Natalie Hardwick – Head of Digital Delivery, goodfood.com
Spare yourself hours in the kitchen with our time-saving Christmas dinner menu. From simple starters to alternative mains, this year's festive prep will be easier than ever
It’s perfectly reasonable to want to avoid hours chained to the stove on the big day. There are plenty of festive recipes that take minutes rather than hours, slashing cooking time and giving you more time to spend with your friends and family. The key to speedy delivery is minimal prep time, so we’ve tried to keep it short with our choices. We've compiled a selection of recipes for each course, so you can tailor your festive menu to suit the size of your festive gathering. For more inspiration, check out our quick Christmas recipes. Using your microwave is another great way to reduce cooking time, so check out our microwave Christmas recipes. Get a head start on your cooking to make Christmas Day a breeze. You can pop dishes in the oven or reheat them at your leisure by preparing them in advance. Explore our make-ahead Christmas recipes, ranging from delightful canapés to indulgent desserts. We also have many more helpful Christmas menus for all purposes and group sizes. If you want to keep Christmas special but within your means, check out our budget Christmas menu. If you’re running behind on Christmas prep, check out our last minute Christmas menu. Try our vegetarian or vegan Christmas menu options if you’re catering to guests who don’t eat meat. Whether planning a cosy celebration for two or hosting a lively gathering, we've got you covered with our festive menus. Delight in our Christmas menu for two, perfect for an intimate affair, or impress a crowd with our Christmas menu for a crowd—each designed to bring festive cheer to your table. Christmas morning Base your breakfast around eggs or whip up some speedy pancakes. Both cook in minutes and provide a suitably savoury start to a day of serious feasting. Combine fried eggs, avocados, chutney and cream cheese in our breakfast naans for a flavoursome breakfast that takes just 10 minutes. It also counts as one of your 5-a-day, setting you up for some serious indulgence later. Get more quick breakfast inspiration For one (can easily be doubled to serve more)... Kimchi scrambled eggs (Ready in 8 mins) Cheese omelette (Ready in 10 mins) Marmite & gooey cheese crumpet soldiers (Ready in 10 mins) Overnight oats (Prep 10 mins) Eggy bread (Ready in 10 mins) Soft-boiled eggs (Ready in 4-7 mins) For two... Herb omelette with fried tomatoes (Ready in 10 mins) Sardines on toast (Ready in 7 mins) Air fryer fried egg (Ready in 8-10 mins) Cinnamon porridge with baked bananas (Ready in 13 mins) Three-minute blender banana pancakes (Ready in 3 mins) For four... Cheesy scrambled egg croissants (Ready in 10 mins) Protein overnight oats (Prep 10 mins) Breakfast egg wraps (Ready 12 mins) Smoked salmon tartines (Ready in 10 mins) Oat & chia porridge (Ready in 14 mins) Prosciutto, cranberry & brie croissants (Ready in 10 mins) Find more quick Christmas breakfast recipes to begin the festivities right. Christmas dinner Starters Get ahead with dishes you can make in advance or serve an array of luxurious products, such as smoked salmon and fine cheeses – a classic cheat’s choice. Smoked salmon dishes are always a popular choice and can be whipped up in a few minutes. For a light veggie starter, try our zingy halloumi, carrot & orange salad with a punchy mustard and honey dressing. This easy, colourful dish is ready in just 20 minutes and adds a vibrant start to your menu. Try our other speedy starters For two... Seared garlic seafood with spicy harissa bisque (Ready in 15 mins) Potted crab (Ready in 12 mins) Triple cheese & tarragon-stuffed mushrooms (Ready in 15 mins) Beetroot, bacon, cranberry & grain salad (Prep 5 mins) For four to six... Baked camembert (Ready in 25 mins) Roasted red pepper soup with crispy croutons (Ready in 27 mins) Broccoli caesar salad (Ready in 10 mins) Cucumber prawn cocktail cups (Ready in 15 mins) Crab & beetroot pâté (Ready in 12 mins) Hot-smoked salmon & beetroot platter (Prep 10 mins) For eight... Smoked salmon flatbreads (Ready in 8 mins) Raclette (Ready in 25-28 mins) Smoked trout & radish remoulade tartines (Ready in 25 mins) Check out our guide to quick Christmas starters for inspiration on more speedy starters. Main courses A huge joint of meat is always going to take hours roasting, so think outside the box when it comes to your choice of cut or alternative centrepiece. These festive mains can be prepared and cooked in an hour or less, so there'll be no need to watch the oven all day. For one (can easily be doubled to serve more)... Cranberry & lentil bake (Ready in 30 mins) Turkey schnitzel with rocket & pomegranate salad (Ready in 15 mins) Pea & ham pot pie (Ready in 40 mins) For two... Herb & garlic baked cod with romesco sauce & spinach (Ready in 30 mins) Roasted duck breast with plum sauce (Ready in 35 mins) Creamy salmon, leek & potato traybake (Ready in 40 mins) One-pan pigeon breast with spinach & bacon (Ready in 20 mins) Lemon dressed salmon with leek & broad bean puree (Ready in 30 mins) For four... Christmas poussin (Ready in 45 mins) Pot-roast pheasant with cider & bacon (Ready in 1 hour) Honey-roasted duck with creamed cauliflower (Ready in 1 hour) Spiced salmon with traybaked sag aloo (Ready in 55 mins) For six... Roast rack of lamb with rosemary (Ready in 50 mins- 1 hr) Rain-or-shine leg of lamb (Ready in 45 mins) Smoked salmon & spinach gratin (Ready in 50 mins) Herby cheese roulade (Ready in 45 mins) Bay-crumbed salmon with creamed spinach & wild mushroom (Ready in 55 mins) For eight... Clementine & vodka-baked salmon with beetroot crème fraîche sauce (Ready in 1 hour) Seared beef, spelt & butternut salad (Ready in 50 mins) Side dishes Prepare a delicious array of sides, each of which can be on the table in 20 minutes or under. From stir-fried festive cabbage to crushed olive oil potatoes, our speedy shortcuts mean you can enjoy all the trimmings with less hassle. For two... Kale salad (Ready in 20 mins) Braised cavolo nero (Ready in 20 mins) Sweet potato mash (Ready in 12 mins) Roasted asparagus (Ready in 17 mins) For four... Stir-fried festive cabbage (Ready in 20 mins) Roasted cauliflower (Ready in 30 mins) Tenderstem broccoli with sesame (Ready in 10 mins) Air-fryer pigs in blankets (Ready in 17 mins) Pan-roasted kale with lemon (Ready in 11-13 mins) Sautéed cabbage (Ready in 20 mins) For six... Air fryer broccoli (Ready in 15 mins) Air fryer brussel sprouts (Ready in 13-20 mins) Cranberry, orange & rosemary sauce (Ready in 20 mins) Microwave caraway & pomegranate red cabbage (Ready in 25 mins) Fried brussels sprouts (Ready in 20 mins) Hot honey carrots (Ready in 20 mins) Microwave brussels sprouts (Ready in 10 mins) Microwave cauliflower cheese (Ready in 25 mins) Dessert If you've neither the time nor the patience to cook a traditional Christmas pudding or an intricate baked Alaska, our super-speedy sweets will save the day. You can whip up one of these elegant parfaits, mousses or meringues in just 10 minutes or under – guests need never know how little time they took! For two... Banana mug cake (Ready in 6 mins) Vegan chocolate banana ice cream (Ready in 5 mins) Microwave Christmas mug cake (Ready in 8 mins) Blackberry & lemon fool (Ready in 10 mins) Chocolate & hazelnut ice cream sandwiches (Ready in 5 mins) For four... Vanilla, apple & ginger biscuit fool (Ready in 10 mins) Banoffee trifles (Ready in 5 mins) Easy chocolate mousse (Ready in 7 mins) Beer tiramisu (Prep 10 mins) Almond & apricot trifles (Ready in 10 mins) Amaretti affogato (Ready in 5 mins) For six... Black forest Christmas fool (Ready in 10 mins) Coffee granita (Prep 10 mins) Affogato (Prep 5 mins) Baileys banana trifles (Ready in 10 mins) After-dinner mint cream (Ready in 10 mins) Snacking If anyone gets the munchies between meals, a simple spread of quick bites, sandwiches and dips will bridge the hunger gap in no time. For one (can easily be doubled to serve more)... Date & walnut cinnamon bites (Ready in 5 mins) Pan-fried camembert sandwich (Ready in 5 mins) Chocolate-drizzled popcorn (Ready in 13 mins) For two... Mini saltimbocca sandwiches (Ready in 10 mins) Gochujang tuna melt (Ready in 11 mins) Chorizo & red pepper hummus (Ready in 10 mins) Avocado with Virgin Mary dressing (Ready in 5 mins) For four to six... Smoked salmon & rice salad (Ready in 10 mins) Smoked trout & horseradish pâté (Ready in 5 mins) Ricotta & spring onion dip (Ready in 5 mins) Choc & ginger dippers (Ready in 7 mins) Feta & cucumber bites (Ready in 10 mins) For a crowd Quick and easy party nibbles (Ready in 1 hour) Drinks Whether your guests are going booze-free or fancy a classic festive tipple, we've got plenty of quick drinks you can mix up in 15 minutes or fewer. All that's left to do is grab a glass and join in the evening's festivities. For one... Whisky mac (Ready in 2 mins) Classic negroni (Ready in 5 mins) Piña colada (Ready in 5 mins) Spiced piña colada mocktail (Ready in 15 mins) Irish coffee (Ready in 5 mins) For two... Sloe Royales (Ready in 2 mins) Hot toddy (Ready in 5 mins) Amaretto espresso martini (Ready in 5 mins) For four... Eggnog (Ready in 10 mins, plus 2 hours chilling) Spiced Bloody Marys (Ready in 5 mins) Sazerac (Ready in 10 mins) Mulled wine cocktail (Ready in 12 mins, plus 2 hours chilling) For six... Easy mulled wine (Ready in 15 mins) Gin-free G&T (Ready in 10 mins, plus 2 hours infusing) Bellini (Ready in 5 mins) Mimosa recipe (Ready in 5 mins) Festive rum & ginger punch (Ready in 10 mins) Cinnamon butter rum (Ready in 9 mins) For a crowd... Mulled pear & cranberry punch (Ready in 10 mins) Christmas cosmopolitan (Ready in 5 mins) Want a plan that takes all the stress out of Christmas dinner? Try our easiest ever, next level or budget menu plans, complete with timeplans, pre-loaded shopping lists (to print out or use for online shopping) and all the recipes you'll need for the big day. Find more Christmas menus... Vegetarian Christmas menu Vegan Christmas menu Gluten-free Christmas menu Classic Christmas menu 2-hour Christmas menu Christmas menu for a crowd Christmas menu for two All our Christmas menus How do you handle cooking a big meal under time pressure? Share your tips below...
