All the fun of Christmas but at a fraction of the cost

It’s a fact every month the average family throws away £50’s worth of edible food. That’s £600 of food which has been purchased but forgotten about or just wasted. Wouldn’t it be better – and more fun to spend this money on Christmas presents or in the January sales?

Most food at Christmas is wasted because we buy too much, over prepare food and fill our fridges fit to bursting, whilst forgetting our freezers. One solution to help you get the most out of your food is Count On It® food labels. These easy to use, stick on labels feature a scratch off panel which show at a glance when a product was first opened, stored or frozen – meaning you can keep track on what needs eating first, reducing the amount of food which gets thrown in the bin whilst also helping keep a few extra pounds in your pocket.

As well as keeping the costs down by getting the most out of our food, there are other ways in which Christmas can be affordable. Saving money does not mean cutting down on luxuries and fun, if anything, having a well planned, affordable Christmas will make it even more enjoyable.

Here are a few tips:-

Save money by getting the portions right
Be realistic about how much you can and will eat on the day - don’t spoil the day with indigestion and wasted food.
Rather than a whole turkey, why not a have fresh turkey crown, chicken or duck
If you do get carried away with your preparation and have leftovers - don’t worry, just freeze (if made from fresh) or store them for later in the fridge- using a Count On It® label of course. These prepared meals will be especially handy if you have unexpected guests arrive later or for eating on the days following Christmas Day.
Keep it fresh and save yourself time
Don’t spend all your holiday in the kitchen cooking and preparing food – use your freezer.
Sausage rolls, mince pies, vegetables and fruit can all be prepared days or even weeks earlier and stored in the freezer, just pop them in a food container or bag, stick on a Count On It® label and they are ready to be cooked if and when you need them - leaving you free to enjoy time with friends and family.
Love your leftovers and save waste
So good, you could eat it all again - well, store it as leftovers and you can. Bubble and squeak, soups, curries are all possible with leftovers and a bit of imagination. Cheeses, chutneys, deli goods are perfect for storing in the fridge, just stick on a Count On It® label and use at a later date to liven up a sandwich or jacket potato.
And finally …. Count On each other - it’s Christmas
Invite some friends or family over for dinner. It doesn’t have to be a formal affair- just an occasion to enjoy each other’s company. Suggest everyone brings along a dish (even perhaps leftovers), that way you keep your grocery bills, cooking and leftovers to a minimum - never mind the washing up.!

Count down has begun to Count On It's offer

Farm shops, delis, cookshops, butchers, grocers and online retailers, we have a special offer in the run up to Christmas - 24 boxes of Count On It labels for £24. Perfect for Christmas goodies and not forgetting, leftovers. Click on the image for more information, alternatively, drop me a line at lyndsey@count-on-it.co.uk. Thanks, Lyndsey

The Nose Knows - Most Americans rely on the 'sniff' test

I have just been reading another article from 'Plastics-make it possible' blog, about how many Americans 'sniff' their stored food to see if it is still safe to eat. This is something we are all familiar with, but what a lot of people don't realise is that not all bacteria on food smells. In fact many bacteria are odourless and tasteless - and these can be potentially harmful if eaten, particularly for vunerable adults and children. It seems that many people lack confidence in understanding how long food can safely be stored and two thirds of people which were interviewed, wished their food could tell them when they should be thrown out. This is where Count On It labels can help, whilst they may not speak, they do let you know at a glance when you food was first opened, letting you be sure that you're eating stored food within it's safe limits.

Here's the article...

THE NOSE KNOWS: MOST AMERICANS RELY ON “SNIFF TEST” « Plastics Make It Possible

Tis the season for leftovers!

I found this great article by Holly Clegg, author of trim&TERRIFIC - here she shares some great ideas of Thanksgiving leftovers in an article published in womensonlinemagazine.

Tis the season for leftovers!

Limited time special offer for retailers - 24 boxes for £24

Farm shops, delis, cookshops and online retailers, we have a special offer in the run up to Christmas on Count On It food labels. 24 boxes for £24. Shipped in a full colour, shelf ready display box, Count On It labels are the ideal stocking filler for the foodie in your customer's lives. Email lyndsey@count-on-it.co.uk to order yours, or if there is a local retailer you'd like to buy them from let me know too.

Count On It this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving - it’s the time of the year when we buy those little food luxuries – chutneys, pickles, sauces – as well as cream, mayonnaise, too much meat, fish, seafood and puddings – our refrigerators groan with the amount of food we purchase.

Although it's great to spoil ourselves, it's as important to get the most out of our food.

These days we have all become more aware of the amount of food we waste and many of us have become more determined than ever not to waste good food or throw it in the bin. But remembering how long food has been opened or stored can be a nightmare! Don't worry, help is at your finger tips!

Count On It® easy to use food freshness labels will tell you at a glance how long your food has been opened or stored, ensuring you get it at its best, get the most out of it, whilst also reducing the amount of unnecessary food wastage.

The stick-on labels feature scratch-off panels which show when a product was first opened, stored or frozen. No more guessing!

Simply peel, stick, scratch and track.

They can be stuck on jars, storage tubs, packets - anything and are also easily removable, without leaving sticky residue behind. They are also freezer friendly too!

Perfect for chutneys, sauces, leftovers - the list is endless.

Available at Amazon and www.count-on-it.co.uk

Count On It labels on NBC Augusta with Charles Mattocks

Here's some fantastic footage of The Poor Chef, Charles Mattocks, promoting Count On It labels on NBC Augusta were he popped in for a chat after doing a book signing and promotion at Simply Kitchen in Augusta. He's now heading off to the South Carolina campground cook-off where he is judging the competition and promoting his book and of course, Count On It labels.

http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/59729842.html

Facebook | Count On It food labels

Facebook | Count On It food labels
Count On It food labels has now got it's own Facebook fanpage. If you'd like to hear our latest news, become a fan and don't forget to tell your friends.

