mummypreneur

Mummypreneur's blog has moved....

2010-06-10T11:19:00.005+01:00

My Mummypreneur's blog has now moved, it is now on our website www.count-on-it.co.uk

http://www.count-on-it.co.uk/blog/"

Please come visit and follow me there, as from today onwards there will be no more posts on this blogspot.

Drop by, make comments and hopefully I'll see you there soon

Lyndsey x

Top tips from Menus4Mums for easy homecooked meals

2010-06-03T08:35:00.005+01:00

Like Count On It labels, Menus4Mums aims to help busy families save time, money and get the most out of their food, by supplying family meal weekly menu planning and advice. Here's a great little article from them which shows how you can create easy, healthy and efficient family meals. Enjoy.

More and more parents are aware of the high salt and sugar levels in many processed foods and the danger they pose to their children’s development. That’s why so many would like to cook their families more home-made food, but it’s not always easy to fit into a busy lifestyle. At Menus4Mums we help busy parents ditch the takeaways and ready meals and serve up tasty, healthy food for their families, saving them time and money in the kitchen. So we thought we’d share our top tips:
Tip 1: Cook just one meal for the whole family. You can take out portions for small children before adding salt and strong spices, and you’ll be getting them used to the concept of eating the same as the rest of the family. You’ll also be saving on gas/electricity, not to mention your time.
Tip 2: Cook meals in bulk. We don’t mean in industrial sized quantities. But if you are making a Tomato Pasta Sauce, make twice or three times as much and freeze what you don’t need.*
Tip 3: Use Quick Cook Ingredients. For quick dinners when you’ve just got in the house, centre meals around diced chicken breast, mince, fish, pasta, noodles, and rice.
Tip 4: Slow Cook. Slow cookers are great for taking cheaper cuts of meat and turning them into succulent meals when you get in from work. They’re not just for stews – you can make a wonderfully tasty Bolognese Sauce in 5 hours in one.
For more tips and news of the latest supermarket bargains, please check out our website at www.menus4mums.co.uk
*Don't forget to stick on your Count On It label, so you'll remember exactly when you prepared them.

Freeze!

2010-05-27T13:40:00.007+01:00

Despite the recent rise in grocery costs, an estimated 8.3 million tonnes of household food waste is still produced each year in the UK, most of which could have been eaten (WRAP 2010).

The main factors that lead to high household food wastage is due to:
- Overbuying and not using food in time
- Inadequate storage of food
- Over-sized portions
- Confusion over food date labels, use by and best before

Not only does this waste good food and cost us money, it has an adverse impact on the environment. One way of curbing this wastage, whilst saving you time and money is to get re-acquainted with your freezer.

Recent research commissioned by theNewIceAge.com http://www.thenewiceage.com/ identified that when it came to wastage, when cooking with fresh food there was 36.77% more waste than when cooking from frozen.
This is because when cooking with frozen food it is easy to control portion size, simply take only what you need and return the rest to the freezer. Unlike fresh food, which is stored in the fridge or store cupboard, it is also impossible for bacteria to multiply on frozen food (making it safer than any other form of food preservation), meaning you get the most out of your food by using it in time.

But many people assume that whatever they cook fresh is healthier than frozen, but this is not necessarily the case. Did you know that frozen vegetables have been proven to often contain more Vitamin C than ‘fresh’ vegetables. This is particularly true when ‘fresh’ vegetables have been left languishing unloved and unnoticed in your fridge or cupboard. Apparently 'Fresh' spinach loses 77% of its Vitamin C after just two days, but when 'flash frozen', the process which freezes water in the food into smaller ice crystals and minimizes cell structure damage, the nutrients and vitamins are naturally ‘locked in’ with no need for preservatives.

Celebrity chef, Aldo Zilli is also a keen supporter of frozen food and incorporates frozen food into his award-winning meals, which he serves daily at his Soho restaurant Zilli Fish.
Zilli says, “Cooking with frozen does not mean lowering ones standards on freshness or nutritional value. On the contrary, frozen can often be fresher, especially when dealing with seafood and fish,” he goes on to comment that with the British consumer being very financially mindful and environmentally conscious, “frozen food allows consumers certain luxuries without comprising on taste, lowering wastage and ensuring great value for money.”

As well as ready frozen produce, your freezer is fabulous when storing chilled meals to be used at a later date. Just look out for the ‘suitable for home freezing’ logo on the packaging, then simply pop on a Count On It label http://www.count-on-it.co.uk/ and mark off the date when it has to be used by – it’ll usually say ‘Can be frozen on day of purchase and kept up to 3 months’ or similar – so, if you bought it today (27 May) just pop on a Count On It label and scratch-off the date 27 August – job done.

And finally, don’t forget your freezer for storing your leftovers, batch-cooked meals and split portions in. Leftovers make a fantastic quick and easy meal, just pop the uneaten leftovers in a storage tub and put on a Count On It label so you can keep track of when it was first prepared and stored. Or to give yourself a night off from cooking, when preparing the days meal simply cook a larger portion than is required and freeze the rest, one meal for now, another for later. Finally, the dreaded ‘buy one, get one free’ or bulk purchases, again save yourself time, money and waste – just split the pack, put some in the fridge and the rest in the freezer – you’ll have food to hand whenever you need it and you’ll have saved yourself a trip to the supermarket and some money into the bargain.

