Fruity Fact – A strawberry isn’t technically a berry, or even a fruit
Fruity Fact – A strawberry isn’t technically a berry, or even a fruit Posted November 10th, 2019 by Fruidel Team Sorry, I know it hurts, but it’s (botanically) true. Berries, by definition, have their seeds on the inside, which strawberries clearly don’t. The plant produces a fleshy “false fruit” aka pseudocarp from its flower, and what we think of as the seeds on the outside are the “true” fruits. Bottom line: Whatever, they’re delicious. 1. Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen each spring – This year a Welsh fruit grower has broken the record for picking the earliest ever British strawberries grown in glasshouses. They went on sale in supermarkets on the 26 February. 2. Strawberries are the only fruit that wear their seeds on the outside The average berry is adorned with some 200 of them. No wonder it only takes one bite to get seeds stuck in your teeth. 3. Despite their name, strawberries aren’t technically berries – they’re accessory fruits – While we’re getting technical—berries should have seeds inside. Strawberries are really in a group of their own since they don’t come from a single ovary. 4. The seeds can grow into new strawberry plants, but most instead reproduce through runners 5. Strawberries are members of the rose family – Should you come upon a bush of them growing, you’ll see: they smell as sweet as they taste. 6. The ancient Romans thought strawberries had medicinal powers – They used them to treat everything from depression to fainting to fever, kidney stones, bad breath and sore throats. 7. Stop and smell the strawberries! Considered members of the rose family, they give off a sweet fragrance as they grow on bushes. 8. Considered a perennial, strawberry plants will grow back year after year – Although they don’t always grow fruit immediately, once they do, the plants can last up to 5 years. 9. To store fresh strawberries, wash them and cut the stem away – However, if you plan to keep them in the fridge for a few days, wait until before you eat them to clean them. Rinsing them speeds up spoiling. 10. Strawberries can also be pickled – Especially when picked green or unripe. If your berries are overripe, make jam! Nutritional Benefits of the Strawberry The heart-shaped silhouette of the strawberry is the first clue that this fruit is good for you. The strawberry has become one of the national fruits of choice with sales peaking during Wimbledon where everyone enjoys the classic strawberries and cream. Not just a delicious fruit.. strawberries are packed with vitamins, fibre, and particularly high levels of antioxidants known as polyphenols, strawberries are a sodium-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie food. They are among the top 20 fruits in antioxidant capacity and are a good source of manganese and potassium. Just one serving – about eight strawberries – provides more vitamin C than an orange. Click here for more interesting fruity facts Back to blog
5 A Day on a budget
Posted October 31st, 2019 by Fruidel Team Read our top tips on how to include more fruit and vegetables in your diet while still saving money. 10 top tips to get 5 A Day on a budget Buy fruit and vegetables loose rather than pre-packaged. Loose fruit and veg can be as little as half the price. Fruit and vegetables are usually cheaper if they’re in season. You can find out what’s in season on the Love British Food website. Fruit and vegetables are often cheaper at your local street or farmers’ market. You can find your nearest one in this directory of farmers’ markets. Replace your morning or afternoon snack with a piece of fruit. A banana or an apple costs around 20p at the supermarket, about half the price of most chocolate bars or packets of crisps. The savings add up, and so do the health benefits. Don’t throw away vegetables that are about to go out of date. Use them in stews, soups and casseroles, which you can freeze and eat another time. Read more about storing leftovers safely. Look for supermarket deals on fruit and vegetables, such as buy one get one free offers. Look for good deals on frozen and dried fruit and veg, such as frozen peas and dried pulses and beans. They’re often cheaper than fresh varieties. Swap ready meals for homemade alternatives. Vegetables in dishes such as stews, bakes, casseroles and curries count towards your 5 A Day, and cooking these dishes yourself is often cheaper than buying them ready-made. Stock up on canned fruit and vegetables. They count towards your 5 A Day and won’t go off, so you can buy them in bulk. Buy canned fruit and veg, in water or fruit juice, without added salt or sugar. Supermarket own-brand varieties are usually the cheapest. Cook in bulk and freeze portions to eat another time. For more meal ideas, have a look at 5 A Day recipes. Don’t forget to follow us on social media to stay up-to-date with the latest news, recipes, and promotions. We are on all major platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and we love connecting with our community of foodies and health enthusiasts. Join us today and be part of the conversation! Back to blog
