As if this year wasn’t running away with us fast enough already, ASDA has just revealed its Christmas food range for 2020.
It’s not even August and we’re already talking about the festive season, but if the treats and tipples making up ASDA’s Christmas range this year is anything to go by, then we’re definitely not complaining.
Finally, there’s something to look forward to.
If you’re the type of person who likes to plan well in advance, then you’re in luck because the UK supermarket chain has given shoppers a sneak peak into what they can expect to see on shelves later this year. From party and buffet foods, to a selection of main courses, desserts and even a cheese roulette, there’s certainly some real stand-outs to tuck into.
Fancy an early preview? Here’s just a few of ASDA’s festive feast treats coming in December.
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Main Courses & Sides
You’re not going to be stuck for choice this year.
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ASDA is spoiling us with a great selection of mains including an Easy Carve Boneless Turkey Centrepiece, a Vegan Turkey Joint, and Slow Cooked Beef Shin. Fans of last year’s best-selling 12-piece Pigs in Blanket Centrepiece will be pleased to hear that the retailer is bringing it back once again this year, along with a new Giant Pig in Blanket Sausage Roll too.
ASDA
Other mains and sides in the range this year include a Cauliflower Cheese, Sweet Potato & Cranberry Wellington – which is described as “creamy, rich and hard to resist” – and a Christmas Dinner Parcel, which comes filled with turkey breast, wrapped around a classic pork, sage and onion stuffing, with chopped sprouts, lashings of smoked bacon and finished with a port glaze.
Can you just imagine how ace a ‘leftovers butty’ would taste with that?
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Desserts & Sweets
We’ve all got a ‘dessert hole’ in our stomachs, haven’t we?
Nothing tastes better than a dessert to finish off your Christmas dinner and this year, ASDA will be launching a Gingerbread Cheesecake, a Chocolate Orange Opera cake and some delicious Chocolate & Cherry Houses to name just a few.
The stand-outs here include a ‘Bruce the Brussel Sprout’ Cake, and Reindeer Ice Cream Lollies.
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When it comes to sweets and confectionary, ASDA isn’t leaving anything out here as some some brand-new Spiced Clementine Fudge, Sour Cherry Nougat, and Spiced Orange & Triple Sec Chocolate Cookies are all to be expected.
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A new and improved recipe for their much-loved Salted Caramel Mince Pies are also rumoured too.
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Party & Buffet Food
A lot of food does get consumed during the festive season, but there’s always room for more and ASDA has outdone itself this year when it comes to party and buffet food.
The retailer will be launching Salmon Mac & Cheese Bites, Chicken & Stuffing Layered Pork Pies, a vegan Bao Bun Selection, and, what is by far the stand-out, Pigs on Fire – a new pigs in blanket-inspired dish with cuts of British prime pork blended with Carolina Reaper hot chilli, perched in a jalapeño, and then wrapped in streaky bacon.
Only for the spice lovers amongst us by the sounds of things.
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Cheese
What’s Christmas without a cheese board?
ASDA has really thought of it all this year and is set to offer everything from a simple but sublime British Farmhouse Cheese Stack, to a Cheese Roulette, yes a Cheese Roulette – which mixes both food and fun, with individually wrapped pieces of tangy cheese – to complete your feast.
Yum.
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Drinks
Back by popular demand, ASDA has confirmed the last year’s standout hit Mince Pie Gin Liqueur will be returning for 2020 and there’s bound to be plenty of people pretty pleased about that.
If mince pies aren’t quite your bag though, some other new additions – Gingerbread Gin Liqueur and Cranberry & Clementine Gin – will also be hitting shelves this year too, so there’s plenty to choose from to say cheers to this December.
It hasn’t yet been confirmed when the 2020 festive food range will be arriving in ASDA stores and online, so you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled later on this year.
For more information, visit the ASDA website here.
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Pep Guardiola delivers important reminder about multiculturalism after Jim Ratcliffe controversy
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has delivered an important message about the power of multiculturalism in his most recent press conference.
Guardiola’s comments come after the high-profile controversy surrounding his rival club across the city, Man United, whose co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, saw some of his recent remarks fall under major scrutiny.
In case you somehow missed it, the Failsworth-born British billionaire was heavily criticised after claiming he believes the UK has been “colonised by immigrants”.
Fast forward a couple of days, and while the club and the fan base are still dealing with the fallout of the story, Pep acknowledged the debate by reminding people that “embracing other cultures” makes for a “better society”.