So there we have it, your freezer – your ally in the war against waste.

To see how comedian Sue Perkins gets to grips with her freezer, here is a great little clip from the LoveFoodHateWaste website – enjoy.http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/about_food_waste/sue_perkins_.html

More radio interviews.. BBC Radio Leicester and Lincolnshire

2010-05-26T09:44:00.018+01:00

Following on from winning the Extraordinary Entrepreneur award last week, I've since been very busy being interviewed by the Leicester Mercury, being a guest on BBC Radio Leicester and on BBC Radio Lincolnshire.
The article in the Leicestershire Mercury, was great (despite having a couple of mistakes in it, including stating that I worked in a shed, converted into an office!) Here's the article
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/extraordinary-woman/article-2205654-detail/article.html
On Thursday I had a great time on the Tony Wadsworth show, I really enjoyed being on there and Tony was kind enough to say that I was 'truly inspirational', what a great compliment. In addition to that, he asked if I could come back as a regular contributor, which is absolutely fantastic - he even said off-air that I remind him of Rosemary Conley, inspirational, down-to-earth and a lovely lady - well that can't be bad. Here's the interview:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p007v84b/The_Tony_Wadsworth_Programme_Extraordinary_Business_Woman/

Yesterday, another radio interview, this time with the lovely Melvyn Prior at Radio Lincolnshire - another thoroughly enjoyable and fun interview - local BBC Radio presenters and staff are so professional and great at putting you at your ease. Melvyn completely got where I was coming from too, we both talked about how each of us had a dream and went for it - it's great to connect with people like this, it really fires me up to crack on with my goals and ignore those vampires that try to slay your dreams.

Here's the interview: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p007xpzf/The_Morning_Show_25_05_2010/

It is an absolute privilege to have a voice through the media and it is something that I am really passionate about. Through talking on the radio, at presentations and as an Ambassador, I hope to be able to inspire other people who have a dream to go for it. As I said at my talk at the Business Link Staff Conference, 'Don't worry about the 'how to's' and 'what if's', the only thing you need to worry about is living with the 'if onlys'.

Speeches and awards, what a week it's been!

2010-05-21T13:16:00.006+01:00

What an absolutely fantastic week it's been this week. Here's just a taste of some of what I've been up to:

Monday

To start off the week, I was invited to address 300 Business Link, UKTI and Train to Gain employees at EMB Ltd's staff conference at the East Midlands Conference Centre. David Polkey and the fabulous PR and Communication Team at EMB Ltd wanted to use me as their Case Study story, somebody who has set up their own business and has an interesting story to tell! Well, with help from David who put together my powerpoint presentation, I told the conference about how my 'Why Not?' philosophy had taken me from inputting electricity meter readings, to Zimbabwe then onto Downing Street. Going from my childhood, I explained that how by setting goals, focussing on my dreams it had enabled me to travel around the world, do charity work, be on TV's Deal or No Deal, win money and invent a successful product, Count On It labels, which now retail nationally and internationally.

After my presentation I had some great feedback, people said that they really enjoyed my presentation and that it was inspiring to see that someone who had experienced setbacks along the way, still maintained a positive focus on their dreams and aspirations and was doing what they loved.

Since doing my speech, I have been asked to do another presentation which is fantastic. Motivational talking and presenting, is definitely an area where I feel I can make a difference - watch this space!

Tuesday

Funnily enough, my second appointment of the week was again at the East Midlands Conference Centre. This time I was there as I had been shortlisted for the Extraordinary Women Awards 2010, in the Extraordinary Entrepreneur category. What a fabulous day this was, organised by Vicki Espin and her 'extraordinary' team, the day was a fun-filled, enthusiastic and inspirational event. Attended by inspirational women from around the UK, the event aims to recognise the achievements of women who have not been recognised before. Women who are living extraordinary lives, having extraordinary achievements. After listening to fantastic presentations by Sue Stockdale, Lisa Warner, Trish Davidson and Alicia Kite, the time had come to announce the winners, they were:-

Nikki Sharpe who won Extraordinary Personal Contribution 2010
Patricia Eufron Lunn who won Extraordinary Personal Endeavour 2010
Kim Cottee who won Extraordinary Young Woman 2010
Alison Thompson who won Extraordinary Organisational Success 2010

and me, Lyndsey Young, who won Extraordinary Entrepreneur 2010!

I was absolutely flabbergasted as I was shortlisted in the same category as Alicia Kite and Gillian Brown two fantastic ladies who are achieving amazing things. But there it was, I was announced the winner.

What a wonderful day it had been, I couldn't have imagined that just by doing what I absolutely love, my passion, I would have received an award, but I am really grateful and proud. To anyone out there who has a dream go for it, for those who know someone who is doing something extraordinary, nominate them - I cannot recommend it highly enough. Nominations for 2011 are now open and all the details are here: http://www.extraordinarywomenuk.com/

Good luck!

Lyndsey

p.s. Wednesday was a great day too, radio and press interviews and photos, I'll update you soon...

