I haven't written a food post in a while and I've missed it! I am currently finishing up moving into a flat in my home town for around 4 months so hopefully after that's been organised I can get back on top of creating food content (I am having major wifi problems hence the sporadic posting). For now I thought I'd share what foodie bits I've been loving. Ranging from childhood nostalgia to Easter treats, March and April have been filled with good food.
I must admit I am very much looking forward to cafes and restaurants opening so I can move from good snacks to good meals. YUM!
However, in saying that I am a self confessed snack fiend, so writing this was right up my street. Plus it's nice to discover new products on the market or to go back to old favourites.
Childhood Nostalgia
I remember when I was little I was obsessed with Ritz biscuits and recently on a trip to B&M I decided to pick up one of their snack packs - individual packs of bite size ritz crackers. And now that obsession has been restored. I've gotten through a ridiculous amount of both the boxes and the snack packs, so much so it has become a running joke in my family. And now I feel 10 again.
I find it weird that they call themselves crackers because to me crackers is something you spread something onto and are usually a lot bigger than the Ritz rounds. Either way, I am addicted to the small crunchy, malt-like biscuits.
If you used to be a fan or have never tried them then I recommend breaking into a box. If you're anything like me then I promise you won't be disappointed. I apologise in advance for the possible obsession you might gain from eating them, because once you start you just can't stop.
I would recommend looking at how many products Ritz have, unfortunately I don't think a lot of them are available here but they have definitely gone all out with flavour combinations and shapes.
Everyday Mojito
Now I am not the biggest drinker, I've found recently that I can't drink without getting ridiculously sick because of health issues I have. So I'm on Vodka, Soda and lime for the foreseeable future (sadly with intermittent breaks of drinking a lot of water). Because of this I've missed having refreshing drinks like a mojito, plus if you can have one casually without the sickness then what's not to love.
We found Robinson's Crushed Mint and Lime Cordial in Lidl and have drank a ridiculous amount of it. Mixed with soda water means you get the fresh taste of mint with the fizziness found in a mojito without the affects of alcohol. Sounds great right? I must admit Tesco do store it but Lidl's offer it a lot cheaper. So if you see a bottle be sure to pick it up! (just don't buy that much that I can't get anymore).
Easter
Now I couldn't write about March/April and not include my Easter egg of choice. I got the Dairy Milk Crunchy Egg with 3 crunchy bars (2 of which my mum ate and 1 my dad had). So although I didn't get to eat any of the supplementary chocolate I did enjoy the rather large Cadbury egg filled with crunchy pieces.
You might be thinking 'wow that's an extravagant buy', well in short I agree. But my sister got the same one last year so its only right I get a turn? Although it is a lot pricier compared to standard Easter eggs you do get a lot more chocolate and I imagine a lot more goes into shaping an egg of that size and weight.
I love that brands are now pushing the boat out when it comes to Easter eggs, gone are the days when all you could buy was a plain egg (not that I don't like that either).
image from recipetineats.com (if you want to make your own hot cross buns)
On the other hand, my mum and I have also been loving Hot Cross buns. I must admit I don't like the outlandish buns that supermarkets seem to be producing. I'd rather stick with the plain and simple buns from Tesco or Lidl (generally not fussy where they are from). Toasted and slathered with butter, to me there is no better way to enjoy a hot cross bun.
If you too love a hot cross bun and are sad they are going out of season I recommend buying a pack and freezing them. They taste perfect defrosted and toasted in the toaster.
Corner's Sweet and Salty Pop Chips
This is my recent obsession, my ex (insert sad face) flatmate Mara brought these to a recent picnic and on one hand I am extremely grateful but I am also sad, because I can eat a whole pack in one go. They taste just like popcorn but in a crisp shape. One thing Corner seems to be good at is packing their crisps full of flavour. Honestly one of the best crisps I've had a in a long time. Plus they are Gluten Free and Vegan!
I've also tried the BBQ flavour. They are more on the tangy side of BBQ but are still quite tasty. However nothing will compare to the sweet and salty pop chips.
You won't regret trying them (although I must admit they seem to be hard to come across).
Cornetto Chocoalte Tips
Well, I must admit I have mixed feelings when it comes to this creation. Now before I start, I love a Cornetto cone, the crunchy waffle cone mixed with cold and slightly crunchy chocolate with the added extra of any leftover ice cream is a delicious mix. So, I was very excited when I noticed they were coming out with a whole new product dedicated to what most people might claim as the best part of a Cornetto.
So, on first impression/taste they are delicious. Besides the severe lack of ice cream - it is literally filled with chocolate - they did hit the mark. It is exactly what you would expect.
However there are some severe drawbacks. For a start they are extremely small. Like very, very small. Don't be mistaken, you are not getting a cone, or even half a cone. Then there is also the price. This is the shocker.
In Tesco, for 5 small tips of a cone, you have to pay £3 or £2.50 if you have a clubcard. Not shocked yet? Well here is the best bit. In lidl you can get a full pack of Cornetto's (featuring full size cone and ice cream) for £1.99. Or even in Tesco itself you can get 6 Cornetto's for £2.50.
So how does Cornetto justify asking customers for £3 for not even half of the usual Cornetto? Because honestly I just do not understand.
So, I can't say I was anything but disappointed. So the moral of the story is, if you want the Cornetto tips, just buy the full sized ice cream, you get way more for your money that way.
Lidl's Deluxe Houmous
Now I know this probably looks a bit strange, especially with the rest of my suggestions. But I've had pretty much every flavour from Lidl's deluxe Houmous range and it has not disappointed. So if you're looking for something a bit different from their usual stock - Meadow Fresh Houmous - and want to treat yourself then I recommend giving this a go.
There is the standard Houmous with pesto and parmesan, topped with pine nuts; a red pepper houmous topped with flavoured chickpeas and peppadew peppers; a plain houmous topped with feta and caramelised onions (haven't tried this yet); and a beetroot houmous (which I believe is only available in the selection pack of three).
I highly recommend giving these a try, I love the addition of toppings which adds a bit of depth to the houmous. Especially when they already offer some of the flavours in a standard brand.
I'm always on the hunt for some new snacks so if you have any recommendations then let me know! For a lot of students it is currently exam/assessment season so I hope these help. I definitely understand your pain - you've got this!
Are you looking forward to some more food content, I know I am :)
Sophie's Edit 