News
20/08/2008 - Showoff your Recipes!
We would love to hear from any HMD who would like to showcase there favourite recipe - simply email admin@hotmealdeals.co.uk and we will show them off for you!
15/08/2008 - Congratulations!
Congratulations to C&C reader Jo Fisher who recommended our deal of the month for Buddha restaurant (recently taken over by Jee Ja Jees) - we tried it and we highly recommend it!
Please keep registering and submitting deals you come across to share with others, as this is the only way our website can offer a useful service, also if you are a business owner you can advertise for free!
Thanks once again to Jo and a copy of CHINESE FOOD MADE EASY: 100 simple, healthy... is winging it's way to you for your suggestion!
10/07/2008 - Welcome C&C Readers!
Welcome if this is your first visit to www.hotmealdeals.co.uk, the site designed to encourage a better deal for all the eater's & drinker's in Derby!
You are invited to submit any deals you know of to the site to share with other's, any exceptional one's will go to the Deal of The Month section (we may throw in a prize next month and a mention for the lucky C&C Reader with the best deal - chosen from the online shop!)
You don't have to limit submission's just to restaurants any of the following are considered:
Pub Food
Takeaways/Fast Food
Drink's Deal's
Cafe's
Please consider free membership (you will not be bombarded with boring emails) just access to a growing movement encouraging the best deals that Derby Restaurants & Pubs can offer, and it's free!
We hope you enjoy the site and bookmark us as new deals are added all the time!
HMD
28/05/2008 - Join the Gourmet Society!
25,000 members dining at almost 1,000 restaurants can’t be wrong! The Gourmet Society is the fastest growing restaurant dining scheme in the UK with members throughout the UK eating out for half price.
The Gourmet Society has 25,000 members in the UK who regularly dine out at their favourite restaurants throughout the entire Midlands and the North East of England.
The Gourmet Society has almost 1,000 restaurants. The restaurants are split into two main regions with restaurants in the Midlands and the North East of England. In the North East of England the Gourmet Society has restaurants in Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland, Northumberland and Teesside. In the Midlands there are restaurants in Birmingham, Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, Northampton and all of the counties that make up the heart of England.
The Gourmet Society allows members to EAT OUT FOR HALF PRICE, using the Gourmet Society’s amazing 2 MEALS FOR THE PRICE OF 1 promotion.
The Gourmet Society is quickly becoming the number one restaurant dining in the UK and has seen a phenomenal growth in the number of partner restaurants so that there are now almost 1,000 restaurants from Birmingham to Derby and from Nottingham to Newcastle in the UK. This growth has coincided with a huge increase in membership so that we have members throughout the Midlands (for instance Birmingham, Derby and Nottingham) and the North East (for instance Newcastle)
All tastes are catered for with a vast choice of cuisines and budgets on offer at restaurants across the regions. You can dine on a Balti in Birmingham, Dip Sum in Derby, Noodles in Newcastle or Nachos in Nottingham at establishments that range from local independent Michelin listed to national chains.
Save even more money and join this fantastic scheme through www.hotmealdeals.co.uk and get a discount!
19/05/2008 - Gordon knocks off Delia!!!
Gordon Ramsay's latest book has knocked fellow chef Delia Smith off the top of the bestseller list.
Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite now tops the Bookseller's top 20 list of hardback non-fiction.
Delia's How To Cheat At Cooking - which reigned at the top for three months - is now at number two in the charts.
Last week Ramsay called Smith's latest recipe book an insult to cooking, saying: "I expect students struggling on £15 a week to survive eating from a can.
"But the nation's all-time icon reducing us down to using frozen, canned food. It's an insult."
He said: "She removed all intimidation out of food, gave the nation an amazing amount of joy for years.
"I'm frustrated that we have to teach the nation to cook from a tin, tinned mince! So I'm insulted and I share that view with a lot of top chefs."
Anne Furniss, Ramsay's editorial director at publishers Quadrille, said: "We are delighted that Gordon is the number one hardback non-fiction bestseller and that he has knocked Delia off her perch."
Don't forget to visit the Hotmealdeals shop to buy either of these favourites at discount prices!
19/05/2008 - Student Survival...
Students spend an average £25 a week on food according to the recent Unite Student Experience report, which sounds like quite a lot - until you realise that six £4 lunches would swallow that easily. And the high-fat, carbohydrate-laden diet in most university halls and pubs isn't going to do your health or your appearance much good either, leaving you lethargic and prey to winter bugs.
Confident cooking
Cooking may sound daunting but it's a doddle, really. If you can write an essay or pass your A-levels, you can follow a recipe. You can cook a simple pasta sauce, for example, with a tablespoon of oil, a clove of garlic and a tin of tomatoes for less than half the price of the pasta sauces sold in jars - and it'll taste much better. It couldn't be easier - or quicker - to rustle up a plate of scrambled eggs or to make a spaghetti carbonara (pasta with egg and bacon sauce). It takes minutes to wash and dry a lettuce and make a simple dressing that will cost you a fraction of the price of a pack of salad leaves.