Count On It with The Poor Chef

Exciting news, we have now officially teamed up with Charles Mattocks, aka The Poor Chef www.thepoorchef.com. Charles,famed for his appearances on the Today Show, brings some pizzazz to frugal cooking. His challenge, cook two meals for under $7 sees him challenge people from all walks of life to hit the grocery stores and cook up a mouthwatering menu without breaking the bank. As both The Poor Chef and Count On It food labels goals are to encourage people to value their food more and to get the most out of it, our partnership is a perfect match. As you know Count On It food labels are a cooks best friend, letting you know at a glance how long sauces, relishes etc., have been stored, great for use on leftovers and ideal for the freezer.
In the next few weeks The Poor Chef and Count On It food labels will be heading out to the South Carolina Campground Cook off where Charles is one of the show's judges and he'll also be at the Baltimore Book festival where he'll be giving a cooking demonstration. As well as promoting Count On It food labels, The Poor Chef has his own book, magazine and sauce line and soon he'll be immortalized as a cartoon!
Check out www.ThePoorChef.com to find out more.
http://www.sccampgroundcookoff.com/content/index.php
http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/index.cfm?page=schedules&id=398

Count On It labels in the Daily Express and more...

There are many exciting things happening at the moment for Count On It labels, firstly we are joining forces with Charles Mattocks, aka 'The Poor Chef', an upcoming chef in the US that aims to show families how to cook a delicious meal for $7. He's got great tips on frugal cooking and has produced a book "Eat Well, Eat Cheap', a magazine, has appeared on the Today show, to name a few and also has a sauce range. He will be demonstrating Count On It labels at the many show's he appears at, as well as on TV - we'll keep you posted when it goes live.

Another highlight for Count On It labels has been it's continued publicity, here's a great article by Maisha Frost on myself and Count On It labels that appeared in yesterday's Daily Express.

Finally, in the autumn you can catch up with us at the Designer Baby Show - more details of this will follow - so keep popping back and we will let you know where we'll be and what offers we will have.

Catch you soon, Lyndsey

WINNING GAME PLAN PAYS FOR NEW IDEA

Wednesday September 2,2009
By Maisha Frost

YOU'VE got the enterprising idea and the passion, but no capital.
You’re too small and untried to be a candidate for a bank loan and remortgaging property’s not an option. Where do you go? How about a TV game show? You can win thousands of pounds and invest it in becoming that entrepreneur of your dreams.

That’s exactly what Lyndsey Young and Allan Bulwich did and they’ve been on a roll ever since.

Young won £15,500 as one of the first contestants on Channel 4’s Deal Or No Deal and put it all into setting up a food labelling business to reduce waste. Bulwich walked away with £50,000 from ITV’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and started his photography venture specialising in affordable, personal portraits.

It was while running her home-based design agency that Young, a mother of two sons, came up with the concept to help people cut the amount of food they throw away. With the Government planning measures to reduce this, Young’s Count On It labels are well-timed.
They act as a memory-jogger so food isn’t left in the fridge or cupboard for longer than advisable, or cleared out too soon.

These come as sheets of peel-off dated stickers that people can attach to a jar or package when opened. They act as a memory-jogger so food isn’t left in the fridge or cupboard for longer than advisable, or cleared out too soon.

“Time and again I would open a jar, say of pesto, and forget when I did it, then throw it away barely used because I didn’t want to risk it with my sons.” Young explains.

Although her husband Jason was supporting her, she realised she would not have the spare cash to take her rudimentary designs through the prototype stage. “I didn’t have the track record for a bank, so I thought I’d have a go with Deal Or No Deal. I was nervous but very determined not to be tempted and quit once I had a bit of cash. The money gave me a cushion, freed me to take a risk not possible otherwise with a young family.”

Young, who lives Bottesford, Leicestershire, tested her idea on locals and, boosted by the positive feedback, then got help from Business Link on registering trademarks and patents. “They saved me about £3,000 in consultancy fees,” she says. The prototype stickers sheets and commercial production have been done in partnership with a printer in Yorkshire.

“It took months to get it right, from the correct glue to producing sheets of labels and making sure the product would work in fridges and freezers.”

First year turnover of £25,000 should climb sharply now, withorders from Lakeland and Bettaware. And the labels, which cost about £1.95 for a pack of 25, are proving highly versatile. As well as food, they are being used for medicines, contact lenses and filters. A trade pack version will supply commercial kitchens .

Family commitments have made networking difficult but Young has discovered an alternative, Twitter: “The word-of-mouth marketing is very effective. I can talk to other mums and those interested in healthy food.

“Because of this, I have a distributor in America and a potential one in Australia.

“I think I would have pursued my idea come what may but winning the game show money undoubtedly speeded up that journey.”

www.count-on-it.co.uk

Business Link: 0845 6009006;

www.businesslink.gov.uk

Count On It food labels feature in Food & Drink Technology magazine

Count On It food labels (and myself) have just been featured in Food and Drink Technology International magazine - the article is as follows:-

LABELLED WITH LOVE
31 July 2009

Fed up with her family’s food wastage, Lyndsey Young was passionate about finding a solution…

As she tossed yet another jar of half-used pesto in the bin, Lyndsey Young decided enough was enough. Too many half-eaten jars of food had gone the same way. Yet she hated wasting food and only did so because she could never remember how long it had been languishing in the fridge.

“We all know that, once opened, most products have to be consumed within a certain amount of time,” says the mum-of-two from Bottesford in Leicestershire. “But there was always so much going on at home, I found it difficult to remember when something was first opened or stored.

“I was always throwing away half-used jars and leftovers because I was never sure how long they had been in my fridge. Rather than risk giving it to my young sons, I discarded it.”

But Lyndsey resented such wastefulness, and was sure others felt the same way. So she arranged for some market research to see if a cross-section of women also binned food for the same reason. The results of the research confirmed her suspicions. And so Lyndsey, 41, set about devising a solution and decided to fund her mission with the £15,000 she had won three years previously on TV quiz show Deal Or No Deal.

“Within days I had come up with the concept of stickers featuring scratch-off panels which allow consumers to mark on a jar or packet the date the product was first opened, stored or frozen,” she explains. “I had a name too – the Count On It (COI) label. Quite simply, it acts as a memory jogger, helping busy households safely track the life of their food.”

Feedback on trial samples led to the development of a prototype, and – with the support of government-funded business advisory group Business Link – just five months after she first came up with the idea in April last year, Lyndsey’s labels were in full-scale production.