Well put, Pep – in fact, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
Although he didn’t reference the 74-year-old directly after being probed on the subject by journalists, the Man City boss reiterated that his time spent living and working across the world has only broadened his mind and enriched his life.
That goes for both his professional and personal spheres, by the way, as the Catalan coach has often spoken of his love for English culture and the Manc people, specifically.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup game against local side Salford City, Pep described the attitudes towards immigrants around the world as a “big problem” despite most people simply leaving their country in search of “a better life”.
He also drew attention to the fact that he, like so many others in football – a sporting industry loved the world round by people from all walks of life and that the likes of Ratcliffe directly benefit from – is an immigrant working and contributing to not just the game but the British economy by being here.
Meanwhile, Manchester United have since shared a public statement on their club website and across social media, reiterating to fans and supporters the world over that they are an “inclusive club”.
‘We will continue to represent our people, our city and our fans with purpose and pride.’
The INEOS chairman, CEO and minority stakeholder in Manchester United Football Club, has since apologised (at least in part) for his “choice of language” following the divisive interview with Sky News.
In a world where plenty of people are quick to pessimism, negativity and turn to division almost by default, Pep’s message is one echoed by so many and is one that we should all keep in mind.
And for anyone who needs a more light-hearted bit of content on their timeline this week, here’s what else Pep said in his pre-match presser…
Pep Guardiola responding to a really intelligent question from a reporter:
‘Do you want to be my assistant coach, fucking hell, you are brilliant…’
Featured Images — Hayters TV (screenshot via YouTube)
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Chester Zoo becomes first UK zoo to gain important international status
Danny Jones
The North West’s beloved Chester Zoo has been awarded a highly coveted global status, being named as the first international botanical garden in the entire UK.
With so many well-deserved awards, accolades and plaudits from within the world of wildlife preservation over the year, it’s no surprise.
A gem in Cheshire and the wider region’s crown, which continues to express its extreme commitment to ecological and environmental causes year in and year out, Chester Zoo is regularly ranked the best in the country and one of the top facilities in all of Europe, and now its worldwide reputation is growing too.
Taking its already sterling CV one further this year, 2026 marks the inaugural year of not only Chester Zoo existing as a recognised international botanical garden, but a big moment for Great Britain’s conservation status in general, as it’s been over 150 years since it last held the status.
Writing on social media in response to the huge honour, they wrote: “We’re officially the FIRST UK zoo recognised as a globally important botanic garden!
“We care for hundreds of rare plants, protect species at risk of extinction, and create beautiful gardens that encourage visitors to slow down and connect with nature.
“Global plant conservation organisation [Botanic Gardens Conservation International] assessed us against 22 criteria before awarding us Conservation Practitioner status – a recognition that now lets us do even more to protect native wildlife alongside our incredible conservation partners!”
Incredible stuff.
They signed off by adding that their efforts are “all made possible by YOU”, with 2025 marking an all-around groundbreaking year for the venue, as a total of 2,136,224 visitors came through the gates to surpass their previous record tally back in 2019 (2,086,785).
BGCI’s awarding of Conservation Practitioner is yet more proof of just how much work Chester Zoo does throughout the annual calendar, not least of all the incredible fundraising they do via various activations like their hugely successful charity run.
They signed off by adding that their efforts are “all made possible by YOU”, with 2025 marking an all-around groundbreaking year for the venue, as a total of 2,136,224 individuals came through the gates to surpass their previous record tally back in 2019 (2,086,785).
Speaking directly on the watershed moment, the zoo’s head of plants, Philip Esseen, said in an official press release: “This recognition shows that our plant work has real conservation value.
“We’re caring for species that are threatened with extinction in the wild, and that carries a responsibility to protect them, propagate them and share our expertise with others.
“The accreditation will help us work more closely with other horticultural and conservation organisations and increase the amount of conservation work we can do, particularly to support native species.”
Congratulations once again to Chester Zoo on such a significant achievement, and with around 10k people visiting each day – be that staff, field-expert guests or visitors – the proof is in the pudding: it really is the best in Britain doing some of the most vital work possible.
The UK has lost half of it's hedgehogs in the last 20 years, so here's 3 simple things you can do to make your garden a hedgehog haven 👇
🏡 Create a cosy hideout – piles of leaves, logs, or a hedgehog house give them a safe spot to rest Make a hedgehog highway – leave a…
Emily Sergeant -
22nd July 2020 
