As parents we have to teach our children so much, so they grow into well rounded humans able to function in the real world. Some of these skills are educational and developmental. While others are more practical life skills, such as cooking. I was asked by Worktop Express what my earliest food memories were. One of my earliest memories is cooking with …
Let them be bored challenge #PetitsFilousPlayFree
Do you let your kids be bored? I remember when I was a kid my Nanna used to always say ‘there’s no such thing as bored, just boring people’ and that told us! You know, I can’t ever remember being bored. My dad was terminally ill when I was young and so I’m sure my mum had her hands full. …
How much do your kid’s #PlayFree? #ad
Do you remember when you were a child? When I think back, what I remember is quite different to the childhood my daughter, and many of her little friends, experience today. As the world has speeded up, it seems we have a constant need for stimulation and this transfers to our children. I think my mum was a great mum. …
Robinsons has definitely grown up #Ad
When I think about fruit squash, I automatically think of Robinsons. It’s a product that families have bought and loved for years; our family being no different. I might be a 40 year old mum, but I adore Robinsons (although I have to get it shipped over to France!). Even though I love the original ranges, I was …
Having a Toddler-Sized Christmas time
Simply having a Toddler-Sized Christmas time Earlier this year I took part in the Toddler-Sized challenge, which encouraged parents everywhere to turn the evidence based guidance on feeding toddlers, developed by the Infant & Toddler Forum, into something easy and practical, to take the guess work out of feeding toddlers well every day. Thank you for your support then, and …
My BritMums Live Sponsor Holdsworth Chocolates
With Britmums Live one week away, I’m so excited to reveal my sponsor, Holdsworth Chocolates! EVERYONE loves chocolate and since I’ve become a mum, it’s become a staple in my diet! Holdsworth Chocolates create the most gorgeous premium handcrafted chocolates that have to be seen to be believed, seriously divine! The owner Barbara had a desire to create exquisite chocolates …
Back to School with Hartley’s jelly pots
With what feels like the blink of an eye the summer holidays are over and the weather is turning chillier. Parents everywhere are in an organising frenzy, as we all slide back into out autumn/winter routines. Ava starts school today and we have been so nervous and excited (me nervous – Ava excited!). Although Ava adores packed lunches, it isn’t …
Celebrate National BBQ Week with Robinsons
Summer is here! Woo hoo! For us that means more quality family time, plenty of adventures, alfresco dining and lots of BBQ’s. The warm summer evenings stretch out our days and encourage us to spend more time outside. Putting our chores aside and leaving our phones inside, giving us more chance to focus on each other. This week (29th of May- 4th of June) is National …
The think toddler-sized challenge!! Join in!
Calling all parents and carers to be part of THE biggest ideas-sharing activity in the UK! Last year, the (Infant & Toddler Forum) ITF launched the #rethinktoddlerportionsizes campaign to help raise awareness, that it’s not just what we put on toddlers’ plates – it’s also how much. Using the helpful portion size plates images, the campaign clearly showed how much food should be …
Our Super Yummies Mini Adventure
We all know that there are times when it can be difficult to keep kids entertained. Especially when the weather turns and it seems like it’s just rainy day after rainy day. We are fairly outdoorsy, but the thought of wet slides and soaking bottoms doesn’t appeal to us much. So there are times when we are rained off; putting …
The most important meal of the day featuring Nairn’s
We’ve joined the Nairn’s Naturally Energising Challenge. The challenge is a six-week lifestyle plan written in conjunction with nutritionist and broadcaster Amanda Hamilton. It has been devised to help busy families learn more about good nutrition and how to enjoy a healthier, more wholesome diet. Amanda’s top tip is that if you can’t pronounce an ingredient on the label, then you probably shouldn’t …
Quick and easy Christmas treats for teachers
Today as part of my Vlogmas videos, I thought I would share a quick and easy Christmas treat idea for teachers. Super easy and really inexpensive too. There is also a fridge cake thrown in there too! [vc_video title=”Christmas Treats for teachers” link=”https://youtu.be/ph3IxhfmeMw “]
The Mince Pie Taste Test
I live really close to my good friend Laura. Maybe stupidly, we both agreed to do Vlogmas and so we started to think about a video we could do together. We have already shared our Blogger’s Wish Lists and today we are sharing our Mince Pie Taste Test! No-one like a disappointing mince pie, so we thought we would test …
Del Monte fruit three ways #yestothebest
We were challenged by Del Monte to create yummy recipes using their tinned fruit. Always one for a challenge I agreed and set to work thinking of what we could create. Gone are the days of a relaxed afternoon baking by myself. Now it’s a military style operation, which is far from relaxed as Ava likes to get quite involved! …
Less Spills, Less Mess with new #RibenaMinis
One thing you have to get used to as a parent is mess. Kids make a huge amount of mess and a significant proportion of this mess is spillages! If I had a pound for every time Ava spilled her drink… Well, I would currently be on a beach in Barbados… Whether it’s in the living room or all over the …
Win your dreams for the day with Sun-Pat #SunPatDreams
We adore baking, I think it’s probably one of Ava’s most favourite things to do. We often bake after nursery and take our goodies to friends or neighbours. So when Sun-Pat asked us if we wanted to be involved in their campaign and rustle up something yummy, we were in! Ava has always loved peanut butter, so she was …
Our Yeo Valley Little Yeos Yummy Bark
I have always loved baking, in fact I applied for the Great British Bake Off a few years back. Sadly, Mary Berry was so immune to my baking talents that I didn’t even get interviewed for the show. So, I was very glad when Ava developed a love of cooking and baking too. I’m on the Cambridge Diet and Mr Hubby …
How often do you #CookSomethingGrand?
