Afternoon tea is very common in Middle Eastern culture for both children and adults. It is an amazing way of gathering family and friends over some pleasant food and company. There is no reason for afternoon teas to be unhealthy. They can easily be enjoyed …
By Olivia Booker, Student Nutritionist Becoming a vegan can be quite a drastic change to make. Removing all foods derived from animals can also result in the removal of various essential nutrients. The good news is that most of these are easy to replace with …
Inviting guests with a ‘nut-free’ need to a children’s Halloween party can be daunting – especially if the allergy is a serious one. As well as a person’s safety, it is essential for your mini guests to feel welcome and included. So, here are some ideas to help you feel confident about hosting a nut-free gathering at Halloween.
The term ‘nut allergy’ is often used to mean an allergy to either peanuts or tree nuts (almond, Brazil nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashew and pistachio nuts). If there is any doubt in your mind about what your guests are allergic to, it is best to be safe: go nut-free, and avoid all forms of nuts, including peanuts.
If you usually have nuts in your house, it might be worth considering whether accidental ‘contamination’ could be a risk in your store-cupboard ingredients. Do you keep open packets of nuts and non-nut ingredients in the same box? If so, could you purchase and use new packets of nut-free ingredients for this special event?
Do you regularly use nuts in your cooking? Ahead of the party, take the opportunity to thoroughly spring-clean surfaces, crockery, cutlery and serving bowls with soapy water. This will give you peace of mind that you have removed as many traces of nuts as possible.
Peanut butter, or coffee and walnut cake, clearly contain nuts. However, it is easy to forget that chocolate spreads often include hazelnuts, and many items contain tree nuts or peanuts without it being clear from the main packaging. Do check the ingredients of anything you are unsure about. If you are still in doubt, ask the parent to check for you.
If you have a favourite recipe that includes nuts, perhaps have a couple of trial runs, replacing the nuts with other ingredients. Sultanas or other dried fruit often work well in cakes.
Pumpkins seeds can be lightly toasted in the same way as nuts. The toasting enhances their flavour, which can add depth to dishes, such as in this Hallowe’en pumpkin samosa recipe. The pumpkin seeds add extra body and texture to dishes, and they don’t even need chopping up!
You can also choose some colourful party foods for your little Hallowe’en party animals, and they won’t even notice that it is a nut-free gathering. How about some wraps with colourful fillings that look like green ghoul slime, aka Gooey Ghoulish Wraps or red vampire blood, aka Dracula’s Dinner Rolls, to start with? These wraps are made with vegetables that are high in vitamin C, K, A, folate and iron.
Next, are cakes with eyes, aka a delicious Pumpkin Tray Bake, that seem to follow your guests wherever they are. Made with squash, sultanas and oranges, they pack a lot of flavours. They contain little added sugar and are rich in nutrients such as vitamin A and D. You can make them ahead of the party and store them in the fridge.
My favourite miniature raspberry pies, aka Bleeding Heart Crumble, really do look like they are spilling their innermost parts…. The fruit filling is sweet without any additional sugar. You can use frozen raspberries, which are a less expensive alternative and serve with custard. Adding custard will further increase the nutritional value making this a good source of vitamins and calcium. You can also add a little more ‘innards’ by saving some of the raspberries to serve alongside the pie.
As well as being delicious and nut-free, all of these recipes have been carefully created to really add something to your and your child’s diet. Fruit and vegetables have been used to colourful effect, contributing to the 5-a-day recommendation. Where suitable, wholemeal flour has been used to add fibre along with other nutrients. All these recipes are full of flavour.
Enjoy trying out these recipes and have a very spooky (and tasty) nut-free Hallowe’en!
Written by Catherine McNeill, Nutrition Student
© 2021 The Caroline Walker Trust
On Tuesday, the sun shone, making it the perfect afternoon to host a Caroline Walker Trust World’s Healthiest Afternoon Tea for older adults. Although numbers were reduced due to Covid restrictions, the conversation and enjoyment were not affected. My seven guests chatted and laughed in …
Sitting down to enjoy a cup of afternoon tea and indulge in a snack often seems like a great idea. Unfortunately, cream covered scones, buttery biscuits, and cakes are not such a good idea if you’re trying to lose weight and eat healthy, nutritious foods. …
The majority of those trying to lose weight often assume that snacking will hinder their efforts because of the excess calories consumed. Although most people associate snack foods with something processed or high calories, such as chips or cookies, a snack simply refers to a food or beverage that is eaten between the main meals.
Snacks can either be a healthy part of someone’s diet or they can be the reason for unwanted weight gain and health problems. The outcome of having an afternoon tea or snack depends on an individual’s snacking behaviour. This includes what the person is snacking on, how often the person snacks, and how these snacks fit into an individual’s eating plan.
Indulging in afternoon tea or an afternoon snack has been shown to affect both appetite and weight. When it comes to how snacking affects appetite, the existing studies have demonstrated a variety of results. Some studies have shown that snacking to curb hunger for only a short amount of time means that the person will still consume the same amount of food throughout the day. This results in an increased caloric intake and, therefore, most likely weight gain.
However, other studies have found that snacking helps reduce hunger and that the calories from the snacks are most likely compensated for during the subsequent meal. Since the studies have different results, it seems as though the effect that an afternoon snack can have on appetite depends on the individual and the type of snack being eaten.
The research undertaken on the effect of having an afternoon snack on weight has also shown mixed results. This once again implies that the type of snack consumed is an important determinant that should be considered when considering an individual’s response to snacking. The consumption of high protein and high fibre snack foods as opposed to high fat and high sugar snack foods can help with weight loss because it improves appetite, satiety and reduces food intake during the subsequent meal. This leads to an overall lower caloric intake for the day and hence promotes weight loss. Examples of these snacks could include cottage cheese, chickpeas, low-fat yoghurt, low-fat puddings, as well as fruits and vegetables.