Staying in on New Year's Eve this year? Our extra-special recipes will help you see in 2023 in style. Discover our favourite ideas
Whether you are celebrating New Year's Eve or Hogmanay, cooking at home on New Year’s Eve is a quiet, but no less special way to see in the new year. As you'll save on a restaurant meal, drinks, taxis and more, you can justify splashing out on premium ingredients, whether that's a platter of oysters or the best cheeseboard money can buy. After all, 31 December is a night to treat yourself. Find inspiration from drinks to vegetarian options in our helpful New Year’s Eve menu. We've rounded up our most luxurious, indulgent and memorable meals to serve up on New Year's Eve – we're talking feasts that are so good, they're worth staying in to enjoy. Read on to discover our celebration recipes for dining before the clock strikes midnight. If you're having a New Year's Eve party at home, be sure to serve up some of our favourite New Year's Eve party cocktails and keep your guests satisfied with our New Year's Eve party food. If you’re keeping it close with just the family then we have our family New Year’s Eve recipes that will satisfy kids and grandparents alike. The best New Year's Eve dinner ideas 1. Squash & blue cheese wellington This is a true celebratory classic, and we have plenty of wellington inspiration if you're planning to make one for New Year's Eve. There's the classic beef version, as well as twists such as pork, veggie, vegan and sausage in our ultimate wellington collection. And yes, the sausage version is essentially a giant sausage roll, a dish we'll always welcome with open arms. 2. Spicy clam & kale linguine Silky pasta with fresh steamed shellfish makes a great meal for two, and is quick to make, so you'll have more time to enjoy yourself. Ask your fishmonger for advice on what's in season in December – expect clams, oysters and mussels – and pair your pasta with a wine, like a bright white with mineral notes to complement the seafood. 3. Spiced duck breasts with sticky clementine sauce Make the most of your air fryer to make this stylish dinner with seasonal clementines, dried apricots and honey. Scale it up if you're serving a crowd or keep it as a special dinner for two, then find out our top tips for how to cook duck breast. 4. Twice-cooked beef short ribs A joint of slow-cooked meat makes an impressive centrepiece when entertaining. Our roast beef recipes include a classic, showstopping bone-in rib joint and prosciutto-wrapped fillet, but if you fancy shaking it up, try serving beef short ribs. This thriftier cut is slow-cooked until tender, then served with dripping carrots and fancy gravy. 5. Old Delhi-style butter chicken Curry is the perfect one-pot meal to cook for a special night in, as it can be easily scaled up or down depending on the size of your crowd. Our comprehensive collection of curry recipes includes regional Indian dishes, vegan satay curry and comforting dhal. Our choice for New Year’s Eve is this epic Old Delhi-style butter chicken, because any dish that involves ghee and cream is truly worthy of celebration. 6. Slow-baked sticky gammon Ham is a popular choice at Christmas time, but it can be enjoyed for almost any special occasion. Our sticky gammon recipe is a cross between a traditional festive ham and pulled pork. Serve with buns or rice, plus a sweet pineapple chutney to cut through the rich glazed meat. 7. Lobster mac & cheese It’s almost impossible to improve on a classic macaroni cheese, but the relatively neutral base makes it perfect for adding some interesting, flavourful ingredients. On New Year's Eve, try a luxurious version made with lobster tails – nobody needs to know they came from the freezer aisle. For more inspiration, browse our macaroni cheese collection for more traditional versions, plus a vegan mac. 8. Whole roast cauliflower Cauliflower is a versatile ingredient that soaks up plenty of flavour. Take it to another level with festive pomegranate jewels and thick, creamy yogurt. For a veggie version, try our whole roast cauliflower with red wine & grains. Serve with a selection of colourful winter salads or tapas sides. 9. Smoky aubergine & pepper tagine This is the perfect prep-ahead vegan dish. You can make a batch of our aubergine and pepper tagine ahead of time to save yourself from too much work on the day, then put extra portions in the freezer for a rainy day. Why not serve with some of our quick and easy flatbreads to mop everything up. 10. Slow-roasted lamb shoulder Lamb shoulder is great, because most of the prep is done in advance – a low oven simply cooks the meat slowly while you get on with other things. Rosie Birkett’s lamb shoulder recipe uses a shallot, anchovy and multi-herb marinade, and is served with a lemony gremolata for freshness. If you have any leftovers, serve Rosie’s lamb shoulder & smoky aubergine flatbreads on New Year’s Day for a take on Turkish lahmacun, a dish that takes the concept of pizza to a whole new stratosphere. 11. Squash steaks with chestnut & cavolo nero pilaf Go meat-free and make our vegan-friendly butternut squash ‘steaks’. This recipe uses seasonal ingredients, including robust chestnuts and leafy cavolo nero, plus warm cumin and cinnamon to ramp up the flavour. Dairy-free coconut yogurt adds coolness and contrast to finish. This dish looks extra-special, but is an absolute cinch to put together. 12. Stuffed bolognese pasta bake This Good Food magazine cover star caused a stir with readers and social media fans, and for good reason. It combines bolognese sauce with a pasta bake, and the results are magic. The pasta shells are stuffed with a mascarpone and mozzarella mixture to give the dish a deliciously cheesy element, as every good pasta bake should have. 13. Chicken terrine with leeks & apricots Impress your guests with this elegant chicken terrine, layered with tender leeks and sweet apricots. It makes a fantastic starter or a light yet flavour-packed main, perfect alongside a crisp white roll to spread it on. The best part? You can prepare the terrine up to three days ahead, giving you plenty of time to relax and enjoy the evening with your guests. A little effort upfront goes a long way in delivering a truly special dish. 14. Next-level porchetta Create a showstopping centrepiece with this budget-friendly porchetta, perfect for feeding a crowd. This succulent rolled pork joint is ideal for special occasions and serves up to ten, making it a great choice for celebrating at home. Even if a night out isn’t on the cards, you can still gather your loved ones around the table for an unforgettable meal that’s sure to kick off the year on the right note. 15. Easy salmon coulibiac This stunning fish and rice dish, wrapped in crisp filo pastry, looks impressive but is surprisingly easy to make. By using ready-made filo and a pouch of cooked brown rice, you’ll save both time and effort, making it the perfect choice for a stylish yet stress-free New Year’s celebration. Ideal for impressing guests without the hassle, it's a simple way to welcome the year with flair. More New Year’s Eve inspiration... New Year’s Eve menu plan Alternative wellington recipes for NYE The best ever New Year’s Eve party food Top New Year’s Eve cocktails Cocktail recipes and tips 10 gin and tonics with a twist How will you be celebrating on 31 December? Leave a comment below...
Serve a traditional Christmas dinner menu filled with classic dishes, including smoked salmon starters, roast turkey with all the trimmings and Christmas pudding.