“As the labels help to address the problem of food waste, which continues to be in the public eye due to the current economic climate and WRAP’s LoveFoodHateWaste campaign, and more and more people are rediscovering the joys and freshness that home cooking can bring, my initial marketing strategy was to target both the cookware and ‘foodie’ markets,” reveals Lyndsey.

“I exhibited the labels at a range of carefully selected regional food and drink festivals and it was demonstrated on stage alongside culinary experts such as James Martin and Anjum Anand.”

Lyndsey struck gold just three months after her idea went into production when kitchenware retailer Lakeland agreed to stock the labels.

“I sent them a speculative sample and they really liked it,” she explains. “Since then sales have continued to grow, and Lakeland has confirmed its placement for the foreseeable future.”

Another recent success for Lyndsey is a decision by homeware catalogue company Betterware to start selling her product later this year.

“As food safety is paramount to me as a mum, another strategy is to market COI to parents and mums-to-be as a time-saving, food safety product.”

The COI system recently received its first celebrity endorsement, too, in the shape of Amanda Holden, who said of the labels: “I’m beginning to wonder how I ever managed without them.”

As both food safety and wastage is clearly so close to Lyndsey’s heart, what does she think of recent government proposals to phase out ‘sell by’ and ‘best before’ dates?

“It is a step in the right direction but I believe it is equally important that consumers have a better understanding of what the labels on their food actually mean,” she says. “Too many households throw away perfectly good food because they are confused by food labelling. Simple advice on how best to store and use food in the home would help consumers manage their food in both a cost-effective and safety conscious manner.”

In the meantime, she is happy for her labelling system to lend a helping hand.

“The future for COI looks bright, with plans to expand the product lines to include the catering, food service and pharmaceutical industries, as well as private label producers,” she says. “I also truly believe that it will help both producers and consumers to reduce the millions of tons of waste that currently go into landfill in this country.”

'Sniff & Hoper' or 'Chucker-outter' have you considered this?

Are you a ‘sniff & hoper’ or ‘chucker-outter’? That’s the question Count On It ‘angels’ will be posing to shoppers in Peterborough city centre this weekend.

Count On It labels, the scratch-off, food label memory jogger which helps families manage their food more safely, whilst reducing unnecessary food waste – will be given away this weekend on a ‘fridge-friendly’ postcard that aims to raise awareness of the potential problems of eating food past it’s safe date and also throwing it away ‘just in case’.
As we are all too aware the price of food continues to rise, but many people do not realize that the amount of edible food that goes to waste and the number of cases of food poisoning also continue to rise at an alarming rate.

Sniff & Hoper?

Many people pride themselves on being a ‘sniff & hoper’, but most don’t realize that although foods may look, smell and even taste fine, they still harbor bacteria such as E.coli and salmonella that can cause food poisoning.
According to the Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource, incorrect storage and the use of food past it’s use by date causes about 325,000 people in the USA to be hospitalized every year because of food poisoning and 5,000 people die. It is a similar story in the UK, with the number of cases of listeria in people over 60 years of age doubling in the past nine years. 95% of cases end up needing hospital treatment and one in three of the people getting food poisoning caused by listeria die as a result. (FSA)

Consider these food safety reminders:-

 Make sure your fridge is cold enough - If you fridge isn’t cold enough food poisoning bacteria will still be able to grow. Your fridge should be between 0ºC and 5ºC.
 Refrigerate perishable food straight away – All foods that are perishable (i.e. goes off quickly) or has a label which says ‘keep refrigerated’ should be stored in the fridge and eaten within two days.
 Follow storage instructions – some jars and bottles must be kept in the fridge once opened and eaten within a certain time. Always check the label and keep a track on how long they have been opened – Count On It labels are just to job for this – just scratch off the date and you will have a permanent reminder as to how long they’ve been stored.
 Food should not be kept out of the fridge for more than four hours, so if you’ve prepared anything beforehand, keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to eat it.
 Leftovers – cool these as quickly as possible then store them in the fridge. Once stored, leftovers must be eaten within two days, except cooked rice which must be eaten within one day. Don’t forget to store them in a food container and label the date when first stored – again Count On It labels are perfect as they stick on any surface and can easily and cleanly be removed after use.

Chucker-outter?

According to WRAP’s Lovefoodhatewaste research, the main reasons people throw away food is because of either ‘cooking or preparing too much’, e.g. cooking too much pasta and it gets either left in the saucepan or on the plate’. Another reason is because food ‘is not used up in time’, good examples being fruit and vegetables go off in storage, or not eating food before it goes past its use-by date in the fridge. This can be because of a number of reasons, sometimes because of our increasingly busy lifestyles we change our plans, or we just forget what we’ve got in our cupboards, or we forget to fridge or freeze leftovers, which could be used later. Another common reason is that we just forget how long we’ve had food stored in our fridge and freezer, so rather than risk it we throw it away.
The problem with this is two-fold, not only are we needlessly wasting perfectly edible food, we are wasting our money too.

Consider these money saving tips to help you love your food more:-

 Regularly check what’s in your fridge and freezer – How often have you looked in your fridge to see an opened packet of ham or mayonnaise and you’ve no idea how long it’s been in there. Keep an eye on the use-by dates and also the storage instructions on jarred or bottled products. By tracking how long things have been opened or stored, you can be sure it is still safe to eat. To save you from having to remember all of the dates, Count On It labels will show you exactly the date of opening each product.

 Buy one, get one to freeze – rather than leave both items in your fridge and hope you’ll get round to using them. Split the pack, store one in the fridge and the other in a labelled food container – this way you will know exactly when you first froze it.

 Leftovers – Get storing all of your leftovers, be it leftover vegetables from Sunday lunch or the last portion of a midweek chilli con carne. Just pop them in a food container, label them and either fridge them for the next day or freeze them for a ‘ready meal’ at a later date. Not only do leftovers save you food waste and money, they save you time, what could be simpler and nicer than heating up a homecooked meal in minutes.

 Plan your meals – Rather than guessing your way around the supermarket, simply check your fridge, freezer and cupboards before you go and then write a list of what you actually need. Another good idea is to forward plan your week’s meals – it may sound like a long job, but at least during the week it will save you time as you will know for sure you have the food in and won’t need to make any extra trips out for ingredients or take-outs!
Not only do the labels help to reduce food waste - it is estimated that the average family throws away up to £610 worth of edible food each year - but customers are also finding them useful for labelling things such as medicines, contact lenses, cooker hood filters or anything where a reminder of an expiry date is needed.

