Heatwave alerts have been issued for parts of the UK ahead of 33C weather this bank holiday. Public Health England and the Met Office have put out alerts for east and south-east England, where there is a 70% chance of heatwave conditions between Saturday and Tuesday. As many Brits are starting to prepare for this weekend’s scorcher, innovative retail tech app, Ubamarket reveals the 5 of the best foods to help people beat the heat.
- Watermelon Watermelon is a refreshing fruit which is perfect for the whole family. Not only is watermelon extremely delicious, but it is also packed with nutrition to help keep your energy levels up all through the hot bank holiday days.
- Chicken Caesar salad
Often in the heat, many Brits turn away from the traditional, carb heavy fish and chips, roast dinners and steak and ale pies. When the temperature begins to rise, people seem to search for lighter meal options, and a chicken Caesar salad can be a tasty alternative and a perfect way for meat-lovers to still enjoy their ‘meat-fix’ at the weekend. - Vegetable and halloumi skewers
There is bound to be thousands of barbecues being fired up this weekend and if you are looking for recipe inspiration then vegetable and halloumi skewers are often a popular choice. Currently with over 2,300 likes on Instagram, a dish of vegetable skewers may be worthwhile bringing to British barbecues this bank holiday. - Ice lollies
Although health experts have revealed that the initial cooling effect of an ice lolly is rapidly replaced by heat generated by the body’s digestive processes needed to break down the nutrients, popular opinion still remains that is that ice lollies and ice creams are best enjoyed under the summer sun. This weekend, if you are looking to indulge in a sweet treat, then you can definitely do this guilt-free this weekend! - Water
It is vital to drink water throughout this hot bank holiday weekend as it helps replenish the fluids lost by excessive sweating. If you don’t get enough water, you may become dehydrated, and the combination of hot temperatures and dehydration can lead to serious heat-related illnesses.
What food is best to be avoided in the summer heat?
- Alcohol
It is widely known that alcohol dehydrates the body and could potentially increase the risk of heat stroke in the hot summer heat. So it is best to avoid drinking large quantities of alcohol this weekend in order to keep cool and hydrated. - Burgers, hot dogs and bread
Although burgers and hot dogs are extremely popular barbecue dishes, carbohydrates can quite often be filling and extremely stodgy during hot summer days. - Caffeine
One way to prevent losing much-needed water weight is to avoid diuretic foods which includes coffee, tea, soda and other caffeinated beverages. - Spicy food
For those who may find the heat outside already a little too much to handle this weekend, it is best to avoid spicy food as it increases body temperature.
Will Broome, CEO and Founder of Ubamarket:
“Many Brits will be thrilled to see that the British summer is not completely over for the year, and many will be keen to get food that will keep them cool. In order to best help UK shoppers get the most out of their bank holiday, it is it important for supermarkets to adapt to consumer demand and change their in-store offerings to match consumer trends. If retail tech, in the form of app technology was implemented into stores, customers would be able to write shopping lists in an app and be directed around the store according to store layout or recipe, allowing them to be able to quickly purchase their items and get back to enjoying their bank holiday weekend. Retailers would also benefit from planning for moments like these too. Data collected from app technology could help retailers gain an insight into consumer behaviour, and help stores stock products according to customer demand.”