Barclays - Take One Small Step competition - please vote

2010-05-11T22:06:00.002+01:00

Hi there, just wanted to let you know that myself and Count On It® labels are now in the running for £50,000 in Barclays' Take One Small Step competition. The competition deadline is in 5 days time and my entry is now live here:-
https://www.takeonesmallstep.co.uk/Entry/View/4457

To increase my chances of being selected I need champions of my product, simply click the 'thumbs up' icon on the screen and your support will be noted. Once you've done this, you can then canvas more supporters on my behalf (that'd be fantastic). You can even post a supportive comment if you wish, anything to show that my idea is worth shortlisting for the big prize.
My plans for the labels are to integrate them into retailers packaging and this is what I propose to use the prize money for. By encouraging supermarkets and food manufacturers to give customers tools which can help them get the most out of their food and enjoy it at it's best, less food wastage will end up in landfill.
I do hope you can support Count On It® labels, I am hugely passionate about the potential of my product and hope you are too.
Thank you, Lyndsey

I've been shortlisted for an Extraordinary Women's award

2010-04-19T15:01:00.008+01:00

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that I have made the final shortlist of 3 for the Extraordinary Entrepreneurship Category of the Extraordinary Women Awards 2010.

The event, which takes place at the East Midlands Conference Centre on 18th May 2010, is held annually to recognise the achievements of women who have not been recognised before.

On the day there are going to be presentations from inspirational women such as Lisa Warner from Fink cards (I was lucky enough to have met her before - what a great lady she is). Also there will be presentations from Trish Davidson who won the Extraordinary Personal Contribution awards in 2009 who has set up her organisation Unchosen in 2008 which campaigns to raise awareness of Human Trafficking, Alicia Kate, Image Consultant and Director of Alicia Kite Academy and Sue Stockdale, Motivational Speaker, Coach and Consultant.

Aside from being nominated for such a fantastic award, the day is going to be an exceptional day, inspirational and awe-inspiring women sharing their stories - I can't wait.

PR - I'm here, there and everywhere!

2010-03-17T13:32:00.013Z

What a great couple of weeks it's been for Count On It® labels and me. Not only have I been lucky enough to be asked onto both BBC Radio Nottingham and Lincolnshire, I have appeared in 5 articles.

Last Friday I was invited onto Radio Nottingham's The Frances Finn Show to be a 'Loose Lady' with fellow contributor, local actress and author Joy James. The show, which was hosted by Dominic Busby was great fun, we discussed amongst other things unusual children's names, man hugs and Mark Owen's affair. Joy had some great stories to tell - the best ones off-air, of course! You can listen again here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p006rv30/Frances_Finn_12_03_2010/

Then today, I was lucky enough to be invited onto BBC Radio Lincolnshire's Rod Whiting morning show to be 'on the sofa' - that's us together in the studio pictured above. It was great, Rod asked me about my life, how I got to be on 'Deal or No Deal', my visit to No.10, my travels to Zimbabwe and America, how I coped after having serious spinal surgery and lots of other stuff too. Needless to say I talked a lot, Rod was a great host and made me feel very comfortable. It was also nice when he described me as a person who 'has a lust for life'. To hear how I got on, you can listen again here:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p006v03n/The_Breakfast_Show_with_Rod_Whiting_17_03_2010/

In addition to that I have been featured in 5 different articles, they are as follows:-

Jane from Mumsclub - the online community for mums to make essential business contacts, research new business opportunities, kindly featured my visit to Downing Street in an edition of Mumsclub newsletter.
http://www.mumsclub.co.uk/html/downing_street_lyndsey.html

To celebrate 'mums in business' week, Start Up Donut, the business advice site, invited me to be a guest contributor for the week. My feature was on how I started my business with the help from Noel Edmonds and Business Link!
http://startupdonutblog.co.uk/2010/03/12/how-noel-edmonds-helped-me-launch-my-business/

My visit to Downing Street has already featured on my local paper, The Grantham Journal's website and this Friday, I will feature in the Business section of the Journal itself.
http://www.granthamjournal.co.uk/news/local-business-news/entrepreneur_lyndsey_shares_her_success_story_at_10_downing_street_1_363847

'Count On Lyndsey's Labels' has also featured on Zeromillion.com, the Entrepreneurship Information website for both Pros & Novices to the World of Entrepreneurship
http://www.zeromillion.com/news/s.php/count-on-lyndsey-s-labels-305

Then finally, I had a great message from Kristen at LandingPad London, who had found my Downing Street article here on my blog and kindly included it on their LandingPadLondon website, the online city guide for travellers who don't like acting like tourists.
http://www.landingpadlondon.com/10-downing-street/

It's all be fantastic for both Count On It®'s and my profile - I love these opportunities and welcome more. So if you want a contributor for TV, radio or press - please give me a call.

Lyndsey x

Help at first site - Sunday Times Business First article

2010-03-01T17:22:00.008Z

As I have mentioned countless times before, Business Link have been and continue to be an invaluable source of information and advice since I first launched my business and Count On It labels a couple of years ago. From general business information to more complex issues such as protecting Count On It labels design and trademark, Business Link have given me support and straight forward advice which has not only saved me valuable time, it has saved me a substantial amount of money, which as any small business owner knows is vital to its survival. Business Link's 'supersite' clearly and easily guides you through the wide range of issues that all business owners face and has up to the minute advice from a wide body of agencies, including IPO, UKTI and CIM, furthermore it is all available for free.
Therefore, as I am a great advocate of Business Link I am thrilled that Count On It label's story has been used in Wendy M Grossman's article in this Sunday's Times, Business First 'Help at first site'.
Here's the section of the article where Count On It labels and me, Lyndsey Young, mummypreneur feature.

