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Metro
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
I helped create M&S picky bits — here's my hack for the ultimate dinner
It's June 27, which means it's officially National Picky Bits Day… at least, it is according to M&S. The retailer is proclaiming today a holiday of sorts in honour of its new summer range being released, which includes 50 new items perfect for picnics, grazing boards and girl dinners. Top picks from the new selection include everything from Marmite and Cheddar Sausage Rolls to Coronation Chicken Pies, Grilled Turkish Olives and topped dips. And there's even a theme song for the day, as X Factor star Diana Vickers and songwriter Chiara Hunter (Ki and Dee) have teamed up on a track about picky bits, which some have joked is the 'anthem of the summer'. But how did Marks & Spencer become the self-proclaimed 'home' of picky bits and who comes up with the ideas for the new products? Metro spoke to Taron van der Berg, a product developer who has worked for M&S for almost two years, to find out everything you need to know. According to Taron, who worked on creating the new range, the team came up with a whopping 250 ideas for different picky bits when planning the new range for summer 2025. This then had to be whittled down to the 50 that have been released, with some suggestions being tucked away to be used at Christmas time. The focus this year was to create a range that looked vibrant, inviting and visual, so that customers would be able to really 'feast with their eyes'. 'We want to set trends and really challenge ourselves to do this when creating a new product,' Taron explained. 'For picky bits, we start by looking at what was popular last summer as well as customer feedback and data. 'We don't just look at the UK though, we work closely with our suppliers and travel to places like Spain, Turkey and Greece to source exclusive ingredients and jump on trends elsewhere in the market that people might see when they go on holiday. Then we bring them to M&S.' But there are a few rules that have to be followed when coming up with ideas for the perfect picky bits. 'It's got to be delicious, but it also has to be bite-sized and convenient,' Taron says. 'You want to be able to walk into a store, chuck food in your bag, head over to a table or picnic spot, lay it all out and be able to dig in. 'We also have to think of the experience, as having a picnic can be a bit of an occasion with good food, conversation and perhaps a tinnie or some wine. You'll need to be able to eat some of it with your hands and some with wooden cutlery but it can't all require a spoon.' Some of the most popular new items in the range include the dips, and while houmous has always been a staple at M&S, the topped dips offer something a little different. A key example is the Ploughman's Dip (£3.50), which features a soft cheese and cheddar dip, topped with a spiced vegetable and apple chutney, ham hock, silverskin onions and parsley. 'We knew our customers already loved our Ploughman's Pot, so we sat down and were like what variation of this could we make that they'd love even more, so we ended up with the dip and also a spicy Ploughman's Pot.' There's also a new Topped Chicken Shawarma Dip and a Whipped Spicy Nacho Cheese one. 'I believe anything can be a dip, it's something I challenge myself to think about every day,' Taron adds. And when asked if we might ever see the beloved sauce from the discontinued M&S Pizza Dippers turned into a dip, she said: 'Never say never, watch this space.' But the best part about the topped dips is that they're incredibly versatile – you can dunk crisps into them, or you can get a little more creative. 'A few people have told me they've been using them as bagel or sandwich fillings, especially the Chicken Shawarma one as it's got everything you need in it.' Taron also shared a few other hacks for the new products as it turns out they can be used as more than just picky bits – they could help you create the ultimate dinner. 'They're not just picky bits, they're ingredients. For instance, some of our pepper pots, like the new Sunburst Orange Peppers, are really good if you chop them up and put them in a salad,' she suggests. 'We've also launched balsamic onions, which are great for snacking, but similarly, if you're making a pasta dish, you can chop those up and add them to that. 'I also like to take the Red Pepper & Walnut Dip and put it straight on a plate, you can do the same with the aubergine one. Then I take some broccoli or steamed veg and put that over the top and drizzle with a little olive oil. It becomes a beautiful deconstructed salad. 'The Whipped Herby Feta Dip would also pair nicely with some steamed broccoli, maybe throw some seeds on top and olive oil. It'll go down really well.' If you prefer to stick with a more classic picky tea, then you could always make a 'charcutable', which is something Taron loves to do when having people over to eat. For this, she covers her dining table in greaseproof paper, then lays everything out on top of it, straight on the table, like a giant charcuterie board. More Trending What you put on the table will depend on who is eating and where you are, but she recommends starting with some olives, as they're 'super easy to snack on'. 'You definitely need a dip,' she continues. 'Grab a Topped Chicken Shawarma and then you'll need a dip carrier. We've got some amazing new crisps, but the pitta chips also go really well with the chicken. 'Next, you'll want some kind of pastry, like a sausage roll and then add some pots, perhaps meat and cheese, some peppers and the new bean ones – the Giant Butterbeans with a Caesar-style dressing would be perfect. View More » 'This way, you've got a bit of everything, there's good variety and you can try and please all your guests.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: McDonald's just made major change to the Filet-O-Fish for first time in 50 years MORE: Underrated UK village is a foodie heaven with three Michelin-starred restaurants MORE: Bowling, burgers, fries and drinks: 10 unmissable Time Out deals Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
