I think sometimes a lot of people misunderstand the intentions of the Real Bread Campaign, the organisation we are part of that promotes the use of traditional ways of making bread.

I think some folks just assume it’s all about making special breads – breads you’ll bring out when you have people around for a meal or for a special occasion. I’ve nothing against that. A lovely, special loaf of bread – a flavoured sourdough, say – can set off a meal. You can gain brownie points with friends by having great bread on your table.

Yet the Real Bread Campaign isn’t about special breads for special occasions. It’s about everyday breads for every day. It’s about replacing the mass-produced bread with loaves that have taken time to make. It’s about making a fundamental change to the country’s diet.

I’ve said all along that it would be great if everyone made their own bread but I know not everyone has the time. That’s where we step in. It would also be great if every village and town had its own real bread bakery like they do in France but I can’t see that happening. I do think, however, that it is possible to make a fundamental change to the things that we eat, to increase the goodness in what we take in and to reduce the salt and sugar we consume. Unless it’s a celebration loaf, most real breads contain no added sugar and minimal salt. In these days of processed and packaged food, that’s really important.

It’s all about flour, water, yeast and a little salt. That’s it. It’s not about sugar. It’s not about unnatural preservatives. It’s not about chemicals that make the bread bigger, whiter and airier. It’s about keeping it simple and chemical free. You’ll find no improving agents in a loaf of real bread. Just the natural stuff.

It’s a long campaign. Processed bread is cheaper and there’s nothing any real bread baker can do about that. It’s a fact of life. Yet there is a fundamental difference when you eat a loaf of real bread. It comes from a long tradition. It’s a bread your ancestors would recognise. It’s a loaf made with love and care.

So please continue to use real bread for special occasions. We’re more than happy with that. Just don’t forget that it’s for every day as well.