Good Food
type: channel
link: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com
date: 2025-12-22T17:11:01.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Christmas dinner shopping list 2025
items: What can you freeze at Christmas?
items: Best popcorn makers to buy for your next movie night
items: 10 things you should know before giving up sugar
items: How to barbecue safely
items: 15 tips for sugar-free baking
items: 10 tips for reducing your single-use plastic waste
items: How to transport food safely
items: Sugar-free banana bread
items: Dairy-free pancakes

Christmas dinner shopping list 2025
type: item
creator: Caroline Hire – Food writer
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: News & Trends
subject: Caroline Hire
subject: Christmas dinner
subject: Christmas ingredients
subject: what to buy for Christmas
subject: what to buy for christmas dinner
description: Prevent last-minute chaos with our Christmas tips. Use our handy shopping list for a successful holiday dinner, including essential ingredients and gadgets
encoded: Christmas is a whirlwind of present-buying, food-ordering, gift-wrapping and party-going – and it's hard to remember every last detail To help you out, we've drawn up a list of items that are easy to forget but will make things a little bit simpler come Christmas Day. See our Christmas menu ideas for recipe inspiration, from a traditional Christmas dinner menu to our vegetarian Christmas menu and vegan Christmas menu. We also have plenty of Christmas desserts, Christmas cakes and Christmas baking ideas. Essential storecupboard buys for Christmas Day These take-it-for-granted products are worth having on hand: 1. Extra wide foil For keeping the big bird covered when you need to. Remember to make a ball out of your used foil before you bin it, that way it's easier to recycle. Use it for: Classic roast turkey Next level roast turkey Easy turkey crown Roast turkey breast Foolproof slow roast chicken 2. Butcher's string Every trusser's essential. Use it for: Next level porchetta Festive porchetta Porchetta Italian-style roast pork with crispy crackling 3. Baking parchment Perfect for lining trays for sausage rolls, mince pies and all those other irresistible nibbles. Buy a compostable version. Use it for: Christmas dinner sausage roll Mincemeat traybake Classic Christmas cake Last minute Christmas cake 4. Reusable food containers You can never have too many, great for storing and stacking pre-prepped foods and leftovers. Use it for: Christmas leftovers Make-ahead Christmas recipes 5. A labelling pen Date it and name it, because it's hard to work out what that frozen mass is. Use it for: Make-ahead Christmas recipes Freezable Christmas recipes 6. A couple of new tea towels If you need some. Top 10 ingredients for your Christmas shopping list Glamorous ingredients? Maybe not, but we'll be grateful we added them to the list when the feeding frenzy begins 1. Eggs Breakfasts and Boxing Day bubble and squeak taken care of. Use it for: Bubble & squeak hash Eggs benedict with sm…

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What can you freeze at Christmas?
type: item
creator: Caroline Hire – Food writer
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: Caroline Hire
subject: cookery guides
subject: Everyday
subject: freezer guide
subject: Freezing
description: Keep on top of festive feasting with our advice on what to freeze and how long different food items will keep. Plus, find freezable recipe ideas including mince pies, roasties and desserts
encoded: The sheer volume of food served up at Christmas means the margin for waste increases – plus, there's the pressure of making several big meals over the festive period. Whether you want to get ahead by making some dishes in advance or have a pile of leftovers to store, our cookery team has put together a guide on how to freeze your Christmas foods. For more on freezing your way through Christmas, see our freezable recipe collection, infographic guide to freezer-friendly feasts and 10 Christmas recipes you can make ahead. Make sure you are using the right kitchen equipment with our review of the best fridge-freezers. 21 foods to freeze at Christmas 1. Turkey Freeze for: Up to two months How to wrap: Freeze in the original packaging or seal tightly in layers of cling film. How to defrost: Ideally thaw in a fridge, allowing 8-12 hours per kg. If all the ice crystals in the body cavity have melted, your turkey is ready to cook. 2. Uncooked stuffing Freeze for: Up to three months How to wrap: Shape into walnut-sized balls, then freeze on a tray lined with baking parchment. When frozen, transfer to a freezable container. How to defrost: Bake from frozen, adding 10 mins to the cooking time. Ensure they are hot through to the centre before serving. 3. Cooked stuffing Freeze for: Up to three months How to wrap: Allow the stuffing to cool completely before transferring it to a suitable freezer-safe container or bag. If you have made stuffing balls, cakes or traybake portions, these can be frozen in individual portions or as a whole. How to defrost: If you have cooked and then frozen stuffing, defrost it completely in the fridge before reheating. Once defrosted, cover the stuffing with foil and reheat in the oven until piping hot. 4. Roast potatoes Freeze for: Up to a month How to wrap: Freeze in large freezable containers. How to defrost: Roast from frozen for about 1 hour 30 mins, turning halfway through the cooking time. 5. Homemade sauces (including cranberry and bread sauce…

