“It’s amazing to be cooking something you have put a year into growing,” says Millie Diamond, 28, stirring the sausage ragu she has cooked us for lunch for our interview in her south London flat.

“It is one of the nicest things because we’re not from a farming background but I know exactly what I’m feeding people – and I am proud of it.”

It’s a far cry from the last time we met, two months earlier on a cold January day in north Wales. The day Millie was taking her three pigs to the abattoir after rearing them for eight months.

It takes a brave family to take on three piglets knowing they are intended for slaughter. But meat is a staple for many of their meals, especially big family get-togethers and pork is a favourite. Even on Christmas Day they eschew turkey and opt for porchetta – an Italian dish of deboned pork (often a whole small pig in Italy) – smothered in a fennel, lemon, chilli and garlic rub.

Mum Belinda, step-dad Iain, Millie and her younger brother Fraser also have a lot of table discussions about provenance, ethics and sustainability, and decided they probably shouldn’t be eating meat if they couldn’t rear and send an animal to slaughter themselves.

“When we tuck into our delicious bacon sandwich, dripping with fat and dunked in ketchup, do we really associate it with that friendly little piggy? Do we even want to?” Millie asks.

They also decided to embark on this journey because they have a small orchard in their garden, dotted with gnarled little fruit trees that produce so much fruit no amount of preserving, pickling, baking and pureeing can use it all up.

Looking after the pigs was relatively easy, but it was building the fence that was the hard part (Millie Diamond) (Lizzie Rivera)

So, the family picked up three female Gloucester Old Spots, traditionally orchard pigs, in May last year. They were just 10 weeks old and tiny, like little puppies. And to prepare, Millie was gaining work experience on a pig farm in Sweden.

“It was really exciting to know they were waiting for me,” she says. “At first, I was pretty gung-ho about taking them to slaughter because I had taken two pigs in Sweden to an abattoir in Uppsala. But I didn’t really have a clue what was awaiting us because you can’t help but bond with animals and it’s totally different when they’re yours.

“We put everything in to make them as happy as possible.”

They purposefully didn’t name the pigs and tried not to get too attached but, of course, they each had a distinct character. The little one was the most cautious, she wasn’t at all happy when she had to be stamped (for the abattoir) whereas the bigger one didn’t even bat an eyelid and simply carried on eating. The middle one always followed the leader but would butt in if she saw she was missing out on strokes.

For the most part, looking after the pigs was relatively easy. Building the fences was the hardest part, but Fraser took charge of that task.

Other than that, it was important to socialise with them every day and top up the straw in their shed about once a month. Pigs are typically very clean animals and they had a dedicated site where they defecated, away from where they ate.

After getting the pigs for £30 each at 10 weeks old, the family made sure to socialise with them every day (Millie Diamond) (Lizzie Rivera)

Food made them very happy, they ate bananas every day – the skins if they were hungry, just the banana if not. In summer they had their fill of apples and pears from the orchard and every week there was a bag of fruit and vegetables waiting on the drive from friends and neighbours.

For Millie, documenting their experiences on Instagram is a way to address the disconnect in society between our love of animals and the food on our plate.

Although some of her images can seem quite shocking, especially as they weave from a newborn piglet to a severed pigs head, she maintains these are the things we have to confront if we choose to eat meat.

It's been a great way to get in touch with experts, who offered advice and support when needed. But the backlash from some vegans was so extreme she had to be careful when to post and she’s still wary about revealing her location.