We’re all for breaking with convention and trying something new on special occasions, but sometimes only classic dishes will do on Christmas Day. We’ve put together a menu of our favourite traditional festive recipes for inspiration. This menu serves eight, but we’ve also included alternative options if you’re catering for less or more guests. Our helpful Christmas portion planner will make sure you serve the perfect amount. For even more inspiration, see our Christmas dinner hub and more Christmas menu ideas. Classic Christmas dinner menu Christmas morning ideas Bake this Middle Eastern-inspired loaf to serve for a festive brunch. To make things extra-indulgent, spread thick slices with our moreish honey & tahini butter. Twisted spiced bread with honey & tahini butter Breakfast casserole Cured salmon build-your-own bagel board Gingerbread pancakes Mushroom brunch Brioche breakfast bake with crispy bacon See more Christmas breakfast recipes Christmas dinner ideas Starters Perfect pâté, parfait & pickles Pâté, terrine or parfait are perfect make-ahead starters. Take them out the fridge just before serving and put on a serving platter with toasts or, for even less hassle, oatcakes or crackers. Our homemade fig chutney is also a sweet and sticky accompaniment. Port & chicken liver pâté Chicken liver pâté Smoked salmon, dill & lemon pâté Duck & pork terrine with cranberries & pistachios More Christmas pâté recipes Prawn cocktails Breathe new life into prawn cocktail, a classic Christmas starter. With the addition of some Cajun spices, it's a flavour-packed modern twist. Rainbow prawn cocktails Cucumber prawn cocktail cups Classic prawn cocktail Prawn cocktail squares Prawn cocktail cups See more prawn cocktail recipes Smoked salmon Keep things light before the onslaught of roast dinner with all the trimmings. Stocking smoked salmon in your fridge is a wise choice at Christmas. Make a canapé classic of salmon & herb blinis, which you can rustle up in less than 20 minutes using four ingredients. Smoked salmon with horseradish crème fraîche & beetroot Smoked salmon, leek & dill tart Hot smoked salmon & beetroot platter Smoked salmon pâté with tear & share brioche buns Gravadlax with celeriac & fennel salad Pastrami-cured salmon See more festive smoked salmon recipes Christmas soup Serve a warming bowl of soup for a light yet satisfying Christmas starter. Try our creamy celeriac soup, or if you're feeling extra luxurious, our celeriac, hazelnut & truffle soup. Capture more seasonal flavours by blitzing chestnuts and parsnips into a silky-smooth blend and topping with crispy bacon pieces. Celeriac, hazelnut & truffle soup Spicy roasted parsnip soup Vegan leek & potato soup Mushroom soup Chestnut, bacon & parsnip soup Cauliflower soup See more Christmas soup recipes Traditional turkey ideas For some, there will never be a centrepiece that can replace turkey. If you want to stay traditional, make our classic roast turkey recipe with a rich red wine gravy. Placing pancetta under the skin will keep the meat beautifully succulent and add a hint of saltiness. If you're serving fewer people, a turkey crown can often be more suitable than a whole bird. We've added flavour and moistness to our turkey crown with a dry-brining recipe. If turkey isn't your thing, roast beef with Yorkshire puddings should fit the bill without straying too far from tradition. Roast turkey Roasted garlic & herb turkey crown Jerk turkey Perfect pancetta & roast shallot-stuffed turkey Brined roast turkey crown Cider roast turkey See more turkey recipes Watch our video on how to carve a turkey: View Green Video on the source website Side dishes and trimmings Serve your centrepiece with all the trimmings. It wouldn’t be Christmas without the much-debated Brussels sprouts, but parsnips, carrots and potatoes are all solid choices, along with one of our favourite parts of Christmas: pigs-in-blankets. Brussels with chestnuts & sage Garlic mashed potatoes Honey-roast carrots Triple-cooked roast potatoes Crisp honey mustard parsnips Christmas spiced red cabbage Bacon, sausage & prune rolls Caramelised shallot mash See more Christmas sides Sauces Elevate bread sauce by adding buttery, crisp onions. It's an ideal condiment for the Christmas dinner table or to serve with your Sunday roast. Bread sauce with flaked almonds & caramelised shallots Crispy onion & bread sauce Brown butter bread & onion sauce Vegan bread sauce Port & cranberry sauce with juniper Make-ahead gravy Simple cranberry sauce See more Christmas sauces Christmas dessert ideas Christmas pudding Love it or hate it, a fruity basin pudding embodies the spirit of Christmas. Serve with rich and luxurious brandy butter. Classic Christmas pudding Vegan Christmas pudding Christmas sticky toffee pudding Individual chocolate, pear & amaretti puddings Lighter Christmas pudding See more Christmas pudding recipes Christmas trifles Take trifle to the next level for the festive season. Make the jelly with raspberries and enrich the custard with clotted cream for ultra indulgence. Retro trifle Banoffee-tirami trifle Next level sherry trifle Chocolate orange trifle Chocolate brownie trifle Eggnog trifle See more Christmas trifle recipes. Christmas drink ideas A bottle of fizz will serve a crowd if you add some juice or fresh fruit to the glass. Alternatively, get your spices melding and stir up some fragrant mulled wine. We also have a mocktail version for non-drinkers. Amaretto fizz Bellini Cranberry sangria Easy mulled wine Pomander spritz Peppermint mojito Non-alcoholic mulled wine See more Christmas drink recipes Want a plan that takes all the stress out of Christmas dinner? Try our easiest ever, next level or budget menu plans, complete with time plan, shopping list (to print out or use for online shopping) and all the recipes you'll need for the big day. If you're still stuck for inspiration, visit our Christmas dinner page or browse more Christmas menus... Complete Christmas menu: vegetarian Vegan Christmas menu Gluten-free Christmas menu Complete Christmas menu: quick 2 hour Christmas menu Complete Christmas menu: for a crowd Complete Christmas menu: for two All our Christmas menus
We love cider chilled in summer, mulled for winter and in pint-sized portions all year round. Use the tangy drink in a variety of sweet and savoury recipes
Cooking with cider? Whether you’re partial to a cloudy cidre Breton, prefer a can of flavoured fizzy stuff, or avoid it like the plague, cider is certainly a drink worth talking about. The large range of products that fall under the umbrella category of cider are incredibly distinct, meaning with a little digging, most people will find something to suit their palate. But, if you’re firmly in the ‘no’ camp, cider can still be enjoyed in cooking – in fact, some people would say it’s the best way to showcase its flavour. Not sure what to match it with? Follow our lead with these winning combinations... If you've got a glut, try our pear recipes and apple recipes. Looking for cider recommendations? Find out the best cider taste tested, then discover our ways to cook with beer, learn about types of beer and read our vegan beer taste test. What food does cider pair well with? Cider can be paired with a variety of foods, including both sweet and savoury. When it comes to savoury, cider works well with meats such as pork and chicken due to their milder flavour. For cheese, a classic combination is cheddar and cider, but it can also be served with creamier varieties such as brie and camembert. Think about the acidity of the cider too – drier ciders work well with heavier meals as the acidity cuts through the fat. Seafood is also a great choice with cider as an alternative to a dry white wine. As you might expect, any dessert made with apples pairs well with cider, and in general most fruit desserts can work with cider too. Creamy, rich desserts, for the reason mentioned above, also complement cider well. Caramel desserts are a great combination too, think toffee apples! Sparkling cider works well with both sweet and savoury, and in particular its carbonation helps to cut through richer dishes. 20 cider recipes 1. Sticky cider onion hot dogs Cooked in cider, these hot dogs take on an irresistible sweet and sticky flavour that your barbecue guests will love. Now find out our hot dog topping ideas and more hot dog recipes. 2. Chicken, leek & cider pie Use leftover roast chicken to make a comforting, creamy pie with cider, apples and leeks. Make the most of a shop-bought puff pastry sheet to make assembly a breeze. 3. Cider & onion soup with cheese & apple toasts Try Tom Kerridge's ingenious twist on French onion soup with cider and crumbly cheese toasts. Apple matchsticks and thyme leaves make an impressive-looking yet easy topping. Now discover our most popular soup recipes. 4. Twice-cooked pork belly with cider sauce Looking for a budget entertaining option? With just a handful of ingredients you can wow your guests with an impressive dinner party main. Serve with our burnt butter cabbage and crackling potato cake for soaking up the delicious cider gravy. Next try our crisp cider-braised pork belly. 5. Caramelised apples with cider Apple and pork make a winning combination when it comes to Sunday lunches. Serve these caramelised apples alongside your roast pork for a delicious upgrade to your meal. Find more Sunday lunch ideas. 6. Spiced apple cider cake Juicy Bramley apples are brought into the cake batter, along with apple cider, to be a deliciously moist batter. Spices from allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and cloves make sure it's a highly flavoured addition to your afternoon tea. Try our best ever apple cake recipes. 7. Slow-cooked pork, cider & sage hotpot By slowly cooking your pork, not only does it make it more tender, it also allows you to use a cheaper cut of pork. This recipe makes the most of diced pork shoulder alongside leeks, dry cider, parsley, sage and potatoes. Find out more about how to buy cheap cuts of pork and how to cook pork shoulder. 8. Pork, apple & cider casserole This Normandy-inspired recipe combines pork shoulder or cheeks with smoked bacon lardons, Braeburn apples and dry cider for a Normandy-inspired recipe. Serve with creamy mash and greens. 9. Creamy pork & pear cassoulet For a simple-to-prep yet flavour-packed weeknight dinner, this cassoulet with pork loin, cider and double cream more than fits the bill. Try more easy midweek meals. 10. Cider-braised cabbage wedges Dry cider, balsamic vinegar and a mixture of warming herbs and spices make this easy braised cabbage with meltingly soft, caramelised onions. Perfect to serve alongside a roast, try more ways with braised red cabbage. 11. Pork, cider & artichoke stew When Jerusalem artichokes are at the peak of their seasonal goodness in winter, use them in this pork and cider casserole for a sweet and nutty flavour upgrade. Feeling inspired? Try more Jerusalem artichoke recipes. 