Warm up this Winter with Heinz Soup

Fight the freeze with some warming soup

As winter sets in, commuters across the UK are being given a warming surprise after ‘Break In Case Of Emergency’ cases, containing a free can of the nation’s favourite Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup, were placed across cities. Throughout soup season, Heinz will be popping up in the coldest cities and towns across the UK, so keep your eyes peeled for one of the cases to get yourself a can of soup. Who said there was no such thing as a free lunch?!

The emergency soup boxes have been created following research that found that 75% of Brits agree that nothing beats a winter chill like a hot bowl of soup. According to figures, the north is the biggest soup 'hot spot' during the winter months, with Londoners' love of soup making the city come a close second. It is estimated that Heinz will sell over 20 million cans of soup this January, keeping the nation warm, comforted and cosy in the cold weather. 

Soup consumption increases by 65% from summer to the winter months, with demand increasing with every degree the temperature drops.  Soup is definitely the ultimate comfort food to keep us going when the weather is miserable and Heinz canned soups are so convenient to keep in the cupboard for a quick and easy bowl of warming soup to keep the cold at bay.

Top 5 facts about the nation’s favourite soup:

• Approximately 1,600 cans of Heinz soup are made every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year
• Heinz sells more than 65 million cans of Cream of Tomato soup a year, equating to 124 cans per minute
• More UK households buy Heinz soup than lightbulbs
• Heinz tasters take samples of soup from the end of the lines every hour to ensure it looks and tastes exactly right
• Heinz uses specially selected ingredients to make its soup – every tomato is sun-ripened and grown in open fields
• A can of Heinz Cream of Tomato Soup counts as 1 of your 5 a day

Half Term Meal With Aunt Bessie's

Brit Mums have challenged us to get creative in the kitchen to come up with a delicious meal plan using the convenience of  the Aunt Bessie's range of products.  I am a fan of their products, anything that saves me time on a busy day gets a thumbs up from me!  So I've devised a three course meal that is quick, easy and delicious and each course uses something from the range.  The meal plan serves four.

Winter Warming Soup

Bag of Aunt Bessies Carrot & Swede Mash

600ml organic vegetable stock

Add the stock to the bag of mash, bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree with a hand blender.

Cheese Topped Garlic and Herb Spanish Style Omelette

Half a bag of Aunt Bessies Mid Week Roasties with Garlic and Herbs

1 onion sliced

2 tblspns of sweetcorn

50ml virgin olive oil

6 free range eggs

2oz grated cheese
pepper to season

Cook the Mid Week Roasties for 20 minutes at GM6.

When cooked, remove from oven and cut any big ones into bite size chunks.

Slice the onion and gently fry in the oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan.

Add the potatoes.

Beat the six eggs together and pour over.

Sprinkle over sweetcorn.

Cook gently with a lid on until almost set.

Top with grated cheese and finish off under the grill.

Cut into quarters and serve with salad.

Roly Poly Mixed Fruit Cobbler

Aunt Bessie's Jam Roly Poly

Can of apple pie filling

Pack of mixed berries (fresh or frozen)

Allow the jam roly poly to defrost slightly so you can slice it into 8 slices.

Put one quarter of the apple into four individual oven proof dishes.

Top with a handful of berries.

Put two slices of roly poly on top.

Bake at GM5 for 15-20 minutes.

Serve hot with custard.

This three course meal is quick and simple to make, nutritious and extremely delicious.  It counts heavily towards your five a day with fruit and vegetables included in the menu.  I was really impressed with how versatile the Aunt Bessie products can be with a bit of imagination.  You can certainly go beyond a traditional roast dinner, which was my usual way of using Aunt Bessie's range.

My Three Course Aunt Bessie's Inspired Menu!

Beans, Beans, Good for the Heart!

Heinz have recently added some new products to their extensive range of kitchen essentials and I've been sent some to try out!

The new Squeeze and Stir Soups offer a great alternative to the powdered cup soups available on the market.  The nation's favourite soup is now available in handy, lightweight sachets containing a concentrated soup puree.  With Cream of Tomato, Minestrone, Mediterranean Vegetable and Tomato and Basil flavours, the exciting new range is ideal for a quick, healthy snack in an instant.  All you need is a kettle, a mug and a spoon.  You just tear pack and squeeze the puree into a cup, add boiling water to cover and stir, top up cup with boiling water and stir again.  Then you can enjoy the thick, velvety texture and delicious real soup goodness.

With no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, it is also low in fat and provides one of your five a day.  The sachets can be popped into a bag or briefcase for a healthy lunch on the go.

We tried some of the Squeeze and Stir soups.  They were quick, simple and made a good tasting cup of soup, far preferable to the powdered soups!

Available from major retailers the RRP is 59p per sachet.

The latest must have for your fridge is the Reduced Salt and Sugar Heinz Beanz Fridge Pack.  Bean lovers can now enjoy their favourite healthier baked beans with all the flexibility and advantages offered by being in a convenient re-sealable pack.

Each fridge pack holds the equivalent of two and a half cans of beans.  This is perfect for the bigger family, with a screw top lid that can be re-sealed, staying fresh in the fridge for up to five days.  You can eat as many beans as you like when you like.  A see-through measure on the side lets you keep track of how many are left.  The fridge packs ensures that no food is wasted.

Baked Beans contribute towards your five a day and now with the salt and sugar reduced, they are even better for you.  The Reduced Salt and Sugar version is the perfect comfort food for those wanting to reduce their salt and sugar intake.

The plastic jar is recyclable, which was a concern I had with the new packaging.  Environmentally however, the impact of producing and recycling plastic is not as friendly as with tin cans.  Personally, although the fridge pack is more convenient and may reduce food waste, I'll stick to my usual tin of beans!  RRP £1.93

Glorious Skinny Soup

Glorious! is a fabulous range of soups and cooking sauces that have bold, unexpected flavours from around the world which are convenient and easy to prepare.  Perfect for busy parents who want something a little bit different!

The people at Glorious! sent me a selection of their Skinny Soups for me to sample.  Being vegetarian, I was delighted with their fantastic recipes.  Asian Tomato, Rice and Ginger, Goan Spiced Tomato and Lentil and New England Butternut Squash.  

Excitingly, Glorious! Soups have been approved to feature in the new Government backed publication called "You and your Family" which is endorsed by the Royal College of Obstetricians, The Soil Association and the NHS.  The products selected have been chosen to help guide mums (and dads!) into making good choices for their family in terms of health, nutrition and wellbeing.

The Skinny Soups contain approximately 150 calories in a half pot serving and give you one of your five a day.  They are truly delicious with intense authentic flavours and textures.  They are also very filling.  Perfect for those of us still battling the baby bulge.  They are convenient, quick and easy so there is no excuse for not having a wholesome lunch, even when your routine is demanding! 

New England Butternut Squash Soup in my Diet Plate Bowl!

Available for £1.99 in Morisson's, Asda and Sainsbury's they are great value for money and really are the tastiest ready-made soups I've ever eaten. It's no surprise to me that they won a Gold Award at the Grocer Food and Drink Awards in February.  This is a seriously good range!

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