Count On It labels currently are on sale online at www.count-on-it.co.uk, in Lakeland Ltd and a selection of cookshops, farmshops and deli’s across the region. The scratch-off labels are made of a sustainable material and come in boxes of 25 labels and retail at £1.99.

Mums- keep your family safe and save money too

Here's a sneak preview of our latest marketing activity. Count On It angels will soon be handing out the postcards above to mums in high streets up and down the country. The postcards, which will also include a free sample of a Count On It label, aim to remind mums that risking out of date food, or thowing it away 'just in case' is neither good for their family's health or for their pocket. Count On It labels take away the guesswork, ensuring you get to eat food at it's prime, keeping your family safe, saving you money and helping reduce unnecessary edible food waste.

If you know an event, venue or location where there are high concentrations of mums present, please let me know, I'd love to be able give out some freebies. You can drop me a line at lyndsey@count-on-it.co.uk

Until next time, Lyndsey

Fresh Produce Journal article - Labelling debate sparks TV cash

Here's another great article we've just had in 'Fresh Produce Journal's Fresh Info online magazine.

An innovative designer has found a simple solution to the date labelling debate, using cash from her victory on Deal or No Deal.

East Midlands designer Lyndsey Young is using the £15,500 prize fund from her TV show winnings to create a new Count On It labelling system.

Following the announcement of a new range of measures to improve the date labelling of food in a bid to cut Britain's mountain of food waste by DEFRA secretary of state Hilary Benn last week, Young hopes to solve the issue with the new system.

The scratch-off food freshness labels show at a glance if food is still fresh and safe to eat, or if it should be thrown away.

Only 'use-by' dates currently signify a potential food safety concern, but research has shown that 'best before' (intended to be a mark of quality) is often mistaken for a safety warning. Sell-by dates are used by retailers for stock control - but often end up confusing consumers.

Young said: “I would use things like pesto, where you take out a spoonful and put the rest in the fridge. Preparing food for [my children], you want to make sure the ingredients are fresh. But time and again I would forget when I had opened a jar and end up throwing it away. I didn't know how long it had been in the fridge and I didn't want to risk it.

"The labels help to reduce food waste - an important issue, with estimates that the average family throws away up to £610 worth of edible food each year."

Business Link, the government support service, has been providing Young with advice to help her turn her venture into a success.

Packaging News - DOND winner creates food-waste label

Here's a great article from Packaging News that has featured Count On It food labels

Deal or No Deal winner creates food-waste label
Catherine Dawes, packagingnews.co.uk, 11 June 2009

A packaging entrepreneur has created a scratch-off self-adhesive label to help tackle food waste, funded by money she won on TV game show Deal or No Deal.
The Count On It labels, which can be applied to opened containers of perishable food, use a scratch-off month and date to allow consumers to keep track of how long packaging has been open for.
Designer Lyndsey Young came up with the idea when preparing food for her two young sons.
"I would open a jar of pesto and use a couple of spoonfuls. Then I would go back to the fridge a few days later and have no way of remembering exactly when I opened it. My children were very young and so they were vulnerable, so I would end up throwing the jar away just to be sure," said Young.
Count On It Labels were launched into Lakeland stores at the start of the year and are also sold through home products retailer Betterware.
However, Young is hoping that a government review of best-before dates and campaigns such as Wrap's ‘Love Food, Hate Waste' could spark interest from retailers and manufacturers.
"We're looking for a major grocer to come on board and stock the labels, and also for food and packaging producers to look at including the labels on the packaging," added Young.
The labels have been designed to fit on the lid of a jar so that information on the body of the product is unobstructed.
Young won £15,500 on the first series of Deal or No Deal in 2005. She used the money to enable her to pursue commercialisation of the patent-pending labels.

Business Link, the government support service, has been providing Young with advice to help her turn her venture into a success.

Food Standards Agency's campaign launched to tackle rise in over 60s food poisoning

Campaign launched to tackle rise in over 60s food poisoning

As Food Safety Week kicks off today, the Agency is warning older people about the life-threatening danger of listeria food poisoning and the simple steps that can be taken to avoid it.

The number of cases of listeria in people over 60 years of age has doubled in the past nine years. And one in three of the people who get food poisoning caused by listeria die as a result.

‘Listeria can make people very ill and 95% of cases end up needing treatment in hospital’
Listeria is a type of food poisoning bacteria that can live and grow in a wide range of food – chilled ready-to-eat food in particular – for example pâté, cooked sliced meats, certain soft cheeses and smoked fish.

The Agency is working with GP surgeries, pharmacies and a range of community groups across the UK, specifically in areas with large populations of older people, to advise the over 60s to take care with chilled food. They are being advised not to use food past its 'use by' date, to make sure their fridges are between 0°C and 5°C, and to follow storage instructions on food labels.

These food safety messages are being targeted directly at older people through a poster and leaflet campaign, and advice will also be handed out on millions of pharmacy paper bags used for dispensing prescriptions.


Dr Andrew Wadge, Chief Scientist at the Food Standards Agency, said: 'The rise in listeria food poisoning among older people is worrying. Listeria can make people very ill and 95% of cases end up needing treatment in hospital.

'There are some really simple steps people can take to prevent getting ill in the first place: be aware that 'use by' dates indicate how long food will remain safe, and then make sure you stick to them; always follow the storage instructions on the label; and make sure your fridge is cold enough – between 0°C and 5°C is ideal.

'These are the three messages that our new campaign is focusing on and Food Safety Week is a good time to be raising awareness of them. Cases of food poisoning double in frequency during the summer months but it is very easy to avoid becoming one of those who fall ill by sticking to these simple steps.’

Anyone who is ill or who has a long-term medical condition is at a higher risk from listeria, particularly people over the age of 60. The same is true for pregnant women. These people are advised to avoid certain foods because they can contain listeria.

The FSA has carried out surveys to determine the prevalence of listeria in foods that have been linked to the bug, such as smoked fish and sliced meats. It is also commissioning research to understand what makes the over 60s more likely to become ill from listeria.