Eco-business and Count On It labels booming in Poland

2010-02-23T13:09:00.012Z

Some time ago I wrote an article on my blog about Count On It labels - yes here - expecting it to be stored for posterity and little more. However, it has been picked up by a Polish Business Portal
http://przejdznaswoje.pl/artykuly/swiezy-pomysl-na-biznes
and since then I have had over a dozen business enquiries from various towns and cities in Poland.

According the the British Polish Chamber of Commerce, "Given Poles’ rising consumer awareness, attention to healthcare and the environment, Polish consumers, in line with top global trends, are increasingly more interested in eco-products.' As I can concur with my trade enquiries, the sales of these products have been rising the fastest in large cities. However, as the BPCC confirm 'price comprises the main barrier to the expansion of the eco market. According to PMR’s report, on average eco-products cost 50-100% more than the comparable ordinary products. Thus, many remain interested primarily in exports."

Subsequently, since Polish households are getting more environmentally conscious, many online eco-businesses are emerging and expanding to cater for this market and Count On It labels are an obvious choice of product. Designed to help people get the most out of their food, reduce waste and save money, Count On It labels are the perfect choice of businesses wishing to have a range of eco-products, without having to outlay a huge investment. So, if you have an eco-friendly product and are looking for a new market, Poland may be the market for you.

My Downing Street visit

2010-02-16T14:41:00.009Z

What a fantastic evening Thursday 11 February was. This was the date that I, along with approximately 100 other entrepreneurs and business people, where invited by Gordon Brown to attend a celebration for SME's at No.10 Downing Street. I had been invited in my capacity of a successful business person/entrepreneur and an example of a business that has been helped by Business Link.

Via the wonderful world of Twitter, I already knew a couple of people who were attending, Claire Young (from The Apprentice) and Nadine Hill, The Dream PA, as well as Julie Meyer, BBC's online Dragon, from Dragon's Den and John Cowell (Simon Cowell's brother) and fellow Business Link advocate, Penina Shepherd from Acumen Business Law, so felt pre-prepared for what lay ahead.

Spookily, on the train heading down to London, I spotted a lady wearing the same outfit Nadine had described as her Downing Street outfit on her blog - and yes, it turned out to be her - we were both sitting on the same train carriage!

Later that evening, once having had my bags screened and body scanned, I was finally walking down the world-famous street - it was amazing. I hate the over-use of the word 'surreal' but to be so close to such an iconic house was 'surreal' - you could be mistaken to thinking you were just seeing a great studio backdrop.

Parked immediately outside of the house was Sir Alan Sugar's car and it was there, on the steps of No.10 that I had my photograph taken - see above.

Once inside we left our personal belongings with security and then headed up the stairs punctuated along the way with paintings and latterly photographs of every Prime Minister our country has ever had - again, another awe-inspiring spectacle.

Just as I arrived at the top of the stairs and into the Reception Room the first person I laid eyes on, and looking back at me was Sir Alan Sugar. We then went into another room where I met Claire Young, Mike Kershaw, from the prestigious event solution company, The Concerto Group amongst others.

Unfortunately The Prime Minster was called away at the last minute, so we had the pleasure of Lord Mandelson who gave a short address thanking us all for our great efforts during an incredibly difficult time and identifying how the Government and businesses can work together moving forwards.

After this address, I then mingled with the other guests including John Cowell, from Cowell Consulting before the party drew to a close.

Suffice to say it was an amazing evening, one which I will always remember, not only for the honour of being invited, but for the great people I met whilst I was there. Next stop, the Queen's Garden party....

My invite from Gordon Brown to attend 10 Downing Street

2010-02-02T14:55:00.005Z

How exciting, I have just received an invitation from Gordon Brown to attend an event at no.10 Downing Street to celebrate the success of Britain's small and medium sized businesses.
The reception, which will be held in a couple of weeks time, aims to bring together a wide variety of entrepreneurs and business owners to toast their success through what has been a very testing time. I suspect I have come to the attention of Downing Street's Events Office through Business Link, whose help and support I have received over the last couple of years. Since starting my business in 2007, I have been in touch with Business Link from the outset. Primarily I got in touch with them to ensure I got solid advice and support to build the foundations of my business, then latterly they have been there to help with more complex issues such as Intellectual Property law and PR for my first product, Count On It food labels.
Since receiving my invitation I have found out via conversations on Twitter that Claire Young (you may remember her from the BBC programme The Apprentice) and Nadine Hill, another mumpreneur will also be attending. I am really looking forward to the event, not only will it be a fantastic opportunity for me to meet like-minded people, on a personal level it is a once in a lifetime opportunity - something will definitely be telling the grandchildren about.

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

2009-12-15T12:57:00.004Z

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

2009-12-01T14:28:00.005Z

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

2009-11-23T14:12:00.003Z

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!

2009-11-23T13:48:00.001Z

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

2009-11-19T09:57:00.002Z

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

2009-11-06T22:53:00.002Z

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

2009-09-22T16:38:00.005+01:00

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

2009-09-14T19:52:00.001+01:00

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

2009-09-11T10:10:00.007+01:00

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...

