The big Christmas meal is just days away, but don’t you feel like switching things up a bit this year?
Sure, we love our traditional turkey and trimmings, but it can all feel a bit same same. Which is a shame, given the amazing food culture we have in the UK.
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Luckily, our friends over at Tasty have been set on changing all that with their festive video series, A Very Tasty Christmas. Throughout the month of December, they’ve been spotlighting different cultures around the UK who celebrate Christmas – sharing recipes for the delicious dishes they eat.
As a treat, we got to sample every one of these delicious dishes a few weeks ago at the joint Buzzfeed / HuffPost Christmas gathering, so we can vouch for just how mouthwateringly tasty they really are.
Take your pick from the recipes below or why not try them all over the festive break? We promise they’ll add flavour and fun to your table on December 25.
Kosovan Brussels Sprouts🇽🇰
Are you still a sprout doubter? You won’t be once you’ve tried these bad boys. The magic to this recipe from Lirim Gula, aka @gulasgrub, is Sujuk, a dry, spicy and fermented Balkan sausage that takes this festive veg from no to “WOH!”
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Cantonese Hoisin Spatchcock Chicken 🇭🇰
If you’d like something different to turkey, give this juicy chicken recipe from Romany Henry, aka @dudu_eats. a go. Spatchcocking ensures the crispiest skin, while the honey glaze and (hidden) garlic cloves add flavour.
Filipino Leche Flan🇵🇭
Who said Christmas pud has to be stodgy? Make this lighter-than-light Filipino flan from @godfrey_mercado instead (and appreciate his jumper while you do!). The secret is in not overstirring – and getting the final flip after cooking just right.
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Ghanian Jollof Rice with Festive Suya Skewers🇬🇭
Representing Ghana, plant-based chef Rachel, aka @tastycurls, delivers the ultimate Jollof Rice recipe – with 100% vegan skewers on the side. This dish has spice, thanks to the Scotch Bonnet in the sauce – and we love her for it.
Haitian Macaroni Au Gratin🇭🇹
Carinne Julien, aka @carcarj brings sunny Haiti to these chilly climes, with a classy spin on Mac & Cheese. The key? Cheese and more cheese. Watch the vid to see she adds cheddar and parmesan, not once but three times. Yum!
British Toad In The Hole 🇬🇧
It’s not Christmas without pigs in blankets so praise be to creator Emma, aka @thesugafix_, for giving this British classic a key festive update. Serve this one up on Christmas day and you’ll be getting a round of applause from all.
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Italian Wine Cookies 🇮🇹
These tasty Christmas cookies aren’t just for dunking in wine, you actually pour it in the cookie dough, too! You’ll also be using olive oil instead of butter. Could things get more Italian? Wonderful Lucia Fioravanti, aka @luu_cy, explains all.
Middle Eastern Christmas Turkey 🇸🇾
And finally, the turkey on top! Homam Ayaso (@homamino) adds his own special twist on this Christmas centrepiece, smothering it in delicious butter made aromatic with herbs, spices, citrus and a little festive magic for a turkey, in Homan’s words “like no other”. A very merry Christmas from him – and us!
With food prices skyrocketing and the very food-centric festive season upon us, it makes sense for budget-minded home cooks and shoppers to find ways to get the most mileage out of their weekly grocery hauls.
While shelf-stable groceries (like canned goods) are designed for longevity, fresh items like fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products have an annoying tendency to spoil before they’re used, which can make it difficult to justify spending money on these ingredients (in spite of their health benefits and superior taste).
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But with a basic understanding of how produce, dairy products and meat spoil, and a few simple storage safeguards, you can prolong the life of your perishable groceries and keep these nutritious, hearty and flavourful ingredients in your kitchen rotation.
Whenever possible, buy locally grown fruits and veg
This isn’t just for clout. While farmer’s markets and small food shops with direct connections to local farms often charge higher prices for produce than supermarkets, locally grown fruits and veggies stay fresh longer than imported versions, which can help to defend their prices.
“Shopping as locally as possible will help prolong freshness,” food scientist, recipe developer and cookbook author Tiffany Swan explains. “When your produce was harvested the day prior and you are buying it at a farmer’s market or food co-op, you know that it will last longer than food that has been in ships, trucks and distribution centres, since a good portion of the viable shelf life has been spent in getting the produce to you.”
Make sure your fridge is set to the proper temperature
When it comes to keeping perishable groceries fresh, the fridge is your most important tool. Make sure your fridge is set to a level that meets food safety standards, chef, educator and recipe developer Sally Cameron explained.
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Food safety rules say that’s between 1.5 and 4.5°C,Cameron says. “If your refrigerator does not have a built-in digital readout, buy an inexpensive refrigerator [thermometer] to test it.”
And keep in mind that refrigerator door shelves often keep foods warmer than the rest of the fridge, since they tend not to be as well insulated.
Some produce is better stored at room temperature
While refrigerating fruits and vegetables will extend their freshness, certain produce items prefer to be stored at room temperature. (You should know by now that you should never refrigerate a tomato.)
A slightly warmer storage temperature keeps some fruits and veggies more flavourful and better-textured. Also, because refrigeration slows the process of decay, it helps to consider which fruits and vegetables start to break down on a cellular level faster than others.
Savannah Bradenfood, a scientist with Apeel, gives a shout-out to citrus fruits like oranges, limes and lemons as examples of those that take longer to rot.
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“Fresh lemons, for example, can be stored on your counter for many weeks before [the decomposition] process starts to happen,” Braden explains.
In the case of starchy vegetables like potatoes, a cool (but not cold!) storage space keeps them fresh without compromising their texture.
“In terms of where to store, potatoes prefer to be cool versus cold, and refrigerators are cold,” Cameron says. “A cool pantry prolongs their life, as the starches convert to sugar more slowly, extending their life” for weeks or months. Refrigeration can make potatoes “last for a month or longer,” she adds, but the flavour and mouthfeel might not be worth that extended lifespan.
Give leafy greens the chance to dry before storing them in the fridge
Lettuce, kale and other salad greens are notorious for spoiling quickly, and a lot of that has to do with their somewhat contradictory reactions to moisture. “Grocery stores are notorious for ‘misting’ their produce with automatic water sprayers. The idea is to make the food look fresh and appetising; however, it actually has the opposite effect and causes produce to degrade much faster,” explains Lisa Lotts, the recipe developer behind Garlic & Zest.
In order to remove the excess water from your greens, Lotts recommends “laying leafy greens like kale and lettuce out to dry for about 15 minutes and then wrapping them lightly in a paper towel before putting them back in the plastic bag. The paper towel will absorb excess moisture so the produce doesn’t go bad prematurely.”
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Bagged salad may be convenient, but it won’t last as long as a fresh head of lettuce that you wash and chop yourself.
Droplets of water on leafy greens can cause premature spoiling (which is why it’s also advisable to wait to rinse your greens until right before you plan to use them).
But here’s the contradictory part: leafy greens actually shouldn’t be stored in a low-humidity refrigerator drawer, as a lack of moisture in the air will speed the wilting process. Instead, “the ideal setting for leafy greens is a higher-humidity environment,” Lotts says. Use the controls on your fridge to set a crisper drawer to higher humidity, and that will serve as an excellent storage spot for lettuce, kale, arugula, and fresh herbs to retain their crispness and flavour.