Research published today by the Agency finds that the over 60s are more likely to take risks with ‘use by’ dates, are reluctant to throw away food and are often confused by fridge temperatures (see Older people taking more risks with food safety).

About Food Safety Week
Food Safety Week is an annual event that promotes the importance of good food hygiene in the home through a range of local events taking place across the UK in schools, community groups and local councils.

The new campaign builds on the ongoing work by the FSA to tackle all types of food poisoning. Last year it launched the GermWatch campaign, based on the 4Cs of good food hygiene (Cleaning, Cooking, Chilling and Cross-contamination).

Great article from The Telegraph 'Best before' date could go in drive to stop edible food being wasted

Here's another very interesting article from today's Telegraph on the Government's 'War on Waste' campaign launched yesterday. As you may know, DEFRA believe scrapping 'Best Before' dates could reduce edible food wastage as consumers are confused to the difference between 'sell by', 'use by' and 'best before', however the FSA state with caution that 'There has to be a balance, as we have to protect consumer safety.' Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment commented that 'It's time for a new war on waste. It's not just about recycling more ... it's about rethinking the way we use resources in the first place'. He added 'Too many of us are putting things in the bin simply because we're not sure, we're confused .... this means we're throwing away thousands of tons of food every year, completely unnecessary'.

This is where Count On It labels come into there own, not only do they allow consumers to get the most out of their food and manage it more efficiently, they also enable consumers to know if the product is still safe to eat, whilst minimising unnecessary edible food wastage. Also, as food packaging sizing is also cited to be a contributory factor to food waste, Count On It labels can help here as larger portions could still be purchased, just divided into smaller ones, labelled and frozen at home for later use. Here the consumer reaps the benefits of the cost saving and is secure in the knowledge that their food is still safe to eat.

As well as re-educating the consumers attitude towards food waste, the plans aim to deal with packaging, more 'on-the-go' recycling points and also plans to use the waste we do produce as fuel.

'Sell by' dates could be a thing of the past as part of a wide-ranging Government "war on waste".

By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent
Published: 7:00AM BST 10 Jun 2009

Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) claimed 6.7 million tonnes of food is thrown away every year.In an attempt to cut the amount of rubbish being sent to landfill by reducing packaging, boosting recycling and cutting food waste, supermarkets will face prosecution for "excessive packaging" and be forced to use more recycled cardboard and plastic.
In the home more households will be issued with separate bins and expected to sort waste for recycling or face possible fines. Recycling rates will also be given a boost by providing more "on-the-go" recycling points in rail stations and on street corners.
But a key part of the environmental crackdown is a consultation on how to reduce the confusion around food labelling so that people do not throw away edible food. One option is to phase out "best before", "sell by" and "display until" labels in favour of "use by" which is an actual safety requirement.
Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, said the UK was needlessly throwing away millions of tonnes of packaging and food every year.
Mr Benn said people throw away food after the "best before" date even though it can be eaten.
"Too many of us are putting things in the bin simply because we're not sure, we're confused by the label, or we're just playing safe," he said.
Sell-by dates are used by retailers for stock control - but can end up confusing customers into throwing away perfectly good food.
Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) claim 6.7 million tonnes of food is thrown away every year - most of which could be eaten.
Every day in the UK five million potatoes, 4.4 million whole apples, one million loaves of bread and one million slices of ham are discarded which could be eaten, it added. Worth £10 billion every year, it said every family was effectively throwing away £400.
The Food Standards Agency said best-before and use-by dates were still required under European law but it wanted to clarify the food labelling system for consumers.
The spokeswoman added: "We are talking to Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Wrap, and the food industry to identify how we can better educate people about date markings on food and also address the confusion caused by the sell-by and display-until dates also used by food businesses.
"We want to see food waste minimised but we also need to ensure people do not take unnecessary risks with food safety."
However retailers and councils said it should be up to the consumer and the councils to decide the best way forward rather than being told by central Government.
Stephen Robertson, Director General of the British Retail Consortium, said it was about customer education.
"Scrapping best- before dates won't reduce food waste," he said. "Customer education will."
Among the other plans announced by the Government yesterday, they will:
:: Reduce packaging waste by encouraging people to report supermarkets that use "excessive packaging" to Trading Standards. New guidelines setting out exactly what "excessive packaging" is will make it easier to prosecute manufacturers.
:: Retailers will be asked to use more recycled material and provide more smaller portions to stop single people having to buy too much.
:: Recycling rates will be given a boost by collecting more bottles and tins from pubs, clubs and restaurants and providing "on-the-go" recycling points at airports or street corners for people to put in newspapers and plastic bottles.
:: Councils will be encouraged to start collecting more materials for recycling, for example different plastics other than plastic bottles.
However, the method of collection could also be changed after a different study found separating waste for recycling first at home, rather than dumping it all in one sack to be sorted by later, is more efficient.
This puts pressure on councils to force households to sort their own recycling, meaning in some homes it will necessary to have up to five bins for different materials including a slop bucket for food waste.
The Local Government Association warned councils should be left to decide the best way to deal with waste in different areas.

Mums give 5/5 on www.thebabywebsite.com

Count On It Food Labels
Number of reviews: 2
Overall score: 5/5
Household Stuff
www.count-on-it.co.uk

Member reviews

Ease of Use: 5/5
Value for Money: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Overall score: 5/5

"Fantasic product!"

