Rising living costs are having a wide-ranging impact on our everyday lives, including when it comes to summer barbecues. In fact, the cost of food and drink for a typical summer barbecue in the UK could be around £10 more than last year, according to new calculations by Canada Life. The financial services provider, which used Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures to make the calculations, has put the cost of a typical barbecue at around £90, up from around £80 last summer. Of course, the actual cost will vary depending on exactly what you buy and how many people you’re catering for. In its basket of barbecue goods, Canada Life piled in products such as beef burgers, pork sausages, baking potatoes, chicken, meat-free sausages, veggie burgers, bread rolls, mayonnaise, cheese, salad ingredients, crisps, fizzy drink and alcoholic beverages. How can you keep barbecue costs down? If you’re keen to make the most of summer barbecue opportunities, but conscious of your budget too, Canada Life also has some tips. Spokesperson Shelley Greenwood suggests: “If you’re hosting more than once this summer, don’t throw out the charcoal after one use. Make sure you put out the fire safely and keep what is left in the barbecue for next time. Simply top up with new charcoal as needed.” Greenwood also suggests using price comparison apps such as Trolley to compare prices of items on your shopping list. “Then place your order through a cashback site to save even more,” she adds. She also suggests checking out apps for food in your local area that is being sold cheaply or perhaps even given away. For example, the Too Good to Go app allows people to search for bags of food being sold cheaply at places such as grocery stores, restaurants and cafes that might otherwise be destined to go to waste. Food sharing app Olio also helps stop surplus food going to waste, with users posting pictures of giveaways, including food and other items. Greenwood also suggests looking out for “yellow sticker” food items, which have been marked down in the supermarket, like cuts of meat or fish. Check these can be frozen and, if so, freeze them the same day and “simply defrost according to instructions ahead of your barbecue”, adds Greenwood. Also, rather than buying side dishes, go through your cupboards and fridge to see what ingredients could be transformed. Perhaps you could make your own pasta salad, or roast some tomatoes while you’re cooking something else, to create side dishes. You could also ask party guests to bring along a few sides to help share the costs. And if your priorities are more about having a summer gathering than firing up a barbecue, you could also consider by-passing the barbecue altogether and preparing food in your air fryer or slow cooker instead. Greenwood adds: “This way, you’re not reliant on the weather either.” Read More What I lost (and gained) by walking 10,000 steps each day for 5 months Woman says her life was ‘blown up’ by viral plane rant where she called passenger ‘not real’ How to save money in the kitchen according to top chefs Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