Bagged salads spoil more quickly than full heads of greens
Speaking of salad greens, it’s often appealing to save time by picking up a bag of pre-rinsed and chopped greens. But if you want produce with longer-term freshness, bagged salads aren’t the way to go.
“It’s more work to buy a head of lettuce, wash it and dry it yourself,” Cameron notes. But this method will give you lettuce that often lasts longer and stays fresher.
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Store fresh herbs the same way you’d store freshly cut flowers
Fresh herbs offer home cooks an easy way to brighten up a dish, but opening up a crisper drawer only to find shriveled, wilted, browned leaves of basil, rosemary or thyme is a sadly common disappointment.
Lotts has an easy solution to the rotten herb problem. “For fresh herbs, snip the ends of the herbs with kitchen scissors and put them in a glass jar filled halfway with fresh water,” she says. “Then cover the herbs with a plastic vegetable bag from the grocery store and keep the fresh herbs on a shelf in the refrigerator. They will last for a week or more when you use this method… it’s like keeping a bouquet of flowers alive.”
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Bananas produce ethylene, which can make other product ripen faster.
Keep ethylene-producing items separate from ethylene-sensitive produce
There’s a great reason most refrigerators include more than one crisper drawer: Different types of produce have different storage needs, and certain fruits and vegetables can actively derail the freshness of their crisper-drawer neighbors. Specifically, you want to be wary of fruits and veggies that produce ethylene, an organic chemical that accelerates the ripening process.
Common ethylene-producing foods include apples, apricots, avocados, bananas (ripe), blueberries, cantaloupe, cranberries, figs, green onions, grapes, kiwi, mangos, nectarines, papayas, peaches, pears, plums, potatoes and tomatoes, Cameron said.
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When you store ethylene producers alongside non-ethylene-producing fruits and veggies that are particularly sensitive to ethylene (like leafy greens, berries, asparagus and carrots), the ethylene will cause the sensitive produce to spoil more quickly. It’s best to keep ethylene producers and non-ethylene producers in separate crisper drawers.
Store dairy and meat products in the coldest part of your fridge
Because meat and dairy products count among the priciest items on any grocery list, there’s a lot of incentive to prevent these foods from spoiling before their time. When it comes to keeping dairy products and meat fresh in the fridge, it’s all a matter of location, location, location.
“Meat and dairy are pretty perishable. The best way to prolong the storage of these items is to store them in the coldest part of your fridge. Don’t put that milk in the door!” says Tiffany Swan, a professional chef and the food scientist behind Salt & Sage.
Swan also urges you to keep these foods in their original packaging. Introducing air and potential airborne microbes when transferring to another container is likely to shorten the shelf life. Also, she says, retail packaging is usually tested to make sure it maintains freshness.
Choosing the right oil makes all the difference between latkes that are golden and savoury and ones that end up oily and rancid. Using schmaltz, aka rendered chicken fat, is the traditional way to fry latkes, imparting a rich flavour to the potato pancakes. Canola and peanut oil are more popular and widely available, while some experts also tout olive oil, a more controversial pick. HuffPost interviewed several chefs to determine the best oil for frying latkes.
Option 1: Canola Oil
Grown from the rapeseed plant, this traditionally affordable oil has seen a recent spike in price due to the war in Ukraine. While canola is a type of vegetable oil, it’s not the same thing as vegetable oil. However, you can swap vegetable oil (typically a blend of soybean, corn, safflower or other oils) for canola in a pinch, since both have high smoke points (meaning you can cook it at a high temperature) and a neutral flavour.
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Jeremy Salamon, the chef and owner of Agi’s Counter, a restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, told HuffPost that canola oil is usually his “go-to choice.”
“That’s what my mother uses, what my grandmothers used,” Salamon said. “It has a higher smoking point and lasts longer. You will get more flavor out of schmaltz, but canola is a sure thing.”
Phoebe Raileanu of Deli and Bakery in Sunset Valley, Texas, also uses canola. “Canola oil is the oil I grew up frying my latkes in. It makes for crispy, light latkes with a soft inside. Canola oil can also heat up to a high enough temperature to cook the whole latke through.”
Canola gets bonus points because you can reuse it. Simply strain the oil of any potato bits between uses. Shannon Sarna, the author of Modern Jewish Comfort Food, explained, “Just use a fine mesh sieve to strain out any pieces of food in the oil, store in a container at room temperature and use one to two additional times depending on how much cooking debris is left in the oil.”
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Option 2: Peanut Oil
Often given a bad rap for flavouring foods with a peanuty taste, peanut oil “usually has a pretty neutral flavor, if not a little bit nutty,” said chef David Benstock from restaurant Il Ritorno in St. Petersburg, Florida. Refined peanut oil is often safe for those with nut allergies, as the oil is bleached and deodorised, removing the allergenic parts. Many restaurants and fast-food joints use peanut oil to deep fry, and it may be your favourite oil as a result.
Andrew Dana, the CEO and co-founder of Call Your Mother Deli in Bethesda, Maryland, told HuffPost, “Winner winner (shmaltz?) chicken dinner! I LOVE frying with peanut oil. I love to fry my latkes at a super high temp, and this oil holds up to the task. This allows me to make super crispy latkes without an overpowering oil flavour.”
Creating a light, crisp texture, peanut oil comes in second place for most chefs only out of an abundance of caution for those with nut allergies. As Raileanu explained, “peanut oil is the hippest oil to fry anything these days. It does make for a perfect texture on the latke, especially if you are deep frying.”
Option 3: Schmaltz
Traditionally used in Ashkenazi (or Eastern European) cooking, schmaltz is rendered poultry fat. Described as “liquid gold,” the lush and flavourful fat acts as a butter substitute for those who follow Jewish dietary laws, which forbid dairy and meat from being used in the same meal. Look for schmaltz at your local butcher shop or in the refrigerated section of some supermarkets.
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If you follow a kosher diet and like adding sour cream to your latkes, you’ll want to avoid frying with schmaltz.
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According to Raileanu, this old-school option might not work for some followers of the faith. “Traditionally, latkes are eaten with applesauce and sour cream. I was raised in a kosher household, so this option would never work for us ― no mixing meat and dairy!”
While schmaltz is beloved for its rich flavor, deep frying with the fat could be too much of a good thing. “Sounds good in theory,” said Dana, “but it is just too much in practice! When I make latkes, I want to be able to eat at least six, and when fried with schmaltz, they get a little too rich for me.”
Looking for some of that umami schmaltz flavor without the heavy finish? Sarna recommends combining the oils for the best of both worlds, using two-thirds canola oil and one-third schmaltz when frying.
If you fry with schmaltz, be aware of the lower smoke point, which means your latkes can burn quickly. Novice latke makers may want to try another oil like canola.
Option 4: Olive Oil (Your Last Resort)
An unexpected oil for frying, olive oil is typically not recommended since it has a lower smoke point (176-210°C/350-410°F) relative to the other oils (200-230°C/ 400-450°F). (Basically, olive oil can’t be heated as hot as other oils without breaking down, which makes food taste burned).
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If you’re frying with olive oil, keep the temperature low as latkes can burn and turn bitter, according to Salamon. It will also require a patient chef.