2009-09-03T14:00:00.004+01:00

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

2009-07-31T15:06:00.005+01:00

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?

2009-07-23T11:17:00.005+01:00

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

2009-07-02T11:45:00.009+01:00

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

2009-06-19T17:32:00.003+01:00

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

2009-06-18T10:47:00.004+01:00

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

2009-06-17T20:18:00.003+01:00

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

2009-06-10T09:59:00.005+01:00

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

2009-06-01T10:13:00.005+01:00

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

2009-05-22T14:56:00.005+01:00

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

2009-05-15T15:08:00.007+01:00

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

2009-05-07T11:37:00.006+01:00

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

2009-05-06T18:39:00.003+01:00

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

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

2009-05-05T14:24:00.004+01:00

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.

2009-04-21T09:53:00.004+01:00

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

2009-04-16T18:08:00.004+01:00

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

2009-04-16T12:23:00.010+01:00

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

2009-04-14T11:04:00.006+01:00

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

2009-04-08T11:12:00.000+01:00

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

2009-04-08T10:45:00.005+01:00

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

2009-03-25T14:21:00.006Z

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

2009-03-11T11:41:00.004Z

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

2009-03-10T15:32:00.006Z

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

2009-02-26T14:26:00.007Z

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

2009-02-02T15:46:00.007Z

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

2009-01-20T09:50:00.000Z

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

2009-01-15T12:51:00.000Z

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

2009-01-06T11:38:00.000Z

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

TV stars tell Boston woman you can count on us

2008-12-19T12:27:00.000Z

Published Date: 17 December 2008
By Staff Copy
Thursday, 3.45pm - TV STAR Amanda Holden and a host of other famous mums are backing the waste saving innovation of a former Boston woman.
The Britain's Got Talent judge is one of many famous faces endorsing Count On It freshness labels, the brainchild of former Boston High School pupil Lyndsey Young.

The stick-on labels feature scratch-off panels which show when a product was first opened, stored or frozen, helping to avoid unnecessary wastage.

"They are simple to use but so effective. I'm beginning to wonder how I ever managed without them," said Amanda Holden, mother to a two-year-old.

TV actresses and young mums Sarah Parish, Angela Griffin and Jane Wall are also behind the product.

Mrs Young, 40, a mother of two, says she is 'thrilled' to have their support.

"I have a picture of them all holding one of the boxes on my fridge. It's a bit surreal. I'm so used to seeing them on television."

Mrs Young came up with the idea for the labels at the start of this year. Now, at its end, the product is ready to go on sale in Lakeland stores nationwide from January, after being all ready stocked in Boston.

For an economy in recession, it's a defiant success.

"Sales are going really well," said Mrs Young, who now lives in Bottesford, near Grantham. "People are picking up that food prices are still increasing and conscious how much food they are throwing away. I am now getting a lot more interest than at the start of the year."

l Count On It labels will be available in the new Lakeland brochure and online at www.lakeland.co.uk from January. They are also available from www.count-on-it.co.uk and at Johnson's Garden Centre, Wainfleet Road, Boston.

Page 1 of 1

Last Updated: 18 December 2008 3:41 PM
Source: Boston Standard
Location: Boston

Christmas Grocery Money Saving tips

2008-12-18T12:43:00.000Z

Each month, the average family throws away £50 of food that was bought but not eaten. That’s £600 which could have been spent at Christmas or the January sales. But Christmas IS a time for indulgence, and if planned right, we can still spoil ourselves and keep the costs down. 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.

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 - using a Count On It® label of course - these 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- the answer - 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.

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, that way you keep your grocery bills, cooking and leftovers to a minimum - never mind the washing up.

A Happy Christmas to you all

2008-12-18T11:58:00.001Z

"Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect."
- Oren Arn

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

With love, Lyndsey

Amanda can Count On It

2008-12-17T09:27:00.000Z

Christmas leftovers are as much a part of the festive season as the tree and presents. It’s the one time of the year we buy those little food luxuries – chutneys, pickles, sauces – as well as cream, mayonnaise, too much meat, fish, seafood and puddings – our fridges groan with the amount of food we purchase.

In the last 12 months we have all become more aware of the amount of food we waste, and this set against a backdrop of soaring food and energy costs, means people are more determined than ever not to waste good food or throw it in the bin.
Help is at hand. Count On It™ easy to use food freshness labels will tell you at a glance if your food is still fresh and safe to eat.

The stick-on labels display scratch-off panels which show when a product was first opened, stored or frozen. No more guess work needed.

The labels are a godsend for busy, on-the-go mums. And there is no one busier this year in the run up to Christmas than TV star Amanda Holden. Amanda, mum to two-year-old Alexa, will tie the knot in early December and then starts filming the third series of Britain’s Got Talent with Simon Cowell and Piers Morgan.

“I love giving Alexa fresh, wholesome food but a lot of the time I forget when I opened the jar of pasta sauce or carton of fruit juice – these labels are brilliant as reminders,” said Amanda.

Amanda also uses them when 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”.