When I first saw these advertised I thought it was a great idea, and they've lived up to my expectations. I'm forever forgetting when I've opened something and end up chucking food away that's probably ok, and I'm sure I'm not the only one with things in the freezer that I haven't a clue how long they've been there! Particularly with being pregnant at the moment I'm extra careful about not eating food that's past its use by date, and these labels have been invaluable - it's now really easy to check the sticker and see when it was opened, and far less food had ended up in the bin. I'll definitely carry on using these to date batches of baby food and milk when my daughter comes along, and also for the pre-cooked meals that I have every intention of making and freezing before the baby's here (yeah right!).
Member review by Emma - pregnant with first baby - review date 22nd May 2009

Ease of Use: 5/5
Value for Money: 5/5
Quality: 4/5
Overall score: 5/5

"great product"

I love these labels they are really useful for when i am making my son a batch of food to freeze you just scratch the date on them and then you allways know when its going to go off i would deffinately carry on using these they are useful for other stuff like freezer foods that have such big boxes which if like me you take them out the box to save room in the freezer you just stick one of the labels and then you dont have to worry about when it goes of because usually the going of date is on the box.
I will reccomend these to everyone
Member review by basak - mother of one boy - review date 19th May 2009

Melton Times - Count On These

Melton Times has just done a fab feature in their Taste supplement (21 May 2009) all about Count On It labels and their future in the States. Here's what they said...
A Businesswoman who used her experience as a mum as a springboard to success is going from strength to strength. Lyndsey Young, who was nominated for a Melton Times Green Business Award in 2008, came up with an invention call Count On It - fridge and freezer-friendly stickers with dates that scratch off.
It was recently taken up by Lakeland and ITV's Amanda Holden has put her name to the product.
Lyndsey said "Once you've opened a jar or packet .... this is way to remember when it was opened and help cut down on waste."
And now Lyndsey hopes to break into the American market using Amanda's newfound fame State-side. Amanda, a judge on 'Britain's Got Talent' who will soon also be presenting 'The Early Show' in the USA, juggles a hectic lifestyle caring for her two-year old daughter Alexa.
She said: "These labels are fantastic - I put them on everything from pasta sauce to Alexa's leftovers. I love giving Alexa fresh, wholesome food, but because of my busy lifestyle, I need to keep track of when I opened stuff. These labels do the job for me".
Count On It labels are available from Lakeland shops or online at www.lakeland.co.uk or www.count-on-it.co.uk.

Iddictive.com - features Count On It labels

Mark Nagurski from Iddictive.com recently contacted us to ask if he could feature Count On It labels on his website - the site that brings innovative business ideas and 'cool twists on classic business ideas' together. Of course we said 'yes' and this is his article.

Count On It - Innovative Food Freshness Labels
by MARK on MAY 11, 2009
in LIFEHACKS

We waste a lot of food. Even with the best intentions, grabbing leftovers from the fridge can mean a bit of guesswork as to exactly how long they’ve been sitting there. As a result we’re more likely to throw away food that’s still perfectly edible.

Mother of two and ‘ mummypreneur ‘, Lyndsey Young faced the same problem:

“I was always throwing away half-used jars and leftovers because I was never sure how long they had been in my fridge and rather than risk giving it to my young sons, I discarded it and had the inconvenience and cost of repurchasing.

I was concerned at how much food (and money) myself and many other families like me were discarding, simply because we were unsure of how long our food had been opened or stored, so I came up with the idea of Count On It®, the easy to use, food freshness monitor.”

Count On It are self-adhesive food labels featuring scratch-off panels that allow you to mark the day your food was first opened - so when you return to it later you’ll know exactly how long it’s been in the fridge, freezer or cupboard. The labels come is a fridge-friendly dispenser and retail at just £1.99 for 25 labels.

Since launching, Count On It is already established with one national kitchenware retailer and has US distribution in place - so we asked Lyndsey about her plans for the future of the Count On It label (sorry):

“Our aim will now be to add additional retailers in other sectors, including grocery, baby and the green market and to continue to raise the profile of the product with a sustained and targeted PR campaign. … Ultimately we would like to see the Count On It brand become a household name and the range increased with carefully selected products with the common aim of saving consumers time, money and effort - without impacting the planet.”

For anyone with a new product in mind, Count On It provides a great example of well-considered execution transfoming a simple idea into a product with potential mass-market appeal.

Site: www.count-on-it.co.uk

Count On It to track freshness of expressed breast milk

It's National Breastfeeding Awareness Week 10th - 16th May

The main aim of the campaign, run by the Department of Health, is to raise awareness of the health benefits of breastfeeding, increase social acceptance of breastfeeding and promote support for breastfeeding.

Sometimes however, it is not always convenient or practical to breast feed baby or mums might want somebody else to feed their baby. This is when expressing breast milk and storing it for later is a suitable alternative.

According to the NHS it is perfectly safe to express breast milk and store it for later as long as you follow a few simple rules:-

"Remember to use a sterilised container to put the milk in. You can store milk in the fridge at a temperature of between 2°C and 4°C for up to 24 hours. Breastmilk can be stored for one week in the ice compartment of a fridge or for up to six months in a freezer."

But what happens if you can’t remember how long ago that precious breast milk was stored. You don't want to risk giving it to baby, but you also want to be sure you do not waste it. Well help is at hand, just pop on a Count On It label to the bottle or storage container, mark off the date and store. You can have peace of mind knowing exactly how long it has been stored and when it should be used by.

Fridge and freezer friendly, Count On It labels will stick to any container and, because of their 'easy-peel' adhesive, will simple peel off after use, without leaving any sticky residue.

Just visit www.count-on-it.co.uk and take advantage of our special deal which is running for a limited period only. to keep your little angel safe when feeding.

Yahoo answers - Count On It labels featured advertising

Yahoo answers - featuring Count On It labels - I love it

The Guilty Parent gives 'genius' product the 'thumbs up'

Count On It Freshness Label Review
By Erica Mueller on April 27, 2009

The Count On It freshness monitor labels are one of those products that make you say “Why didn’t I think of that??” The idea is just so simple, yet so genius.

When you open a package of food, you simple adhere a freshness monitor label, and scratch off the date you opened it. Then anytime you want to know if the food in that package is still good to eat, you can check the date on the label! Because you’re scratching off the date instead of writing it on, you don’t have to worry about the product sweating and smearing ink. You also don’t have to hunt for a pen to mark the label!

I’m really excited about this product, because with a family of 3, certain foods take a while to use up. Take sour cream for instance… I’m the only one in the house who eats the stuff, so a pint of it often goes bad before I can finish it. The same goes for lunch meats, salad dressings, and other condiments. In a small household, these items stay in the fridge a long time. Now I can check the date of opening and decide whether I think it’s time to toss the product, or if I should still use it.

I’m currently using these on items in my fridge and I’m loving them! It takes the guesswork out of freshness!

The Count On It labels are also good for medications, beauty products, contact lens solutions, and even air filters!

Stop throwing away perfectly good foods and other products simply because you can’t remember when you opened them!