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The earth is at its most restless in Iceland right now. The Reykjanes peninsula, southwest of Reykjavik, is seething with seismic activity sparking hundreds of small earthquakes. The town of Grindavík, just 10 miles south of Keflavik International Airport, has been evacuated as a precaution. Yet flights are continuing to arrive and depart as normal. These are the key questions and answers on consumer rights. I am in Iceland. Will I be able to leave? Yes, assuming the international airport remains open. So far operations have been normal. There are 14 arrivals and departures planned for Saturday from and to the UK, with no signs of disruption to flights. You may be keen to leave earlier than booked, in order to guarantee your getaway, but at present you will not be able to switch flights without paying a penalty. A spokesperson for British Airways told The Independent: “Our flights are operating as planned and we continue to monitor the situation closely. “We will be in touch with customers directly should the situation change.” The easyJet statement is very similar: “Our flying schedule is currently operating as normal however we are monitoring the situation closely and should this change we will contact customers directly to advise on their flights.” But didn’t an Icelandic volcano shut down European aviation for a week? Yes. Travellers may remember where they were March 2010, when the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupted. The skies of northern Europe completely closed to passenger aviation for almost a week because of fears that volcanic ash spreading southeast from Iceland could damage aircraft engines and endanger travellers. More than 50,000 flights, with eight million passengers booked to travel, were cancelled. So far in 2023, though, ash has not been an issue in the current geological outburst. What if I am booked on a package holiday? Foreign Office advice stops well short of advising against travel to Iceland, meaning holiday companies can continue to operate as normal – with no automatic right to cancel. The Foreign Office advice to British travellers is that it is “increasingly possible” that a volcanic eruption could occur. The official warning on “volcanic eruption and earthquakes” reads: “Earthquakes and indications of volcanic activity have increased above normal levels on the Reykjanes peninsula, southwest of Reykjavik. “The Icelandic authorities continue to monitor the area closely, particularly the area northwest of Mt Thorbjörn near the Svartsengi power plant and the Blue Lagoon. On 10 November, a Civil Protection Alert was declared after an intense swarm of earthquakes. “The town of Grindavík was evacuated as a precaution. Some roads have been closed and visitors are advised to stay away from the area. “Keflavik International Airport is operating as normal. While there is no current eruption, it is increasingly possible that one could occur.” Until and unless the Foreign Office warns against travel, the assumption is that everything will go ahead as normal. The one exception is for holidaymakers who had planned to stay at the Blue Lagoon – an increasingly popular “wellness” destination, with an upmarket hotel on the site. The Blue Lagoon is currently closed. Only those booked for a stay have the chance to cancel; if you were hoping to pop in as a day visitor for a steamy stop in the volcanic rock pools, you will need to return at some time in the future. Can I claim on insurance? No, unless it is one of the vanishingly rare “cancel for any reason” policies. On standard travel insurance, “disinclination to travel” is not an acceptable reason for a claim. Would you go to Iceland at the moment? Yes, I would relish the opportunity. Late November is an excellent time to visit Iceland for good value. Conditions right now are also excellent for the prospect of a good show to the Northern Lights, which are at a peak of the usual 11-year cosmic cycle. I also know that the Icelandic authorities are expert at handling seismic events, with extremely good monitoring and emergency systems in place. I would book a package holiday, though, knowing that if the earth gets too restless for comfort in the vicinity, I would be able to cancel for a full refund. Read More Iceland earthquakes: Your rights if you are on holiday there or are planning to go Iceland earthquakes: Are flights still running amid fears over volcano eruption? In the Superloop: London’s southbound express bus In the Superloop: London’s southbound express bus Airbnb rules go ‘step too far’ with guidance on how to clean up blood Passenger claims tequila in his luggage came back with ‘shot’ missing after flight

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As the cost of food rises and people continue returning to the office after lockdowns, finding an affordable lunch on the go is becoming more and more essential. Waitrose has just announced it is launching its first-ever lunchtime meal deal, with the premium supermarket offering a main, side and drink for £5. This is the most expensive meal deal among retailers at the time of writing. The return to the office following the lifting of lockdown restrictions has meant that millions of workers are reluctant to spend a fortune on lunches, but are still searching for an affordable and easy option nearby their office or workplace. But as food prices rise, the cost of the most reliable lunch staple, the meal deal, has increased across UK retailers. For example, Tesco had its meal deal priced at £3 for almost a decade, before increasing it to £3.90 for regular customers and £3.40 for Clubcard holders in October 2022. With that in mind, and since it’s important to have a lunch to look forward to, how much does a meal deal cost in 2023? Tesco Regular price: £3.90 Clubcard holders: £3.40 The supermarket also offers a £5 premium meal deal, offering a premium main, snack and drink. Sainsbury’s Standard price: £3.50 Greggs Standard price: £3.60 Boots Standard price: £3.99 (excluding London) Advantage Card price: £3.60 London price: £4.50 with an advantage card, £4.99 without Co-op Standard price: £4 Co-op membership card holders: £3.50 Morrisons Standard price: £4 Waitrose Standard price: £5 Read More Former royal chef explains why Prince William and Kate’s children don’t eat with them Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sightseeing tour led by Thomas Markle’s friend sparks outrage over privacy Bride tries on mother’s wedding dress 30 years after parents’ wedding Waitrose has launched its first ever lunchtime meal deal 30-minute summer recipes for all the family to enjoy What to cook this week: Tomato tart, sweetcorn pasta and other summery suppers

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Welcome to Sun Blocked, Refinery29’s global call-to-action to wake up to the serious dangers of tanning. No lectures or shaming, we promise. Instead, our goal is to arm you with the facts you need to protect your skin to the best of your ability, because there’s no such thing as safe sun.