Amanda is confident her friends, actresses Sarah Parish and Angela Griffin, also young mums with busy lives, will find them useful. “I’ve already lined up a few boxes for them to try out over Christmas”

Count On It™ will go on sale in Lakeland stores nationwide from January. The product will also be available in the new Lakeland brochure and online at www.lakeland.co.uk. It is also available from www.count-on-it.co.uk

Lakeland’s Barbara Shepherd said: “Count On It™ is 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”.

Count On It™ has also received rave reviews from a number of leading food writers and home economists including Leicestershire-based Teresa Bovey.

As someone who loves food, both preparing and eating, Teresa has found the labels a fantastic aid in the kitchen. “I love them – I use them on everything from sauces and dips to freezing and leftovers – I don’t throw any food away as I’ve got peace of mind that it is still fresh and safe to eat”, Teresa added.

For more ideas on how to get the best out of your Count On It labels visit www.count-on-it.co.uk – the money you save on food could come in very useful

On Air across the Midlands

2008-12-04T16:49:00.000Z

As part of our continuing promotion of Count On It, it's imminent launch into Lakeland and our celebrity endorsement from Amanda Holden, I was invited to be be a guest on two radio shows in the Midlands this week - the Frances Finn show on BBC Radio Nottingham and the Rupal Rajani show on BBC Radio Leicester.

Frances' focus was from an entrepreneurial angle - how I came up with the idea and how I got it into the market place, whereas Rupal's interview was more informal and gave me the opportunity to further explain how Count On It could help save time, money and food waste. In addition to this I gave some tips on how to get the most out of Christmas, for example preparing food and freezing, reusing leftovers etc.

Both were enjoyable, in different ways and both translated into further online sales. To hear the interviews click on these links

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p001jxcg/The_Morning_Show_01_12_2008/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p001lqk3/Rupal_Rajani_03_12_2008/

Website revamped and relaunched

2008-11-18T17:16:00.000Z

Count On It's website has now been fully revamp and relaunched ready for Count On It hitting the press and Lakeland's shelves in the new year. Thanks to Gary at Netronyx, the site is slicker and more user friendly and clearly shows the features and versatility of the product. The press campaign is well underway and with our new celebrity endorsement (more about this shortly), we are hopeful that Count On It will go from strength to strength. Feedback on site always welcome.

website revamp

2008-11-05T09:34:00.000Z

Armed with new photos and we working on updating Count On It's website today. It seems we are potentially losing webviewers at the splash page - we need to grab their attention with product in first few seconds and use powerful messages to persuade potential customers that Count On It is for them. We also need to improve the SEO rating of the site - again we are going to use as many key phrases in the body of the text, to get it further up the search engine lists. Need to simply and inexpensively improve the power of Count On It's website - this is one great big learning curve .....

2008-10-24T17:35:00.001+01:00

Count On It to help with the credit crunch!

2008-10-14T17:13:00.000+01:00

Count On It is targetting the food and lifestyle press to highlight how these food freshness labels can help people can get the most out of their food, reduce their edible food waste and save them money.

With the percentage of families eating out once or twice a month dropping from 72% to 37% this year, more people are choosing to entertain at home. By buying good quality ingredients, families can enjoy restaurant quality food at a fraction of the cost - but only if they manage their food more effectively.

With up to £610 per year of edible food waste being thrown away by the average family - huge savings can be made if they learn to value their food more. Count On It can help families eat all of their food products, safe in the knowledge it is still fresh and safe to eat, it can be used on leftovers - why not cook a larger portion of food and save the rest for another day - just pop the leftovers in a food container, stick on a Count On It label and then refrigerate or freeze - an instant meal, whenever you need it.

Count On It food freshness labels, will go on sale at Lakeland stores across the country during December 2008 and will be available online and in the famous Lakeland catalogue in January 2009.

For more information about Count On It and how it can help save money, visit www.count-on-it.co.uk

Nurseries, Preschools and Nursing Homes

2008-10-09T11:26:00.000+01:00

I have had some interest from Nurseries, Preschools and Nursing homes for Count On It food freshness labels for use in their commercial kitchens. I am in the process of putting together some promotional material for these sectors and would welcome any contacts that may benefit from our product.

Count On It® is an easy-to-use, versatile, scratch-off label which displays freshness at a glance, to help you manage your food inventory more easily and prevent unnecessary food waste. Count On It® can also help reduce food-related illnesses caused by eating food stored beyond it’s best.

Simply peel off a label, stick it onto the food’s packaging, scratch off the day’s date and relax. Count On It® to save you time, money and waste.

Count On It® labels can be used on all types of packaging including glass, cardboard, plastic and metal and come in a handy dispenser designed to sit in the fridge, ready to use. No need for a variety of labels and a pen - just peel, stick, scratch and track.

Count On It®

- removes confusion over opened products’ freshness
- helps manage your food safely
- assists with the rotation of products in the fridge and freezer - first in, first out
- reduces unnecessary waste
- helps maintain a clear system of organization - time reduced selecting products to use
- can be used on food storage tubs and bags
- is fridge and freeze-friendly

For all enquiries, contact me on lyndsey@count-on-it.co.uk

Thanks Lyndsey

Count On It's PR campaign targets baby retail market

2008-10-08T14:31:00.001+01:00

Count On It is a food freshness label that ensures mums peace of mind when preparing baby's meals. It tells you at a glance if baby food or milk is still fresh and safe to eat or if it should be thrown away. Simply peel off a label, stick on the food product, scratch off the date of opening or storing and relax.