Count On It

… to remind you to use it - not lose it!

Britain's Got Talent judge, Amanda Holden can Count On It.

It is clear to see why Simon Cowell chose Amanda Holden to be one of the judges on the brilliant, Britain’s Got Talent. Not only is Amanda grounded in the real world, she also has got an eye for spotting a winner, as she proved when she gave the phenomenon that is, Susan Boyle, the thumbs up. Another winner Amanda has been quick to spot is Count On It® food freshness labels, the scratch-off label memory joggers that show when a product was first opened, stored or frozen.

Despite her life never been busier, mum to two-year-old Alexa and married to record producer, Chris Hughes, Amanda loves cooking for her daughter – but wants peace of mind when preparing her meals.

“These labels are fantastic – I put them on everything from pasta sauce to Alexa’s leftovers,” she said.

“I love giving Alexa fresh, wholesome food, but because of my busy lifestyle, I need to keep track of when I opened stuff – these labels do the job for me.”
Amanda also uses them for batch freezing. “Good nutritious food like fish pies and cottage pies can be made in advance and frozen, and these labels act as a check on when the food was first frozen – they are so simple to use but so effective, I’m beginning to wonder how I ever managed without them”.

Count On It® labels are on sale in Lakeland stores nationwide and are also available in Lakeland’s brochure and online at www.lakeland.co.uk. They are also available from www.count-on-it.co.uk

Lakeland’s Barbara Shepherd said: “Count On It® labels are one of a number of products we have introduced to help people reduce food wastage. We liked the no nonsense simplicity behind this product and how it can help people save money – foodies, mums and families will love it”.

For more ideas on how to get the best from your Count On It® labels visit www.count-on-it.co.uk

Earth Day April 22 - Count On It helping you help our planet

Starting on April 22, to celebrate Earth Day and to help households do their bit for the Earth AND their pocket, we have two great offers:-

buy 2 boxes of Count On It labels get a 3rd box FREE

and also

4 boxes of Count On It labels with FREE postage and packing.

www.count-on-it.co.uk

Count On It food freshness labels help households save time, money & edible food waste by keeping a track of foods freshness. These simple, scratch off memory joggers eliminate the need to guess or waste food 'just in case' as you can see at a glance how long your food has been opened or stored - making sure you get the most out of your food and put less in your bin.

Another glowing endorsement - thanks Amy

I recently found this glowing endorsement from one of our lovely customers, Amy Lane on her blog, http://amylane.wordpress.com and thought I would share it with you, thanks Amy, I'm glad you like them.

How many of you have fridge full of half used jars of jams, pickles, sauces, salad dressings, mayonnaise etc. that you periodically get out, look at the label that says use within a month of opening, wrack your brains to remember when you opened it, and put it back deciding it’s best not to risk it? Then every few months have a clear out as you can’t fit anymore half used jars in there, wasting a load of food? Maybe you are all better organised than me, but up until a few months ago, this was definitely my routine!

Then I discovered ‘Count on it’ labels, bought a pack to try and now hardly ever waste food because I don’t know when I opened it. These little labels are brilliant - they have a surface that you can scratch off so you can record the day and month that you opened it (or if you are so inclined, the date it needs to be used by - man versus woman logic here!).

I use mine for all the jars in my fridge and also for leftover portions of food that I am freezing, my baking ingredients and home baked goodies destined for the freezer. As the surface can be scratched off in any place, I also scratch the initial of the child the food is for, as I often cook the baby food with less salt.

Another great thing about these labels is that they can be removed easily after use. I used to use plain labels and write on them with pen but they aren’t designed for this purpose and take a lot of scrubbing to remove them afterwards.

You can buy these great labels direct from the count on it website or from Lakeland and you can follow Lyndsey on twitter too.

Count On It - gets great independent reviews

Totz2teens a parenting forum set up by parents for parents, recently contacted us to request samples of our Count On It food labels for their members to review. Totz2teens is a community based site whose member base are parents or parents to be, and as such are the perfect choice of person to be able to rigorously test our product and give it their honest opinion on our product. We are pleased to say, they were not disappointed.

This is what one reviewer said:-
"When I was told about these little stickers I was impressed with the idea. I was looking forward to trying them out. What a pleasure. They come in a nice little dispenser box which fits nicely in the fridge. I was batch cooking some mince meals so I knew this was a good opportunity to use them. They stick well to the plastic container which is great and seem to stay stuck in the freezer too. I have also used them on bacon, melon, ham and much more. I had cut some onion up and was surprised at how long I had left it in the fridge. It certainly made me think. I would be happy to buy them again and I think they are a great idea." 5/5

To read the rest of the great reviews, click title link above

Thanks Totz2teens for the great feedback and if anyone else out there wishes to review Count On It labels on their site, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

The Telegraph article - click here

Batch cooking + freezing + Count On It labels = save time, money & waste

It is great to hear on GMTV's news today and in the Telegraph, that the public are starting to realise that by batch cooking and freezing, not only are they saving themselves time, they are also making a significant difference to the amount of food they are wasting AND money they are saving. By managing our food better in this way, we always have food 'ready-to-go' and we are also improving our diet, as homecooking doesn't have all the additives that most prepared food contains.

In spite of this, it is still important to remember how long we have had food stored in our freezer, contrary to popular belief, freezing doesn't keep food indefinitely, for example cooked meat and casseroles should only be kept between 2 - 3 months. That is why it is important to be able to track how long food has been stored - that is where Count On It labels come in.

Versatile and easy to use, these scratch-off food freshness memory joggers tell you at a glance how long your food has been stored, so you will be able to track which food needs eating first, helping you manage your food efficiently and safely. www.count-on-it.co.uk

Here's the article that appears in today's Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/5119359/Batch-cooking-on-rise-as-families-save-money-in-kitchen.html

Count On It website updated - New Baby & Press page

We are pleased to announce that Count On It's website has just been updated with a new Baby page and new Press page, to include all the information about how Count On It labels can help busy mums manage baby's food more effectively and safely and to include all the recent coverage Count On It labels has received in the national press. Information on our Baby page includes, how Count On It labels are perfect for ...

