supermarket

Leave the chilli on the table and nobody gets hurts

by

Want to enjoy a delicious bean chilli but time is limited? Co-operative supermarket has got you sorted.

Co-operative chilli cook in sauce

I have always been strangely intrigued by chilli as a meal but have not encountered it often. Growing up in Australia, my closest encounter with this dish was the oft-repeated episode of the Simpsons in which Homer trips after eating a super-hot pepper. The whole concept of a cook-off filled me with wonder. As Homer strutted from stall to stall with his special chilli spoon, my fascination with the bean-filled, savoury goodness expanded. Sadly, chilli has only passed my lips a few times since I first saw that TV show but that could all change with the discovery of a chilli cook in sauce from Co-operative supermarkets.

Co-operative supermarkets have a fantastic track record of ethical policy, including a commitment to

Read more

Short and sweet

by

No messing about here with witty remarks. When it comes to vegan sweets, there is no time for being verbose. It gets in the way of eating.

Vegan candy from Sainsbury's

Sainsbury’s is a leading UK grocery retailer that is ever-increasing its range of vegan items. Two of the latest additions to their cruelty-free repertoire are exactly the sort of foodstuffs that keep me worthy of my name. Strawberry Lances and Strawberry Pencils are sugar delights that will do nothing for your health but plenty to satisfy cravings. I was especially  smitten with the lances. These sweet and sour straps are my new favourite candy and will definitely become a staple product in the Haus of FGV pantry.

Grab a bag (or 3) today.

Chang chang chang-it-ty chang shoo-bop

by

Some things are simply destined to be together. A triple shot of vodka and a glass of cola. A ferocious hangover and oven chips with gravy. There are countless combinations of perfect matches like these examples out there.

During a recent shopping adventure, I picked up two products that seemed to scream ‘combine us’ from my grocery basket.

Linda McCartney sausage rolls

First up we have an old faithful in Linda McCartney sausage rolls. Vegans do need to be careful when purchasing from this company as some products in their range contain milk and/or egg. The sausage rolls however are suitable for a cruelty-free diet and are crispy perfection when you follow the cooking guidelines carefully. You recieve 6 per box and the frozen snacks are free from artificial preservatives and flavours. They make a quick, simple snack and are available in shops all over the UK.

Read more

Chocolate is my drug

by

Gluten free, wheat free and dairy free chocolate can be obtained by strolling into your nearest Sainsbury’s supermarket. It’s that simple.

Vegan chocolate/candy bars readily available throughout the UK

High Street grocery retailer and all round mega-chain Sainsbury’s are constantly expanding their freefrom range. These products are designed to cater for diets requiring the absence of ingredients such as egg, dairy, wheat and gluten. While not all items under this branding are suitable for vegans, you will certainly discover a few cruelty-free surprises when you browse the freefrom section.

Read more

Dunker licking good

by

Bite-sized, crumbed and oven cooked. You know you want it.

Vegetable Dunkers... vegan frozen food

There is a profit-fuelled frenzy occuring in UK supermarkets and grocery stores. Major chains are falling over each other to snare a larger slice of the compassionate shopper market and we vegans are faced with an ever-expanding choice. Alongside old-timers such as tofu, shop shelves are now showcasing cruelty-free newbies such as roast ‘beef’, air freshener, dishwashing liquid, hairspray and countless other products labeled suitable for vegans.

Read more

One of everything, please

by

Do you ever have difficulty deciding what to eat when faced with many options?

One way out of this precarious situation is to buy one of everything. My trip to Whole Foods Market in Kensington a few days ago saw me tempted to do just that. I was entrusted with the task of buying some pre-packed goodies for Josh and myself to devour. The plan was to nab a window seat in the store’s food court, eat ourselves silly and watch frenzied Christmas shoppers collide with each other on the obscenely-busy high street below.

So sit down, relax and enjoy the visual delights of my lunchtime shopping spree. For a FGV, I was actually rather restrained.

Whole Foods in-house vegan yoghurt varieties

I wanted to commence the meal with healthy food that tasted great, so I opted for two tubs of vegan yoghurt with muesli and fruit. Buying both flavours was the only option when I couldn’t decide between mixed berry and blackberry. They weren’t fabulous, but fulfilled my expectations.

Saf is a vegan restaurant located in Shoreditch, East London that has now opened an outlet in the Whole Foods Kensington food court. While  I didn’t buy from them directly, I chose one of their pre-packaged wraps from the sandwich case instore.

I promise I’m not being hysterical when I state it

Read more

Wait(rose) for sugar!

by

The UK has a knack of turning a short car journey up the motorway into an epic battle for survival.

If you have ever traversed one of the main vehicle routes, you would know that the slightest hint of adverse weather can bring proceedings to a standstill. A 4-hour trip between London and Manchester once took 9 hours due to snowfall. You never quite know what you are getting yourself into.

I think it is for this reason you will find highway stopping points jammed with petrol/gas stations, mini-supermarkets, fast food joints and motels every twenty miles or so. These hubs of consumerism are known as services and offer a place to sleep, eat and take shelter from multiple car pile ups and icy roads.

When it comes to finding vegan treats in these services,

Read more

I like my steak vegan

by

I have a problem. Potato.

The new Flamed Steak crisps by Kettle - vegan glory!

Fried, mashed or even steamed. I cannot get enough of this most common of common root vegetables. Some people have joked it must be my Irish heritage compelling me to eat barrels of the stuff. I’m not sure there is much truth in that statement (but definitely some thinly-veiled racism), but I do know that potato makes me a happy FGV.

I was avoiding the sudden and spectacular snow shower in London yesterday when my eyes fell upon a glorious sight… a new flavour of potato crisp. Taking note of my aforementioned attraction to pommes de terre, you can imagine the length of time it took for said product to reach my mouth.

Read more