The popularity of this British summer staple is subject to meteorological mishaps and consumer impulse, but the chiller cabinet is still an essential retail weapon.

It’s that time of year again. As the fickle British summer opens its doors for business, what better time to get that freezer full of those icy delights to excite the palate and cool the brow on a hot summer’s day? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to predict that ice cream sales head skyward in the summer months.

Caroline Chisholm of the Vegetarian Society explains why a meat-free diet is good for you and for the planet.

It’s not difficult to see where some of the resistance to a vegetarian diet is born. Generations of children, forced to eat their greens, grew up with a pathological hatred of vegetables – broccoli, green beans, cabbage, and the much-maligned Brussels sprouts.

The university catering sector has never been under such increasing pressure to cut costs on every front, but the real challenge is to protect profits from the pinch.

This month Queen Mary, University of London launches its new hospitality offering. The new menus will be presented at a special event hosted at the college and both existing and prospective clients will be invited to sample the new menus and to meet the hospitality team.

Hands up all those who are certain that the oil they cook with is safe? If any of you are confused by the conflicting advice over suitable fats for cooking, read on.

Fats are one of the hardest nutrient groups to get to grips with because how good or bad they are for you depends very much on the type of fat, how much you consume in relation to other fats and lastly, how the fat is applied – for example, is it deep fried or used in a salad dressing?