Daily Mirror
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'I tried M&S brand new 'picky bits' range' and one item is a real game changer
M&S have undoubtedly become the kingpin of the 'picky bits' tea - and now they've really gone to town with their range. Their small pots of snacky foods can elevate any picnic, making it the boujiest spread in the park, and with their newest range, you're in for a treat. The new picnic essentials include two new flavours of the popular loaded dips including Chicken Shawarma and Ploughman's as well as seriously Instagrammable Grilled Turkish Olives. The supermarket has also gone to town on the superfood of the summer - beans, with their new pots of Salsa Verde Chickpeas, Chickpeas with Chorizo, Tuna & Cannelini Beans, and Edamame with Soy Sauce, all packing a delightful protein punch. There's simply nothing better than a picky bits tea in the sunshine, and the new M&S range comes just in time for National Picky Bits Day today (June 27). With this in mind, I knew there was only one way to celebrate - and it was to have the ultimate feast to celebrate the nation's love of a summery picky tea. Shoppers love the 3 for £8 deal on the items, and M&S see shoppers snapping up two pots of picky bits or dips every second, totalling 70million packs sold every year. So, off I went to load up for the perfect picnic dinner. I picked up the M&S Topped Chicken Shawarma Dip, M&S Topped Ploughman's Dip, M&S Whipped Spicy Nacho Cheddar Dip, M&S Whipped Spicy Nacho Cheddar Dip, M&S Dressed Giant Butterbeans, M&S Grilled Turkish Green Olives, M&S Calabrian Chilli Marinated Italian Mozzarella, M&S Spanish Mini Fuet & Cheese and a couple of bags of M&S crisps to dip in with. The dips are new additions to the already viral Caesar, Hot Salmon and New York Pastrami, and they are a real treat. The Ploughman's is packed with creamy cheese topped with pulled ham hock and mini silverskin pickled onions. The combination of the ham cheese and onion made all of teh flavours hit at once which made it had to differentiate which was which, but was still very tasty. There is also the Chicken Shawarma Dip, described as "spiced, creamy and topped with succulent, marinated pulled chicken and tangy pickled red onions" which really stood out to me. It was definitely creamy, and had a Turkish influence to the flavours. This was definitely my favourite. Lastly, I picked up the Spicy Nacho cheese made with whipped mature and vintage farmhouse cheese with roasted chilli. I was excited about this one, but sadly it was my least favourite. I wish it had a little more of a kick to it with true nacho flavours, but instead tasted more like a whipped feta dip. It seems as if beans are the newest superfood hype, and I can see why. The small but mighty beans can be the perfect way to add some protein into your diet, and when they taste like this, it is easy to do. In a caesar dressing, it feels like you are still being healthy, while tasting good. The large slices of Parmesan really enhance the flavours. My only gripe is that they are a little mushy - which can't be helped. They are also a little oily and messy which could be tricky to eat if sat on the ground. Granted, I am a huge fan of olives already, but these are by far my favourite addition to the range. I have never had grilled olives before, and now I'm afraid I can't ever go back. The smoky charred taste of these olives were amazing, and they really look the part as well with the grill marks on them. They taste like they have come straight off a hot BBQ in Turkey and I am a massive fan. These were definitely spicy, but it made them a little more exciting than the pesto and mozzarella pots already on offer. The sweetness of the chilli's were tasty, but maybe a little too hot for me. A tasty little pot of Spanish sausage and Iberico Cheese will complete any picnic and would be perfect with a chilled glass of wine or prosecco. The firm cured mini salami sticks were tasty and were also perfect to dunk into the loaded dips. Kathryn Turner, Product Development Director at M&S Foodsaid: "It's no secret that M&S Food is the home of picky bits, and I'm so excited that we have 50 new nibbles, dips and snacky bits for shoppers to try ahead of National Picky Bits Day this Friday. "As part of our 450 new and upgraded lines landing in the Foodhall this summer, we are going big on beans as one of this year's trendiest high-protein ingredients, with launches including Giant Caesar-dressed Butterbeans, Salsa Verde Chickpeas, Tuna & Cannelini Beans, and more. "We're also adding even more fantastic options to our best-on-the-market selection of olives, with new lines including our Grilled Turkish Domat Olives – with stunning char grill marks on them, inspired by the markets of Istanbul. And in dips we are excited to be launching two new fully loaded dips to build on the success of our Caesar, Hot Salmon and New York Pastrami topped dips from last summer, taking customer favourite Chicken Shawarma and turning it into a dip – as well as Ploughman's. "We are also launching two brand-new whipped cheese dips – a Whipped Barber's Mature Cheddar Dip and Whipped Spicy Nacho Cheese Dip. All of these are perfect for picnics, nibbles in the park or midweek picky teas in general!"