If you have an oven you can even make a slap-up Sunday lunch. Simply buy a tray of chicken legs and thighs and roast them in a big tin with a little oil and garlic, turning them occasionally and chucking in a few sausages halfway through. You don't even have to carve. Make a simple gravy by dissolving a teaspoon of Marmite in a mug-ful of boiling water. Melt a tablespoon (15g) of butter, stir in a tablespoon of plain flour and stir in your Marmite stock, bring it to the boil and there you have it. Sounds weird but it works.
Five a day
Getting the recommended five fresh fruit and veg a day might seem like an insuperable hurdle but if you try to incorporate some in each meal it's not that hard. A glass of orange juice for breakfast, a salad at lunchtime, an apple or banana as a snack during the day and a portion of frozen peas with your dinner and you're almost there (frozen veg are just as healthy as fresh ones). Stir fries are also a really tasty way of upping your intake. You don't need prepared stir-fry sauces either - just shake over some light soy sauce (which you'll find is cheaper in small ethnic grocers and Chinese supermarkets).
Cheap fruit isn't always of great quality, but if you add a little sugar or cook it briefly you can make it taste fantastic. Plums, for instance, are often hard and unripe but if you stone them, cut them into chunks, stir fry them in a little butter, sprinkle over some sugar and pinch of cinnamon and cook them for another minute you won't believe how different they'll taste. Serve them on toasted malt bread with a dollop of plain yoghurt for a real feast!
Smart shopping
An important part of eating well is shopping well. Supermarkets are convenient for staples such as tinned tuna, pasta and rice but it can be cheaper to shop for other ingredients, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, elsewhere. If you live in a town that has a street market or if your digs are near a row of small independent shops you may well find it's cheaper to buy from them, particularly if you're living in a student house and cooking for a crowd. Fresh herbs and spices are about a third of the price you'll pay in a supermarket.
Even in the supermarket you can save a lot of money by buying ingredients loose rather than pre-packed. A couple of carrots, for example, will cost you around 10-15p. A pre-packed kilo bag will cost about 90p. A pack of grated cheese is obviously much more expensive than a block of cheese you grate yourself.
You'll also save money by pooling your resources. Twenty-nine pounds doesn't go far for one person but if four of you contribute £15-20 each to a kitty you'll have a week's food budget that will rival that of most non-student households. Or if ten of you pitch in £5 for a slap-up Saturday night feast you'll be able to afford a meal that's infinitely better than anything you would get for that amount in a restaurant. It's also more fun to cook together - if you share the preparation (and clearing up!) it never seems as stressful.
Finally - if nothing else persuades you - cooking is sexy! There's nothing as seductive (well, almost nothing...) as a guy - or a girl - who can cook.
Source www.bbc.co.uk/food
15/05/2008 - Alcohol Duty
Unfortunately food prices are not the only thing set to hit us…
Alcohol duty hike may bring £3bn windfall Simon Duke, Daily Mail 27 February 2008, 9:06am
“Chancellor Alistair Darling is facing mounting pressure to raise duty on wine and spirits in next month's Budget.”
Booze cruise: Hiking alcohol duty would bring a £3bn windfall but prove unpopular
Lobby groups such as the British Medical Association believe that hefty price rises will help curb a binge drinking culture that is threatening to spiral out of control.
But hiking taxes would also bring in some much-needed cash at a time when the government finances are under huge pressure.
Maurice Fitzpatrick, of accountants Grant Thornton, reckons that a 30% across-the-board hike in alcohol duty would bring in an immediate windfall of around £3bn.
Duty on wine and spirits is 'one of the few taxes not have been significantly raised during Labour's decade in power', according to the tax expert.
Source www.thisismoney.co.uk.
Local UK - Find businesses, shops, services anywhere across the UK.14/05/2008 - Students Eating Out
You need never go hungry in Derby. And just because you're a student, it doesn't mean that you have to fit the stereotype and survive on a diet of pizza and kebabs. There's a world of food out there.
With a little help from us you can impress your mates and get yourself a reputation as a true gastronome. This incidentally comes in extremely handy when trying to impress the ladies or indeed the guys, if you're a forward thinking kind of girl. Talking from experience I can honestly say that I was never wooed by a young man offering to treat me to a donner!
If you think we've missed anything along the way, do let us know - and tell us your hot tips too!
The choice is really diverse and we've done a bit of research to help you get the best for your money. Tip one: use your NUS card to its full potential. Get into the habit of asking if students are offered a discount. Some of the more upmarket places don't want to emblazon their menus with offers which may make their places look like part of the cheap and cheerful crowd so just ask and you may be surprised.