Do you cook with you kids? From scratch? As parents, most of us appreciate the benefits of cooking with our kids and passing on our culinary skills to them at a young age. In fact, 94% of parents believe cooking is a vital life skill, with 95% believing home cooking is the healthier option. Knowing these stats, it is surprising that …
Yummy Scrummy Chocolate Cake
Baby is obsessed by baking and the only spanner in the works, is that I’m on on the Cambridge plan and can’t eat CAKES! However, we were invited to a friend’s house for a playdate earlier in the week, which gave us a fab opportunity to get our bake on. Baby’s favourite is chocolate cake, so chocolate it was. I …
Quick Chocolate Brownies
Baby and I both love baking, so a few days ago we made these yummy chocolate brownies. They were so quick and easy to make, definitely one to do when you haven’t got much time. Being on the Cambridge diet, there were none for me, but Baby and the neighbours enjoyed them! The recipe uses the all in …
Our Tefal Cook4Me experience
A few weeks ago I was invited by Tefal to an event in London to try out their Cook4Me, an intelligent multi-cooker. I make no bones about the fact that I dislike cooking; I actually find it quite stressful. Baking, I really enjoy; it’s methodical and rarely results in lots of pans bubbling over at the same time. So I …
Easy no-bake Cookie Dough Truffles
I love baking and Baby does too, so last week we made these really quick and east no-bake cookie dough truffles. Baby really enjoyed helping to make them and she can testify that they were very tasty too! Easy no-bake Cookie Dough Truffles Makes 20 small truffles Ingredients 75g butter, softened 110g brown sugar 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 125g …
Pimm’s strawberry dream cake to celebrate Wimbledon
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias Wimbledon, one of the most well loved tournaments in the tennis calendar starts today. For me, Wimbledon is typically British and conjures up images of grass courts, sunny days, not to mention the strawberries and cream. I have never been a tennis player, but …
How to encourage kids to #EnjoyMoreWater
I don’t like water, there I said it! I know I should, but I am just not a fan of plain water. I am lucky though, that ever since Baby has been old enough she has loved drinking and although she would probably prefer juice or cordial, she happily drinks plain water. Having said that I would not know exactly …
Miele Steam Tox Retreat & a peek at their countertop steam oven
Press events come in all shapes and sizes. Some are casual, low key affairs; while others are epic. Last Monday, I went to a press event which definitely fell into the latter category. I was with a group of bloggers and journalists who were invited by Miele to what they called their Steam Tox Retreat. The venue for this intriguing event …
Cheese Rules! Our Cathedral City family favourites
Cheese is a staple of many family meals and it is certainly something we always have in the fridge without fail. Whether it’s cheese on toast as a winter comforting snack, making up a cheese board after dinner or topping some yummy nachos, cheese is definitely a firm family favourite. The folk at Cathedral City, the nation’s favourite cheddar, challenged me …
Baby’s #PetitsFilousFirsts
Baby has always loved Petits Filous and she has been eating My First Petits Filous since she was a baby. Since then she has experienced so many ‘firsts’; first steps, first time at the beach, first time on a pony, first time camping, first holiday, first bike ride, the list goes on. Every day it seems as if another first just …
#OrganicUnboxed Challenge
The #OrganicUnboxed challenge is a campaign sharing how easy it is to switch over elements of our shopping list to organic without it costing a fortune. I was recently asked to take the #OrganicUnboxed challenge and never one to shy away from a challenge, I accepted. It was very exciting when a large box of organic produce arrived! The challenge was to devise tasty food …
Looking After Your Family With The Help Of Clover
It can be really difficult to feed your kids healthy, natural food, that they will actually eat. Baby is a fussy eater and her antics have caused me so much stress over the last couple of years. I am sure we all want to feed our children the best food we can, but when they won’t eat it, it can …
Easter Slow Cooker Fudge
It’s Easter next weekend and you might want to make some tasty treats or even Easter gifts for friends or family. Nice idea? Short of time? Then you need this recipe for Easter Slow Cooker Fudge. It is so simple, two main ingredients, no effort, no elbow grease! Here is a little video showing you how to make this …