Food and drink news Show all 35 1 /35 Food and drink news Food and drink news Healthy living makes us more inclined to binge, research suggests Gluten-free breads, dairy-free milks and other plant-based products have been some of the most favoured foods in British supermarkets this year. However, while we’re busy filling our shopping trolleys with gluten-free goodness, we’re also jamming it with junk food and alcohol, new research suggests Getty/iStock Food and drink news Growing list of Vegan celebs Making the switch to veganism is a major lifestyle choice, one that many claim can improve energy levels, lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and clear up any skin issues. Beyoncé, Natalie Portman and Jessica Chastain are among the growing list of Hollywood stars who have eschewed animal products from their diets in recent years. There’s also been an increasing number of professional athletes who have gone vegan, such as boxing champions Mike Tyson and David Haye, thus debunking the myth that following a plant-based diet will leave you feeling weak and malnourished. AFP/Getty/NARAS/iHeartMedia Food and drink news McDonald's has announced the launch of a new vegan burger on its menu in Germany This will mark the first time the German franchise of the fast food chain has offered a vegan burger to its customers. The Big Vegan TS burger consists of a patty made from soy and wheat. It is served in a classic sesame seed bun, and contains salad, tomato, pickles and red onion. McDonald's Germany Food and drink news Drinking too many protein shakes could lead to an increased risk of obesity and a reduced lifespan, a new study has claimed Researchers from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre carried out an investigation to determine the impact excessive consumption of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) has on the body. BCAA supplements are often consumed in the form of powder, which is then added to water to make a shake. Published in journal Nature Metabolism, the study found that while BCAAs help to build muscle, they can also negatively impact an individual's temperament, cause weight gain and lead to a shortened lifespan Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Britain consumes more chocolate than any other country Most people love chocolate but it turns out no one does more than the Brits – with the average Brit found to have consumed 8.4 kg of chocolate in 2017, according to new data. Chocolate consumption around the world is on the rise, according to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), which found that in the past year alone, Easter chocolate production has risen by 23 per cent Food and drink news 'Easter eggs should be banned for children under four' Dr Becky Spelman, chief psychologist at Harley Street’s Private Therapy Clinic, is calling for Easter eggs to be banned for consumption for children under the age of four, claiming that giving them the opportunity to binge on chocolate so young will give them an unhealthy relationship with food later on. "This is a nightmare situation for parents of this generation as they have no idea how to teach their children to delay their response to cravings,” she said, explaining that too many young kids binge on these chocolates because their parents don’t know how to stop them. "Once a child starts overeating behaviour at a young age it’s very hard to turn things around for them in terms of food and their eating habits moving forward, leading to obesity from at very young age," she added PA Food and drink news Pineapple overtakes avocado as the UK's fastest-selling fruit According to Tesco, pineapple has overtaken avocado as the UK’s fastest-selling fruit, with sales increasing by 15 per cent in 2017. In comparison, avocado sales rose by just under 10 per cent last year. The popular supermarket says the surge in popularity comes as shoppers buying the versatile fruit are beginning to use it as a main ingredient in everything from curries and barbecues, to juices and cocktails Getty Food and drink news Marks & Spencers launches stoneless avocados Rather than the result of genetic modification, the avocados are formed by an unpollinated avocado blossom. The fruit develops without a seed which in turns stops the growth, creating a small, seedless fruit. What’s more, the skin is actually edible, unlike a regular avocado. The flesh is much like that of a normal avocado - smooth and creamy, pale in colour and rich in flavour M&S Food and drink news Office teabags contain 17 times more germs than a toilet seat, reveals study The average bacterial reading of an office teabag was 3,785, in comparison to only 220 for a toilet seat. Other pieces of kitchen equipment also stacked up highly in their findings, with the bacterial readings averaging at 2,483 on kettle handles, 1,746 on the rim of a used mug and 1,592 on a fridge door handle Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news New study shows drinking more coffee leads to a longer life There is good news and a final hope for coffee addicts and