Among the stories on the first programme: How much of what is served at the best-known restaurants on the high street is made on the premises and how much is simply bought in and reheated? And the team is on the road with the inspectors battling to ensure that food described as local has not actually come from the other side of the world. Plus, how free trials of diet pills can result in you losing a lot more money than weight, and why wholemeal bread is not always made in quite the way you might expect.
A year after the horsemeat scandal, just how much can we trust the meat that ends up on our plates? With further food scares about TB and hepatitis in our meat, the team discover the truth about the risks and, with the help of top scientists, reveal how to make sure your food is safe to eat. Plus, the team find out more about the most common food poisoning bug in Britain, thought to be present in around two thirds of raw chicken. Is enough being done to tackle it, and what can you do to avoid getting it? Also on the programme, new ways of testing meat to stop anything like the horsemeat scandal happening again.
Gloria Hunniford, Angela Rippon and Julia Somerville investigate the quality and prices of the food sold in the supermarkets that dominate our weekly shop. A test on the freshness of fish sold at supermarket fish counters has some unexpected results. How much of what we buy could already be past its best? Also, the team reveal how much more you can end up paying in the big-name convenience stores, compared to their larger branches down the road. Should all their branches, whatever the size, charge the same for the same goods? Plus, with most supermarkets now offering upmarket food ranges, what is the difference between these and the cheaper alternatives? Are the 'posh' ones worth the extra cash?
Julia Somerville, Angela Rippon and Gloria Hunniford investigate what we pay for our food and drink and ask whether it is too much. They look at why the cost of a roast dinner is on the rise, discover how the weather affects prices, and meet viewers angry at sky-high prices for snacks when flying. Plus, how can pubs justify charging as much for soft drinks as they do for beer? And why do some well-known restaurant chains charge more for their vegetarian meals than the meaty dishes with more expensive ingredients?
Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville expose more secrets of the food business, investigating whether special offers and packaging are always everything they seem, and going undercover in the wine aisles to discover if all those supermarket wine deals really do offer value for money. Plus, a man angry at the appearance of his frozen fish goes behind the scenes of a food photography shoot to discover why the picture on the packet can so often look rather different from the food inside. And, how hard is it to buy just British? A family reveals the results of a year-long experiment, with examples of foods that may look like they're made in the UK but in fact come from further afield.
The Team are back to investigate more of the secrets of our shopping baskets. They look at how some supermarkets make it difficult to compare prices between products and work out the best deal, and examine what exactly goes into our sausages. Plus, when a test on food packaging reveals even bodybuilders struggle to open some bestselling foods, an industry boss is put on the spot to have a go himself. And the team explore why water is added to so many everyday foods.
Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville get to grips with more complaints from viewers about food and drink, revealing the things the labels do not always make clear. The team also expose some of the unexpected ingredients that go into our favourite foods, such as crushed beetle, and reveal why adding one word to the label can mean that the food you are buying does not have to contain any of what you might have thought was the main ingredient. Plus, why some of the country's biggest household names have refused to sign up to the new labelling scheme designed to make it easier for us to eat healthily.
In this episode the team investigate more stories about what we eat, asking if most of us have a diet too sweet for our own good. They uncover some surprising facts, including how some smoothies have more sugar in them than a can of cola, and they meet the mother angry at the effect such apparently healthy drinks had on her children's teeth. Plus, as dieticians say some cereals should be eaten for dessert rather than breakfast, what is the best way to way to start your day when it comes to food? Also, a viewer gets to the bottom of why foods that look a sensible choice because they are low in fat might contain higher levels of sugar instead.
Angela Rippon and the team reveal more secrets about our food and the way it's sold. Could that bag of healthy-looking salad at the bottom of the fridge be harbouring a dirty little secret? And how much notice should we take of all those confusing dates on the labels of what we buy? Could a good old-fashioned sense of smell be a better way to determine what is safe to eat? Plus, why frozen food can sometimes be better for you than fresh, and the campaigners determined to cut down on supermarket waste and at the same time ensure nothing goes uneaten from the farmer's field.
Gloria Hunniford, Angela Rippon and Julia Somerville round off the series investigating viewers' complaints about all things food and drink. They explore whether free-range eggs are really worth the extra cost, and reveal the unexpected levels of salt in some everyday products. Plus, with millions of us spending what seems a fortune on coffees and lunches on the go, the true cost of a high street cuppa is broken down; are our cafes and coffee shops charging over the odds? Also, how much can we trust the labels promising food is ethically produced?
Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville return with a series of investigations and topical reports into our food and drink. A woman who is furious at products which are sold in half-empty packets spurs an investigation into frustrations with labels and packaging. Also, where the money raised from the 5p carrier bag charge ends up, and why some everyday foods that you might assume are suitable for vegetarians turn out to be no such thing. Plus, do multipacks genuinely offer the best value, or would you be better off buying some products individually?
This episode focuses on some serious concerns about going out for a meal. An alarming undercover report exposes the restaurants and takeaways breaking the law - and risking customers' health - by failing to give accurate information about the ingredients of their food. Plus the team reveals how some restaurants are flouting the rules in another way too, turning away customers with assistance or guide dogs. One woman explains why she was not prepared to accept second-class treatment for her four-legged helper.
Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville investigate problems viewers have encountered at restaurants and ask why so many of the big-name chains are suddenly in crisis. Also today, as a frustrated vegetarian reveals that a number of menu items listed as vegetarian are actually no such thing, the team explores how widespread such mislabelling really is, identifying the ingredients getting everyone confused and challenging a restaurant owner to put things right. Plus the restaurant gift cards causing red faces all round when it was time to pay the bill.
Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville investigate situations where viewers feel they have been let down or misled with regard to some of the country's food and drink festivals. They hear why ticketholders to some festivals say they have been left with a bad taste in the mouth. Plus the door-to-door pots and pans scam that left one keen cook hundreds of pounds out of pocket.
Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford, and Julia Somerville investigate more stories to do with food, discovering why it is feared up to 90 per cent of the fridges in our homes may not be working efficiently, or safely. They give advice on how to put things right. Also today, after complaints teetotallers get a raw deal from pubs and bars, a test explores if drinkers can tell the difference between a beer with alcohol and one without. Plus the new-style biscuits that could cost you more for less. How will they fare in a dunking test compared with more traditional treats?
As the food investigation series continues, Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville examine some of some of the latest fashions and fads to hit our plates and kitchens. They expose an unexpected downside to the nation's favourite fizz, as a dentist reveals the surprising effects prosecco can have on teeth. Also today, the team explores the rapid rise of the coffee machine increasingly finding a place in our homes. How does the taste compare with other, cheaper coffees? Plus, after one viewer had an unexpected reaction to a sourdough loaf, baking experts explain why not all the trendy sourdough breads sold in supermarkets are necessarily the real deal.
Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville investigate look at problems faced by viewers when out shopping or at the supermarket. An exclusive undercover report reveals widespread mislabelling of fresh and frozen fish, and with customers of one big name up in arms over a change to their reward points, there is advice on how to make sure you are getting the most from supermarket loyalty schemes. There is also a look at how the latest self-checkout technology is set to transform supermarket shopping.
Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville investigate more stories to do with food. They look into whether products that claim to be sugar-free or have zero sugar are really as virtuous as people might think. There is an unorthodox test to see if the chocolate bars sold in pound stores are the bargain they appear to be, and the team explores why some viewers are paying twice as much for their butter as they did 18 months ago.
Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville reveal how some restaurants are flouting laws designed to keep people - and the environment - safe, including how some establishments are using fake hygiene ratings to trick customers through the door. And with many restaurants contributing to the problem of giant fatbergs clogging up the country's sewers, how everyone do their bit to stop this growing menace from occurring? Plus should a restaurant advertise itself as having disabled access if there is no accessible loo? A family reveals how, at a well-known chain, the lack of facilities meant they had no choice but to carry their disabled seven-year-old up the stairs to use the toilet.
Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville discover the truth about foods supposed to be healthy and the way that they are sold. With people being encouraged to ditch the plastic, the team explores why it can cost more to buy fruit and vegetables loose than if they are pre-packed. Plus is coconut water really as healthy as is usually claimed? Food blogger and campaigner Jack Monroe has tips on how to avoid waste, and there is news on the latest attempts to get food manufacturers and suppliers to help people eat less.
Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville look into convenience foods and deliveries. After the meteoric growth of online takeaway services, some of the most popular are put to the test. The team also explores the so-called 'dark kitchens' appearing in neighbourhoods across the country, after a group of neighbours says they are paying a high price for such innovations - and for other peoples' convenience. There is also a look at whether a time-saving new idea to put a freshly cooked dinner on the table every night is worth the cost, and the Women's Institute compare various ways of serving up mash potato.
After one man reveals how eating one particular food resulted in him losing his job, Angela takes a drugs test to see what effect the same ingredient will have on her. Plus why decaffeinated products may contain a little kick that you have paid extra to avoid, and one viewer is on a quest to discover to why so many products are shrinking in size.