Count On It's PR campaign is underway and we are targetting mums to be and new mums with our key messages in titles such as Practical Parenting and Pregnancy, Mother & Baby, Pregnancy & Birth and Junior magazine and online parenting forums to name a few.

We are now actively looking for retailers in the baby retail market and would welcome the opportunity to discuss details with you further. I can be contacted at lyndsey@count-on-it.co.uk or via the website http://www.count-on-it.co.uk. I look forward to speaking to you soon.

Food Festival - our first field test

2008-10-08T10:30:00.000+01:00

Here I am at the East Midlands Food and Drink Festival ready to meet my public. What a weekend, despite the rain, wind, flooding etc, the event was really busy and we got to meet loads of different people, all with a love of good food. Count On It went well, obviously as a brand new product we had to sell the concept, but we had a great conversion rate - for every 2 people we spoke to, one purchased. We also made some good commercial contacts, small local producers who wanted to put Count On It labels onto their product, to encourage repeat purchasem, nursing home managers who wanted to use it in their kitchens and Pampered Chef, who believed it complimented their product range. For all enquiries, contact me at lyndsey@count-on-it.co.uk.

Joining forums and getting ready for East Midlands Food Festival

2008-10-01T12:05:00.000+01:00

Still busy preparing for the www.eastmidlandsfoodfestival.co.uk. Set out objectives, stand all coordinated, powerpoint presentation complete (not without mac to pc issues), exhibition graphics arrived and now just about to source a few more examples of the types of fine food which benefit from Count On It.

Jenny is hot on the PR trial and has said that she'll be directing ITV and BBC regional news to my stand, as well as the local and regional press. Need to make sure I have 'soundbites' else at hand, to make sure message is clear and succinct at all times.

Joined new forum today, www.mumsclub.co.uk a site for mums in business. This is the site that directed people to ITV's This Morning Mumpreneur competition. Bit annoyed missed out on this, I really think Count On It would have stood a great chance - never mind, will push on solo and am really optimistic that I'll get there soon.

Photo shoot - Count On It get's the professional touch

2008-09-25T18:32:00.001+01:00

Spent the day with photographer, John Hancock, taking photos of Count On It labels being used on a variety of products. Got some really nice shots, staged with fresh fruit, herbs, bread etc - all shot on Jenny's (PR lady's) black granite kitchen worktop. The photos are to be used in the press releases that Jenny is compiling and will be sent to all the regional press to let people know that Count On It is going to be at the East Midlands Food Festival. She has also been in touch with some consumer magazines to spread the news that Count On It is going to be launched in Lakeland in the New Year - so hopefully with the professional shots accompanying her releases, we will get some exposure - can't wait. Feels like the quite before the storm!

Lakeland - its official

2008-09-22T21:47:00.000+01:00

Count On It food freshness labels, are to be on sale nationwide, online and in their Kitchen Ideas catalogue from January 2009. With such a great platform, the PR campaign is being developed to ensure that as many lifestyle and parenting press get to know all about Count On It and how it can help save food, time, waste and most importantly in our current climate - money. We are also taking a stand at the East Midlands Food and Drink festival on 4th and 5th October at Brooksby Hall, Melton Mowbray to ensure we keep up the local profile and benefit from the promotion from Teresa Bovey, local home economist, who is presenting at the event. October should be a busy time and I can't wait.

Lakeland - Count On It on shelves in January 2009

2008-09-22T21:43:00.000+01:00

James Martin side by side with Count On It

2008-09-02T14:00:00.000+01:00

Count On It is going to be sharing a stage with James Martin at the Springfields Cookery Weekend at Spalding and also with Clarissa Dickson Wright at the East Midlands Food and Drink Festival courtesy of local home economist Teresa Bovey who has so kindly offered to demonstrate Count On It as part of her cookery demonstration. This is great news for Count On It as it gets showcased by someone who is well known for bringing innovative products to the publics attention and also gets directly in front of the people who are interested in food and cooking. Next stop Good Food show.

Major retailer and other stuff

2008-08-14T20:55:00.000+01:00

Great news, the major retailer wants to stock Count On It, in their 2009 catalogue and across their stores nationwide. This is such a great result. Started to contact other smaller, local retailers to get there interest - they seem a little reluctant at the moment, I need to make sure I swot up on how to close a sale (this is such a massive learning curve). Getting some renewed interest from Local Government too, several of them are hoping to do roadshows around their counties to encourage consumers to be more waste aware, especially when they are shopping at their local supermarket. They are proposing handing out samples of Count On It for customers to use with their weekly shop - this is such a great idea, Count On It wins, the consumer wins as they save food and money and the supermarkets win as customers are more likely to eat their products in their prime and repurchase, the supermarkets will also benefit as they will be showing their committment to reducing unnecessary food and packaging waste and the impact it has on their environment and on their customers pockets - and obviously Local Govt wins, less waste, less bin collection, less landfill, reduce costs in waste disposal.

Great news...

2008-07-24T00:00:00.001+01:00

Just had call from major retailer who is expressing an interest in Count On It. If we get this one, Count On It will go nationwide... what a scoop! Keeping fingers and toes crossed...

