'I tried the most eco-friendly Christmas dinner in the West Midlands - and was pleasantly surprised'

Conference Aston, a top conference venue in Birmingham, located in the Aston University campus, has created one of the UK's most eco-friendly Christmas dinners.

With more people and businesses becoming more aware of their carbon footprints, they launched more eco-friendly options for their guests earlier this year - and now they have made the decision to make their Christmas dinner more environmentally friendly. 

They’ve calculated the carbon footprint of traditional holiday foods and designed a "green" menu that shows the classics are a great choice for an environmentally-conscious Christmas. 

Each dish in this three-course meal - on the £44.99 set menu - releases only 0.2-1.2KG of CO2e, making it a climate-friendly way to enjoy the holiday season.

Now, I admit that I am not as clued up on the carbon footprint of the food I consume as I probably should be. When I think of eco-friendly food, my mind instantly goes to vegan products and while I do enjoy some vegan dishes, I wasn't so sure that I would trade my traditional roast for it. 

However, the hotel and conference centre do offer our traditional favourites on their "green" menu - and I was excited to give it a try. 

Starter - Spiced Apple and Parsnips Soup

When it comes to starters, I do love a soup option - especially in the winter. There is just something so warm and cosy about it. 

It warms the belly without spoiling your appetite for the main - especially when it is as smooth as this.