Many studies explain that frequently eating during the day can actually help with weight loss because it increases metabolism and improves the control of insulin and glucose, which can help reduce body weight. In the case of a large gap between lunch and dinner, having an afternoon snack can help an individual eat more frequently and curb their hunger. Having an afternoon snack also helps keep blood sugar levels stable, preventing light-headedness and fatigue while also reducing the urge to eat high caloric meals later. It’s essential to try and choose a snack with a low glycaemic index to keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the day and prevent them from spiking.
Apart from helping with weight loss, having a healthy afternoon snack can boost energy if the time between lunch and dinner is too far apart and blood glucose levels drop. This can help an individual stay productive, active and maintains concentration during the day. An afternoon snack can also complement other foods eaten during the day by providing extra nutrients, minerals, fibre, and even protein or fat. For example, if an individual isn’t getting their five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, having a piece of fruit can help the person meet that recommendation.
Nutrient-dense foods such as nuts can also help people meet the recommended daily nutrient intake levels and ultimately improve the quality of their diet. Snacking can also help people who struggle to meet their caloric needs, such as older adults or young children, as it helps sustain proper nutrition.
Although different studies have shown different results, it can be concluded that having a healthy afternoon snack high in protein, healthy fats, and fibre can definitely help someone trying to lose weight while eating nutritious food. If nutritious, low-calorie snacks that come from more than one food group are planned and prepared, an individual can enjoy other health benefits that go beyond aiding their weight loss journey.
This article was written by Tamara Rammal
References
Alencar, Michelle K et al. “Increased meal frequency attenuates fat-free mass losses and some markers of health status with a portion-controlled weight loss diet.”Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) vol. 35,5 (2015): 375-83. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2015.03.003
Chapelot, Didier. “The role of snacking in energy balance: a biobehavioral approach.”The Journal of nutrition vol. 141,1 (2011): 158-62. doi:10.3945/jn.109.114330
Navas-Carretero, Santiago et al. “Chronologically scheduled snacking with high-protein products within the habitual diet in type-2 diabetes patients leads to a fat mass loss: a longitudinal study.” Nutrition journal vol. 10 74. 14 Jul. 2011, doi:10.1186/1475-2891-10-74
Webb, Densie. “Snacking Benefits.” Todays Dietitian, (2013): pp. 44–44.
© 2021 The Caroline Walker Trust
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There are many different teas that can be enjoyed with an afternoon tea. Below are some common teas and components of an afternoon tea they’re best paired with. An English classic, Earl Grey tea is a black tea with a bold flavour. The citrus taste …
Afternoon teas are well known in British culture, from that mid-afternoon cup of tea and biscuits to the full experience with delicately cut sandwiches, bite-size cakes and scones in the finest of hotels. Whilst the English culture of drinking tea dates back to the 1660’s, …
The Caroline Walker Trust (CWT) is delighted to announce Blue Orchid Hotels will be hosting the first World’s Healthiest Afternoon Tea in hospitality to raise money to improve the quality of food for children living in poverty. The fundraising event will be hosted at the Tower Suites Blue Orchid Hotel in London, overlooking the Tower of London on Thursday 3rd September.
The World’s Healthiest Afternoon Tea event is to be held in the hotel’s new Centro restaurant adjacent to the Tower of London, where attendees will enjoy a nutritious and healthier selection of savoury and sweet items. They will then proceed to the roof terrace for a glass of champagne whilst enjoying live music and a spectacular view over London’s skyline.
“We are proud to be spearheading the hospitality industry’s participation in the World’s Healthiest Afternoon Tea, advocating a healthy diet, and raising funds for the vital work of the Caroline Walker Trust and St Andrew’s Youth Club, through Integrity International Trust, ensuring we make a positive difference to the communities in which Blue Orchid Hotels operate.” Tony Matharu, Chairman and Founder of Blue Orchid Hotels.
“The Blue Orchid Hotels is the first hotel to host this timely fundraising event. Not only does this initiative raise funds to support children living in poverty during term breaks, holidays and after school, but it also challenges our perceptions of the traditional afternoon tea, thus acting as world leaders in encouraging healthier options.” Kathy Lewis, Acting Chair, The Caroline Walker Trust.
Attendees include corporate travel buyers, community partners and Integrity International Trust charity ambassadors who will be joined by Caroline Walker Trust’s friends, Nutritionists and Dietitians whilst adhering to social distancing and Covid-19 protocols.
“A non-conventional afternoon tea is also intended to stimulate both the taste buds, hospitality providers and others so that we can offer confidence and reassurance in today’s new normal together with healthy, nutritious and safe dining and entertainment options.” Tony Matharu.
Covid-19 has made fundraising a seemingly impossible task for the Caroline Walker Trust. In a world where the temptation has been to close down and retreat, Blue Orchid Hotels, led by the former Hotelier of the Year, Tony Matharu, ensured that Tower Suites remained open throughout ‘lockdown’, accommodating critical care key workers and those seeking safe refuge. Consequently, The Caroline Walker Trust resolved the Blue Orchid Hotels was an ideal charity partner for the launch of their World’s Healthiest Afternoon Tea fundraising initiative in hospitality.
We look forward to welcoming you to the new Tower Suites property, and enjoying our rooftop hospitality and spectacular views over the renowned world heritage site of the Tower of London.” Tony Matharu, Chairman and founder of Blue Orchid Hotels.
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The Caroline Walker Trust
Kathy Lewis, Acting Chair, kathy@cwt.org.uk
+44 02085364100, 7961317621
Blue Orchid Press Enquiries
Nadia Perrier, nadia.perrier@blueorchid.com
+44 7487 792913
Notes to the Editor