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Best popcorn makers to buy for your next movie night
type: item
date: 2025-01-09T10:16:57.000Z
creator: Caroline Hire – Food writer
subject: Review
description: Enjoy warm, crunchy popcorn in minutes on your own sofa with these easy-to-use popcorn makers – our expert tested eight of the best to bring you our top picks
encoded: Whether you’re settling in for a movie night on the sofa or wrapping up for some campfire snacks, a bowl of warm, freshly popped corn really adds to that cosy feel. Ripping open a bag of shop-bought popcorn doesn’t deliver the same experience, but is it worth adding a new gadget to your kitchen? We tested a variety of electric and microwave popcorn makers, plus a nifty little option for campers. Read on to learn more about the different popcorn makers on the market and our top recommendations. View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Best popcorn makers to buy at a glance Joint best all-round popcorn maker: Lakeland electric popcorn maker with bowl, £79.99 Joint best all-round popcorn maker: Joe & Seph's The Popcorn Maker, £40 Best compact popcorn maker: Sensio popcorn maker, £24.99 Best microwaveable popcorn maker: Joseph Joseph M-Cuisine 2-piece popcorn maker set, £18 Best large popcorn maker: VonShef retro popcorn maker, £19.99 Best portable popcorn maker: Housewares collapsible popcorn popper, £9.99 Best-looking popcorn maker: Giles & Posner popcorn maker, £24 Jump to section: Best popcorn makers to buy in 2025 Benefits of a popcorn maker What to look for in a popcorn maker How to use a popcorn maker How we tested popcorn makers Best popcorn makers to buy in 2025 Lakeland Electric Popcorn Maker with Bowl Available from Amazon (£79.99) Joint best all-round popcorn machine Pros: Easy to assemble and use Comes with measuring cup and bowl Attractive appearance Clear instruction booklet Cons: Bowl creates larger footprint Cord positioned on one side, so may limit where you choose to put it Star rating: 5/5 This popcorn maker comes with a very attractive shiny finish in the traditional red. The set up and instructions were so simple, we had our first bowl of popcorn ready in just a few minutes. Popping time is stated as around 3 mins but we found it closer to 90 seconds. The top of the machine became very hot so it was necessary to use an oven glove to take it of…