Some establishments offer money off on a loyalty card basis. Get yourself a Card from 'Barracuda' on Friar Gate.
Sunday lunch is a prime time for eating cheaply. Take your pick of Indian or Chinese buffets all at really low prices. If you're more of a traditional eater you won't be disappointed, explore the pubs for the ultimate Sunday lunch.
Early evenings are also a prime time for the bargain hunters. Many of Derby's fashionable cafes and bistros offer an early evening meal deal. The quality of food shouldn't suffer but the choice is usually a little restricted.
Sometimes only a take out will do. We've slotted a few into our listings. Derby is thriving with chip shops, pizza and burger joints, Chinese and Indian takeaways and kebab shops. They truly come into their own on a weekend when the pubs and clubs have stopped serving, check out the bottom of Curzon St on a Saturday or Sunday morning at about 3am. Did we say that Derby is a city that never sleeps?
06/05/2008 - New Food Magazine for Derby
EAT...Derby magazine - the only food magazine for Derby, launching in June - is proud to announce the Derby Restaurant Awards 2008. Managing Editor Mike Bradley says "Derby is really a wonderful place to eat and drink, yet nobody shouts about it. We intend to". With an array of categories ranging from Best Family Restaurant to Best Wine List and overall Best Restaurant, all types and grades of eatery will be eligible for entry. The awards will be launched in the first issue of EAT...Derby magazine, dedicated to bringing you reviews, recipes, celebrity chef interviews and contemporary food writing. It's time to shout!"
02/05/2008 - RISING COSTS HIT HOUSEHOLDS
Higher shop prices will add to the misery for householders already paying around 15 per cent more for basic food staples than a year ago.
Soaring petrol, gas, electricity and mortgage bills are also putting the squeeze on family finances. As the Daily Express Cost of Living Index showed yesterday, hard-pressed families have already suffered an 11.5 per cent rise in their expenditure over the past year.
For a family on a household budget of £10,000, this is an increase of £1,150. Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Vince Cable warned last night: “This new survey confirms that there is more on the way – in addition to the misery facing families from higher fuel, food and tax costs.
“The relief which house buyers are looking for in lower interest rates is unlikely to come quickly now because the Bank of England is not allowed to cut interest rates when inflation is high.”
Two-thirds of manufacturers surveyed said their costs had risen between March and April, and the findings have prompted fears of a recession in the sector.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Businesses are passing on their taxes to consumers, and consumers are already grappling with higher fuel and food prices, higher mortgage costs and higher personal taxes.
“Unless the Government starts tackling waste and cutting spending, Britain is going to head towards a severe recession.”
Metal, chemicals, energy, food products and oil all became more expensive for factories to buy in the past month.
Companies also suffered because the weak pound against the euro made it more expensive for them to buy raw materials from Europe.
More than a quarter (29 per cent) of firms passed on the higher costs by charging their customers more for goods last month.
Firms included in the UK Manufacturing monthly report represent all types of goods, including pharmaceuticals, food, drink and technology.
Rob Dobson, economist at NTC Economics, which produces the report in association with the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, said the findings were bad news for consumers.
“There comes a point at which people can no longer absorb cost increases,” he said. “Then they will get passed down the supply chain towards the consumer.
“We would expect them in time to filter through to consumer prices, under normal conditions.” The rate of increase in factory gate prices has set new highs every month this year, while raw material inflation rose to its second highest reading on record last month.
Home owners are affected by these factory prices because they can push up inflation and the threat of inflation going up makes it less likely that the Bank of England will cut interest rates.
Members of the Bank’s monetary policy committee will meet next week to decide whether to cut rates. Three cuts from 5.75 to 5 per cent – including one last month – have been made since December but the committee is wary of fuelling inflation by cutting rates too quickly.
Howard Archer, UK economist at Global Insight, said the MPC was likely to wait until June.
“Despite falling orders and limited output growth, price pressures picked up further in April. This will do little for nerves at the Bank of England,” he said.
Roy Ayliffe, director of professional practice at the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, said the manufacturing sector was suffering from the impact of tough global market conditions.
But British Retail Consortium spokesman Richard Dodd said stores were doing everything they could to keep prices down.
Source Daily Express 02/05/08
23/04/2008 - Online Restaurant Booking
Soon it will be possible to book tables at your favourite restaurants online at HMD. So it will be even easier to book a bargain from the comfort of your armchair. Expect this facility early May 08.
23/04/2008 - Blog IT!
Share your news and views on the HMD Blog page expected launch May 08.
23/04/2008 - Gourmet Society Affiliation
The Gourmet Society has accredited HMD with an affiliation scheme. We really would recommend you take a look at this scheme offering 2 for 1 Meals at splendid venues in the Midlands. If you join through this website you get a very generous 25% off the listed price on the Gourmet Website. More & more excellent restaurants are joining the scheme in the Midlands, and the card really can pay for itself after just 1/2 visits!