Raileanu cautioned: “I have used it once or twice in an emergency, but it has a lower burning point. So keeping the pan on low makes the latkes take forever, and frankly it’s not usually worth the wait.”
Frying typically requires larger quantities of oil, which can be prohibitive for pricey olive oil. Depending on your preference, the pungent and spicy flavor of olive oil imparted onto the latkes may be a pro or a con. Benstock considers it a positive: “The biggest pro of using olive oil is that it has amazing flavor and a nice viscosity for cooking.”
Looking to honour the OG Hanukkah story? Olive oil was likely the oil that lasted the eight days.
“On Hanukkah, we Jews eat things that are fried (ie, latkes, jelly doughnuts or sufganiyot ) to commemorate the miracle of the oil,” Raileanu said. “So if you are trying to stick to the script, use olive oil. But you’ll be the only one!”
Is there such thing as a child who likes vegetables? Yes, there is. But they’ll often need a helping hand in getting there.
This is why a leading baby food brand is urging the government to consider adding sensory food play to the curriculum for young kids attending nursery.
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Ella’s Kitchen has launched a nationwide campaign calling on the UK government to take urgent action to improve early childhood nutrition by encouraging more sensory food play – where kids can explore fruit and vegetables in a fun, engaging way that stimulates the senses – in early years settings.
The brand said poor nutrition is having a “devastating impact” on the health of the nation’s children, but this simple, low-cost intervention could play a role in alleviating this.
More than a quarter of kids (29%) aged five to 10 years old eat fewer than one portion of fruit or veg a day.
Yet evidence shows that sensory food play helps to build confidence and curiosity around fruit and veg, which can create a willingness among kids to try, and ultimately like, them.
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While talk of implementing this kind of scheme in nurseries rumbles on, parents can start fuelling a better reception to vegetables at home, too.
It’s difficult to get children to eat tveg – every parent knows this. But why is it such a chore? “Babies are born with immature bitter and sour taste buds,” says Sarah Almond Bushell, a registered dietitian and weaning expert at The Children’s Nutritionist.
In contrast, their sweet taste buds are “very mature”, she says, meaning kids will always gravitate towards sweet foods. “It’s an evolutionary thing as it helps newborn babies seek out the breast because breastmilk is very sweet.”
Bitter and sour flavours therefore have to be learned, so exposure is a must – and this is where parents have to put the work in. But you’ll reap the rewards once you do.
1. Serve vegetables at every meal and make sure they see you eating them
It can be all too easy to get into a bit of a mealtime rut at home. We buy the same-old vegetables every week to accompany those same-old meals, because we know our kids will eat them and they won’t end up in the bin.
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This might be the easy option, but – argues the dietitian – it is not conducive to getting your child to like a wider range of veggies.
“Children can’t learn to like to eat vegetables without being regularly exposed to seeing them on the dining room table,” she says. “But what’s even more important is that they need to see you eating them too.”
Research suggests it can take up to 10 tries for a baby to readily accept some foods, like vegetables – so keep trying. And an exposure doesn’t necessarily mean them devouring a whole carrot stick, either. The act of touching, smelling and even seeing the food can be enough to ‘expose’ them to a food, according to nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed.
2. Presentation is everything
A bit of wilted cabbage on the side of your toddler’s plate isn’t exactly inspiring, so it’s time to embrace your inner artist and get creative.
“All food must look attractive if you want your little one to be intrigued by them,” says Almond Bushell. “Vegetables come in a rainbow of colours and so are easy to make look appealing.
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“Pre-school aged children are influenced by how food is presented so get creative by cutting veggies into funny shapes or arrange them in smiley faces.
“Older children will visually appreciate foods that are presented on sharing platters, coloured or patterned plates, or even simply serving veggies in cupcake cases can instantly lift their appeal.”
3. Make them tasty
If your veg selection looks stellar but tastes like wet socks, then you’ve got a problem on your hands. So yes, the next tip is that veggies quite simply need to taste nice.
“Steamed veggies may be better in the healthiness stakes, but they don’t hold much flavour for developing taste buds,” says Almond Bushell.
“I’d encourage you to sauté your green beans in garlic butter, toss asparagus in soy sauce [you can buy low salt versions], roast your parsnips in honey [if your child is over one].”
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She adds: “You can make a fab marinade for most veggies with ketchup, maple syrup and soy sauce, even adding a little salt to broccoli or Brussels sprouts can make a world of difference – and yes, it’s ok.”
While it might sound a little controversial, her thinking is that while these foods will be slightly higher in salt and fat, it will encourage your child to like them at least – “after all, it doesn’t count as nutrition unless it’s eaten,” she adds.
“Once the veggies become an accepted part of their daily diet then you can work on reducing the salt, sugar and butter to improve the healthiness.”
4. Let kids serve themselves
It can be overwhelming for your child if you’ve decided to wave a stick of cucumber in their face or thrust it into their mouth. Why not, instead, focus on letting your kids serve themselves?
Family-style serving involves placing all components of the meal individually in serving dishes in the centre of the table, says Almond Bushell. Then, children as young as toddlers can help themselves or indicate to you what they want, how much they want and when to stop.
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“This puts them in control of the food on their plate and ultimately what goes into their body,” she says. “If your little one doesn’t want to have a certain veggie on their plate, that’s OK.”
If you do find they’re averse to certain veggies, set up a ‘learning plate’ next to their dinner plate, she suggests. There are 32 different sensory steps that children go through when they’re learning how to eat and they do this for every single food – so a learning plate can help them navigate this process.
“The learning plate is simply for looking at, sniffing, prodding, poking, licking, chewing or spitting out on,” she explains.
“It’s there just for learning all about the sensory characteristics of the new food.
“Having a learning plate helps move them up the 32-step ladder as the new food is closer to them, they have to look at it, they can smell it, and touching it even with a fork or spoon is a huge step forward.”
Remember being 21, drinking whatever you could get your hands on (i.e the cheapest booze) with nary but a piece of toast to line your stomach? And somehow the next morning, you were still fine to make it to uni, or work, or just a day of youthful hedonism?
Well yeah, at some point that changes and out comes the hangover from hell to humble you.
There’s something about getting older that makes you more likely to experience the dreaded hangover sickness – headaches, a raging stomach, nausea, and other fun things.
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And now, researchers have put a number on when you’re most likely to feel rough. And sorry 34-year-olds, it’s not looking good.
Greeting cards company Thortful carried out a survey of 2,000 people and found that post 34, you’re likely to start getting raging hangovers. And after 35, the dreaded after effects of drinking seem to last two days.
The survey found that we only start realising our boozy limits at age 37, while a year later is when people feel ‘too old’ to go out-out.
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You’d think that as we get older, and thus more acclimatised to drinking, our bodies would be used to it. But actually it’s kind of the opposite.
“This means there are more toxins in our bodies for longer as they’re broken down more slowly into carbon dioxide and water,” Booker previously told HuffPost UK.
But before it can get to the CO2 and water stage, alcohol is broken down by the liver into a number of different substances, including the compound acetaldehyde. Dr Niall Campbell, consultant psychiatrist at Priory’s Roehampton Hospital, explained that as we age, our ability to metabolise acetaldehyde is reduced.
