How’s lockdown going for you? Hungry? Like, all the time? Yup, me too. Snacking? I’ve never done it so much in my life. It’s as if my sole purpose of being at home is to eat. I’ve gone through the chocolate digestives (dark chocolate, of course) and binge-watching Friends again caused me to buy mini muffins – and of course they’re all gone now. So I’m in need of new snacks…and I’m thinking that you might be too?
There’s heaps to choose from – savoury; sweet; crips; cookies… The list goes on. But a combination of being bombarded with pleas to support small businesses and the desire to good in such a rubbish time has led to me to change the snacks I add to my next shopping basket. So let’s feel good as we eat our rationed goods and choose snacks that give back.
Howdah Snacks
Snacks is in the name of the brand so I think we’re onto a good one. Howdah Snacks is an independent brand and not only do they come in a variety of moreish mixes and flavours, the snacks really do give back. One bag gets a child one free school lunch, through the company’s partnership with charity Akshaya Patra. So far, they’ve been able to secure over 80,000 free school lunches for children who lack the means to get themselves fed. Full tummies equal motivated minds and with the children being able to concentrate more in school, less drop out in favour of child labour. The Masala Dippers and the Bombay Mix are my personal favourites but the Onion Bhaji bag and the Bakarwadi went down a treat too.
Order online on their website or purchase from Amazon, Harvey Nichols and QVC.
Tony’s Chocolonely
You’re probably familiar with the colourfully-wrapped slabs of chocolate that are Tony’s Chocolonely. These super-sized bars always remind me of Willy Wonka’s candy from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – anyone else? – and I always get a tad extra excited when ripping off the paper. Sadly there’s no golden ticket hiding in any of these bars – for the purchaser. But there is a golden ticket of sorts for those working in the chocolate supply chain. The brand’s ethos is to make chocolate 100 per cent slave-free; to eradicate slavery in West African cocoa farms and to ensure farmers don’t have to live in poverty. So it’s all about giving back as you snack. My fave flavours that I’m stocking on my self-isolated shelves at the moment? Dark Milk Pretzel Toffee, for sure. Milk Chocolate Honey Nougat is also pretty spectacular.
Order online on their website or purchase from Sainsbury’s or Waitrose supermarkets.
Tilda Rice
I know rice is harder to find than gold dust right now but Tilda is another brand that is trying to help the community, one bag of rice at a time. The rice brand has partnered with the United Nations World Food Programme to bring back the ‘Helping Mums Together’ campaign. It’s only applicable to the Pure Basmati Rice packs and yes, plain rice is not a popular choice of snack, but add some fried egg or some veggies and boom – that sounds like a tasty snack to me! Anyways, every specially-marked pack of Tilda Pure Basmati Rice will fund an equivalent of one nutrition-filled meal to a new or expectant mother – or a young child in Bangladesh to help fight malnutrition and low birth weight. Every month, the World Food Programme helps over 225,000 women and children at 34 nutrition centres in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – so feel good as you cook that rice, knowing that you’re giving back with your snack.
Find the special bags of Tilda Pure Basmati at all major retailing supermarktes.
Ben & Jerry’s
We’re all a fan of the ice cream, right? But doesn’t it make you feel better to know that each time you parted with £4.95 for your tub of Half Baked (a top flavour of mine, in case you cared to know) you were supporting a company that is dedicated to helping and protecting refugees, fair trade, farmers’ rights and the climate? Now unlike the snacks above, you won’t be giving something back per tub you purchase but you would be overall supporting a company that is invested in helping so many different causes. You can also hit up Ben and Jerry’s website to find out more on how you can get involved if you want to be more proactive. I’m eating Caramel Chew Chew as I scroll through the site myself…
You know you can find Ben and Jerry’s at all major retailing supermarkets, as well as at many restaurants too – via delivery.
Human Food
Human Food will have your kitchen cupboards stocked with vegan, organic nutrition bars. Here’s me trying to get a healthy balance of the good snacks as well as the more indulgent ones. The brand is committed to helping those less fortunate and has partnered with FareShare to donate 10,000 bars in the fight against food waste. NHS workers, listen up: Human Food is also offering a 50% discount to health workers and emergency service staff for the foreseeable future. Choose from a traffic light style selection: ‘Red’ with organic goji berries; ‘Yellow’ with organic turmeric and ‘Green’ with organic spirulina.
Available to order online from Human Food’s website.
MadeGood
Similar to Human Food and Ben and Jerry’s, purchasing a box of these granola bars won’t equal a free snack for someone else but MadeGood is a snack brand that is 100 per cent committed to supporting organic farmers. It odes this because creating snacks that are healthy to eat and gentle on the earth is at the core of the brand’s values. The granola bars are all organic, have a source of fruit or vegetables inside and are free of the most common allergens too. An independent brand, maybe giving back as you snack is next for MadeGood?
Find these good snacks at Asda and Amazon
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