Summer's here! It's time for higher welfare picnics

Take cooking tips from your parents to improve animal welfare!

21.07.12 

We've teamed up with TV presenter and food writer Richard Johnson to encourage more people to roll up their sleeves and make their own higher welfare picnic and party food.

New research shows shoppers struggle to find higher welfare picnic food in the shops.

And younger generations are reluctant to make their own.

So we're urging people to take cooking tips from their parents.

Research into buying and making higher welfare picnic food

An RSPCA YouGov survey* shows that animal welfare is important to most shoppers but they said they struggle to buy higher welfare picnic food because of confusing labels. They don't know what to look for and there is a limited range.

One solution is to make your own picnic treats. But the research showed under 44s are less likely to try their hand at making their own picnic food such as quiche Lorraine, sausage rolls and sandwiches than our parents or grandparents.

Dad-of-one Richard said:

It's a shame that younger people seem to be cooking less as it will mean many of them will be buying lower welfare pre-prepared food even though they don't want to.

Overcoming the barriers

Making it easy in the kitchen

Richard Johnson has written some simple to follow higher welfare picnic recipes for the nation's favourite picnic treats to make cooking fun for all the family.

Richard said:

Everything tastes better eaten outdoors. Everything.

But there's no need to go overboard with the food - Glyndebourne-style picnics with napery, silver cutlery and a candelabra are a bit OTT.

'Just keep it simple - and animal friendly'

Richard continued: 

"Some of the best meals I've ever eaten were picnics.

"As a child I remember bread and cheese on the edge of a cornfield in Devon. Picnics should be lengthy, sociable affairs, and that bread and cheese seemed to last forever.

"As an adult I'll never forget sitting down outside a church in Corfu to eat tomatoes, ugly and fat, sprinkled with sea salt and tasting of the sun.

"My little girl still talks about it. It's not a time to spoil happy memories with products that have involved pain and suffering.

"Even separate courses and elaborate dishes are considered a bit Hyacinth Bucket these days. Just keep it simple - and animal friendly."  

Making it easier for shoppers

David Bowles, director of communications at the RSPCA, said:

"The RSPCA is working with supermarkets to make it easier for shoppers to buy higher welfare party and picnic food.
 

"But in the meantime if you want to feel good about what you are eating this summer, our advice is to look for meat that is labelled RSPCA Freedom Food.

"Or if you can't find it, at least buy options like free-range, organic, outdoor-bred or reared and make your own picnic favourites by following our simple recipes."

David added:

Cooking with children is great fun and a brilliant way of making higher welfare treats.

My 11-year-old daughter absolutely loves cooking with me. But somehow I always end up doing the washing-up!

 

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Pack a higher welfare picnic now that summer has arrived!

Download our popular picnic recipes

Find out more about packing a higher welfare picnic where you can download our popular picnic recipes courtesy of Richard Johnson.
 

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* Read more about the RSPCA YouGov survey results in our press release.