Long live cheese and onion

The UK’s favourite crisp flavour has changed – with folks now reaching for the blue cheese-and-onion packet of crisps more than any other flavour.

That’s according to Mintel, the market research firm that carried out the study on the subject.

Previously, ready-salted (my own personal favourite) held the title of most-loved crisp. Flavours like prawn cocktail and salt & vinegar have dropped in popularity, though salt & vinegar is still in the top three, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of overall crisps sales.

But is it really a surprise that cheese and onion is the most popular? Crisps aside, it’s a fairly dazzling combination – take, for example, the dinner I had last night featuring red onions and cheddar. Or the greek salad, with crispy red onion and milky feta. In my opinion, cheese’s creamy acidity helps temper the strength of the onion.

Not to mention that the average packet of Walkers cheese and onion has 2 fewer calories than ready salted. That said, I still prefer ready salted as my go-to crisp. Cheese-and-onion breath isn’t really the classiest accessory to sport on a night at the pub, is it? It’s a shallot to think about, I know…

What's for dinner in Russia?

Russia is feeling the economic pinch, so its government has put together some advice for hungry folks who are struggling for cash, reports the Moscow Times.

Cash is tight, but so are belts - as waistlines have been expanding from the previous years of plenty… Evidently, over the last 10 years, the average Russian adult has put on an extra 2 kg (4.4 lb). And kids have each put on an extra 1 kg (2.2 lb).

The report, called Healthy Nutrition on the Cheap, advises on what Russians should be eating to keep in shape without breaking the bank:

Breakfast
Oatmeal porridge
Fried egg
Chicory coffee

Second breakfast (if necessary)
Tea
Cheese sandwich

Lunch
Bortsch (beetroot soup) and salad
Boiled chicken with rice and mayonnaise

Dinner
Fried fish
Mashed potatoes

Before bed
Kefir (sour milk)


There are also lots of potatoes on the menu, as well as other root vegetables and cabbage.

To be honest, I don’t think it’s really a bad menu! I wouldn’t really enjoy the sour milk, but I’d be happy to eat all the rest. And cheap too – evidently the average man can eat well for a mere 2,780 rubles ($77 or £54) a month.