“That’s what you can smell on a heavy drinker’s breath the morning after the night before,” he said. “High acetaldehyde levels in heavy, steady drinkers is increasingly implicated in causing cancer.”
To add insult to injury, we’re just not fit as we once were. “More body fat and less muscle make the alcohol we consume more concentrated in the body, leading to dehydration and worsening the dreaded hangover,” Booker said.
After your mid-twenties it takes the body longer to recover from anything due to increasing levels of inflammation and chronic diseases, which your immune system and liver are busy fighting, said Dr Campbell.
You’re also more likely to be taking prescription medication as you get older. “These medicines can alter the way your body breaks down alcohol, leaving you with a worse hangover,” he said
Booker recommends drinking more water before, during and after boozing to limit the effects of alcohol as we age. But of course, the only way to truly avoid a hangover (and the long term damaging impacts of alcohol) is to cut your intake altogether.
If you think fancy chefs never reach for a can of tuna when they need to pull together a quick meal, we can’t help but say ”Sorry, Charlie.” We talked to chefs who regularly use canned tuna, salmon and other fishes as entrees and as ingredients in other dishes.
“I’m a big fan of conservas, which are preserved foods, such as pickles, jam or canned foods, which are ‘put up’ in jars or tins so the product lasts longer,” TV personality and chef Andrew Zimmern tells HuffPost, adding that they’re often less expensive by weight than other comparable proteins. “As meat and poultry prices continue to climb, home cooks can find tins of beautiful salmon, tuna – and mackerel, sardines, clams and mussels – in their local markets and save real dollars by incorporating them into their regular meal planning.”
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It’s heartening to note that not only is canned fish often inexpensive, but it’s nutritious. “Canned fish contains omega-3s, with benefits include fighting inflammation, skin nourishing, gut healing, helping you feel full longer and more,” saidJen Smiley, founder ofWake Up & Read the Labels.
And then there’s the convenience factor. “The best thing about canned fish to me is that I can always have it on hand to make into a quick dinner,” said Christine Pittman, founder ofCookTheStory. “If I forget to take the chicken out of the freezer, or if I run out of time and can’t get to the grocery store, having some canned fish on hand always saves the day.”
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It’s an affordable option that’s probably already in your pantry
Chef Rossi, owner and executive chef of New York catererThe Raging Skillet, credits canned tuna with helping her keep body and soul together during a cash-strapped time. “When I left home to be a starving artist, I swiped an entire pantry shelf of tuna, which my mother had gotten with coupons,” she said. “I took her Ragu tomato sauce and dried pasta, too. I survived on a concoction of tomato sauce, canned tuna and olives I swiped from the bar next door.”
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“Decades later, when I became a chef, I needed to create pasta special one day, so I mixed tuna we hadn’t sold for the lunchtime tuna melt special, marinara sauce, capers and olives to make ‘Starving Artist Pasta Puttanesca.’ It sold out.”
Think canned fish is too fishy? Try these fixes
“If you’re using a good-quality brand of canned fish, it shouldn’t be too fishy,” saidCurtis Stone, chef and owner ofMaude and Gwen Butcher Shop and Restaurant in Los Angeles. “I suggest relying on the acidity of lemon juice and zest and the brininess of capers to address any ‘fishiness’ issues.”
One tip is to pair canned fish with boldly flavoured ingredients, chef and cookbook authorRobin Asbell said. “There’s a reason they put mayonnaise in tuna salad, since it’s got an assertive presence and lots of tang,” Abell said. “Adding in spices, chilies, crunchy vegetables, cornichons and olives all work to play down the fishy qualities.”
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“Really, the hidden secret is in the sauce, so I suggest you think about mustard,” Smiley said. “Pour some on top and it’s all you’re tasting.”
What’s best: packed in oil or water?
The great debate among tuna lovers still rages on – oil-packed or water-packed?
Rossi insists on white albacore tuna in water. “I think ‘light’ tuna tastes fishy, and to this day I can tell when my tuna salad was made with light, not white,” she said. “Even the smallest amount of fishiness and I’m out the door.”
Another member of the packed-in-water fan club is Robin Selden, executive chef and managing partner ofMarcia Selden Catering.“I love Bumble Bee white albacore tuna in water. It’s not fishy, it never has that canned fish taste – and it’s what I grew up with,” she said.
On the other side of the debate is Davis, who loves Chicken of the Sea in oil. “It’s moister that way,” he said.
For Asbell, it depends on the dish. “If you’re using it in a pasta and want lots of fishy umami, buy it in olive oil and use that oil in the recipe,” she said. “If you’re emphasising other flavours, buy water-packed, drain it well, and marinate it a bit before adding it to the dish.”
Courtesy of Curtis Stone
pan bagnat
6 standout tuna dishes
Pan bagnat: “I love a good Niçoise salad, and this sandwich is all those great salad flavours packed into crusty and chewy bread,” Stone said. “It’s the perfect make-ahead sandwich to take to the beach or a picnic. The flavours marinate with a bit of time, but it’s just as delicious to eat straightaway.”
Tomato and tuna pasta: “I toss fresh heirloom tomatoes and oil-canned tuna into hot, drained pasta,” Selden said. “The pasta soaks up the olive oil, and the tomatoes almost blanch from the heat of the pasta. Hit it with some red pepper flakes, freshly grated Parmesan and freshly torn basil, and you’ll feel like you’re in Italy.”
Tonnato sauce: This classic Italian sauce is made with anchovies and tuna. “It’s one of the very best summer dishes,” Sandy Davis, chef for New York-based Roxo Events, said.
“I make the classic sauce for cold poached meat and a looser version to dress salads,” Zimmern said. While it came to fame as part of the dish viella tonnato, which is made with veal, you can swap out the meat in place of pasta, rice or beans, and you’ll still have a delicious meal at a lower cost.
Tuna croquettes: “One very nostalgic dish for me is my mom’s tuna croquette recipe, which involves mixing tuna, eggs and breadcrumbs, forming it into small patties, then sautéing,” Selden said. “It’s a very simple and delicious way to get kids to eat fish. It worked for my mom, and to this day we all love them.”
Tuna noodle casserole: “There isn’t a Baby Boomer around who isn’t familiar with good old tuna noodle casserole with crushed potato chips on top,” Davis said. “It’s fast, cheap and tasty. One can – or maybe two if you’ve got extra coins – will feed many folks.”
Tuna salad: “There are those times when comfort is needed, and you just have to break down and make the tuna salad of your grandmother,” Davis said. For me, that means using Miracle Whip, boiled eggs and sweet relish.”
Selden has a different take: “My go-to tuna salad uses Hellman’s mayonnaise — just enough to bind it together — freshly squeezed lemon juice, diced celery, sweet onion, green apple and lots of freshly chopped dill. The addition of tart, crunchy apples and savoury dill really do the trick. Slap that between two pieces of yummy bread and add some potato chips to your sandwich for even more crunch.”
Manny Rodriguez via Getty Images
Don’t bother cooking fresh salmon for salmon burgers — canned works perfectly.
6 superstar salmon dishes
Appetisers: “This simple canned salmon dip is always a crowd favourite,” Pittman said. “Another party treat is my lox dip recipe. I add canned salmon along with the lox (smoked salmon), so there’s a lot of salmon flavour, but at a lower cost.”
