Including new to the market Peckish bird seed packaging now sold in a cardboard box (on sale in Wilkos), and Barilla penne pasta (found on sale in our local farm shop at Ulnaby) with no plastic film window!

I was introduced to a small shop recently set up on Darlington, called the Pasta shop where they make and sell their own fresh pasta dishes, in fab cardboard boxes. With this place on my doorstep I can enjoy the taste of fresh pasta again, having stopped buying the plastic shrink wrapped variety in the…

I recently bought a new duvet. Having searched about for duvets made from natural fibres I came across the Wool Room. They sell all sorts for the bedroom, but I was attracted to their use of British Wool to line their duvets and pillows. Natural and abundant in the UK, with so many benefits, why…

In trying to find a cracker for cheese that does not have single use plastic film wrap, I came across these Swedish rolls. No info on recycling the packaging on the packet itself, but their website says “the bags for Swedish toasts (Krisprolls) are made of paper.” Have I at last found the plastic free…

If like me you enjoy a bit of home baking at Christmas, what do you do with any left over jars of sweet mince? Here’s an idea. Sweet mince muffins. I stopped buying dried fruit, as I could only find it on sale in single use, unrecyclable plastic wrap. The alternative I have turned to…

In another trough, here are some kale plants that I sowed as seed in the summer, which has been waiting in the wings to replace this year’s plants. This variety is called Red Russian. The leaves are a beautiful colour and texture. Remarkably the slugs have left it alone. I’m not sure that’s down to…