Latest news with #sweet treats
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Brits splash out more than £1,000 on treats a year, research shows, as 3 most popular revealed
HUNGRY brits fork out more than £1,000 on sweet treats each year - as research reveals the three most popular. A poll of 2,000 adults found 21 per cent spend more than £20 a week on small indulgences costing under £10 — adding up to at least £1,040 a year. 2 Top treats under a tenner included chocolate bars, 63 per cent, fresh flowers, 23 per cent, and stationery items, 10 per cent. On average, 18 per cent purchase more than five small treats each week. Nearly half, 48 per cent. do so purely for the mood boost they provide, while 41 per cent simply have a penchant for life's little luxuries. Commissioned by online wholesale marketplace Faire, the research found 51 per cent buy treats for themselves more often than they do for others. Spokesperson Charlotte Broadbent said: 'Independent retailers are doing all they can to capture shopper's attention as they impulsively snap up treats under £10. 'Little treats can provide a spring in the step for those navigating a particularly busy week. 'Whether you spend big or go for a smaller splurge, the impact can completely turn your day, and your mood, around and Britain's independents are doing all they can to put a smile on people's faces, stocking more little treats.' It also emerged, when treating someone else, those polled are most likely to do so for their partner or spouse, 65 per cent, followed by their children, 52 per cent. Interestingly, people are more inclined to buy treats for their pets, 21 per cent, than for their parents, 19 per cent. Friday, 23 per cent, and Saturday, 18 per cent, are the most popular days for dopamine purchases, compared to just five per cent who use a treat to fight the Monday blues. Half admitted their purchases are often based on impulse rather than planned, with just 16 per cent planning their purchases. For almost a third, 31 per cent, of those polled, via OnePoll, the thought of buying a little luxury crosses their mind several times a week – and for one in 20 it's something on their mind several times a day. More than a third of those questioned, 35 per cent, believe they deserve their little treats. There was no looking back after they'd bought it either - only a measly three per cent felt any guilt. Charlotte Broadbent, spokesperson for Faire, added: 'We've seen a real shift in how independent retailers are curating their shelves — there's growing demand for affordable pick-me-ups that offer instant joy. 'These small indulgences might cost under £10, but they're driving meaningful sales and helping shops connect emotionally with customers. 'For local retailers, it's not just about what's on offer, it's about how it makes people feel — and that's where independents really shine.' This comes as Aldi has brought back a "cult favourite" sweet treat for just £1.79 after one jar sold every three seconds – and it's here to stay. Plus, Marks and Spencer's have launched an 'epic' sweet treat which rivals an iconic American snack. Another shopper even said that they are 'better' than similar cookies on the market. Chocoholics have been racing to get their hands on the new Chunky bar recently spotted at Sainsbury's. TOP 20 MOST COMMONLY BOUGHT TREATS 1. A chocolate bar or sweet treat 2. A takeaway meal 3. Fresh flowers 4. Snacks for the car or commute 5. A small gift for someone else 6. A magazine or book 7. Face creams 8. A candle or home fragrance 9. A skincare or beauty item 10. A collectable (stamp, car, Pokémon cards etc) 11. An ornament 12. Stationary 13. A scratchcard or lottery ticket 14. Cheap fragrances 15. A trinket 16. Sticker books 17. Planners 18. A small homeware item (e.g. towel, mug, cushion) 19. Socks or underwear 20. A new nail polish or haircare item 2
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fans Say Costco's 'Addictive' New Freezer Find is 'Fricking Delicious'
Fans Say Costco's 'Addictive' New Freezer Find is 'Fricking Delicious' originally appeared on Parade. Whoever first discovered that you could mix flour, eggs, sugar, and butter to create one of the most delectable sweet treats of all time deserves an entire section in the history books in their honor. Cookies are one of life's little joys, and without sounding too melodramatic, we wouldn't be the same without them. As good as freshly baked cookies straight from the oven are, though, unbaked cookie dough in its purest form might be even better. Sure, it might not be the safest thing to eat on the planet, but life's short and one teensy scoop (or an entire bowl) won't hurt. 😋😋🍳🍔 Of course, with all the emerging cases of bird flu and salmonella, we might want to second-guess taking a bite these days. Luckily, safe and ready-to-eat cookie dough has become readily available at most grocery stores today, so we can indulge whenever the craving hits. There are even entire scoop shops dedicated to serving up a variety of edible cookie dough flavors like its ice cream, which sounds like my idea of heaven. But what if instead of choosing one over the other, we could have both in one insanely poppale, ready-to-eat treat?Ice cream and cookies are a match made in heaven after all. As if it were ripped straight out of our sugar-fueled fever dreams, @costcobuys just shared a mouth-watering new freezer find that shoppers say is 'fricking delicious.' Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Biti Bites Biteables can now be found in a Costco freezer near you, and judging by the comments, you might want to stock up. These frozen bites of goodness feature creamy vanilla ice cream wrapped in chocolate chip cookie dough with real chocolate chips. Each bite clocks in at only 60 calories, but are we really eating ice cream and cookie dough to maintain our trim figure? Best of all, the entire one-pound bag will only set you back a meager $9.99. No wonder fans are saying these are 'dangerous.' 'Can never buy just one bag!!! 🤤,' someone said. 'Wowza! 😍,' commented another person. Sounds like we just found our newest snack obsession. Sorry in advance for clearing the Say Costco's 'Addictive' New Freezer Find is 'Fricking Delicious' first appeared on Parade on Jul 16, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Shoppers flock to sweet treats inspired by US trends, Mr Kipling owner says