Creamy pasta sauce: “Warm up sour cream or crème fraîche with dill or parsley, garlic, salt and pepper,” Pittman said. “Then add canned fish until just heated through before tossing with cooked pasta.”
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Salmon loaf: “If you want to dress up canned salmon, there’s a Great Depression favourite that my paternal grandmother used to make — salmon loaf with mustard cream sauce,” Davis said. “Use canned salmon, crushed saltines, eggs and mayo.”
Salade Niçoise with salmon tonnato sauce: “Trust me on this: Make a traditional Provençale salade Niçoise with salmon instead of tuna,” Zimmern said. “Dress the egg, tinned fish, potatoes, greens, tomatoes and olives with a tonnato sauce made with salmon instead of tuna. You’ll have your mind blown.”
Salmon burgers
“Mix together a can of salmon, two eggs, breadcrumbs, dill and lemon juice,” Pittman said. “You just need to heat the patties through and then pop them into buns, along with your favourite burger toppings.”
Ordering beer, wine or a cocktail while flying is a common move. For some, having an alcoholic beverage on the plane is a travel day essential to relax, take the edge off, celebrate a vacation or even to fall asleep on a long flight.
We reached out to some experts in medicine and nutrition, and asked if alcoholic beverages were a good idea while flying. Here’s what we found out about how alcohol affects your body while you’re up in the air.
Is it a bad idea to order alcohol on a flight?
There’s no easy answer to this question, experts say. Ordering a beer or wine while flying is a personal decision that might work for one person and not for the person sitting next to them. “If a person is on edge due to flying in general — and doesn’t become more so with alcohol — sometimes having a beverage might relax them or make the process feel a little bit more pleasant or more ordinary,” said Wendy Bazilian, a registered dietitian nutritionist.
But while some may grab a drink as a celebratory kickoff for a long-awaited trip, others may experience side effects while drinking on a plane.
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You may not sleep well.
It’s tempting to order a drink in hopes that it will help you fall asleep and get some much-needed rest on an overnight flight. But this isn’t necessarily the greatest idea, according to the experts we spoke to. “Even though you think it relaxes you, your sleep will be disrupted and you likely will not get into REM sleep, the type of sleep that is restorative,” said Amy Shapiro, a registered dietitian at Real Nutrition.
Jaromir Chalabala/EyeEm via Getty Images
You may doze off after a glass of wine, but your sleep won’t be as restful.
Drinking on a flight doesn’t promote restorative sleep but can help some people fall asleep, Bazilian points out. “If in moderation … if she or he believes it helps a little to ease into sleep, then that can be fine.”
You may become dehydrated.
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Alcohol is a diuretic, which means your body will increase its output of urine. If you don’t drink additional water to make up for this fluid loss, you may quickly become dehydrated, Shapiro said.
You may become intoxicated without even realizing.
“There is usually very little food available on most flights — or it is not particularly appetizing — and it would be easy to drink too much on a relatively empty stomach,” said Dr. Karen Jubanyik, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Yale University School of Medicine. It would be very easy to drink the same amount you drink at home, but without adequate food intake, this amount might be too much, she said.
There’s also the fact that most people are pretty sedentary on a flight, rarely leaving their seat. When you do get up, you may find you’re feeling the effects of alcohol more than expected.
You could become disruptive.
We all know that drinking alcohol can lower inhibitions. This could cause an individual to become loud and disrespectful to the flight crew and fellow passengers. People with lowered inhibitions may have a harder time staying calm when annoyed by small inconveniences and actions of people nearby, like a fully reclined seat back. “If someone has lowered inhibitions, they may speak their mind or start a confrontation with another passenger over relatively small things, which can also land them in trouble,” Jubanyik said.
You may have trouble moving around the plane.
“Progressive intoxication can lead to slurred speech, trouble with coordination and trouble walking,” Jubanyik said. “Just walking to and using the bathroom or exiting the plane could be difficult.”
The good news? You can drink on a flight if you keep some recommendations in mind.
Sipping a cocktail while commuting home from a work trip or while en route to a vacation doesn’t carry a ton of benefits, but you can still enjoy a drink while flying if it’s a behavior that works for you.
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“It can be helpful in relaxing you or easing anxiety in the beginning, and since many people are anxious flyers, this can help,” Shapiro said, while also pointing out that drinking too much can lead to increased anxiety and have a boomerang effect, so it is important to know your limit.
Sometimes you may just want to order a drink simply because you feel like having one (many of us regularly do so after work or on the weekends), and this is fine when done in moderation and with a few tips in mind.
Don’t drink on an empty stomach.
If you plan to drink alcohol on a flight, pack some snacks and make sure to eat a meal before boarding if you know there won’t be any in-flight food service.
“Eating food alongside alcohol can help maintain energy and steady blood sugar while your body processes the alcohol,” Bazilian said.
Stay hydrated.
The experts we spoke to recommend alternating each alcoholic drink with at least one or two glasses of water. “This will help you to remain hydrated and to feel the negative effects less,” Shapiro said. Electrolyte drinks can also help, and if you have the chance, fill up your water bottle in the airport before takeoff. Water and other nonalcoholic drinks aren’t always readily available throughout the flight, so sometimes it’s just easier to carry your own.
Don’t drink if you’re going to be renting a car upon arrival.
“It is particularly a bad idea to drink alcohol if you will be renting a car and will need to drive upon arriving at your destination,” Jubanyik said. “Even if not technically drunk, driving in an unfamiliar location will likely require additional attention and reaction time than one needs in their local environment.”
Pace yourself.
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It’s easy to drink quickly on a flight or to grab another drink simply as a way to pass time. Along with staying hydrated and taking a breather between drinks, Bazilian recommends paying close attention to how much alcohol you’re consuming. “One of those little alcohol bottles on a plane is typically 1.5 or 1.7 ounces, not a 1-ounce pour, and the mini-bottles of wine may be more than a 3-ounce pour. Just be aware that one drink [on a flight] may be more than you count as one when you’re on the ground.”
The candles are glowing softly, and you’re holding hands with your sweetheart across the table. As the waiter strides over to take your order, you may feel like everything’s coming up roses for your relationship.
But beware.
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While dinner for two at a romantic restaurant may seem like the best possible way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, professional chefs say there are dangers awaiting the unsuspecting diner ― ones that could upend what’s supposed to be the most amorous night of the year.
Here’s what to avoid if you want the night to turn out right.
Mistake #1: Eating dinner before … well, you know
As with so many aspects of romantic relationships, timing your Valentine’s Day dinner is everything.
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“I’ve had my share of unromantic Valentine’s Days, and I realized a few years ago that this is directly attributable to me loving food,” Christine Pittman, founder of CookTheStory and The Cookful, told HuffPost. “After having a multi-course dinner, wine and an indulgent chocolate dessert, the night never ended with the kind of romance in the bedroom that I was hoping for. We’d get home and find ourselves too full of rich food, a tad tipsy and very much aware that we have to be up for work in the morning.”
Now, older and wiser, Pittman has learned to rearrange the evening’s agenda for maximum fun.
“Now we enjoy the ‘romance’ part of the evening before going out to dinner,” Pittman said. “The best part is that unbuttoning your pants at the end of the night is just to make yourself more comfortable. You can go in for a cuddle and a goodnight kiss with no pressure or guilt, knowing that you’ve already had a fully romantic Valentine’s Day.”
