Happy holidays!

By Ellen Wallwork

HFG Christmas cake

The sun is shining, the schools have broken up and glorious British summertime is in full swing… but while most of the nation has been snacking on strawberries and lounging in deck chairs, here at HFG HQ we’ve been humming ‘Deck the halls’, tucking into Christmas cake and shaking fake snow out of our hair.

No, we’re not in a time warp wishing away the sunshine so we can pull on our Christmas jumpers, but when it comes to planning our Winter issue we do have to fast forward a little and muster festive cheer in July, regardless of the 30C heat.

It takes a lot of time and planning to put together our healthy recipes. First stop is the test kitchen, where our hard-working recipe consultant Phil Mundy gets to work – cue long days of sampling and tweaking dishes until they are as nutritious and, of course, delicious as possible. It’s a tough balancing act, but Phil’s got the knack of making food taste extra special, without adding unhealthy ingredients into the mix.

HFG Christmas pudding ice-cream

Next, each recipe is analysed by nutrition consultant Juliette Kellow, who uses her expert knowledge to calculate the full nutritional information per serving. She also adds our unique at-a-glance symbols to each dish, making it easy for you to find the right recipes for your health requirements or weight-loss goals.

This week we’ve had the pleasurable task of testing the recipes for our Winter issue – and we just couldn’t wait to share some of the treats we’ve got in store for you. Our healthier take on Christmas cake is the perfect balance of rich festive flavours and light texture, while the Christmas pudding ice cream is an inspired twist on the traditional dessert. And the fake snow? Well, that was just to help us get into the spirit!

Roll on Tuesday 19 November when our Winter issue hits the shelves – our early Christmas gift to you!

Confessions of a gadget queen

By Liz Atkins

I'm sure I could squeeze another machine in there...

‘Ha! We were just debating what new gadget Liz would be showing off,’ smirked my teenage niece the minute she set foot in my kitchen. She was eyeing the Virgin Pure T7 WaterBar with slight disapproval. OK, I am partial to a shiny innovation and I do like to browse those you-need-one-of-these! brochures that come free with the Radio Times.

But I have a feeling my worktop water dispenser, with its rather pleasing retro design, is more than a passing whim. It’s the kind of non-essential acquisition that soon becomes hard to imagine doing without. Basically, it dispenses perfectly chilled purified water at the touch of a button. But also – novelty! – it dispenses hot purified water at the touch of a second button. Sticklers for tea made with boiling water will want to press button number three. It’s connected to the mains, so no need to refill – ever. My poor exhausted kettle (itself a shiny new gadget not so long ago) is now in the back of a cupboard.

So why pay for something you get for free from the tap (or kettle)? For one thing, the water tastes lovely, and it’s hard to go back to eau de tap afterwards. For another, if you don’t have one of those fancy fridges with a water dispenser, it’s just divine on a warm day to sip chilled water without grappling with the ice-cube tray. And it does nudge you towards your recommended 1.2 litres a day. Inexplicably, everyone loves using it – while we chatted, my niece kept offering to replenish people’s glasses, I noticed. And I don’t think we can discount the benefits of not having to boil a kettle from scratch every time you fancy a hot drink.

Not everyone will want to shell out for their water, however pure. But if you often buy yours bottled, or share a house where the kettle is permanently on, you might just find it a cost-effective option. Gadget lovers, be warned – try it and it may become a permanent fixture in your kitchen.

The Virgin Pure T7 WaterBar comes in five colours, and costs £19.96 a month (including installation and service charges), or less if you make a one-off payment for the WaterBar. Find out more at www.virgin-pure.com

Traffic light labelling gets the green light

By Sioned Quirke, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association

Traditionally, companies have used different nutrition labelling systems on the front of their packaging, making it difficult for consumers to check and compare products – until now.

From today (19 June), a standardised system will roll out which, although voluntary, is a major step towards helping us make informed choices about the foods we buy.

Consistency is key when comparing any type of information. This new system allows us to check how healthy (or not) a product is in a simple and clear way.

It’s a simple but effective format, using the words "high", "medium" and "low" colour coded respectively in red, amber and green to let people know how much fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and calories the product contains. Such at-a-glance labelling will make identifying healthy options quicker and easier than the old method of having to fathom the hard-to-read tables on the reverse of a product.

The labels will also provide information on guideline daily amounts (GDAs) for different nutrients, so consumers will have an idea of how that particular product will contribute to their daily diet.

We all have a responsibility to help improve the health of our nation as we see obesity, diabetes and hypertension increase. This step made by the government and the food industry demonstrates a commitment to address these issues. And with the increasing amount of processed and pre-prepared foods we are consuming, this intervention couldn’t come at a better time. This is a voluntary scheme, but we are hopeful more manufacturers will join the standardised labeling movement.

Other reactions to the news:

Anna Soubry, public health minister, says: “The UK already has the largest number of products using a front-of-pack label in Europe, but we know that people get confused by the variety of labels used. Research shows that, of all the current schemes, people like this label the most and they can use the information to make healthier choices. By having all major retailers and manufacturers signed up to the consistent label, we will all be able to see at a glance what is in our food. This is why I want to see more manufacturers signing up and using the label.” 

Robin Hewings, head of policy at Diabetes UK, says: “The government’s decision to announce a colour-coded food labelling system is an important step in the effort to reduce the number of people in the UK who are overweight or obese. These people are at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic health conditions, so need easy access to information that can help them lead healthier lives and reduce their risk.

Effective front-of-pack food labelling also helps people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes manage their condition, as a diet high in fat, salt and sugar increases their risk of developing serious complications such as blindness, amputations and stroke. However, EU law requires a voluntary approach, which means there are still large parts of the food market not covered by traffic light labelling. It means we are missing opportunities for people to understand what is in the food they buy. We want to see all retailers and food manufacturers adopting the recommended labelling scheme and actively promoting it as a way for people to make healthier eating choices.”