lovers. You will now be able to drink coffee for longer as new study shows its can lead to a prolonged life. Scientists showed that those who drank between two and four cups of coffee a day had 18% lower risk of death compared to non-coffee drinkers. PA Food and drink news Coke Zero is replaced with Coke Zero Sugar Coca-Cola is pulling the plug on its Coke Zero. The much loved drink will be replaced with a ‘new improved taste’. The move, backed with a £10 million campaign, is said to come from Coca-Cola supporting people to reduce their sugar intake. Coca-Cola want people make this move while not sacrificing sugary taste of Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola Food and drink news Starbucks introduce new avocado spread The avocado craze has grown from hipster brunch restaurants to Starbucks. Starbucks have introduced their new avocado spread earlier this year and it has the internet in debate. Some argue that it not a spread but guacamole while others question if there is any avocado in there at all. When buying the new spread you can also buy an optional toasted bagel. It is a must try for all avocado connoisseurs. Starbucks Food and drink news New Mars chocolate bar The iconic British chocolate bar is about to get its partner in crime. The new bar, named Goodness Knows, will replace the gooey caramel goodness of the mars bar with oats. It is said to be more like a Florentine biscuit with a thin dark chocolate bottom. While being moderately healthy Mars says that is has ‘good intentions’. One pack has 154 calories and will sell for about 90p. Mars Food and drink news Wine prices could increase because of Brexit Wine lovers across the UK might soon have to shell out close to a quarter more for their favourite tipple after Brexit, as a weaker pound and sluggish economy takes its toll, a new study shows Rex Food and drink news Chocolate may be good for the heart A new study, published in the British Medical Journal: Heart, found that moderate chocolate intake can be positively associated with lessening the risk of the heart arrhythmia condition Atrial Fibrillation Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Brits throw away 1.4 million bananas each year British families are throwing away 1.4 million bananas that are perfectly good to eat every day at cost of £80m a year, new figures have shown PA/Armin Weigel Food and drink news Rosemary sales spike over exam time There has been a surge a surge in sales of the herb rosemary after a recent study found it helps improve memory. According to high street health food chain Holland & Barrett, sales of the herb have increased by 187 per cent compared to the same time last year Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Gluten-free diets 'not recommended' for people without coeliac disease Avoiding wheat, barley and rye in the belief that a gluten-free diet brings health benefits may do more harm than good, according to a team of US nutrition and medicine experts Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Starbucks launches two new coffee-based drinks Starbucks is launching two new coffee-based drinks in the UK, as it strives to tap into consumers’ growing appetite for healthy beverages. The Cold Brew Vanilla sweet cream and the Cappuccino Freddo, will both be available in stores throughout the UK from the start of May Twitter/@SbuxCountyHall Food and drink news Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Tiffin is making a permanent comeback after 80 years The Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin, first produced in 1937, is making a permanent comeback to the UK. The raisin and biscuit-filled chocolate bar is being launched after a successful trial last summer saw 3 million chocolate treats – at the cost of £1.49 for each 95g bar- purchased by nostalgic customers Cadburys Food and drink news Pizza restaurant makes ‘world’s cheesiest’ 'Scottie's Pizza Parlor' in Portland Oregon has created the world’s cheesiest pizza using a total of 101 different cheese varieties. Facebook/Scottie's Pizza Parlor Food and drink news A pizza joint in Portland Oregon has created the world’s cheesiest pizza using a total of 101 different cheese varieties. Why not eating before a workout could be better for your health A study published in the American Journal of Physiology by researchers at the University of Bath found you might be likely to burn more fat if you have not eaten first Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news New York restaurant named best in the world A New York restaurant where an average meal for two will cost $700 has been named the best in the world. Eleven Madison Park won the accolade for the first time after debuting on the list at number 50 in 2010. The restaurant was praised for a fun sense of fine-dining, “blurring the line between the kitchen and the dining room” Getty Images Food and drink news Why you crave bad food when you’re tired Researchers at Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University in Chicago recently presented their results of a study looking into the