“Everything you hear about beans is true. Luckily, we both had a sense of humor and a pack of matches.”
– Chef Rossi
Mistake #2: Guzzling pink drinks
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On a celebratory occasion, many diners think that the fancier or more colorful the drink, the better. But chefRenee Scharoff ofBlonde on the Run Catering has observed folks lapping up overly sweet pink sparkling wine that’s billed as “Champagne” on the holiday. That, she said, is a recipe for a sugar headache or a hangover.
“One time, my team and I catered a Valentine’s Day dinner at which we were asked to serve only pink or red cocktails, replete with dry ice and heart-shaped garnishes,” Scharoff recalled. “I could tell most of the attendees just wanted a bourbon or a beer.”
Keep it simple and order what you’d usually like to drink for your romantic meal, not something that will make you feel awful later.
Mistake #3: Getting the prix fixe meal and eating every bite
Many restaurants offer a prix fixe dinner on Valentine’s Day. Since it’s one of the busiest dining-out nights of the year, it makes sense for chefs, because it allows them to order inventory accurately and produce dishes they know their kitchen can handle. But it’s not necessarily the best ordering option for a night devoted to love.
“People are just too tempted to eat everything that’s put in front of them during that multiple-course seating,” chefJohn Sugimura ofPinku Japanese Street Food said. “It’s a good idea to step away from the overconsumption of food and booze, at least this one night.”
Smart restaurants are picking up those cues to keep things light. “One year, I capped off our Valentine’s service with a decorate-your-own Valentine’s cookie activity, instead of serving a rich dessert,” Sugimura said. “It got people together, talking and having fun, and they could take the cookie home for later if they were too full.”
The Picture Pantry via Getty Images
Uh, are you sure your date wants the steak for two?
Keep in mind that Valentine’s Day is not a holiday like Thanksgiving, when eating is the focus, or even Super Bowl Sunday, when the noshing never stops. Chef Michelle Bernstein, co-owner of Miami’s Café La Trova, said she’s noticed many V-Day diners who seem intent on getting their bellies full, without realizing that won’t necessarily keep their hearts light or their libidos purring.
“I’ve seen Valentine’s Day menus offering chateaubriand for two, three-pound lobsters dipped in butter, or, my personal favorite, a three-ounce piece of foie gras with something sweet underneath,” Bernstein recalled. “It’s all delicious and great food for sharing, but does anyone really feel ‘romantic’ after a meal like that? Why aren’t we eating a light salad, a lovely piece of fresh fish and a panna cotta instead?”
Mistake #4: Ordering for your date without asking first
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It seems like something straight out of “Mad Men” ― the man (whose menu is the only one that includes prices) calls the waiter over and orders for himself and his date, without any prior consultation. And yes, it still happens, according to Chef Rossi, owner and executive chef of New-York based catererThe Raging Skillet.
“The sight of all that rare meat bleeding onto the sizzle plate, and her boyfriend sucking on the bones, induced a reaction far different from romance.”
– Chef Rossi
“I observed one couple get into hot water on Valentine’s Day, when ‘meat boy’ ordered a T-bone for two, rare,” Rossi recalled. “His lady love would have preferred a filet mignon cooked medium well, but he didn’t ask. The sight of all that rare meat bleeding onto the sizzle plate, and her boyfriend sucking on the bones, induced a reaction far different from romance and more like revulsion.”
For Rossi, a good Valentine’s Day meal begins with clear culinary communication. “My best advice is simply not to prepare anything for the object of your affection without a thorough list of dos and don’ts from them. And when you’re eating out, don’t order for them.”
Mistake #5: Ordering the sloppiest thing on the menu
You’ll want to end the meal looking as nice as you did when it started, so consider your order accordingly, chefs said. “Avoid spaghetti with red sauce, unless you’re into the splatter art of Jackson Pollock and OK with looking like a piece of his art by the end of the meal,” advised executive chef and managing partnerRobin Selden, ofMarcia Selden Catering.
And not all salads are created equally, so order with care, Selden said. “One Valentine’s Day, my husband took me to an elegant French restaurant with a special tasting menu. It started with a beautiful butter lettuce, frisée and endive salad, served with a creamy lemon vinaigrette and caviar. But the lettuce was so floppy and hard to navigate that by the end of the first course I was wearing the caviar that flew off the lettuce leaves.”
Mistake #6: Choosing ingredients that ruin romance
Curtis Stone, chef and owner ofMaude and Gwen Butcher Shop and Restaurant in Los Angeles, said he’s a fan of all the traditional ingredients that make up a romantic dinner, including oysters, lobster, caviar and Champagne. But he suggested considering the effect that foods you love might have on your dining partner.
“Stay away from polarizing ingredients that literally leave a taste in your mouth, like garlic,” Stone advised. Stone and his wife, Lindsay, will be dining together this holiday at Maude in Beverly Hills, California, which he called his “dream little restaurant” — without garlic.
Timon Balloo is the chef and restaurateur at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, restaurantThe Katherine. He suggested that this is a good night to keep things mild — at least as far as your dinner is concerned.
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“Stay away from the super-spicy foods,” Balloo said. “They might turn your evening into a bad case of heartburn or even a potential bathroom nightmare — and yeah, I said it, bathroom nightmare.”
Rossi brought up the bean issue, because somebody had to. “I committed my own major league Valentine’s Day boo-boo when I served a gorgeous black bean soup with sour cream garnish to my lady love,” she said. “Sure, it tasted fabulous. But honey, trust me, everything you hear about beans is true. Luckily, we both had a sense of humor and a pack of matches.”
Selden had two more no-no’s as a parting bit of advice: “Stay away from Brussels sprouts and cauliflower,” she said. “Trust me.”
Finally, we’re allowed out and about to celebrate Valentine’s Day but dine-at-home meals are still very much on the menu. The HuffPost UK Life team snuggled up with our better halves and friends to find the best meal for the big day.
We’ve reviewed them for taste, ease and value for money and ranked them by hearts out of five. Here are our favourites.
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Waitrose’s £20 dinner for two
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Harry Slater
Waitrose’s sea bass fillets with greens.
Everything in Waitrose’s £20 dinner for two was perfectly fine and that’s sort of the problem. A Valentine’s meal should be special and pre-prepared food, no matter how fancy, doesn’t exactly say “I love you”. Granted, you could say this about every meal in our taste test, so let’s talk about the food.
Simple and satisfying, our two smoked and poached salmon terrines were close to the perfect starter. Along with a couple of glasses of San Leo Nerello Mascalese Rosato, they made for the best part the meal. (If you prefer a very dry fizz, go for the Calle d’Oro prosecco.)
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Harry Slater
Waitrose’s salmon terrines.
The main required a bit more effort. With only buttered greens as a side, the sea bass fillets with a roasted tomato and olive filling needed some company and the addition of a bed of brown packet rice made the dish look prettier and fuller. Finally, gooey chocolate puddings from Waitrose’s luxury No.1 range were an indulgent but slightly floury end to our meal. They need a scoop of real vanilla ice cream with them.
Despite these shortcomings, it’s hard to knock the value for money from Waitrose’s extensive range. Treat yourself. Harry Slater, Deputy Editor.