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10 things you should know before giving up sugar
type: item
date: 2024-06-11T15:59:49.000Z
creator: Caroline Hire – Food writer
subject: Guide
subject: Health
subject: Special diets
subject: How to
subject: balanced diet
subject: Caroline Hire
subject: cut down on sugar
subject: cut out sugar
subject: cutting down on sugar
subject: giving up sugar
subject: goodhealth
subject: Healthy
subject: healthy diet
subject: Healthy eating
subject: how to cut down on sugar
subject: how to give up sugar
subject: Less sugar
subject: quit eating sugar
subject: quit sugar
subject: stop eating sugar
subject: Sugar
subject: sugar diet
description: Chocolate fiend Caroline Hire quit sugar for eight weeks and learned a few lessons along the way. She shares her top 10 take-aways
encoded: Increasing amounts of sugar in processed food, plus rising rates of diabetes and other chronic illnesses linked to sugar, have led to health recommendations to avoid 'free' sugars as far as possible. For some, the only option is to go 'cold turkey' and hope that complete abstinence helps reduce cravings. Find out how our human guinea pig got on when she decided to cut out sugar altogether… Try our Healthy Diet Plan, packed with 7 days of nourishing breakfasts, lunches and dinners – available exclusively within the <a href="https://immediate.onelink.me/OQap?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=health_pages&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d&af_dp=bbcgoodfood%3A%2F%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://immediate.onelink.me/OQap?af_xp%3Dcustom%26pid%3Dwebsite%26c%3Dhealth_pages%26is_retargeting%3Dtrue%26af_reengagement_window%3D30d%26af_dp%3Dbbcgoodfood%253A%252F%252F&source=gmail&ust=1734427834072000&usg=AOvVaw1g93WKOboPDT_NWNiFcajU">Good Food app. Why I gave up sugar A friend showed up at my house this summer looking nothing short of fabulous. She’s always been healthy, a runner and health-food nut, but something had taken her to a whole new level of loveliness. I quizzed her to discover she’d done Sarah Wilson’s eight-week ‘I Quit Sugar’ programme. This was something I had to try. However, it soon became clear this eight-week programme was not for the faint-hearted. Sugar detox or quitting sugar, Sarah-style, involved cutting out sugar, giving up all fruit, all sweeteners (natural and artificial) and most alcohols. "Still," I thought, "I know what I’m getting myself into." But as it happened, I didn’t. Here are 10 things I wish I’d known before giving up the sweet stuff. 1. Cravings can be conquered Everyone has a weakness. Mine is chocolate. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve tried to give it up (and failed). I knew this craving wasn’t going down without a fight. My olfactory system (sense of smell)…

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How to barbecue safely
type: item
creator: Caroline Hire – Food writer
subject: Health
subject: Healthy food guides
subject: avoid food poisoning
subject: Barbecue
subject: barbecue safety
subject: Caroline Hire
subject: cooking outdoors
subject: Eating outdoors
subject: goodhealth
description: Follow our top 10 BBQ food safety tips to minimise the risk of food poisoning and injury. We've got all the advice you need for a fuss-free barbecue.
encoded: View Green Video on the source website You can't beat a bit of back-to-basics barbecuing (you, your friends and the great outdoors – it's the dream), but in these sterile times our stomachs can't handle a rough and ready approach to food hygiene. You don't need to be too precious, but if you follow a few basic rules, you can be sure your guests will go home feeling pleasantly satisfied instead of peaky. We’ve included advice from the Food Standards Agency on how to grill meat safely to avoid food poisoning. Once you know how to play it safe, fire up the grills with the help of our guide on how to light a BBQ and take inspiration from our collection of barbecue recipes. You can also find some of our tried-and-tested favourite bits of kit for barbecuing below, including picks of the best barbecue gadgets, best gas barbecues and best charcoal barbecues on test. Top 10 tips for cooking safely on the barbecue 1. Store perishable food in the fridge before serving Keep all your perishable ingredients in the fridge until you're ready to serve them. Often with a barbecue, people are grazing over a period of time so you want to avoid taking food out before it's necessary. 2. Thaw all frozen meat All frozen meat should be thoroughly thawed out before you put it on the barbecue, otherwise it may look cooked on the outside but will be raw on the inside. 3. Wash your hands before touching raw food Wash your hands before handling food to avoid any cross-contamination. If you touch raw meat or fish, wash your hands before touching ready-to-eat foods and do not put ready-to-eat foods on plates that have been used to carry raw meat or fish. You also want to avoid using any utensils for both raw and ready-to-eat foods. 4. Get your barbecue temperature high enough before cooking Make sure your barbecue is hot enough before you start, and turn your meat during cooking time so that it cooks evenly throughout. Disposable barbecues take longer to heat up and to cook food. Make sure that bu…