effects of sleep deprivation upon high-calorific food consumption. Researchers found that those who were sleep-deprived had “specifically enhanced” brain activity to the food smells compared to when they had a good night’s sleep Shutterstock Food and drink news Drinking wine engages more of your brain than solving maths problems Drinking wine is the ideal workout for your brain, engaging more parts of our grey matter than any other human behaviour, according to a leading neuroscientist. Dr Gordon Shepherd, from the Yale School of Medicine, said sniffing and analysing a wine before drinking it requires “exquisite control of one of the biggest muscles in the body” Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news British dessert eating surges after people ditch healthy eating in February : In heartening news for anyone feeling guilty about quitting their New Year diet, it seems lots of us have given in to our sweet tooths once again. New data from nationwide food-delivery service Deliveroo reveals there was a surge in Brits ordering desserts in February compared to the first month of 2017 Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news US congress debates definition of milk alternatives A new bill has been created that seeks to ban dairy alternatives from using the term ‘milk’. Titled the DAIRY PRIDE Act, the name is a tenuous acronym for ‘defending against imitations and replacements of yogurt, milk, and cheese to promote regular intake of dairy every day’. It argues that the dairy industry is struggling as a result of all the dairy-free alternatives on the market and the public are being duped too Getty Images Food and drink news Cadbury’s launches two new chocolate bars UK confectionary giant Cadbury has launched two new chocolate bars, hoping to lure those with a sweet tooth and perhaps help combat some of the challenges it faces from rising commodity prices and a post-Brexit slump in the value of the pound.The company’s new products will be peanut butter and mint flavoured. They will be available in most major super markets as 120g bars, priced at £1.49, according to the company Cadburys Food and drink news You can now get a job as a professional chocolate eater The company responsible for some of your favourite chocolate brands – think Cadbury, Milks, Prince and Oreo – have officially announced an opening to join their team as a professional chocolate taster. The successful candidate will help them to test, perfect and launch new products all over the world. Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news MSG additive used in Chinese food is actually good for you, scientist claims For years, we’ve been told MSG (the sodium salt of glutamic acid) - often associated with cheap Chinese takeaways - is awful for our health and to be avoided at all costs. But one scientist argues it should be used as a “supersalt” and encourages adding it to food. Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Lettuce prices are rising Not only are lettuces becoming an increasingly rare commodity in supermarkets, but prices for the leafy vegetables seem to be rising too. According to the weekly report from the Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, a pair of Little Gem lettuces had an average market price of £0.86 in the week that ended on Friday, up from an average of £0.56 in the previous week – that’s an almost 54 per cent increase. Getty Images Food and drink news ‘Do-It-Yourself’ restaurant To encourage more people to cook and eat together, IKEA has launched The Dining Club in Shoreditch – a fully immersive ‘Do-It-Yourself’ restaurant . Members of the public can book to host a brunch, lunch or dinner party for up to 20 friends and family. Supported by their very own sous chef and maître de, the host and their guests will orchestrate an intimate dining experience where cooking together is celebrated and eating together is inspirational Mikael Buck / IKEA Food and drink news Ping Pong menu with a twist Gatwick Airport has teamed up with London dim sum restaurant Ping Pong to create a limited edition menu with a distinctly British twist; including a Full English Bao and Beef Wellington Puff, to celebrate the launch of the airport’s new route to Hong Kong Food and drink news Zizzi unveil the Ma’amgharita Unique pizza art has been created by Zizzi in celebration of the Queen’s 90th birthday. The pizza features the queen in an iconic pose illustrated with fresh and tasty Italian ingredients on a backdrop of the Union Jack Food and drink news Blue potatoes make a comeback Blue potatoes, once a staple part of British potato crops, are back on the menu thanks to a Cambridge scientist turned-organic farmer and Farmdrop, an online marketplace that lets people buy direct from local farms. Cambridge PhD graduate-turned farmer, Adrian Izzard has used traditional growing techniques at Wild Country Organics to produce the colourful spuds, packed with healthy cell-protecting anthocyanin, which had previously disappeared from UK plates when post-war farmers were pushed towards higher-yielding varieties