Healthy Snacks in the workplace – the benefits
Posted October 24th, 2019 by Fruidel Team Why do we snack more at work? Anyone who has spent time working in an office has seen how quickly a box of doughnuts gets demolished. But it’s not just genuinely tasty snacks that get gobbled up. Those three cinnamon raisin bagel quarters left over after the board meeting? Gone in seconds. Picked over Halloween candy someone’s kid didn’t want? Eaten in record time. Free food Global recession has impacted companies massively which has meant cut backs in wellbeing, company perks and pay reviews across all sectors. So when your manager brings in cake or pizza you jump at the chance of a freebie as a reward for hard work and dedication. Beware the office feeder Every office has them: the colleague who brings in the donuts, the other who brings in homemade banana bread loaded with fat, calories, sugar. The stress reliever Another factor might be stress, eating comfort foods seems to reduce stress and anxiety in a number of people. Choose Healthy snacks on the go Encourage your employees to make healthier snacking choices and avoid those harmful refined sugars by offering a free healthy snack box. Healthy Snack Box delivers healthy office snacks – providing convenient access to millions of healthy snacks per year, delivered right to your doorstep. Made with nutritious, whole ingredients, whilst ensuring taste is top priority, SnackBox will keep your team fuelled with on-the-go snacks that help increase productivity and make them feel cared for. Arrange for a Healthy Snack Box to be delivery to your workplace, click here to place an order. Back to blog
Office fruit delivery – how it works
Posted October 18th, 2019 by Fruidel Team Grade A grade fruit is selected Delivered direct to your office Fresh fruit = happy healthy staff Collect empty baskets Our Fruit Basket Options Boosting your daily fruit intake will give you right fuel to get through the working day and have enough energy to go to the gym in the evening. Click here to see the fruit basket options we provide. Back to blog
Mango and banana smoothie recipe
Mango and banana smoothie recipe | Beat the afternoon energy slump Posted October 11th, 2019 by Fruidel Team Cool down with a fresh and fruity smoothie Smoothies have become a on-the-go staple for health-conscious eaters, and we have to agree. They’re easy to make, packed with vitamins, minerals and are a great energy source to help you beat the afternoon energy slump. Here is the mango and banana smoothie recipe: Ingredients 1 medium mango 1 banana 500ml orange juice 4 ice cubes Method Cut the mango down either side of the flat stone, then peel and cut the flesh into chunks. Peel and chop the banana. Put all the ingredients into a food processor or blender, then process until smooth and thick. Keep in the fridge and use the day you make it. Don’t forget to follow us on social media to stay up-to-date with the latest news, recipes, and promotions. We are on all major platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and we love connecting with our community of foodies and health enthusiasts. Join us today and be part of the conversation! Back to blog
Interesting facts about pomegranate
Interesting facts about pomegranate | Apple with many seeds Posted October 4th, 2019 by Fruidel Team The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree in the family Lythraceae. Pomegranate is native to a region from modern-day Iran through Afghanistan and Pakistan to northern India. Today, it is widely cultivated throughout the Middle East and Caucasus region, north and tropical Africa, South Asia, Central Asia, the drier parts of southeast Asia, and parts of the Mediterranean Basin. It is also cultivated in parts of Arizona and California. The name pomegranate derives from medieval Latin pōmum “apple” and grānātum “seeded.” 10 Interesting Facts About Pomegranates The word pomegranate means apple with many seeds. Pomegranates are native to the Middle East. Pomegranates belong to the berry family. Pomegranates are classified as a super fruit. Pomegranates can be stored up to 2 months in the refrigerator. Pomegranates grown in the United States are typically in season from September to December. Pomegranates do not contain cholesterol or saturated fats. Pomegranate trees grow in hot and dry climates. Pomegranate trees can live for over 200 years. One pomegranate can hold more than 1,000 seeds. Don’t forget to follow us on social media to stay up-to-date with the latest news, recipes, and promotions. We are on all major platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and we love connecting with our community of foodies and health enthusiasts. Join us today and be part of the conversation! Back to blog
Square watermelons are shaped like cubes in Japan