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15 tips for sugar-free baking
type: item
date: 2023-05-09T11:10:11.000Z
creator: Caroline Hire – Food writer
subject: Health
subject: Healthy food guides
subject: alternatives to sugar
subject: Caroline Hire
subject: diabetes recipes
subject: diabetic cakes
subject: goodhealth
subject: keto baking
subject: keto cakes
subject: keto sweetener
subject: sugar replacement
subject: sugar-free cakes
subject: sugar-free recipes
description: Looking for an alternative to sugar in your cakes? We have plenty of ideas for sweet treats using the most popular sugar substitutes.
encoded: What's nicer than sharing homemade cake with family and friends? Baking can be one of life's great pleasures, and if you are cutting refined sugar in your diet then sugar substitutes and sugar alternatives offer a lighter way to enjoy sweet treats. Here's what you need to know before using them. Firstly, they can be expensive and if you don't know the best way to incorporate them in bakes you may spoil your hard work. Good Food’s nutritionist Kerry Torrens pointed out that: "Using refined sugar in baking isn't all about sweetness – it’s responsible for that delicious texture and crumb, that lovely golden-brown colour and it helps extend the storage time of your bake. That's if your cake hangs around long enough! Sugar also keeps bakes moist, so sugar-free versions may need to be wrapped before storage to prevent them drying out." Discover our favourite ways to minimise refined sugar in bakes, cakes and sweet treats. Then check out our lower sugar recipes, healthy cake recipes and lower sugar baking recipes. Plus, browse all you need to know about sugar, including 10 things you need to know before giving up sugar. What are the top tips for sugar-free baking? 1. Whole fruit Nature’s natural sweet treat, whether fresh, frozen, dried or puréed, fruit adds flavour, moisture and nutrients to your bakes and is amazingly versatile. Bananas are an obvious choice but don't forget other exotic fruits, like pineapple and mango. One of the key considerations when using fruit is to make sure it is as ripe as possible so you optimise its natural sweetness. Be prepared for some trial and error before you get your favourite recipe to work. Replacing refined sugar with, say, an apple purée, is clearly not a straightforward swap, so you’ll need to play around with the amount of fluid and the dry ingredients before you get the combination right. Dried fruit like dates, sultanas, prunes and apricots are concentrated sources of sweetness, rich in fibre as well as nutrients including iron…

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10 tips for reducing your single-use plastic waste
type: item
creator: Caroline Hire – Food writer
subject: Guide
subject: How to
subject: Sustainability
subject: Caroline Hire
subject: Environmentally friendly
subject: Green
subject: plastic
subject: recycle
subject: waste
description: Follow these 10 simple lifestyle tips to reduce the plastic waste you produce – it’s easier to cut down on single-use plastic than you might think.
encoded: Thinking about going plastic-free? It might feel impossible because single-use plastics are everywhere, but making a few small changes to your shopping habits can make a significant difference to the amount of plastic you throw away each month. Here are 10 tried-and-tested tips to help you cut out single-use plastics. For expert advice on everything from making products last longer, to reducing energy use and your carbon footprint - see sustainable living advice on Which.co.uk. 1. Be prepared It sounds obvious, but a bit of forward planning can help you swap to a plastic-free lifestyle much more smoothly. Think about where you use the most single-use plastics in your daily life – covering up leftovers for the fridge? Buying bottles of water? Lunch deals and snacks? You may need to make a few small investments to replace these items, but you’ll be using them time and time again. Rather than cling film, opt for beeswax wraps. A water bottle is a no-brainer – choose a charcoal filter bottle if you’re worried about impurities in the water where you refill it – and a reusable coffee cup can be used for a lot more than coffee. Use metal straws and pack a portable cutlery set for days out, and avoid plastic-heavy meal deals by making your own bento-style lunch box. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you come to rely on these everyday items. 2. Bring your own containers and bags Supermarkets have been charging us for plastic bags for years, but quite a few of us still slip up and have to accept the extra cost when we’re caught short. One solution is to buy a small, reusable shopping bag that packs away neatly into a pouch. Keep one permanently in your bag so you don’t need to buy a plastic bag whenever you make an impromptu purchase. When food shopping, take your own plastic-lidded containers, produce bags or a cool bag for fridge items with you. String or net bags are great for fruits and vegetables, or you could invest in reusable, washable bags, such as those by Carrinet. F…