Ignorance is bliss?

2008-06-25T13:29:00.000+01:00

Food waste is a huge problem, we all know it is because we are all constantly being encouraged to recycle, compost, use leftovers, meal plan, all sorts - but why do we all think it is someone else's problem? WRAP statistics claim that 9 out of 10 people are adamant that they do NOT waste food, yet these very same households are throwing away nearly 90KG of avoidable food waste each year. Wasting food does not mean you are a bad person, it just means that you have got used to decades of affordable food, but this is changing, food IS getting more expensive, so most of us will have to wake up and smell the coffee. Value food more and save some money in the meantime - oh and don't forget your Count On It labels to help you achieve all this!

Lots of emails!

2008-06-18T10:04:00.000+01:00

Very busy emailing contacts made over weekend - hoping something soon will get the ball rolling. I've cast so many nets out, surely it's just a matter of time for that big bite!

Joanna Yarrow and John Craven

2008-06-14T18:12:00.001+01:00

Had a great day today at the BBC Good Food exhibition, there were some fantastic exhibitions and wonderful things to sample! The best, however, was getting the chance to meet and listen to Joanna Yarrow, Environmental broadcaster, author and consultant and John Craven of Countryfile (or Newsround and Swapshop as I fondly remember). They had a whole host of ideas of ways to live a greener lifestyle and I was so pleased that at the end of their presentation, I was able to briefly chat with them and tell them about Count On It. I gave them both samples to try and hopefully may get some feedback from them in the future.

BBC Good Food show - Sustainable living exhibition

2008-06-14T18:10:00.000+01:00

BBC Good Food show

2008-06-14T08:55:00.000+01:00

Going to the BBC Good Food Show at NEC today. Should be good, all the usual suspects are there, Gordon Ramsey, James Martin. I am hoping I will track down some influential types there for Count On It. I would hope WRAP are there, if so, I will drop some more samples off with them. Here goes

Local Authorities showing an interest

2008-06-11T09:58:00.000+01:00

Started to get some genuine interest now from Local Authorities. I am so pleased, to me it is an obvious solution, too much edible food waste, high prices to sort and dispose and even higher price being paid by the environment - Count On It can make a difference - even it is just scratching the surface (good PR link in here I think!).

Women mean business

2008-06-06T18:50:00.000+01:00

Going to the Women mean business seminar in Leicestershire tomorrow, with a couple of other mumpreneurs. Hopefully will be a good chance to meet up with other women in similar situations and also to spread the word about Count On It. There will be speakers and a Dragon's Den kind of set up, for franchisers to pitch to an audience of potential franchisees - should be fun - although not overly appropriate for me. Anyway, good to get amongst it all - should be interesting.

BBC Radio Lincolnshire interview - got it all in

2008-06-04T13:32:00.000+01:00

I am enjoying this. Been on the morning show on Radio Lincolnshire with Judy Theobald today. She was very interested in Count On It and I had about a 30 minute interview and managed to get www.count-on-it.co.uk in several times. Again I offered the first 20 listeners free samples, producer said afterwards that they don't normally do that, but told me not to worry, seems strange that BBC Radio Leicester are quite happy with that, but not Lincolnshire - makes you wonder who is up to date with the current BBC policy. Anyway, all in all a successful second live interview - I am really going to try and get some more of these arranged, the hits on the websites certainly peak during and after the interviews.

BBC Radio Interview - a success

2008-06-03T22:34:00.001+01:00

Well my first venture onto live broadcasting went really well. I got a good response from the interview, quite a few hits on the website and also sent out samples to the first 20 people who contacted me via the website. Radio Leicester want to put Count On It labels in their Community Service Volunteer packs, a promotion they run that encourages the community to recycle amongst other things. They've already got shopping bags for life etc, so Count On It will fit in perfectly.

Interview at BBC Radio Lincolnshire tomorrow, hopefully this will be as successful - need to keep on spread the word. Next - recruit more word of mums (or moms as they say in USA).

BBC Radio Lincolnshire

2008-06-02T23:16:00.001+01:00

Just had a call from BBC Radio Lincolnshire, they want me on their morning show on Wednesday. Will post how it went later ... Hopefully will get an audio clip for my website www.count-on-it.co.uk

On air - Radio Leicester interview

2008-06-02T23:08:00.000+01:00

Having my first radio interview tomorrow. On the lunchtime show of Radio Leicester (small steps in the right direction!). I am really looking forward to it, but apprehensive about how it will go. I've got my notes, general stats about how much food is wasted in the UK etc - it really does make great listening. Hopefully I will get plenty of opportunities to mention www.count-on-it.co.uk. I am also going to offer the first 20 people to email me, via the website free samples - to generate more visits to my site and also another opportunity to get a wider range of people sampling Count On It food freshness labels. Here goes....

Count On It - a mumpreneurs story

2008-06-01T18:01:00.000+01:00

Here I am, day one of what I hope will be a general insight into my life as a mother and a self-employed businesss women. My aim is to chat about what I am experiencing as a mumpreneur and hope that along the way I will be able to share some of the tips and advice that business associates and friends have offered to me. I will also be recounting the daily progress of www.count-on-it.co.uk and also how I juggle my business life with the challenges of bringing up two boys under 5.

2008-06-01T17:59:00.000+01:00