Square watermelons are shaped like cubes in Japan Posted September 26th, 2019 by Fruidel Team Square watermelons are common in Japan, but they are purely ornamental and are often very expensive, with prices as high as $100. Two reasons actually. First, the square watermelons are easier to stack, which makes them easier to ship. Second, and perhaps most ingeniously, with space being an issue in crowded areas of Japan, the square watermelon is designed to fit perfectly inside smaller Japanese refrigerators. But, just like the heart-shaped creations, square watermelons cost a bit more than natural round ones. It’s a small price to pay for the ability to store it in your fridge. Don’t forget to follow us on social media to stay up-to-date with the latest news, recipes, and promotions. We are on all major platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and we love connecting with our community of foodies and health enthusiasts. Join us today and be part of the conversation! Back to blog
Not all oranges are orange
Not all oranges are orange | Fruidel: Office Fruit & Milk Delivery UK Wide Posted September 19th, 2019 by Fruidel Team Did you know that not all oranges are orange – Fruidel Fruity Facts Why do oranges get treated with ethylene gas? In sub-tropical growing regions like Brazil, the country that grows the most oranges in the world, there are never temperatures cold enough to break down the chlorophyll in the fruit’s skin, which means it may still be yellow or green even when it’s ripe. But because American and European consumers can’t fathom such a phenomenon, imported oranges get treated with ethylene gas to get rid of the chlorophyll and turn them orange. This also means that Florida oranges tend to be yellower than California oranges, because they’re grown further south. Find out more about the benefits of eating fruit by visiting our fruity facts page, or to select one of our fruit basket options click here. Back to blog
Helping to save the planet | Eco-friendly Solutions
Helping to save the planet | Eco-friendly Solutions | Ulta low emission Posted September 12th, 2019 by Fruidel Team London’s ultra-low emission zone – What is it? It comes into force on 8 April 2019, and will initially cover the existing congestion charge zone in central London, but will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. From 25 October 2021, it will expand to an area bounded by the north and south circular roads. Clean air zone charges in Cities throughout the UK Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle & Manchester latest to announce clean air zone charges: see a map of low emission zones & how much you’ll pay. Most diesel drivers will have to pay £12.50 to drive into the centre of London from this April, and similar charges will creep across the country as other regions line up to launch clean air zones in city centres. The latest diesel cars are the cleanest ever – with emissions that are little different to petrol vehicles. That’s partly because many use AdBlue: an additive that’s mixed with exhaust gases to convert toxic emissions into harmless substances. Fruidel’s Corporate Social Responsibility Fruidel’s Environmental CSR Policy aims to reduce any damaging effects on the environment from business’ processes. Some of these activities include waste management, recycling, reduced energy usage with focus on many pioneering eco-friendly solutions to reduce the businesses carbon footprint. Fruidel Vans are fitted with AdBlue technology – helping to produce ultra low emissions We use AdBlue which is fed into the exhaust of all our vans, reacting with the nitrogen oxide gas produced by the combustion process, breaking it down into harmless nitrogen and oxygen. We are aware that emission levels in cities throughout the UK are at dangerous levels in certain areas. We are doing everything possible to keep green and lower C02 emissions. Back to blog
Fruity Friday – Office Fruit Delivery
Fruity Friday – Office Fruit Delivery | Reducing your carbon footprint Posted September 6th, 2019 by Fruidel Team How we order fruit and milk could help reduce our carbon footprint With Brexit dominating political agenda and mainstream media there is little space for discussion on issues such as the growing rise in knife crime and climate change. But with political activism on the rise inspired by environmental activists such as BBC’s David Peterborough and documentaries highlighting the human impact on the planet with ‘single use plastics’ being the hot topic. It’s only a matter of time that things like this will have to be tackled. As the Famous folk artist body Dylan once said ‘Times are a charging’ and we as the human race will be faced with the harsh reality that if we don’t take some action now, that one day it may be too late. Reducing your carbon footprint – could we do more? Ordering milk in cartons, cycling to work, re-using plastic bottles are small but effect ways us as consumers can help. Fruidel re-use wooded wicker baskets packed full of fruit – once the office has finished with the weekly fruit harvest a driver will pick up, swap then replenish the basket – recycled 1000s of times. And most importantly not using single use plastics. Office fruit delivery in wooden wicker baskets Great for the environment and a valuable perk for the office improving productivity and promoting healthy eating. Get your five-a-day with Fruidel – to find out more see our fruit basket options. Back to blog