Most of us around the country are still living some form of ‘lockdown life’ due to Covid. Now, as we move towards the two-year anniversary of the first lockdown, it may seem that isolation remains part of our regular routine. More than ever, we need to take care of ourselves and our loved ones, and one way to do this is by eating healthy foods with good provenance. So, let’s do away with the Covid blues and look to the future filled with healthy foods and all things positive, to make the Covid recovery one step closer.

Indeed, it can be hard to find the motivation to cook after all of these months of home-cooking. You can take care of yourself with the simple mantra that ‘convenience is key’, and not to overwork yourself. Instead, take it slowly and keep it simple. Take the walnut and grated nutmeg porridge from Husk and Honey for example. It’s a combination of porridge oats, freshly grated nutmeg and ground walnuts. A healthy, delicious and all-natural boost to your morning routine, without the time-consuming prep.

An equally delicious breakfast for the sweet tooths amongst us comes from Supergood! with their Flippin’ Lovely pancake mix. Providing a delicate, fluffy and all-rounded American style pancake with warming flavours of cinnamon, these pancakes are not only healthy, they also provide that comforting moment of indulgence that we deserve.

For more treats in the same sweet and nutty theme, there are healthy and simple cacao & coconut seed snacks from Pep & Lekker. They are vegan, environmentally friendly and naturally allergy free. A delicious snack for you, and with their fully recyclable packaging, they are also doing good for the environment.

Pair your sweet treats with a kick of traditional blackberry & ginger kombucha from Cowbarn Brewery. Providing a burst of autumnal fruits with the heat of a ginger hug, giving that little extra warmth we need during these times. This kombucha is perfect if you love the flavours of black and fruity teas.

Tummy Culture have produced a raw honey and organic garlic concoction to satisfy your adventurous tastebuds at home. With the added benefit of their natural, immune boosting qualities, that will help us to fight away the Covid blues. Pair it with Jin Jin’s natural enzyme cordial; a thirst-quenching drink that does wonders for your digestion and gut health, making it the perfect uplift to your health to give your body a well-earned treat.

For vegan and vegetarian options, don’t miss the multi-award-winning ravioli from Raviollie. The recipient of three Great Taste Awards and the PAPA industry award, Ollie created these gourmet parcels of pleasure in three flavour profiles; butternut and sage; wild mushroom and caramelised onion; and sweet pea and mint. Providing high class restaurant quality from the comfort of your own kitchen. Did we mention that the ravioli only takes less than 5 minute to cook!

Another mouth-watering fresh pasta, that combines summer Umbrian black truffles from Italy with delicate and creamy ricotta cheese, comes from La Tua Pasta. A once small, famiy run company based in London, La Tua still hand make every piece of pasta with the highest quality ingredients, to the most traditional Italian recipes. No wonder they’ve won seventy-five Great Taste Awards and have a huge following of professional chefs.

If you are in the mood of ‘wowing’ your loved ones, a great way to liven up your dishes is with a deep and flavourful seasoning such as the Butt Massage from BOHNS. A combination of 13 herbs and spices, it makes perfect pork dishes. Marinating, adding seasoning or rubbing spice mixes into meats brings that extra level of flavour, and is sure to liven up any meal.

Or, if you’re partial to the occasional aromatic explosion of flavour, give the coconut, lemongrass and kaffir lime curry from Zepice a try. This curry provides exotic notes of lemongrass and kaffir lime, and is sure to add a citrus zing to your favourite dishes, meats and seafood. It’s incredibly easy to use, hinting to our mantra, that ‘convenience is key’.

We all need to eat well during the pandemic and beyond. Visit www.meltedinside.com to shop everything we have featured, and discover hundreds of other products from some of the country’s best artisan food and drink makers. You deserve to enjoy that little extra something, so treat yourself, be kind to yourself and be sure to eat well and enjoy fine foods in the comfort of your own home.