All of baby's food - Ideal for use on pre-prepared baby food jars, freshly prepared food, expressed milk, mixed baby formula and stored leftovers

Fridge and freezer-friendly - Count On It® labels can be used in the fridge and freezer and are perfect when freezing pureed weaning foods. Even the box dispenser is designed to sit in your fridge door!

Easy on, easy off - Count On It® labels are designed to stick securely to all types of packaging, yet have an easy-peel adhesive, so they don't leave any sticky residue behind on reusable tubs and bottles.

For more information on how Count On it labels can help new and busy mums, pop by at www.count-on-it.co.uk.

Cook Vegetarian magazine recommend Count On It labels

We LOVE Count On It labels, that's what Cook Vegetarian magazine say about Count On It labels in their April edition. The feature reads: 'It's a simple concept; when you place anything into your fridge, you scratch off today's date on your Count On It food freshness label, so you never end up throwing away perfectly good food 'just in case'. The super-organised will have their own method for avoiding food wastage. But, for those of us who regularly find ourselves sniffing the contents of our Tupperware, these smart little labels could be a Godsend!' The feature which appears on their 'Solutions' page, shows three images of the label and is part of their 'Credit Munch' issue. For more information visit our site at www.count-on-it.co.uk.

BBC Easy Cook features Count On It labels

How exciting, BBC Easy Cook magazine has run a great feature on Count On It labels in their latest edition (Issue 24). The feature in their 'Easy Food News' page highlights it as a 'best new product to make time you spend in the kitchen quick, easy and fun'. The write-up and image sits alongside Jamie Oliver's Red Nose recipe book, BBC Good Food website and Waitrose Cooks; Ingredients range. As well as being available from Lakeland, Count On It labels are available online at www.count-on-it.co.uk.

Your Home magazine features Count On It labels

Your Home magazine, the 'Home of hundreds of great-value ideas for every room', www.yhmag.co.uk. has run a lovely little feature on Count On It labels in their Household Hints, Make Life Easy section. The feature which reads:
'What to look out for this month... These clever labels will remind you of when you opened jars and bottles stored in your fridge. Simply stick the label on and scratch off to mark the date you opened it and put an end to guessing whether products are past their best.'
Count On It labels, £1.95 for 25, Lakeland. Of course they are also available at www.count-on-it.co.uk. as well.

Discussions are also underway with other major high street retailers looking to stock Count On It labels ... we'll keep you posted.

Count On It - perfect for the big chill

Your freezer
The greatest hero of them all. There's not much that can't be frozen until it's needed. If you have chicken breasts that you're not planning to eat straightaway, they can be cut into strips and frozen, to be defrosted quickly and used in a stir-fry later.
Even cheese can be grated and put into the freezer to use in a sauce or on an omelette. And a lot of time can be saved by cooking a big dish, then dividing it into portions to freeze for another day. (WRAP, Lovefoodhatewaste, 2008)
To remind you when you froze your food, just pop on a Count On It label, scratch off the date and stick it in the freezer. Count On It to save you time, money and waste.

Condolences

I would like to offer my heartfelt sympathies to Sarah Parish and James Murray on the loss of their baby daughter. My heart goes out to you in your time of sorrow.

Yours, Lyndsey

UK households save £300 million worth of food waste

According to WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), new figures revealed this week show that since the launch of their Love Food Hate Waste campaign back in 2007, almost two million more households in the UK have saved money by cutting back on throwing food away.

This increase in public awareness resulted in an overall saving of £296 million a year, saving 137,000 tonnes of food from being thrown away and a reduction of 600,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases emissions, which is, according to WRAP , "the same carbon impact as taking 100,000 return flights to Australia out of the skies."

WRAP's research identified some of the main reasons why households feel they are cutting back on waste, these include:

Becoming better at planning meals so that food isn't wasted (37%)
Becoming better at using up food that is already in the fridge or cupboard before buying new food (31%)
Becoming better at measuring the correct portion sizes so that we don't cook too much (22%)
Becoming better at using our freezers (20%)

Not only is this great news for WRAP and the country as a whole, it is great news for 'Count On It' food freshness labels as they also contribute towards the reduction in food waste by giving households an easy method of tracking the freshness of their food, helping them get the most of their food.

By simply peeling off, sticking on and scratching off the date of opening or storing, Count On It food freshness labels let households know exactly how long food has been stored, helping them get even better at using up the food they already have, whilst getting more out of their food and wasting less of it.

Count On It ... to save time, money and waste.

www.count-on-it.co.uk

For more information on WRAP's report visit, www.wrap.org.uk.

CELEBRITIES LOVE FOOD FRESHNESS LABELS

Count On It® food freshness labels are proving a huge hit with mums across the country.
Available from Lakeland stores and the new January 2009 brochure, leading delis and online at www.lakeland.co.uk, the stick-on labels feature scratch-off panels which show when a product was first opened, stored or frozen.
One of the labels biggest fans is actress and TV star Amanda Holden. Amanda is mum to two-year-old Alexa and her life has never been busier. Recently married to record producer Chris Hughes and about to start filming the third series of Britain’s Got Talent, Amanda loves cooking for Alexa – but wants peace of mind when preparing her daughter’s meals.
“These labels are fantastic – I put them on everything from pasta sauce to Alexa’s leftovers,” she said. “I love giving Alexa fresh, wholesome food, but because of my busy lifestyle, I need to keep track of when I opened stuff – these labels do the job for me.”
Amanda also uses them for batch freezing. “I love making Alexa nutritious foods like fish pies in advance, the labels just remind me when I put them in the freezer.”
Amanda loves the labels so much she has recommended them to her friends Sarah Parish, Angela Griffin and Jane Wall.
Sarah, who has a 7-month-old daughter Ella-Jayne, loves the labels and uses them to help her safely store baby milk and baby food. “These labels are a godsend for busy mums – they are just so easy to use but very effective – just one less thing to worry about,” Sarah said.
Angela agrees. She uses them a lot for freezing food for her two young daughters Tallulah Jae and Melissa. “I’m wondering how I ever managed without them – busy mums will know how easy it can be to forget how long food has been stored and with these labels you can be certain if it is still fresh and safe to eat - no need to worry or to throw away perfectly decent food,” she comments.
For more ideas on how to get the best from your Count On It® labels visit www.count-on-it.co.uk