chef and author Sam Stern, Masterchef Winner Steven Wallis, Bacofoil Marketing Manager Melissa Dickinson and Lulu Grimes, Deputy Editor at Olive Magazine.

The winning cook will receive £1,000 worth of groceries. Entrants can be of any age but must be currently studying at a UK university and have no professional cooking experience. For more information go to www.bacofoil.co.uk. You can also find Bacofoil on Twitter @ilovebacofoil

If you've found this interesting, let me know in the comments or get in touch through any of the means listed here.

Love you all!


T
xxx

Keeping You In The Loop!

Hello my Lovelies!

I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas and received everything you asked for, I know I've had a wonderful time back at home with my family. It's been a wonderful whirl of chocolate, presents, alcohol, laughter and board games. Let me know what you got up to at Christmas here or in the comments! 

It's been over 10 days since the last post but I've been taking a break from posting on everything to focus on spending time with my family and friends. There will be plenty of new posts coming up in the next couple of weeks as we head in to the new year, including my resolutions for 2015, photos and chats about some recent trips and some new information that's been shared with me by some wonderful brands. 

Let me know what you'd like to see happening on this blog in the future, I'm looking for all new things to write about so I'm open to all suggestions! Simply leave a comment down below or get in touch through social media here

Merry Christmas to y'all!
I'll be back with more exciting posts soon!

Love you all!

T
xxx

Thursday, 18 December 2014

Cute Chocolate Discs - Blogmas 2014 Day 18

Hey Guys!

It's Meg, and I'm back for the third and final instalment of  festive treats! This is the simplest of the three, however this only works for people who ARE NOT ALLERGIC TO NUTS!! But, to make up for that, these delicious treats will last in the fridge for up to 2 months - if they last that long!!

Fruit and Nut Chocolate Discs!

Equipment You Will Need!

A small pan
A heatproof bowl (that sits on top of the pan)
Baking trays
Non-Stick baking parchment
A teaspoon
A knife
A chopping board

Ingredients!

200g milk/plain chocolate
100g dried cranberries
100g pistachio nuts (or nuts of your choosing)
50g pot of sprinkles

Method!

1. Shell and chop up your choice of nuts.
2. Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water, and in the meantime, line your baking trays with the non-stick baking parchment. Once the chocolate has melted, spoon 'blobs' of chocolate onto the paper, making sure they are set well apart (as the chocolate will spread!).
3. Scatter a few cranberries, a small handful of nuts, and some sprinkles onto each chocolate circle.
4. Place in the fridge to harden overnight.



As with the previous two treats, all you need to turn these into cute gifts are: cellophane bags, some festive ribbon, a label, and a pen!


Place the chocolate discs into each cellophane bag, and seal like the fudge and peppermint creams!

Thanks Meg! If you enjoyed reading this post all about a crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth Christmas treat then be sure to give it a like, comment, +1 etc. Or if you have a message you'd like to pass on to Meg then you can get in touch with me through any of the links listed here.

Love you all!

T

xxx