12. Chicken & cider fricassée with parsley croûtes It’s understandable why chicken is the most popular search term across goodfood.com – its versatility and ease of cooking mean it can be teamed with a spectrum of sauces and seasonings. Cider, mustard and herbs are a holy trinity of flavours, now try our cider, mustard & herb chicken. 13. Sticky cider & mustard sausage wheel with box grater salad We’re huge fans of flavour contrast, and pork and apple might just be one of our favourite combinations. Add this novel recipe to your campsite repertoire – cider, honey and mustard are reduced to a sticky glaze to coat a cartwheel of sausage. Serve with a contrasting rustic slaw and add an extra layer of nighttime insulation with help from a steaming mug of hot caramel malted milk. 14. Roast pork with cider gravy Gravy sometimes needs a helping hand, and if yours lacks the necessary pizzazz, a glug of booze will usually provide a remedy. Cider sits in the middle ground between light, tangy white wine and rich, deep red, and it goes without saying that it complements roast pork a treat. Next try our herb-studded roast loin of pork with apple & cider. 15. Normandy fish stew When it comes to gaily sloshing alcohol into savoury dishes, we usually apply a lighter touch when it comes to fruits of the water world. However, firm white fish, such as cod or pollock, has a neutral flavour that, depending on your palate, can require a bolstering from bold accompaniment choices. A fish stew is an ideal canvas for throwing in cider in place of wine, then experimenting with seasoning, herbs and vegetables. 16. Steamed mussels with cider, spring onions & cream Apply the same principles to cooking with mussels. Try replacing the more traditional white wine in ‘moules mariniere’ with the same amount of cider. Let the alcohol burn off while steaming the shells open. Cream, ailiums and herbs all make sound additions – just make sure you serve plenty of bread to soak up the irresistible cooking liquor. Next try our mussels with red onion, cider and crème fraîche. 17. Rabbit pie Whether you’re a fan of plump birds like grouse, pheasant and partridge, or prefer dense, iron-rich venison, game is about as meaty as you get. Balance out all that primal flavour with a slightly sweet sauce. Cider has enough of an acidic tang to cut through the buttery meat, while its fruity undertone is just the right side of sweet once reduced during cooking. Next discover our pheasant, leek & bacon pie. 18. Cider-braised cabbage & leek hotpot Add a new dimension to steamed vegetables by cooking them in cider. Preserve the apple flavour by adding the liquid at the end of the cooking process, allowing the alcohol to cook off slightly but leaving a decent boozy hit. The method can be used for most green leaves – try Savoy, red or white cabbage, curly kale or chard. 19. Cider fondant potatoes Mastering the fondant potato carries you one step further to being a professional-standard chef. This restaurant favourite is an underrated, but highly decadent, way to serve your spuds. Once you’ve basted your potatoes in a butter glaze, transfer to the oven and add cider to reduce to sticky sauce. 20. Cider roast turkey Team the classic flavours of Christmas with fruity cider – the drink matches perfectly with warm spices, winter fruit like quince or cranberries and roasted meat. Roast your big bird in a bath of cider – it’ll steam the meat while cooking, plus with help from leeks and carrots, makes a delicious base for gravy. If you’re still hankering for cider after that, try our mulled cider and then discover our twists on classic roast turkey. Are you a fan of cider and do you ever use it in cooking? We’d like to hear your recipe ideas…
Looking for a dessert to warm the cockles and put a smile on your face? These feel-good comforting puddings are easy enough for cosy nights in.
There are desserts, and then there are puddings. Puddings transcend the realms of ‘sweet course that ends a meal' to occupy a higher food plane, one that warms you from within and leaves you feeling deeply comforted. Often, the urge for pudding comes at unexpected times after an evening meal, on those nights when a pang for something sweet takes hold. To serve those emergency situations, we’ve not only rounded-up our most comforting puddings, but we've specifically chosen recipes that can be ready in under an hour (in some cases, less than 20 minutes). But, beyond that – because we are truly committed to last-minute pudding problem-solving – we’ve picked recipes with minimal ingredients, some of which use common storecupboard staples, like canned fruit and ready-made cheats. So, put on your comfies, plant yourself on the sofa and bring on the hug-in-a-bowl – here are our top 10 most-warming pudding recipes that are guaranteed to hit the spot. For more ideas, see our nostalgic traditional pudding recipes or the indulgent British classic, queen of puddings. And, don't forget our decadent self-saucing pudding recipes. Try our best ever family puddings, or take a trip down memory lane with our best school dinner puddings. For food ideas during the colder months, check out our comfort food recipes, including more of our comforting dessert recipes. There's more where that came from with indulgent baking recipes and seasonal ideas for warming winter desserts. If you're feeling extra-autumnal or want to host a dinner party this season, try out our top 10 autumn recipes. Best comforting puddings 1. Coconut, rum & raisin rice pudding We love rice pudding on many levels, not least the whimsical nostalgia factor. This dish is also one of the most inclusive on our list, as it's gluten-free. While we love a bowl of canned rice pudding with a dollop of jam, this deluxe version takes it to another level. The base includes butter, coconut milk and double cream, all perked up by a rum syrup. Serve hot or cold, or try out other comforting rice puddings in our collection. If you'd like a comforting vegan version, try our vegan rice pudding with pear & berry compote. 2. Caramel apple pie Transport yourself to America with this apple pie recipe. For the best results, make your pastry – buttery, crisp and well worth the effort. Inside, the apples are lifted by a rich caramel, their tartness balanced by just the right touch of sweetness. Let your pie cool for at least 2 hours before serving with your choice of homemade vanilla custard or homemade vanilla ice cream. 3. Peach cobbler Continuing the retro theme, behold our traditional peach cobbler. To make this 50-minute fruity feast, bake canned peaches with spices before topping them with dollops of cinnamon-infused dough. Bake until the scone-like topping is golden, then serve hot with ice cream. We have other easy fruit cobblers and a wide range of seasonal plum and apple puddings. 4. Easy chocolate molten cakes A spongey outer and indulgent gooey centre are the best qualities for a chocolate molten cake. Make a batch of these puddings after dinner to treat guests to homemade chocolatey goodness. For other easy recipes for chocolate lovers, try our mug cake recipes. Or, check out our collection of chocolate cakes and desserts. 5. Apple & almond crumble pie Combine two classics to make the ultimate feel-good pudding. It delivers in flavour and texture, with double pastry and stewed apples being the stars of the show. It's super-easy to make, too, and doesn't take much time at all, so it's great for last-minute guests or a spontaneous post-dinner sweet treat. Serve with custard or ice cream. We have a selection of apple pies to try and some of the best apple crumbles, too. Berries and other seasonal stewed fruit would be lovely as well – check out more in our crumble collection. 6. Next level sticky toffee pudding If you're looking for the ultimate light pudding of your dreams, look no further than this next level sticky toffee pudding. It contains dates, a splash of rum, pecans, rich muscovado sugar and winter spices to usher in the new season. Enjoy this with ice cream or clotted cream and loads of toffee sauce. We have other flavour pairings and twists on the classic in our collection of sticky toffee pudding recipes. Don't let your vegan diet make you miss out on this British staple – try our vegan sticky toffee pudding. 7. Bakewell pudding Try making this egg-based pud for a warm and cosy alternative to the bakewell tart. Made using only 10 ingredients, including shop-bought pastry, it's an easy option that's not too expensive. Serve warm with ice cream, if you like. 8. Salted caramel chocolate torte Salted caramel is a trend that doesn’t seem to be abating anytime soon. A touch of salt complements the sweet caramel, which cuts through the rich and bitter dark chocolate. With a crisp and buttery biscuit base, this indulgent chocolate torte is one for true chocolate lovers, and is elegant enough for a dinner party. If you want a chocolatey vegan option, check out our beautifully dense vegan chocolate cake. 9. Lemon drizzle sponge pudding Go all out with this lemon drizzle sponge pudding. It's cheap and quick to make, and is even self-saucing thanks to the clever recipe. Serve with cream or custard for extra indulgence. For everything lemon-flavoured, try out our lemon cake recipes, from drizzle cakes and traybakes, to cheesecakes and crumbles. 10. Chocolate & salted caramel waffle bread & butter pudding Comforting and warm, this exciting twist on a classic pudding is worthy of celebration. Make a chocolate & salted caramel waffle bread & butter pudding for friends and family, and watch it become a favourite. To use up ready-made waffles or learn to make your own, check out our waffle recipes. Or, use soy milk to make this vegan date & chocolate bread & butter pudding. 11. Lemon & raspberry doughnut pudding If you’re of the opinion that doughnuts are indulgent enough on their own, look away now. This genius bake combines shop-bought jam doughnuts with ready-made custard, lemon curd and fruit. This is a bit of an outlier, as it takes a shade over an hour to make, but it’s so easy to assemble, we’re sure you’ll forgive us. 12. Sticky banana, date & pecan skillet pudding Make a warming sticky banana skillet pudding with zero waste in mind. Blitz whole bananas – skins and all – into a smooth batter with the rest of your cake ingredients, then scatter over chopped pecans for crunch. Bake until golden and gooey, then serve straight from the pan with scoops of vanilla ice cream for an effortless dessert that’s perfect for sharing with a crowd. No-oven pudding recipes Want a pudding fix but don't want to turn on your oven? These clever dessert recipes are cooked using alternative methods, like microwave and slow cooker. Slow-cooker treacle sponge The best slow-cooker desserts Top 10 microwave desserts Air-fryer doughnuts Our top no-bake desserts Make our slow-cooker sticky toffee pudding More pudding recipes The best rice pudding recipes Our top chocolate puddings Easy puddings Summer pudding recipes Sponge pudding ideas Steamed pudding inspiration Microwave puddings What's your favourite comfort food pudding? Share your recipes in the comments below.
