Friday 25 May 2018

Helping you free your food from Groundhog Day



We recently spotted a study which said that 90 per cent of Brits felt they were stuck in their very own version of Groundhog Day. (as an aside, got to love that film)

The study by Highland Springs seemed surprised that people left the house at the same time every day, took the same route to work and then got home and watched the same TV programme on an evening. It would seem odd to us if you were leaving home earlier than you needed to do a super long route to work, just to mix things up, but maybe that’s just us. And surely binge watching a series is what Netflix was invented for?

But the bits of the survey which caught our eye were the ones relating to (unsurprisingly) food.
Eight out of 10 people said they never varied from their weekly shopping list and only 16 per cent said they like to go crazy and try new things. A third of people said they ate the same breakfast every day, one in four ordered the same coffee and ate the same lunch and one in five said they cooked the same meals on rotation each week. One in 10 even admitted to always buying the same bottle of wine!

Now, we’re the first to admit that when you find a favourite thing it can be tempting to always keep going back to it. But it’s an instinct we’ve also learnt to resist! It’s part of our job to try new things and enjoy a variety of tastes. There’s so many amazing products out there and every ‘old favourite’ has to be a new thing tried at some point.

But it can take being pointed in the right direction. And that’s where we’re happy to help. Why not come and have a chat with us and we’ll help you figure out what might be the kind of thing you’d enjoy. We’re always getting exciting new products in which we love to shout about! And we’re always happy to help with advice on how to use or serve a product.

Whether you’re an adventurous chef, or someone who prefers to keep things nice and easy, we’ve loads of products in store to inspire you. Customers always say they can’t believe how much of a tardis the shop is – whatever you’re looking for, bet we can help.

So, hopefully see you soon – and we’ll help you break that Groundhog Day loop in the tastiest way possible!

Thursday 17 May 2018

The Invigorator– spreading positivity for British Sandwich Week!


British Sandwich Week starts on 20th May, and here at Hunters we do love a good sandwich! In fact, we sell a crumbworthy 50,000 every year.
We know everyone has their favourite sarnie – and it’s very hard to break the pattern of ordering the same one, every day. (when they’re as good as, say, our deep filled roast beef, you can be forgiven…)
But this British Sandwich Week, we’re urging customers to try something new. We reckon you’ll be happy you did - literally speaking!
To mark the week, we’ve added The Invigorator sandwich to our menu – a mood and energy boosting sandwich! And who doesn’t need a little boost every once in a while?
The Invigorator has been carefully created, with ingredients specially chosen because of their beneficial properties in relation to well-being, mood and energy levels. It’s no secret that certain nutrients, such as Vitamins B and D, zinc, calcium, iron and magnesium, which are found in abundance in lots of tasty fresh foods, can have a profound effect on brain function – so why not give your mind and body a treat?
The Sandwich includes:
* Ajvar – this Macedonian roasted red pepper spread is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, potassium, folate (Vitamin B9), and fibre. Red peppers offer almost 11 times more beta-carotene than the green ones.
* Houmous – houmous is a good source of protein and fibre, with chick peas providing high levels of iron, phosphorus and B vitamins.
* Rocket – this nutrient-packed green wonder contains large amounts of vitamins A, K and C, folate, calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium, as well as several beneficial phytochemicals.
* Pumpkin seeds – these little seeds pack a punch - they’re said to have more mood-boosting powers than any other food. Jam-packed full of nutrients, they are loaded with omega-3 and zinc which have been shown to improve moods; Magnesium, which helps reduce anxiety; and Tryptophan, the amino acid which helps the body make Serotonin, a neurotransmitter that boosts mood and can help you unwind.
* Served on sliced granary bread - wholewheat grains boost folate levels, and provide slow release energy, avoiding that mid-afternoon energy dip.
It’s healthy, vegetarian/vegan, good for the heart, super colourful and tastes great – which is vital, as it’s not going to boost anyone’s mood if you don’t enjoy eating it!
It is the perfect midday pick-me-up, to get your afternoon off to a great start – no mid-afternoon slumps in sight…
The sandwich is available from 20th May, freshly made to order at a price of £3.60.
So, if everyone in Helmsley suddenly looks a little chirpier and full of beans – you know why!

Monday 7 May 2018

Pop the champagne – we’ve made the shortlist for the Great British Food Awards!


We’re delighted to announce that we’ve been nominated for the Great British Food Awards for the third year running - but we do need to ask all of our fantastic customers a quick favour to help make sure we bring the trophy home to Helmsley later this year!

Hunters is nominated in the Best Independent Retailer category (North) and we’re one of six finalists, alongside some very tough competition. The voting is now open to members of the public, until 24th August 2018, at the website www.greatbritishfoodmagazine.com/awards. Not only would you be helping us out more than we can say, but there’s an added bonus for you too! Anyone who votes has a chance of winning £7,000 worth of prizes, such as kitchen gadgets and foody holidays. Top of the range ovens, cookware, nights away, kettles, BBQ appliances, hampers, booze, cookbooks – it all sounds pretty good we have to say!

The awards launched in 2014 to recognise the best in British food and drink, including restaurants, producers, chefs, food writers and retailers. There are 20 categories in total, and you can vote in them all or just the one (hint hint, nudge nudge).

We were genuinely stunned to make the shortlist for the third year running. It really does mean so much when we’re recognised for the hard work the team puts in – we love what we do, but of course, we want our customers to enjoy it just as much!

So, if you can spare two minutes, please do take a peek at www.greatbritishfoodmagazine.com/awards – and we’ll keep our fingers tightly crossed for the awards results later in the year!