March 08, 2010 | Tags: day, mother's, mums, treats
 Of course, we love our mothers every day of the year, but there’s one day in the year which is set aside to help us remember to show them how much we appreciate them.
This year, Mother’s Day, also called Mothering Sunday, is on the 14th March. Mother’s Day always falls on the fourth Sunday in Lent, exactly three weeks before Easter Sunday. Although in many parts of the world including the US Mother’s Day is a relatively recent holiday, it has existed in the UK for centuries.
Although the origins of Mother’s Day aren’t entirely clear, it’s traditionally a time when families get together and try, in all sorts of ways, to show the mother of the family how much she is appreciated.
Naturally, many of the ways we show affection revolve around food. Mothers all over the country will be receiving breakfast in bed this Sunday – with easy options like fruit juice, toast, cereal, bacon and eggs and pancakes available, children from seven to seventy can prepare this treat without trouble.
One Mother’s Day tradition is to bake a special cake, with letters on it in icing to show that it’s for Mother’s Day – and sometimes with other little signs decorating it that represent family in-jokes to make it more memorable and personal. Although it used to be something that children made for their mother, it can also be an activity that mothers share with their children – something that is itself an example of how wonderful mums are!
There are also bound to be a variety of special treats known to be Mum’s favourite in each family. It might be a particular box of chocolates, or an indulgent bottle of bubble bath, or a lovely bunch of spring flowers – the important thing is the thought behind it.
Mother’s Day can also be a good opportunity to spend time together as a family, and for children to do little things throughout the day to show they care, from helping to wash the dishes to bringing Mum a nice cup of tea.
Simple things, like arranging the table with extra care or adding a couple of unusual extras to the meal, can also contribute to making the day a special one. Children have even been known to dress up as ‘waiters’ for the evening and let their parents enjoy a candlelit evening while they take care of the work.
Mothers should also remember that there is no rule against arranging a treat or two for themselves. If there’s a film you’ve been wanting to see or a restaurant you’ve been dying to try, let your partner know that this just might be the excuse you’ve been waiting for. You can also give out not-so-subtle hints about which type of chocolates you like best, or what type of wine you think would be most appropriate!
However you celebrate Mother’s Day this year, remember that by shopping with mySupermarket you can spoil Mum and save money at the same time.
Top Offers:
Cadbury Roses (400g) - Was £3.95, Now £1.97 from Tesco
Hovis Teacakes (4) - Was 72p, Now 2 for £1.00 from ASDA
Vina Maipo Merlot Reserva Chile (750ml) - Was £7.99, Now £3.99 from Sainsbury's
Wall's Magnum Temptation Chocolate (3x80ml) - Was £3.46, Now 2 for 1 from Ocado
 Do you include fish in your weekly diet? Fish is one of those foods that tastes great and is good for you as well. It’s an excellent source of omega 3, which helps to prevent heart disease and which is valuable for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding because it helps build up a baby’s nervous system.
There are lots of delicious ways of cooking it, too – boiling, roasting, grilling and of course frying and eating with chips! You can eat it plain, with olive oil, in a sauce, with lemon, or add herbs like dill, parsley or coriander to flavour the dish.
There are three main different types of fish, and if possible it’s a good idea to get a range in your regular diet. White fish, such as haddock, plaice and cod, are very low in fat because the fish stores its fat in the liver, which we don’t usually eat. It’s this type of fish that you’ll generally use if you’re making fish and chips.
Oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel and trout, are the best source of omega 3, and they also contain Vitamin A and D (Watch out for this if you also take vitamin tablets, though; too much Vitamin A can have negative consequences for your health).
Last but not least, there’s shellfish, which includes things like prawns, mussels and shrimp. These are also generally low in fat, and can be useful sources of zinc, iodine and copper, all of which we need to stay healthy.
Different kinds of fish go with all sorts of foods – from sardines on toast to salmon and new potatoes, and from trout with fresh vegetables to smoked mackerel as part of a picnic lunch, there are all kinds of ways to incorporate fish into your menus. Try out new recipes and work out what you and your family like the most.
Top offers:
Birds Eye Fishcakes in Breadcrumbs (252g) - Was £1.99, Now any 2 for £2.00 from Tesco
- Was £1.99, Now any 4 for £3.00 from ASDA
- Was 85p, Now 2 for £1.00 from Sainsbury's
- Was £2.98, Now £2.38 from Ocado
February 22, 2010 | Tags: Fairtrade, Food Facts
 It’s Fairtrade Fortnight 2010, starting from 22 nd February and going on until 7 th March. You’ve probably noticed the Fairtrade symbol on lots of things recently – although it was originally used just for food products, the Fairtrade Foundation has branched out more recently and now you can see the symbol on anything from chocolate to cotton t-shirts to beauty products.
The idea behind it is to help workers and companies in less privileged countries, helping them to develop their business and benefit from the profits their products produce. It’s intended to encourage ‘fair access’ to markets, and better trade conditions more generally. The point of the symbol is that it lets you know when you see a pack of tea whether or not it belongs to the Fairtrade model.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 is two weeks when the Fairtrade Foundation are trying to encourage people to swap their usual supermarket buys for Fairtrade equivalents through The Big Swap. They want to register a million swaps in just two weeks!
The beauty of the Fortnight is that it’s easy – it’s just a matter of looking for the symbol when you buy – and it makes you more aware of what you’re buying, whether or not you end up buying Fairtrade. It’s also a great opportunity to explain to your kids how coffee is made, or where tea and chocolate come from.
If you do want to buy something with the Fairtrade logo, you’ve got a wide range of options to choose from. Fruit, biscuits, fudge and ice cream are all possibilities, as are, of course, tea, coffee and chocolate. You can use the search function at mySupermarket.co.uk to find out which products you can buy this Fortnight – or at any other time of the year, for that matter!
Top Offers:
Tesco Finest Organic Fairtrade Chocolate Ice Cream (750ml) - Was £3, now any 2 for £5 from Tesco
(100g) - Was £2.74, now any 2 for £5 from ASDA
- Was £2.11, now any 2 save £1.50 from Sainsbury's
Bart Fairtrade Ground Ginger (32g) - Was £1.49, now £1.12 from Ocado
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