Co-op’s £15 meal with alcohol (or £12 with a soft drink)
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Faima Bakar
Co-op’s Irresistible range for Valentine’s Day.
Co-op’s Irresistible range for Valentine’s Day is fantastic and extensive. We started with a drool-worthy portion of their Camembert with garlic and parsley sharing bread. Although we found the bread a little dry, the cheese is so rich and creamy we didn’t mind. x
Their standout main is the steak and scotch eggs, which is sure to be a partner pleaser. I can’t eat meat, so instead tried the sea bass with a side of steak chips and Mediterranean-style veggies, and of course cute heart-shaped butter pieces on top.
Lastly, the melt in the middle puddings could melt your heart. They were a truly indulgent chocolatey, gooey bite heaven – but a 500 calories a pop, I can’t imagine having them often. And the prosecco didn’t disappoint. Faima Bakar, Life Reporter.
Tesco’s £15 meal with Prosecco
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Rachel Moss
The starter, main with two sides, and dessert from Tesco. Comes with Prosecco.
Tesco’s deal has an impressive 32 products (including a number of vegan items), allowing shoppers to choose from more than 76,000 combinations, so you’re bound to find something you like.
We opt for the feta and red pepper tartlets to start, which are surprisingly light and moreish, but do look a little plain on the plate without the addition of some rocket (which I bought separately).
The main of duck breast with a raspberry hoisin sauce, alongside a trio of greens and heart-shaped herby potato croquette, feels like a real treat and something I wouldn’t usually cook. The duck is fairly small and does shrink quite considerably, though, so I graciously give my husband the larger portion and settle for a piece resembling a large, red slug. Still, it tastes delicious.
The chocolate and orange pots are the real stars, though, with the bottom layer reminiscent of the world’s most delicious Calippo. We practically lick the sides clean. For 15 quid – with a bottle of very quaffable fizz – this meal is great value. Rachel Moss, Life Editor.
Asda’s £15 meal for two
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Melanie Grant
Asda’s sirloin steak with honeyed baby parsnips and triple-cooked chips.
Asda’s Valentine’s meal offers plenty of choice with meat, fish and vegan options, and hearts thrown-in for good measure (reader, you’ll see).
We for the tempura prawns followed by the sirloin steak, triple-cooked chips with honey baby parsnips and Chantenay carrots. It’s all relatively easy to put together, even if the starter and both sides all go in the oven at different times. But thanks to the bang-on cooking instructions – especially for the steak – you’ll end up serving a meal that looks restaurant-quality.
The tempura prawns, with its chilli-by-name-not-necessarily-by-heat dip are nice enough but not memorable. The juicy steak is notable though. It’s made all the more succulent swimming in the melted (originally heart-shaped) peppercorn butter and complemented with the dreamy, soft and crispy chips. For that added crunch, I suggest a few extra mins in the oven.
The honeyed baby parsnips are worth fighting anyone for, less so with the chantenay carrots. Even after 40 mins oven-baking, some were still hard.
Melanie Grant
Asda’s gooey chocolate pudding.
It’s much relief that the sticky toffee pudding isn’t another oven job. After 90 seconds of microwaving you’re pouring sweet toffee sauce onto its chocolate-embossed heart (yes, another one). Our rosé pinot grigio helps cut through the saccharine flavours (or you could add a dollop of crème fraîche or cream).
The box of Lily O’Brien’s chocolates is perhaps best saved for after you’ve had your other dessert…Melanie Grant, Audience Editor.
Morrison’s £15 meal for two
Morrison’s
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With a starter, a main, two sides, a dessert and a drink for just £15, the Valentine’s deal from Morrisons is a real steal. The range of options is impressive and includes plenty of veggie and vegan delights, which impresses my newly vegetarian fiancé.
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We go for the garlic and cream cheese mushrooms to start, which looks a little underwhelming, but once I taste the whipped, velvety garlic topping, I realise looks can be deceiving. It’s the perfect combination of decadent cheese and earthy mushroom.
Next, it’s the slow cooked ‘Coq au Vin’ for me and a vegan beef-lees Wellington for my partner (each extra main comes at an additional cost). Both are quick and easy to prepare.
Served in a red wine and beechwood smoked bacon sauce and topped with mushrooms and onions, the chicken delicately falls off the bone. It’s succulent, warming, and absolutely delicious. The beef-less Wellington also goes down well. My partner describes the pastry as unexpectedly buttery and wonderfully flakey. We share an uneventful side of carrots and kale in an orange dressing and a creamy, garlic-spiked portion of dauphinoise potatoes.
For dessert, my partner tries the Belgium chocolate pudding, but I’m unable to take part as it seems each dessert option “may contain nuts”, and I have a serious allergy. The pud smells absolutely divine. I assume, from the fact my partner demolishes his dessert in about three seconds flat, that it’s just as tasty.
We finish our meal feeling full and satisfied and wash it down with the crisp, satisfying prosecco.
Sainsbury’s £15 meal for two
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I love a good supermarket meal so I’m excited Sainsbury’s Valentines offering. Their options include a starter, main, dessert and bottle of fizz for £15.
We start with the the Scottish mussels in white wine, which were creamy and filling. Next, we tuck into Higgidy’s spinach, red pepper and feta quiche. It’s well seasoned and the feta is delicious. Sainsbury’s doesn’t include a side in their meal, but we can’t resisted their truffle mash. It’s rich and buttery and pairs well with the quiche. Finally, Gü’s salted caramel cheesecake makes for a fantastic finish. Can you ever go wrong with salted caramel? Our sparkling rosé is the only let down. It’s too dry for my taste. Habiba Katsha, Jnr. Life Reporter.
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
Non-alcoholic drinks have come a long way since the days of one or two beer choices – and nothing else.
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Today, you’ll find non-alcoholic gin, rum, vodka, prosecco and espresso martini alternatives available to buy. And the beers have come on a bit, too.
It’s no surprise that businesses are investing in alcohol-free drinks. Almost one in three (32%) UK drinkers now “semi-regularly” consume low and no alcohol products, according to research by mindful drinking movement Club Soda.
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And interestingly, alcohol drinkers are the main buyers of non-alcoholic products, rather than people who are 100% teetotal.
Whether you avoid booze all year round, you’re trying Dry January, or you just want to cut down a little, there’s plenty of options to fill your drinks cabinet. To help you stock up on the best ones, we’ve reviewed some of the more intriguing options out there.
“An espresso martini might not be the most obvious drink of choice when you’re not drinking, but hear me out. Picture this: you’re at a gathering and it’s getting late. You’re not drinking but your friends have been on the sauce all day (or night) and it’s starting to get loud. Very loud. Your energy levels are starting to wane; their voices start to grate. You need a miracle to stay up any longer. This is where the espresso martini comes in.
“Lyre’s espresso martini set features Coffee Originale (to replace the coffee liquor) and White Cane Spirit (a non-alcoholic rum alternative which has been chosen to replace the vodka). An interesting choice, but it works. The Coffee Orginale is rich with a gorgeous mix of spice and caramel, perfectly offset by the orange and coconut in the cane spirit. The recipe is simple to follow too: you need to add your own espresso or cold-drip coffee and vanilla syrup (but I leave the latter out as I don’t have any in the house). Delicious.
