Food & Drink Trends Scavenger Hunt Tasks - 08 August 2026
Supermarket shelves, coffee shop menus, and restaurant queues tell the story of what the UK is eating and drinking right now. Spot a newly delivered kitchen food-waste caddy (or council-issued liner roll) in a Tamworth neighbourhood and photograph it outside a home (no house numbers), Locate a Warrington council food-waste collection caddy (or a ‘food waste’ sticker on a bin) and document the label text clearly, and more are among this week's 34 food and drink scavenger hunt tasks.
Each task is tied to a real story, trend, or cultural moment from this week. Grab your phone, head outside, and see how many you can tick off.
This Week's Tasks
1. Spot a newly delivered kitchen food-waste caddy (or council-issued liner roll) in a Tamworth neighbourhood and photograph it outside a home (no house numbers).
* After Tamworth Borough Council began delivering food-waste caddies ahead of the new weekly recycling service launch.
2. Locate a Warrington council food-waste collection caddy (or a ‘food waste’ sticker on a bin) and document the label text clearly.
* Following Warrington’s announcement of a new food-waste service launch.
3. In Hull, find any public notice (library, community board, or council info point) that mentions weekly food and garden waste collections starting March 2026 and photograph the date.
* After Hull City Council confirmed weekly food and garden waste collections will launch from March 2026 under Simpler Recycling.
4. Step inside a Greggs and photograph the counter/menu board showing the newly launched ‘insane’ new menu item name (no staff faces).
* After widespread excitement about Greggs launching a new menu item this week.
5. Taste a Greggs item that’s being pushed as ‘new’ this week and keep the receipt showing the item name as proof.
* Following this week’s coverage of Greggs’ new menu launch and customer buzz.
6. Buy a pack of Pringles and a chocolate bar, then photograph the ingredients laid out ready to attempt the viral ‘Pringles chocolate block’ at home.
* After UK coverage of the viral Pringles-and-chocolate recipe (and warnings it can go wrong).
7. Order eggs on toast somewhere and ask for them scrambled extra-soft, then caption your photo ‘frambled eggs’ in your hunt entry.
* Following UK coverage of the viral ‘frambled eggs’ trend.
8. Pick up a bag of frozen dumplings from a supermarket and photograph the front of the pack with a note: ‘dumpling lasagne attempt incoming’.
* After ‘dumpling lasagne’ was reported as being everywhere on TikTok this week.
9. Buy a small pack of mini chocolate buttons or colourful sweets and photograph them as your ‘dot cake’ topping stash.
* After Good Housekeeping highlighted the colourful viral dot cake recipe everyone is baking this weekend.
10. Find a café or canteen-style spot selling a ‘school dinner’ classic (e.g., sponge & custard, jam roly-poly, or cornflake tart) and photograph the menu/price tag.
* Following the BBC report about school dinner recipes going viral online this week.
11. In a supermarket, locate a shelf-edge label or endcap that says ‘NEW’ for Maggi ready meals and photograph the product front.
* After FoodNavigator reported the launch of Maggi ready meals this week.
12. Track down a Quorn product with a ‘NEW’ flash or new-pack callout and photograph the front label clearly.
* After FoodNavigator’s ‘just launched’ round-up included Quorn items this week.
13. In the baby food aisle, find an Ella’s Kitchen pouch that’s marked ‘new’ or part of a new range and photograph the flavour name.
* After FoodNavigator’s ‘just launched’ list referenced Ella’s Kitchen and other launches this week.
14. Visit a Waitrose and photograph one item from the revamped patisserie range that’s clearly labelled as new or part of the 16-product revamp.
* After Waitrose announced UK supermarket firsts in a 16-product patisserie revamp this week.
15. In Waitrose, locate a ‘UK supermarket first’ claim on patisserie packaging or shelf signage and capture the exact wording in a photo.
* Following Waitrose’s announcement of ‘UK supermarket firsts’ in its patisserie revamp this week.
16. Go to Asda and photograph a ‘NEW’ shelf strip or aisle header promoting the arrival of new products landing in stores this week.
* After reports that Asda unveiled a major food shake-up with 400 new products landing in stores this week.
17. In Asda’s frozen aisle, find any newly added product (with a ‘new’ flash) and photograph the front pack plus the freezer-edge price label.