Has 31 October crept up on you this year? Find out how to throw a last-minute Halloween party. We have all the tips, tricks and delicious treats you need.
Anyone who says Halloween is just for kids hasn’t been to the right party. Grown-ups can enjoy bowls of grog, novelty playlists, clever canapés and the opportunity to wear a wig, too. But, organising an impressive costume is a feat in itself, let alone worrying about spooky décor and freakish food. Thankfully, we have ideas that are simple and quick to make. Read on to find out how to put together a monster bash in super-quick time. See our ultimate selection of Halloween recipes, then try our easy Halloween recipes, Halloween party food recipes, adult Halloween party ideas, best Halloween party snacks and Halloween recipes to make with kids. 1. Prepare your Halloween pumpkin Make a Halloween lantern The evening of 31 October is no time to practise your sculpting skills – follow our easy video guide to carving a pumpkin and keep things simple by using one of our handy templates. Choose from a bat, witch or haunted house design, tape it to your squash, then mark the outline using a skewer to get a head-start on the carving process. Simpler still, our hole-punched lantern can be achieved in minutes – just use an apple corer for an instant lantern. Add a candle and dim those lights. Or, make a pumpkin bowl: Slash your pumpkin in half, horizontally – a serrated knife may make this easier – and use it as a decorative treasure trove. Hollow it out so there’s enough space to fit a glass bowl, then fill it with sweets, as shown in the following video: View Green Video on the source website Find more delicious ways to use up your pumpkin: Pumpkin hummus 10 new ways with pumpkin How to use pumpkin seeds Our best ever pumpkin soup recipes 2. Ideas for spooky snacks Halloween cheeseboard with creepy crackers Assemble a Halloween cheeseboard with creepy crackers for a party spread suitable for adults. You'll need a selection of cheeses, including an orange one, blue-veined variety, white option, and if you can find it, a charcoal-coated cheese. Then, serve with homemade creepy crackers made with black food colouring. Devilled eggs These spooky devilled eggs are a perfect bite-sized party canapé. Gently crack some hard-boiled eggs and leave the shell on, then submerge in a mixture of water, vinegar and food colouring – we suggest using red, orange, green or black. Drain, remove the shell and pipe in the filling for a striking finish. Healthy Halloween nachos Make these fun, healthy Halloween nachos for a sharing platter everyone will love. Start with a simple guacamole by mashing avocado, lime juice and coriander. Then, make a sweetcorn salsa by combining corn, tomatoes, onions, peppers and black beans. Cut the bat shapes out of tortillas using a cookie cooker or scissors, then bake until crisp. Halloween bark For an eye-catching treat, this Halloween bark is a deceptively easy. Simply melt white chocolate, add orange food colouring and have fun topping with jelly snakes, edible eyes, popping candy and sugar-coated peanuts. Mini monster burgers Cornichons and pimento-stuffed olives bring these Halloween burgers to life. Even better, they take just 3o minutes to make. Eerie eyeball jelly Give your guests a fright with this convincingly realistic eyeball jelly made with blueberry-stuffed lychees. Layers of red and green jelly add a spooktacular finish. Spider's web taco dip Pipe soured cream onto a creamy avocado, lime and coriander dip for a fun Halloween treat that's ready in 20 minutes. Decorate the edges with chopped red onion, peppers and olives, then get dunking. Discover more quick and tasty Halloween bites. 3. Create a Halloween drinks menu Eyeball & hand fruit punch Kids and adults alike will love this creepy eyeball and hand fruit punch. Make the ice hands by filling disposable gloves with water and freezing overnight. Combine blueberry juice, cranberry juice and sparking water, then make eyeball shapes using lychees stuffed with cherries and raisins. Grasshopper cocktail Grown-ups can look forward to this minty grasshopper cocktail with an eerie green colour. Mix equal parts crème de menthe, white crème de cacao and single cream, then shake hard until the outside of the shaker is cold and strain into a cocktail glass or small coupe. Blood beetroot cocktails Mix a batch of these vampire-inspired bloody beetroot cocktails for your next Halloween party. Steep grated beetroot in lemon juice and caster sugar for an hour to get the vibrant colour, then strain and combine with Aperol, chilled prosecco and ice. Find more terrifying tipples to sip with our Halloween drinks guide and our top Halloween cocktails and best Halloween mocktail recipes. 4. Speedy Halloween bakes Tombstone banana bread This spooky banana bread is ideal for a last-minute Halloween party. It makes good use of leftover bananas, helping to cut down on waste, and can be baked ahead of time. Get everyone involved by turning the decorating into a party game – use icing to create a graveyard scene, then add biscuit tombstones, jelly worms and other shop-bought treats for a ghoulish finish. Halloween slash cake This scary Halloween slash cake is not for the faint of heart. Bake a rich red velvet sponge, then layer with blood-red buttercream frosting and sweet strawberry jam. Cover the cake with white fondant, then use a sharp knife to cut slashes into the icing. Drizzle a little of the reserved buttercream mixed with some water into each to look like blood. Halloween brownies Show your guests you've gone the extra mile with homemade eyeball brownies instead of shop-bought sweets. Only you need to know these spooky treats come together in just four simple steps. Piece of cake (or shall we say brownie?) Kiwi slime pies Gooey kiwi slime pies are an easy party food that screams Halloween. Bake individual pastry cases by filling muffin tins with shop-bought shortcrust pastry, then make a tinted custard using green jelly, eggs, milk and sugar. Fill the cases with the custard and top with kiwi slices to finish. See more ideas with our Halloween baking recipes and best Halloween cake recipes. 5. And finally, throw together a costume Reach into your kitchen cupboards to create a last-minute costume. Black bin liners can be used as a gothic poncho, while a sprinkling of flour in your hair gives a ghostly pallor. Just make sure you brush it out thoroughly before washing it – nobody wants to start November with the beginnings of a pizza base in their hair. Get more Halloween party ideas: How to make a Halloween feast Halloween cocktails, punches and soft drinks How to throw a kid's Halloween party How to make Halloween cupcakes Halloween recipe collection Halloween hub page Are you a grown-up who loves Halloween? We'd love to hear how you celebrate...
Too much of a good thing should never go to waste. See our tips for using up surplus fruit and veg at the end of summer – bake them into delicious cakes, make them into condiments and more.