“For me, this may not be the non-alcoholic drink I have on tap, but for the right occasion and moment it would be a life saver.” – Brogan Driscoll, senior editor, commercial partnerships
“The Nozeco has the same sleek look as a bottle of prosecco, making it a great alcohol-free option to bring out at parties where people aren’t drinking.
“The first time I tried this was at a bridal party where none of the attendees were drinkers and it went down a treat. It still tastes good, like you’re drinking the real thing, but without the kick. I would definitely use in future for parties and gatherings.” – Faima Bakar, Life reporter
“Call me basic, but I’ve got a soft spot for pink gin, though I usually consume it via a tinny in the park on a warm summer’s day, instead of at my desk in January. Still, the Everleaf version is low calorie and vegan – as well as non-alcoholic – so I decide that’s acceptable.
“When I take a swig to try it neat, I’m a little alarmed by how soapy it tastes. But when mixed with tonic and garnished with berries as recommended, the gin is transformed. Flavours of cherry blossom, rosehip and strawberry come through, but they’re perfectly balanced with piney juniper, and avoid being too sweet. I would never guess it’s alcohol-free.
“The classy bottle gets extra points from me, and I can imagine offering it to teetotal pals with hors d’oeuvres on the patio, or taking it along to a baby shower. I drain the glass and am dreaming of summer for the remainder of the afternoon.” – Rachel Moss, Life editor
“As someone who loves tequila based drinks – margaritas are my summer go-to – I feel unsure as I pour my first glass of this clean tequila alternative, drizzling the clear liquid over ice.
“However, when I catch a whiff of the agave-based ‘blanco tequila’, I feel I’ve judged too quickly and my first sip confirms it’s a real treat that closely mimics alcoholic tequila. I didn’t imagine an alcohol-free spirit could have such a similar taste.
“The green agave combines with aromas of oak and olive, sweet melon and subtle mixed fruits, all with a dry, peppery finish that catches in the throat just like my favourite tequila. It’s not only low calorie and free from sugar and sweetener, but vegan, and lactose and gluten free. For an alcohol-free margarita – or other tequila-based drink – this alternative works perfectly.” – Beth Mahoney, HuffPost Shopping reporter
“Rum is by far my favourite alcoholic beverage. White rum and pineapple juice? That’s a bit of me. While I planned to do Dry January this year, I failed on the first day, but I’m still intrigued to see what a non-alcoholic version tastes like.
“The Dark and Spicy alcohol-free spirit from Caleno has a very rum-ish smell to it. If I closed my eyes and opened the bottle, I would have sworn it was alcohol. And there’s an almost alcoholic kick to the taste, too. I drink it with apple juice and it’s almost as good as the real deal. Overall, I’m very impressed and would drink this again.” – Habiba Katsha, Life reporter
“I adore spiced rum and have high hopes for this ‘clean’ spiced rum alternative. Boy, am I impressed (as is my spiced rum loving fiancé who can be rather picky). When I unscrew the lid, we’re both note how warming and spicy it smells – much like a traditional Caribbean spiced rum.
“When poured over ice, the flavours of golden caramel, cayenne pepper and other (apparently secretly guarded) spices pack a powerful punch. It’s mildly sweet and wonderfully spicy; it works well drunk neat over ice or – as I found out – mixed with Coca-Cola or ginger beer for an extra kick.
“Like other Clean.Co drinks, it’s lactose and gluten free, and made without sugar or sweetener. In fact, the only downside is that it’s too easy to drink – somehow we managed finish off the bottle in just a few days.” – Beth Mahoney, HuffPost Shopping reporter
<img class="img-sized__img portrait" loading="lazy" alt="Strykk Not V*dka” width=”720″ height=”1000″ src=”https://www.wellnessmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/best-non-alcoholic-drinks-and-spirits-that-pass-for-the-real-deal-19.jpg”>
“Who needs a real voddie when you’ve got Not V*dka? It’s got a serious kick to it! Sip this non-alcoholic vodka neat and it leaves a ferocious, fiery tingle on your tongue that lingers for an age. It’s like drinking your auntie’s homemade ginger beer, the one that burns (in a nice way!).
“Not V*dka delivers a heat akin to pepper sauce and after it’s finished with your tongue, the fire nestles deep down in your throat. For that reason I wouldn’t suggest mixing it with ginger beer. Coke, orange juice, cranberry and sprite as chasers – all of which I tried – will all add much needed flavour. With no artificial colours, no fat, no sugar it’s perfect if you’re watching your alcohol and calorie intake. And if you’re looking for subtle sweetness, Not V*dka Vanilla which has undertones of cream soda, might hit the right note too.” – Melanie Grant, audience editor HuffPost Shopping
“I have only really had Guinness when in Northern Ireland, where (according to the rumours) it tastes best. It’s never really been up to scratch when I’ve had it elsewhere. But I did find myself repeatedly sipping this low-alcoholic version, which was a surprise, especially since I am usually more of a gin ‘n’ tonic person.
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“Significantly less bitter than the more mainstream version, it really does have ‘chocolatey notes’ – as per its online description – although the honeycomb elements don’t particularly come through.
“It’s definitely not as heavy as the original beverage, and it seems like it’s somewhere in between a soft drink and an alcoholic one in taste. Despite calling itself ‘alcohol-free’, the drink is actually 0.5% ABV, (so it does have a little alcohol in). It might just about satisfy any Guinness drinkers who have opted for a slightly damp January.” – Kate Nicholson, senior trends reporter
“I’m sorry to say that this drink most definitely does not taste much like the real deal, even though it does come in a beautifully designed bottle.
“While relatively enjoyable – if you like botanical beverages – it lacks the really tasty punch I associate both with alcoholic gins and successful non-alcoholic substitutes. The unusual flavours of kemp, blood orange, coriander and cardamon do come through, but there’s nothing more substantial in the drink meaning it does end up a little too watery, in my opinion.
“If you were looking for a substitute for Dry January, this drink might just miss the mark – whereas if you’ve never really been into anything that tastes too alcoholic, this might be up your street.” – Kate Nicholson, senior trends reporter
“I am no fan of beer, the last time I tried an alcohol-free beer was nearly a decade ago and I’ve not looked back since. But I gave this one a go and was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t have the same bitter taste I remembered. It’s quite oaky and flat, the taste feels muted. So while I could keep drinking this without any unpleasantness, I’d probably choose not to. My partner who is an avid beer drinker however really enjoyed it and said he could be fooled into thinking it’s the real thing.” – Faima Bakar, Life reporter
“Just like the drink itself, trying this zero-alc Aperol alternative was a bittersweet experience. Let’s face it, sipping this on a chilly January afternoon, dressed in four layers is not what this particular beverage is made for. That said (here comes the sweet bit), it was an uncharacteristically sunny day when I tried it out – and the packaging is beautiful. The drink itself, less so.
“The instructions suggest mixing 50ml of the aperitif with 200ml of soda water or tonic. I opted for soda water but the result was way too bitter for my palette. The boozy version includes Prosecco, which brings the sweetness – so adding a dash of Nozeco might improve things. I haven’t quite given up on being transported to a sunny terrace on a hot July afternoon minus the hangover, but when that day actually does arrive, Dry Jan will be all but a distant memory. – Matt Bagwell, Head of Entertainment