* After coverage of Asda’s major frozen food overhaul with more than 400 new products.
18. Browse Asda and photograph one of the new own-brand ranges or refreshed packaging styles introduced in the latest ‘new ranges and lower prices’ push.
* After Grocery Trade News reported Asda launching new ranges and lower prices this week.
19. In Tesco, Aldi, or Sainsbury’s, photograph a changed aisle feature that reflects the new UK supermarket aisle rules now in force (e.g., re-positioned displays or updated signage).
* After reports that new UK supermarket aisle rules are now in force at Tesco, Aldi, and Sainsbury’s.
20. Find a Tesco (or another supermarket) end-of-aisle display that’s been ‘tidied’ into a more uniform block and photograph it as your ‘new aisle rules’ evidence.
* Following this week’s reporting on new UK supermarket aisle rules now in force at major chains.
21. Order a small ‘aperitivo-style’ snack plate (olives, crisps, nuts, or similar) with a soft drink and photograph the table setup.
* After coverage of ‘apéro to aperitivo’ food tourism trends shaping UK demand.
22. Spot a pub or bar menu that explicitly uses the word ‘aperitivo’ or ‘apéro’ and photograph the line item.
* Following this week’s discussion of aperitivo/apéro trends influencing UK food and drink choices.
23. In a Tesco, photograph a plant-based product that’s clearly positioned as a ‘veg-led’ cooking ingredient (not a meat substitute), like beans, pulses, or veg kits.
* After Tesco reported plant-based food is back in growth thanks to a veg-led scratch cooking trend.
24. Find a supermarket shelf tag that says ‘high protein’ on a ready-to-eat food (yoghurt, snack, or meal) and photograph it.
* After the BBC highlighted 2026 food trends likely to take over timelines and tables, including highly marketable nutrition-led positioning.
25. In a café, locate a ‘seasonal special’ cold coffee or iced drink on the specials board and photograph the exact drink name.
* Following multiple UK trend round-ups this week pointing to restaurant and café trend-led menus shaping what people order now.
26. Visit a local bakery and buy the most ‘comfort’ item on display (think gooey brownie, doughnut, or jam-filled bun) and photograph it before the first bite.
* After British Vogue highlighted comfort-forward food trends expected to be huge in 2026.
27. Seek out a pub that’s busy at the bar and photograph a soft drink in your hand while you’re standing (no faces), titled ‘vertical sipping’.
* After this week’s widely covered ‘vertical drinking’ debate put standing-at-the-bar culture in the spotlight.
28. In Soho or the West End, find a pub sign that mentions ‘standing room’ or ‘bar area’ and photograph the wording.
* After major coverage of the row about limiting standing (‘vertical drinking’) in central London pubs.
29. If you’re in Portsmouth, visit the new Friday city-centre street food market and photograph one stall’s chalkboard menu showing today’s specials.
* After Portsmouth City Council announced a new city-centre street food market making Fridays ‘tastier’.
30. If you’re in Suffolk, find the street food festival branding (banner, map board, or entrance sign) and photograph the festival name and year.
* After local reporting that a street food festival is returning to town for its third year running.
31. Find a Wingstop restaurant and photograph the in-store menu board showing any limited-time flavour or bundle.
* After national coverage that Wingstop plans to open 30 new restaurants across the UK following a major milestone.
32. In Leicester city centre, photograph the exterior signage or hoarding for the new Cluck’d opening (name visible).
* After reports that Cluck’d is opening its third UK location in Leicester this August.
33. In Oxford, find the Hickory’s Smokehouse ‘countdown to opening’ signage and photograph the opening date (or ‘coming soon’ board).
* After the Oxford Mail reported a countdown to the opening of a Hickory’s Smokehouse restaurant.
34. Photograph a pub chalkboard that lists at least one of the fastest-growing beers mentioned in trade coverage (beer name must be readable).
* After trade reporting highlighted several of the fastest-growing beers in UK pubs this week.
How to Play
These tasks are designed for BucketRace, the UK's favourite scavenger hunt platform. You can play solo or in teams, and each task is meant to be completed in the real world. Snap a photo as proof, share it with your group, and see who can complete the most.
New tasks are published every week based on what is actually happening in the UK, so no two weeks are ever the same. Follow us for next week's challenges.