With autumn comes the harvest, but before we enter the realm of pumpkins and parsnips, it’s time to reap the rewards of a summer spent in the garden. As September dawns, it’s time to take stock of those abundant plants – depending on your location and weather conditions, courgettes, marrows, tomatoes, chillies and aubergines all tend to flourish over the summer. To make the most of these hardy ingredients, try our top 10 ways to use up a garden glut. 1. Autumn salad Native courgette season comes to an end in September. Pick them while they’re young to ensure plenty of flavour, then serve in this vibrant autumnal veggie salad alongside carrots, broccoli, tomatoes and olives, all drizzled with a zingy saffron dressing. Autumn vegetable salad 2. Semi-dried tomatoes Whether you’ve happened upon some discount plum tomatoes at the supermarket or have a handful of cherry tomatoes from your garden, all shapes and sizes of tomatoes work in this Mediterranean-inspired recipe. Once roasted, pack into jars with olive oil then serve on pizzas, in salads and sauces, or straight from the fridge. They'll keep for up to a week. Semi-dried tomatoes 3. Gingery plum cake British plums are at their peak between August and October. They come in many varieties, but those that are firm to the touch work best in this moist and spicy traybake, as they'll keep their shape and create a rustic checkerboard-style finish. If you don’t have plums, raspberries could work as a replacement. Gingery plum cake Discover more plum recipes and plum cake recipes. 4. Slow-cooked marrow Marrows are essentially super-sized courgettes. This means the flavour is slightly diluted, but as a result, the mild and creamy flesh can handle a range of accompaniments. This comforting veggie stew melds together a mouthwatering combination of greens, herbs and spices that also delivers four of your five-a-day. The slow cooking process ensures a fall-apart texture, perfect for dunking in crusty sourdough or serving alongside a meat dish. Slow-cooked marrow with fennel & tomato See our top six ways to serve marrow. 5. Tomato & chilli harissa The chilli plant is perennial, meaning it lasts for up to two years and can survive winters with a little care. However, if you have a healthy summer crop and want to savour the heat, whizz up a Middle Eastern spice paste. If you cover this harissa with a little oil after each use, it will keep in the fridge for several months. Tomato & chilli harissa 6. Summer vegetable roll-ups Use up a handful of different veg at once with these spiral-shaped savouries. We chose aubergines, courgettes and peppers (any colour will work) and layered them with creamy ricotta cheese, pesto and pine nuts. Griddle the vegetables to add a nice smoky char, or if the weather’s good enough, make the most of your barbecue before packing it away for the year. Summer vegetable roll-ups 7. Bramble cocktail Even if you don't have your own hedgerow, blackberries or brambles can be foraged fairly easily, even in urban areas. They can be frozen or pulped into a coulis, jam or chutney, baked in a cake or even used in drinks. This striking bramble cocktail is injected with a shot of blackberry liqueur and lemon juice for a zingy party tipple. Bramble cocktail See more blackberry recipes 8. Cacio e pepe with runner beans Runner beans are coarser and more flavoursome than green beans, and should be picked in good time – if left for too long they can become tough. If you do let your crop run on until winter, any unpalatable beans can be dried for planting the following year. This classic Italian pasta recipe teams fresh beans with a silky cheese and pepper sauce. Cacio e pepe with runner beans 9. Ratatouille chutney Make your late-summer glut into a chutney for whenever you need a spoonful of summer during the drab winter months. This version is inspired by the classic French dish and features red peppers, aubergine, courgette and tomato. It also makes use of apples and onions, two thrifty and hardy ingredients. Ratatouille chutney 10. Courgette loaf You can use up your vegetables in sweet recipes too – courgette, carrot, parsnip and even mashed potato can all add moistness and texture to sponges. This loaf cake teams mild courgette with cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts and sultanas. Courgette loaf cake If you are aiming to impress, you could also try our showstopping courgette, lemon & thyme cake which makes the most of a late-summer courgette glut. Get more ideas for using up your garden glut: Garden glut cake recipes Autumn recipe collection How to use up courgettes Top six ways to serve marrow Top 10 autumn storecupboard essentials Autumn cake recipe collection How are you planning to use up your vegetable glut? Leave a comment below...
How a sleep clinic helped me overcome my tracker obsession and solved my nighttime worries
Abandoning my sleep tracker proved that going back to basics is the best way to a dreamy sleep
My midlife crisis came in the form of a black silicone wristwatch. I turned 40 this year and right on cue became hyper-fixated with my wellbeing and longevity. As well as rattling through life plied with supplements, the sleep tracker I was gifted for my 40th became a handy lifestyle aid. But it wasn’t long before it began to rule my life. Sleep trackers are phenomenally popular (one study showed one in three Americans have used one), whether they are integrated within a fitness tracker or a device in their own right, like an Oura Ring. But their effectiveness is questionable – while they do a good job of tracking overall sleep duration, the sleep cycle monitoring is more indicative than an exact science. This information didn’t stop me instantly checking my deep sleep levels and daily readiness score (a tracker’s calculation of how well recovered your body is after sleep) each morning – and the results were usually disappointing. My quest for optimum rest became an obsession. I have an entire library of lavender-based products. White noise is my most-played jam on Spotify. My days became framed around how early I could get into bed. Despite these militant efforts, I was constantly tired as well as downbeat from my poor tracker credentials. I started to struggle to drift off due to fretting about achieving sleep perfection. Being knackered is no new thing – I have two small children and a busy career, travel a lot and do intense exercise. And, of course, these issues are far from unique to me. We’re living through an ‘exhaustion epidemic’ – 50-70 million Americans have disordered sleep and one in eight Britons is tired all the time. Studies have shown we’re sleeping more than ever but we’re just as tired. For my fellow worn-out warriors, the impact of poor-quality sleep will be grimly familiar: physical and mental health problems, reduced cognitive function, poor productivity, appetite dysregulation and mood changes. It even carries a higher risk of death. It can impact every element of your life, including relationships, work and socialising. Sleep deficiency has played a role in major nuclear disasters and plane crashes. While the effects of my sleeplessness weren’t on quite such a scale, I was keen to tackle it. Asking the sleep experts Sleep clinics are part of huge boom in the sleep treatment market – an industry that was worth $12.8 billion in 2024. These specialised facilities investigate and help treat sleep disorders, including conditions like fatigue and sleep apnoea. While my issues felt more holistic than medical, I made an appointment with ResMed (which focuses on helping people with sleep issues) and came armed with pages of questions for sleep clinician Joshua Piper. It turns out there’s a name for this fixation with improving your sleep: orthosomnia. Joshua explained: “Orthosomnia is the term used to describe an obsession with quality sleep – this strive for sleep perfection which is unattainable. It’s a vicious cycle. Stressing about the fact that your sleep isn’t perfect has the opposite effect.” I told Joshua how my sleep tracker had fuelled my fixation. He said he’s pro tech but it has a time and a place. “I always recommend going by how you feel rather than what your app is telling you. That should come first, then use the tech to back it up. A tracker is a bit like a smoke alarm – it will tell you your house is burning but it won’t tell you the cause of the fire. The only way to truly know your sleep cycles is via an EEG [a scan that measures brain activity].” <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/30/2025/06/GettyImages-1446490610-de9aa2b.jpg" width="743" height="469" alt="Using fitbit, fitness bracelet as pedometer, pulse measure, sleep and workout control. Sport device, gym smartwatch, health band closeup" title="Using fitbit, fitness bracelet as pedometer, pulse measure, sleep and workout control. Sport device, gym smartwatch, health band closeup" /> Is your sleep tracker picking up anything serious? “It can be difficult to know when things are chronically wrong,” says Joshua, “but traditional measures can be whether you’re falling asleep on the sofa every night. Are you suffering from mood changes? Do you get morning headaches? Do you find you need to visit the loo a lot in the night?” Frequent wakings are often a worry for tracker users – mine shows around an hour is typically shaved off my total sleep time. But Joshua suggests these are to be taken with a pinch of salt – turning over in bed can be classed as a ‘waking’ – however, given a family history of sleep apnoea and my notorious snoring, it could be worth exploring further with my GP. “One hour plus of wakings a night could be something to look into. Visit your GP and don’t minimise your symptoms – just saying you’re tired is the wrong language. Go the whole kaboodle and mention the suspected apnoea and ask for a test.” Anyone who uses a sleep tracker will be familiar with the habit of chasing deep sleep – the hallowed stage that’s the most restorative. My own deep sleep range is between 45 minutes and 1 hour 30 minutes per night. However, Joshua suggests I shouldn’t put too much store by this: “The deep sleep measurements on a sleep tracker are not accurate enough to draw any concrete conclusions, but generally speaking 12-20% of deep sleep is typical.” It’s normal to cycle between the stages of non-REM and REM sleep, with four to six cycles per night, and potentially a slight wake up between cycles. Less stressful ways for better sleep So now Joshua has enlightened me on the science of sleep stages, the dubiousness of trackers and the dangers of sleep perfectionism, what can I do about it? While I’d love to practice consistent sleep rituals, not all of us have the luxury of being able to do so – shift workers, parents, carers and frequent travellers all face external factors out of their control that compromise being able to stick to routines. Joshua says: “There are general good habits that you can get into. Nutrition, a balanced diet, staying active and keeping a healthy weight will all naturally help. And keeping alcohol to a minimum. A nightcap is a fallacy – it sedates you, which isn’t sleep. You wake once the alcohol has worn off. And you snore more as the muscles have relaxed.” Also important for sleep are light and food. “You need to give your body cues so it can go to sleep – food is the antithesis of that. Eating at least 2-3 hours before bed is best practice. If you eat close to bedtime, your brain thinks it’s time to be awake. “Light can be used for good. In the morning, being exposed to sunlight as soon as possible – at least 20 minutes of sun within the first hour of being awake – acts as a huge reset. This will have a positive knock-on impact at bedtime as you’ve preset your bedtime rhythm from the moment you woke up.” This light therapy is free (hurrah!) but can have a profound impact. And it doesn’t need to be bright sun, cloudy days count. On the flipside, how about the late night doomscrolling and evil light omitting from your phone? According to Joshua: “It used to be that blue light was seen as a problem but it's actually becoming more acknowledged that it’s the act of scrolling that’s the issue as the brain sees this as a daytime activity.” Either way it’s best practice to put your phone down well before bedtime. Other tricks Joshua recommends are temperature control, including keeping a cool bedroom whatever the time of year. You can utilise your bathroom, too. “Having a warm shower before bed means capillaries come to the surface. Your body then dumps this heat and your core temperature drops, which is a cue to fall asleep.” “If you’re struggling to get to sleep, often the problem is that you haven’t given your brain the time it needs to shut down. For most people, the first act of switching off is when they get into bed to go to sleep. But your brain switches off its rational side first, then the emotional side shuts off second. This means irrational thoughts can pervade in the period before you drift off.” Josh has a simple technique: “Think about a topic like animals, then run them from A-Z in your head. It’s a simple tactic as it’s not so engaging that you can overthink it.” If you're stuck tossing and turning, it can be effective to remove yourself from the situation. “Go into a calm, new room, read, then go back into bed – the body needs calm to sleep and to not associate the bed with stress. The only healthy things to associate a bed with are sleep and sex.” Making the changes Armed with Josh’s wisdom, I made some changes to my habits. Firstly, I try to keep a consistent waking window of 6.30am-7.30am, even on weekends. My early bird kids are helpful in this respect, although I sadly mourn the 10am weekend lie-ins of my youth. I sleep with my curtains open so I wake up to instant sunlight. I’ve stopped wearing my tracker religiously every night. Finally, when possible, I’ve reduced my eating window so I finish eating several hours before bedtime. Did it work? The morning sunlight hack undoubtedly helps my mood. Being less obsessed with my tracker means I’ve generally found it easier to get to sleep. I’ve stopped chasing deep sleep and instead base my readiness on how I feel after a shower, some stretches and a coffee. I don’t think I’m ever 100% ready for what life throws at me each day (who is?) but I don’t need a tracker to tell me that. For those days when my new sleep virtues fall short, I asked Josh to give me one key sleep trick to live by, something that’s applicable to everyone regardless of their personal circumstances. “I bang on about routine because it is very important to long-term good sleep. But arguably more important is not to worry. One bad night doesn’t undo everything, so don’t panic. Short-term sleep blips are normal. The more you chase sleep, the harder it can be to find. Sleep thrives on rhythm not pressure.” More wellbeing guides... The benefits of exercise and mental health Why am I always tired? 5 reasons you're waking up tired with no energy What is burnout? How much sleep do I need? 'I tried four ways to cut down on alcohol – here are the tactics I'd recommend' You're not sleeping wrong, you're just overthinking it Why stress makes you hungry Best running hydration vests Best sleep earplugs
10 beer cocktails you can make in minutes
Our refreshing beer cocktails are versatile, easy to make and perfect for hot summer nights. Try a Mexican-inspired michelada or a caffeine-spiked stout.
If the words ‘beer’ and ‘cocktail’ said concurrently makes you wince, we urge you to reconsider. Quality beer is nuanced while having lots of body, making it a great product for adding length and flavour to a spirit-based drink. The key to success is identifying the main flavours of your brew, then complementing them with other additions to build a punchy drink that’ll quench a thirst in fine fashion. If you're looking for even more creative drinks recipes and drinks inspiration, check out our drinks hub. We've also got plenty more beer cocktail recipes, beer recipes and cocktail recipes to try, plus we've chosen the best beer gifts for a beer lover. If you’re still not convinced, read on to discover our tasting notes, recipe ideas and how to avoid mixology mayhem. What beer to use Lager This all depends on how confident you are in your beer knowledge. Lager is a safe bet as it’s fairly neutral and has the kind of sprightly tingle that gives a long cocktail a boost. If you really want to keep things simple, go for a shandy – it is a blended beer drink after all. Start using a 50:50 ratio, blending your lager with cloudy lemonade, a combination of citrus juice and soda or blood orange aranciata. IPA This heavily-hopped beer usually comes loaded with lots of different flavour notes, most typically citrus, herbal, floral or bitter. There's no hard and fast rule here, so identify the strongest characteristic and match it with spirits accordingly – a citrusy IPA would work well with a lemon or orange-tinged spirit, while something herbal may work with a botanical gin. We really like American-style IPAs with tonnes of carbonation and body, so if you can, pick up something from a small, experimental craft brewery. Wheat beer Treat hazy wheat beer in much the same way – it’s not hopped like IPA, but its flavour comes from aromatics, and you'll usually find it tastes bitter, smoky, herby and lemony, so create your cocktail recipe accordingly. Stout When it comes to dark and broody stout, with roasted and toasted flavours abound its best matched with flavours like rich chocolate and deep coffee when creating your blend. What not to mix When I hit the Good Food Test Kitchen to create some snappy blends with projects editor Miriam, we identified a number of drink-based disasters: Firstly, unless you like drinking cold gravy, don’t mix stout with tomato juice – the result is a murky, savoury blend that wouldn’t even make the grade at a rugby initiation ceremony. Avoid creamy spirits like the plague, as we think you’ll agree curdled cocktails are the absolute pits. Don’t get too clever and start contrasting flavours – you’re likely to waste a bottle of good beer and a few shots of spirits, so think smart and keep things mellow. Learn how to match beer with food with our simple guide and create some perfect pairings. To shake or not to shake? The key to any good cocktail is thorough blending, especially if you’re adding things like sugar, spice and whole fruit. But, just in case you needed it spelling out, vigorously shaking a carbonated drink is only going to end in the mop coming out, so ignore James Bond and stir away, or shake your base spirit with juice then slowly add the beer afterwards. 10 quick and simple beer cocktails Miriam’s tried-and-tested cocktails are rainbow bright and super-tasty – you might even be able to get away with serving them to beer haters. We tailored the glassware to suit the contents, but if you don’t have any available, serve them in a tumbler or a short rocks glass. 1. Spiked michelada Serves: 1 Takes: 15 mins Pour the juice of 1 lime into a small bowl, then brush a little of the lime juice around the rim of a glass, tankard or tumbler. Tip 1 tbsp sea salt onto a plate, then carefully dip the rim of the tankard into the salt to coat it. Fill the glass with a handful of ice cubes then add 1 tbsp tequila and the remaining lime juice. Stir gently, then slowly pour in 330ml lager. Top with a dash of Worcestershire sauce and garnish with a slice of lime. Try our classic michelada recipe for an instant crowd-pleaser. Our top lager picks: Harviestoun Schiehallion, Augustiner Lagerbier Hell, Fruh Kolsch. 2. Espresso stout Serves: 2 Takes: 5 mins plus chilling Pour 25ml cold espresso into a small jug and add 25ml coffee liqueur. Stir and place in the fridge along with two tall, thin pilsner glasses or a slim tumbler. Chill for 30 mins or until really cold, then divide 250ml stout between the two glasses. Slowly divide the chilled espresso mix between the glasses and serve immediately. Our top stout picks: Bad Seed espresso stout, Left Hand Brewing milk stout. 3. Posh ginger shandy Serves: 2 Takes: 10 mins Put a handful of ice into a large cocktail shaker and add the juice of 2 lemons, 1 tsp ginger cordial and 1 tbsp ginger wine. Shake the cocktail shaker until the outside feels cold and looks frosted. Divide the mixture between two large martini glasses or short tumblers and top with 250ml wheat beer and garnish with ginger matchsticks. Our top wheat beer picks: Eisenbahn Weizenbock, Pressure Drop Wu Gang Chops the Tree. 4. Campari IPA Serves: 2 Takes: 5 mins Take two rocks glasses and put 2-3 ice cubes in each one. Divide 50ml Campari between the glasses and top with 300ml IPA. Add a splash of sparkling orange juice and rub a piece of orange peel around the rim of each glass before dropping into the drink. Our top IPA picks: Beavertown Neck Oil Session IPA, Ska Modus Hoperandi, Four Pure Session IPA. 5. Raspberry beer mojito Serves: 2 Takes: 5 mins Take two tall highball glasses and divide 1 chopped lime and 50ml spiced rum between them. Muddle them together with a muddling stick or the handle of a wooden spoon to release a little of the lime juice into the rum. Add ice then bruise a small bunch of mint leaves by holding them in the palm of one hand then hitting them with the other like a clap. Sprinkle the mint leaves into the glasses then divide 330ml raspberry beer between them. Garnish with a few raspberries and serve. Also try our classic beer mojito. Our top fruit beer picks: Kasteel Rouge, Lindemans Framboise, Mongozo Mango. 6. Tropical beer cocktail Serves: 1 Takes: 5 mins Splash the rim of a short glass with water and apply sugar to the whole rim. Put the sugar on a plate and dunk in the rim, if it's easier. Pour in 200ml golden beer, 50ml vodka, and ¾ -1 tsp watermelon syrup (or regular sugar syrup) , then mix well. Fill with crushed ice, then wedge a slice of fresh watermelon on the edge of the glass to serve. See more beer cocktails. 7. Boozy dark delight Serves: 1 Takes: 5 mins Drop a few ice cubes into a short glass and pour over 25ml orange liqueur and 25ml whisky. Top up the drink with 200ml stout, then garnish with chocolate orange shavings, if you like. Our top stout picks: Bad Seed espresso stout, Left Hand Brewing milk stout. 8. Ginger spritz Serves: 1 Takes: 5 mins Fill a tall glass or chalice with a few handfuls of crushed ice, then tip in ½ tsp sugar syrup. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the glass to express the oils and drop it in. Pour in 150ml golden ale and 150ml prosecco, and stir to combine. Top up the drink with 75ml ginger beer. Make a small cut in the lemon slice and secure it onto the rim of the glass to garnish. 9. Porter & champagne Serves: 1 Takes: 5 mins Half-fill a champagne flute with porter or a light stout, then top up with chilled champagne. See more drinks made with stout. 10. Mulled beer Makes: about 1.25 litres Takes: 10 mins Tip 1 litre golden or honey ale, 200ml apple juice, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 star anise, 5 cloves, 6 tbsp light brown soft sugar and 1 orange into a pan set over a medium heat and warm through until steaming – don’t let it boil. Taste and add more brown sugar if you like. Remove from the heat and stir in 50ml brandy, then serve in heatproof glasses or mugs. Check out even more delicious content 8 ways to cook with beer 3 quick breaks for beer lovers Top 10 ways to cook with stout Our ultimate cocktail collection What's your favourite beer cocktail? Leave a comment below. We have more traditional drinkspiration in our cocktail section, too.
