Got some old batteries? Empty vape cartridges lying around? We’ll take them!

Posted on by RebeccaL

The Christmas presents have been unwrapped and if you’re already tired of tripping over all the new toys, don’t worry we feel you! But what happens when toys need new batteries and are you one of the many people throwing away some 600 million batteries every year?

Land down under

In the UK, we throw away enough batteries that laid end to end in a single line would go all the way from London to Sydney, Australia – and back again!

Most of them end up in landfill, but as they contain dangerous chemicals including lead, zinc, lithium and even mercury, these can find themselves entering the environment, polluting the soil and our water supply. Not only can this present hazards to humans, but it is a direct threat to our natural ecosystem and wildlife.

What’s the alternative?

The thing is, when they are used in so many devices and are probably present in every room in the house, what are the alternatives?

If, like most people, you dispose of your single-use batteries in the household rubbish – STOP. You can bring them in to our recycling stations inside our Welcome stores and we will dispose of them safely.

Plus, this year, we’ve also introduced vape recycling centres to our till points – so you can bring those into us as well.

Vape cartridges are just as hazardous as batteries if they are not disposed of correctly.

With the rise in the use of vapes as an alternative to smoking, it is thought around 5 million disposable vapes are thrown away each week once their few-hundred puffs have expired.

Non-profit organisation Material Focus, calculated that around 30 million vapes are purchased each month in the UK which all contain copper wires and lithium batteries, which when disposed of, contain enough lithium to provide batteries for 5,000 electric cars each year.

We “welcome” your disposeables!

As a retailer that is constantly striving to improve its carbon footprint, vape and battery recycling points are right at home in our stores.

It is really important that we all do our bit to protect the environment and help reduce some of the 5 million disposable vales and 600 million batteries going into landfill.

Here’s a picture of what our recycling stations look like and if you don’t find them in your local Welcome store, please do ask a colleague who will happily point you in the right direction – and let’s get the new year off to a cleaner, greener start!

Pasta with ham and horseradish

Posted on by RebeccaL

Fancy some food for less than a fiver? Ideal for lunches or dinners, this tasty pasta treat is just for you. Plus, the horseradish adds gentle heat and sweetness – and it’s ready in just 15 mins!

  • Feeds 2Feeds 2
  • Ready in 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 200g Co-op tagliatelle
  • 160g frozen Co-op British garden peas
  • 160g pack Co-op honey ham chunks, shredded
  • 1-2 tbsp Co-op hot horseradish sauce (to taste)
  • 60ml Co-op sour cream

Method

  1. Cook the tagliatelle according to the pack instructions
  2. Add frozen peas for the last 2 mins of cooking time
  3. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water, then add the remaining ingredients and toss together
  4. Over a low heat, add a splash of the cooking water and stir until the sauce is smooth
  5. Season, then serve

Each serving contains

  • Energy 31% 2637kj 625kcal
  • Fat Med 20% 14.2g
  • Saturates Med 29%5.8g
  • Sugar Low 14%12.2g
  • Salt Med 26%1.55g

% of adult’s reference intake | Carbohydrates per serving : 88g

Blackberry and plum crumble

Posted on by RebeccaL

Using granola for the topping is a brilliant crumble shortcut. Swap in whatever fruit you have to hand.

  • Feeds 4Feeds 4
  • Ready in 30 minutes
  • Vegetarian
  • Low in Saturated Fat

Ingredients

  • 4 Co-op Irresistible British plums, sliced
  • 125g Co-op British blackberries
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp Co-op pure Canadian maple syrup
  • 250g Co-op simple granola
  • Light custard, to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6
  2. Toss the fruit together with the vanilla extract, maple syrup and 4 tbsp water
  3. Tip into an ovenproof dish and cook for 15 mins
  4. Sprinkle with the granola and cook for 10 mins more, until golden and bubbling
  5. Serve with light custard.

Each serving contains

  • Energy 16%1356kj 322kcal
  • Fat Med 11% 7.6g
  • Saturates Low 5% 1.1g
  • Sugar Med 22% 20.2g
  • Salt Low 0% 0.03g

% of adult’s reference intake | Carbohydrates per serving : 52g

Rainbow frozen fruit kebabs

Posted on by RebeccaL

Freshen up with these fruity treats — the tangy lemon curd and yogurt dip is a game-changer!

  • Feeds 24Feeds 24
  • Ready in 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 300g pack Co-op melon & mango fingers
  • 1 kiwi fruit, peeled
  • 24 blueberries
  • 12 red or black grapes, halved
  • 200g Co-op Greek style natural yogurt
  • 1 tbsp Co-op lemon curd
  • You‘ll also need 24 cocktail sticks

Method

  1. Cut the melon and mango into even pieces — you’ll need 24 pieces of mango and 24 of both types of melon
  2. Cut the kiwi into 24 similarly sized pieces
  3. Thread one piece of both types of melon, mango and kiwi onto each cocktail stick
  4. Finish with a blueberry and a half-grape
  5. Put the mini fruit kebabs on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and freeze for 2 hours, or until frozen
  6. Put the yogurt in a bowl and swirl through the lemon curd
  7. Serve with the frozen kebabs

Each serving contains

  • Energy 1%105kj 25kcal
  • Fat Med 1%1g
  • Saturates Med 3% 0.6g
  • Sugar Med 4% 3.3g
  • Salt Low 0%0.01g

% of adult’s reference intake | Carbohydrates per serving : 4g

Fish finger wraps

Posted on by RebeccaL

Everyone will love this great new way to enjoy a family favourite.

  • Feeds 4Feeds 4
  • Ready in 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 fish fingers
  • 1/2 x 300g tub Co-op creamy coleslaw
  • 250g bag Co-op sweet & crunchy salad
  • 4 large Co-op plain tortilla wraps

Method

  1. Cook the fish fingers in the oven according to the pack instructions
  2. Divide the coleslaw, followed by 80g of the salad, between the wraps
  3. Slice the cooked fish fingers and divide between the wraps
  4. Roll up each wrap and slice it in half
  5. Serve with the remaining salad

Each serving contains

  • Energy 20%1666kj 398kcal
  • Fat Med 25%17.4g
  • Saturates Low 13%2.6g
  • Sugar Low 6%5g
  • Salt Med 21%1.25g

% of adult’s reference intake | Carbohydrates per serving : 45g