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How to transport food safely
type: item
date: 2023-03-21T12:06:41.000Z
creator: Caroline Hire – Food writer
subject: Health
subject: Healthy food guides
subject: Caroline Hire
subject: Food safety
subject: goodhealth
subject: how to store food
subject: transporting food safety tips
subject: what temperature should we keep food
description: Whether you're camping, heading for a holiday cottage or taking food to a party, follow our basic rules for getting it there safely.
encoded: If you're planning to travel with food this summer, whether it's a sunny picnic or camping, it's worth taking a look at our top 10 tips for transporting it safely. Read on below to find out how to travel safely with food, then read our guide on what foods you can freeze, the best meal prep containers and browse our best batch-cook recipes. 1. Prepare for your journey Plan ahead – if you're travelling long distances, it may be safer to visit a supermarket nearer your destination to buy perishable items. Make sure you have enough cool bags, cool boxes and ice packs as well as sealed food containers. If there's a fridge at your destination, transfer the food immediately before unpacking the rest of your stuff. If there isn't a fridge, plan to eat any perishable items when you arrive. Consider taking foods that don't need refrigerating to bulk out your meals e.g. muffins, cakes (without butter icing), bread, trail mix and bars. Canned, jarred and UHT foods can be surprisingly good. Vegetarian meals are a great option, if you want to cook up a storm on a campsite – a vegetarian casserole made with seasonal veg, spices, canned tomatoes and chickpeas makes for a filling meal. Buy pre-cooked grains in pouches for a quick and simple salad or add them to soups and stews for a more sustaining main. 2. Travelling with cooked food Make sure all food is thoroughly sealed before travelling so there's no cross-contamination. You don't want raw and ready-to-eat food in contact with each other. Check out the best food storage containers for this. If you're travelling by car in hot weather, open the doors before you set off to let the heat out, put the food in the coolest place in the car, and if you have it, put the air con on. If you're taking a cooked dish, cook it, cool it as quickly as possible and refrigerate. Transfer it to a cool box with ice packs just before setting off. Think about freezing meat or ready-cooked dishes and transporting them frozen – that way you know they wo…

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Sugar-free banana bread
type: item
creator: Caroline Hire – Food writer
subject: Health
subject: Recipes
subject: Banana bread
subject: Caroline Hire
subject: Diet
subject: Healthier
subject: Healthy
subject: Kids
subject: Loaf cake
subject: Low GI
subject: Natural sweetener
subject: Sponge
subject: Sweetener
subject: Xylitol
description: This recipe is naturally sweetened with fruit and an optional drizzle of agave syrup meaning less added sugar is required in this banana bread
encoded: Start your day on a cozy note with this banana bread baked oats recipe

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Dairy-free pancakes
type: item
creator: Caroline Hire – Food writer
subject: Health
subject: Recipes
subject: Caroline Hire
subject: Dairy intolerant
subject: Dietary requirements
subject: Flipping
subject: Griddle cakes
subject: Lactose-free
subject: Milk-free pancakes
subject: No dairy
subject: No milk
subject: Pancake day
subject: Pancake tuesday
subject: Shrove Tuesday
subject: Special diets
description: Skip regular milk and replace it with coconut or hemp milk in these light pancakes suitable for people with dairy or lactose intolerance

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