We reviewed charcoal barbecues that cost under £100 to find the best cheap BBQs for summer entertaining.
No matter where you are in the world, as soon as the sun comes out, it's hard to beat cooking outdoors on an open flame. Buying a barbecue for the first time can be daunting. Fancy electric or gas grills can cost the earth, while traditional coal barbecues range from rickety but fit-for-purpose budget grills, to enamelled kettle barbecues that wouldn’t look out of place on a Texan range. We love the primal process of creating fire ourselves, so we whittled down our testing group to charcoal barbecues only. Read our full list of the best charcoal barbecues to buy or take a look at the best electric barbecues. Best budget charcoal barbecues at a glance Best budget barrel barbecue: Argos Home charcoal oil drum barbecue, £50 Best basic charcoal barbecue: VonHaus Barrel charcoal barbecue, £69.99 Best large charcoal barbecue: Lifestyle 22" kettle charcoal barbecue, £41.99 Best multi-functional barbecue: Bar-Be-Quick Tandoori Smoker and Grill, £85 Best overall budget barbecue: Weber compact 47 charcoal barbecue, £75.99 Best smoker barbecue hybrid: Bar-Be-Quick smoker and grill barbecue, £85 Best budget charcoal barbecues under £100 Argos Home charcoal oil drum barbecue Available from Argos (£50) Best budget barrel barbecue Pros: Easy to use and light Good heat coverage Effective heat distribution Cons: No tool storage Poor quality in parts Star rating: 4/5 Compared to other charcoal barbecues on the market, Argos' basic barrel barbecue offers excellent value for money. An obvious strength is the price point. For under £50 you're afforded plenty of cooking space for two, or elements for four people. The efficiency and quality of cooking is worth more than £40 alone. Vents in the bottom basin feed the coals with air to keep them heated. The shape of the barbecue means it's easy to achieve an even coal distribution so cool spots that are common in kettle barbecues are easily avoided. For the money, you can't get much better. Read our full Argos Home charcoal oil drum barbecue review Available from: Argos (£60) VonHaus Barrel charcoal barbecue Available from Amazon (£69.99), VonHaus (£79.99) Best basic charcoal BBQ Pros: Good build quality Big cooking surface Good height Cons: Poor-quality wheels Star rating: 4/5 An excellent example of the way barrel barbecues should look and work, Vonhaus' basic model has the archetypal style without compromising on capacity. You can cook for a crowd thanks to a 73cm x 39cm grill. Under its fold-down lid, potato chips cooked exceptionally well with defined charring. Courgettes didn't stick and a whole spatchcock chicken cooked through in less than half an hour. It's a bit tricky to clean, although that isn't unusual for barrels. It also lacks tools, which is a minor issue. Read our Vonhaus Barrel charcoal barbecue review Available from: Amazon (£69.99) VonHaus (£79.99) Lifestyle 22" kettle charcoal barbecue Available from Robert Dyas (£41.99) Best large charcoal barbecue Pros: Large cooking area Adjustable twin air-vent system Cons: Ambiguous building instructions Cheap-feeling handles Star rating: 3.5/5 If you don't mind interpreting diagram-based instructions with no text and have a set of basic tools in your cupboard, you'll feel rewarded by this barbecue once built. It's a cheap but cheerful model that's lightweight to lift and manoeuvrable thanks to its wheel. It will need to be under cover for wetter months. Some useful features make it feel like a value-for-money purchase, the first of which being two cooking grills. They don't produce the char lines you look for from grills, and ingredients need to be oiled to prevent them from sticking, but you have the option to cook with high heat just above the coals, or lower and slower at the top. An adjustable twin air-vent system gives you adjustability over the temperature with the lid on, which cooks ingredients the most efficiently. A removable ash-catcher is another user-friendly feature. Read our full Lifestyle 22" Kettle charcoal barbecue review Available from: Robert Dyas (£41.99) Bar-Be-Quick Tandoori Smoker and Grill Available from Argos (£85), Robert Dyas (£99.99) Best multi-functional barbecue Pros: Versatile Skewers included Cons: Poor heat retention Star rating: 3.5/5 This is a brilliant option for anyone who is looking for an entry-level to low and slow outdoor cooking, offering a standard BBQ grill along with a 'tandoori' attachment, smoker and fire-pit functions. For the price, you trade off some build quality. The 'tandoori' function overstates the product's ability - for example, you're not able to blister naan breads on the side. But for anyone who wants an affordable multi-functional and portable barbecue, this is a great price. Read our full Bar-Be-Quick Tandoori Smoker and Grill review Available from: Argos (£85) Robert Dyas (£99.99) Weber compact 47 charcoal barbecue Available from Amazon (£75.99), BBQ World (£89), Very (£99.99) Best overall budget barbecue This porcelain-enamelled, dinky version of their heftier grills is rust-proof, comes with an ash catcher and is perfect for small gardens. If you’re in the market for a serious barbecue arsenal, Weber’s chimney starter kit is well worth looking into. It’ll get your charcoal ready in quick-time and we found it ridiculously helpful when testing 15 barbies on a drizzly day in spring. Latest Deals Bar-Be-Quick smoker and grill barbecue Available from Argos (£85), Robert Dyas (£99.99) Best smoker barbecue hybrid We were super impressed by the fact this unassuming cylindrical contraption features four cooking functions. Speaking purely on barbecue terms, there are two tiers and the bottom one can be turned into a lidded portable barbecue. It’s not as sturdy as a traditional smoker, but it can retain a constant heat for up to three hours, so you could smoke whole chickens or pork ribs with ease. Latest Deals Which barbecue should I buy? The most important things to consider are how many people you’ll be cooking for, how much storage space you have, especially once you’ve factored in bags of charcoal and other barbecue accessories (some barbecues come with very handy protective storage cases, too), plus where and when you’ll be barbecuing. For a lot of people, small portable barbecues work for trips away, but they're also a perfectly acceptable garden barbecue for couples, families with young children – or just people who don’t mind cooking in batches. It’s also worth being realistic about how often you’ll use a barbecue. If you’re likely to only dust it off once or twice a year, an expensive gas grill with a huge footprint probably isn’t worth it. Read on to discover our top buys. How we tested budget barbecues We tested a representative sample of barbecues and scored them against the following criteria. We tested each barbecue using an identical batch of popular BBQ food like burgers, chicken, sausages and halloumi & vegetable kebabs. Ease of assembly: barbecues have to be put together from scratch, so we assessed for easy instructions. Clear manuals, minimal nuts and bolts and a logical construction process were judged favourably. Manoeuvrability: unless you live in a balmy climate, you’ll have to move your barbecue in and out of indoor storage. Wheels and handles help in this respect. Footprint: we looked for barbecues with neat shapes that can be slotted into a small storage space. Ease of cooking: we judged the size and height of the grill and temperature control – food that’s charred outside but raw inside is the ultimate culinary no-no. What didn’t set us alight? Barbecues with poor air circulation: For coals to burn efficiently you need good ventilation from underneath, so any barbecues with coals laid on a flat surface don’t tend to work as well. Design over practicality: Some gimmicky table barbecues or mini bucket barbies might look cool, but if you can’t fit more than a couple of sausages on, what’s the point? Barbecue recipes and tips... Best portable barbecues How to barbecue safely Our best ever barbie recipes How to throw a last minute barbecue Our barbecue section Best charcoal for BBQs Best gas BBQs Best charcoal BBQs Best electric barbecues How to clean a BBQ If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk. What’s your barbecue of choice? We’d love to hear your product suggestions...