Warmer weather dampened demand for gravy and soup in recent months, but US-inspired sweet treats attracted new consumers, food producer Premier Foods has revealed. The St Albans-based owner of brands including Mr Kipling and Bisto said there were signs of shoppers switching back to brands. Branded sales across the group grew by 1.2% to £216 million over the 13 weeks to June 28, compared with the same period a year ago. This was driven by an 11.34% jump in sales of its sweet treat branded products including Mr Kipling and Cadbury cakes. Mr Kipling birthday cake tarts, inspired by snack trends in the US, and newly launched 'lunchbox' cake slices helped draw in new shoppers, the company said. Chief executive Alex Whitehouse said the uptick in branded sales was 'driven by the strength of our innovation programme with new product ranges such as Mr Kipling birthday cake tarts performing very strongly, as we brought to Britain a trend that is particularly popular in the US'. 'We expect branded revenue growth to build through the year, as we launch further new products, such as Fuel10K yoghurt and granola pots,' he added. However, revenues from its grocery products declined by 2.7% over the latest period. Demand for items such as gravy, stock and soup were impacted by warmer-than-usual temperatures, Premier Foods said. It pointed to new product launches such as The Spice Tailor rolling out Mexican kits and Bisto bringing out peri-peri gravy to attract more younger consumers. Meanwhile, non-branded grocery revenues declined by 8.8% year-on-year, which Premier Foods said partly reflected consumers switching to brands. Premier Foods said it was expecting sales growth from its portfolio of brands to build throughout the financial year. It is also continuing to target cost-cutting across the business in a bid to bolster profits.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Yasmin Khan's recipes for aubergine kuku and fruit and nut granola bars
I am obsessed with these sweet treats: soft, sticky, packed with dried fruit, nuts and seeds, and sweetened with banana and honey, these irresistible granola bars are perfect for when you're craving something sweet but still want something relatively healthy; they also work well as a light breakfast with a mug of hot tea or coffee. Kuku, meanwhile, is one of the bedrocks of Iranian cuisine, and is the Persian word for these dense, filled frittatas that are often served as a sandwich filling with sliced tomato and crunchy, salty pickles. These keep in an airtight container for about three days, and tend to go softer and chewier after 24 hours, so they are great for making ahead. I use a 16cm-square baking tin. Prep 5 min Cook 45 min Makes 6-8 bars 175g jumbo rolled oats 125g dried apricots, roughly chopped50g pistachios1 tbsp pumpkin seeds 1 tbsp sunflower seeds 1 tbsp sesame seeds 1 tbsp milled flax seeds 1 tsp ground cinnamon Salt 75g coconut oil, or butter65g soft dark brown sugar60g tahini3 tbsp honey, or maple syrup 1 ripe banana, peeled and mashed1 tsp vanilla extract Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4, and line a small baking tin with greaseproof paper. Mix the oats, apricots, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, cinnamon and a quarter-teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan on a low heat, then stir in the brown sugar until that, too, melts. Take off the heat and stir in the tahini, honey, mashed banana and vanilla, then stir the warm ingredients into the dry ingredients until well combined. Press the oat mixture into the lined tin, then bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and leave to cool completely before slicing into bars. This uses aubergine, but courgette can easily be subbed in instead. It's packed with the classic Iranian ingredients of saffron, turmeric and barberries – small, sharp, dried berries that add a wonderful tang; source them in larger supermarkets, Middle Eastern grocers or online. Kukus can be eaten with a salad, as part of a picnic or meze, or stuffed into pockets of pitta for a snack. Prep 10 min Cook 50 min Serves 4 3 medium aubergines, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces Vegetable oil Salt 1 pinch saffron strands 1 pinch sugar 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped1 fat garlic clove, peeled and crushed6 large eggs½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp ground cumin 1 tbsp plain flour 1 tsp lemon juice 2 tbsp barberries 1 large handful coriander leaves, finely chopped Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Spread the aubergines on a large baking sheet, drizzle with three tablespoons of oil, sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt and toss to coat. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until completely soft, then remove and leave to cool. Meanwhile, grind the saffron and sugar in a mortar, add a tablespoon of just-boiled water and leave to steep for five minutes. Put two tablespoons of oil in a medium oven-safe pan on a medium heat. Once it's hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, for 15 minutes, or until soft and brown. Add the garlic, cook for two minutes more, then tip into a bowl and leave to cool. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, saffron mixture, turmeric, cumin, flour, lemon juice and a half-teaspoon of salt, then fold in the barberries, coriander, roast aubergine pieces and fried onion. Pour two tablespoons of oil into the same pan on a medium heat. Tip in the kuku mixture, cover and cook for eight to 10 minutes, until just cooked through. You want it mostly set and puffing up a bit at the sides. Turn on the grill, then finish off the kuku under the grill until it is set and golden brown on top. Leave to cool to room temperature, then slice into thick triangles to serve. These recipes are edited extracts from Sabzi: Fresh Vegetarian Recipes for Every Day, by Yasmin Khan, published by Bloomsbury Publishing at £26. To order a copy for £23.40, go to