Local farmers were generous with food, straw and advice – but they also admitted to looking forward to the day they would watch these inexperienced ‘newbies’ chase their escaped pigs down the lane.

Luckily, it never happened. Although, the pigs did cleverly short the electric fence more than once by nudging logs against it, and one time used the opportunity to even climb into the nearby chicken coop.

The family have two chest freezers filled with pork including more than 1,000 sausages (Millie Diamond)

That was as far as their escape artists got. Life for the three pigs was pretty cosy and as December got colder they retreated from the icy mud and spent more time in their warm shed.

Eventually, though, the day came to coax the pigs into a trailer to take them to the abattoir. They were fed in the trailer every day for a week to acclimatise them to the space and on the final day they enticed up the ramp with bananas where straw and buckets of organic cider awaited them, a tip picked up from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Millie's mum, Belinda, step-dad Iain and her younger brother Fraser all reared the pigs together (Lizzie Rivera) (Millie Diamond)

“I felt guilty because they trusted me and I lead them into a trailer. The little one went straight away – she was so trusting. At the same time I was grateful that it wasn’t horrific,” says Millie.

The whole family went to the abattoir. Iain drove, but didn’t come out until the pigs were secured in the vehicle and and he didn’t get out see them leave it. His last memory of the pigs is in their garden at home.

Things got a little less cosy, and a lot more real at the abattoir, which was about a 20-minute drive away in the middle of the local village.

The pigs were reluctant to leave the trailer and to investigate the unfamiliar lairage (the area where animals are held before slaughter). The abattoir worker didn’t have the same patience as the family did to tempt them out with apples and anything edible they could find in the car.

“Don’t rush them,” Millie pleaded.

But there was work to be done and these weren’t the only pigs to be dispatched that afternoon. The carcass hanging in the window was a stark reminder they weren’t first, either.

“The day before we took them to the abattoir the thought that we don’t have to do this was running through my head – there was nothing forcing us,” Millie reflects. “But I also knew none of us was going to back out, either.”

For two days after Millie cried. Then, acknowledging there was no turning back, Millie was eager to get to the butchers. She was curious to see whether she would recognise each pig without their markings – she did and it reassured her to know it was definitely her pigs she was butchering and eating

The pigs were fed on apples which gave the meat a nutty and fruity flavour (Millie Diamond) (Lizzie Rivera)

“We needed to do justice to these animals and, I guess, enjoy the process because what’s the point if you’re not going to reap the rewards?” she says.

She took her friend, Tilly, a butcher, with her for encouragement and support. It took five butchers four hours to carve up two of the pigs – the third was saved for the next day when Belinda, Iain and Fraser could go.

The butchers were impressed with how healthy everything looked. The meat was rich and darker in colour, rather than insipid and pale like you find in the supermarket. There was good level of fat and marbling, evidence of their slower growth.

Strike a pose: Millie was able to recognise her pigs (Millie Diamond)

The first thing the family ate was pork chops. Initially, the butchers said the pigs were too fat for this cut – they each weighed about 100 kilos when they went to the abattoir, more than 50 per cent bigger than the average size of a farm pig.

Iain wasn’t keen to get chops either as he usually finds them bland and dull, but Millie was insistent because she wanted to taste the meat in as pure as form as possible.

“They were huge, a third fat and two-thirds meat. Iain was amazed at the flavour: "They were nutty and fruity and I’m convinced that’s because we fed them loads of acorns and apples,” he said.

The local abbatoir is a family run affair, with a butcher's shop nearby (Lizzie Rivera) (Millie Diamond)

The pigs had a predominantly organic diet, although they weren’t certified as such. The family simply believed this would create better tasting meat.

The pigs cost £30 each to buy, £25 each to be killed and £50 each to be butchered. Fencing cost about £700 and food around £250. Each pig gave £350 of meat back, so the family basically broke even. But if they do it again, they would make a profit as the biggest expense – the fencing – is already there.

"I guess basically it reinforces the point that having your own small holding is a much more financially feasible way forward to get good food on the table," says Millie.

For that amount, the family has had a life-changing experience and sharing it on social media has already proved a powerful tool for starting discussions and changing attitudes towards food consumption.

They’ve also now got two chest freezers filled with pork including more than 1,000 sausages, countless rashers of sweet and dry cure bacon, pork belly, a huge bag of offal and skin (for pork scratchings) – plus two prosciutto legs drying in the garage that will be ready to eat in about a year.

With all the dishes they cook, they try to let the pork shine through – the chops were simply cooked with oil, salt and pepper in a pan. They’ve feasted on ribs cooked on a makeshift smoker, using the wood burner indoors because it was raining, and served with a BBQ glaze.

Of course, nose to tail eating goes without saying and pigs cheeks have been stuffed with cornbread and wrapped in bacon. Millie also boiled the head and picked all the meat off it to make a pressed Italian sausage.

As for the sausage ragu? There are no tomatoes in this recipe, just salt, pepper, fennel and oil. It’s a dish I would never think to cook – and it’s fresh and full of flavour.

Follow the rest of Millie’s journey on Instagram @piglet2plate