Family Favourites - Food and Drink

Lots of goodies pass my lips each day, probably a little too many in fact, but with so many delicious products coming to my door it's no surprise that I like to indulge and sample a few. As do the Mr and Mini Mes.

Here are some recent arrivals that have been really popular with us as a family; you might want to add some into your shopping trolley...

I Mune Nurture Drinks

The strawberry and cherry flavour was well loved by the Mini Mes, especially with the unusual and handy spill proof lid which they liked to try. It pushes in to release the juice and then cuts the flow back off to stop leaks in bags - such a great idea for younger ones in particular! The drinks have

A Hassle-Free Holiday With APH

There is nothing quite like packing a suitcase, getting a flight to somewhere hot with beautiful views and enjoying a well deserved break from the norm. The Mini Mes are in their element on a sandy beach and I am never as relaxed as I am when sat beside a pool, palm trees swaying in the warm breeze while sipping a cocktail (or two!) before sneaking off to scoff the all inclusive buffet. Getting to and from our destination always seems to be a bit of a mission though, something that would give Ethan Hunt a run for his money! With heavy bags and hand luggage, coats and important documents to hand the last thing you really want to do is drop your car off miles away, wait around for a bus and then struggle to get everything onboard (and off again) before arriving at the airport. 

It would be much easier to drive straight there and jump out wouldn't it.

Preparing For A Special Day

Is it too early to mention the C word? Some of you may think it is but how nice would it be to have everything purchased and ready weeks in advance; it would be amazing! You could sit back and enjoy the festivities without worrying about forgotten gifts or getting a turkey last minute. I'm going to be super organised this year when it comes to buying perfect presents for family and friends and having all the food and drink we require ready for an unforgettable feast. 

I'm also hoping that shopping early will save me money, which it most certainly can do when you know where to look.

Win funky fashion with Boj

Boj is a brand new children’s animated TV series shown on CBeebies at 7.30am, 6 days a week. Perfect for those early risers! It is aimed at children aged 3-6 years old and it follows Boj, the cute main character who is a bilby; an endangered big-eared bandicoot from the Australian Outback. Boj has travelled to Giggly Park with his parent Pops (voiced by Jason Donovan) and Mimi, where they now live in their simple yet quirky underground home. It teaches the importance of manners and working together, something which all little ones can benefit from, as creative and messy Boj gets boj-ing to solve problems. It helps to encourage families to get crafty themselves and upcycle at home too which is great fun.

Innocent Alphabet Champions - X is for...

I'm a big fan of innocent as a brand. Not only are their smoothies and veg pots really delicious and convenient when on the go, but they make sneaking in a couple of those well needed 5 a day a doddle, especially when it comes to the kids! They use plenty of fruit in their drinks so they are bursting with flavour and they even make tubes which are 100% puree and juice that are ideal for lunch boxes. I couldn't really ask for more, especially with them currently being half price in many supermarkets too. We certainly took advantage of the offer recently.

Win a Jelly Jamm Bundle

Channel 5 Milkshake broadcast a lovely animated series named Jelly Jamm where your little ones can explore the planet of Jammbo and watch friendships develop with each fun episode. It's suitable for children aged 4-7 years of age but the characters are rather cute and comical so I don't object to watching this sometimes myself too! 

There is some rather energetic music to get the Mini Mes up and dancing throughout and it teaches important life sessions which is definitely a bonus. The kids can learn while being active, a win win situation.

Degustabox

If you are like me and love surprise deliveries a subscription to Degustabox might be just the thing for you! For just £12.99 a month, including delivery, you will receive 9-14 items from well known brands or newcomers to the market, to enjoy. There is no commitment required as you can quit at any time and it's a great way to discover food and drink products that you might not normally pick up with your weekly shop.

We certainly did with our August box...

Chocolate Brioche Bread and Butter Pudding

Our first Degustabox arrived a few days ago and buried within bubble wrap and pretty tissue paper were many delectable products including some croissants and brioche from Pasquier, a brand we often purchase ourselves. I decided to use the latter in a recipe, something I hadn't made in a while, and with its squishy centre and sweet crisp top, this bread and butter pudding was a simple success.

Ingredients

5 Pasquier brioche

Butter

Ship Ahoy! - Magical Moments

The ferry trip across the English Channel from France to end our fantastic Eurocamp adventure was a little rocky, to say the least. It was quite a windy and wet day so I expected the sea to be less calm than our initial crossing to Calais but still, it was a little worse than I had hoped for.

Me and the sea usually results in sickness so I wasn't looking forward to it, although I had prepared for the worst with a few nappy sacks in my pocket just in case much to everyone's amusement!

When travelling abroad we generally fly so this was a new experience for us as a family. I had travelled by boat once or twice with my parents as a child but never as a parent myself (bar a few

Keep bugs at bay, the Vosene way

With the children back at school and others starting for the first time, it's quite likely that at some point soon your little ones will return home with unwanted visitors. Head lice. 

Unfortunately as many as 63% of parents, with children aged 4-11 years of age, have said in a survey that their children have had head lice. Prevention is certainly better, and easier than cure, and Vosene's repellent products are here to help!

Lice go for clean or dirty hair, long or short, so if heads touch (they can't fly/jump) it is possible they will be transferred but you can certainly do your bit to try and prevent them. Vosene Kids shampoo and conditioning spray help to defend against head lice and leave hair clean and fresh with each use.

Chocolate Orange Custard Tart

With the Great British Bake Off back on our screens I've been drooling over the delightful creations each Wednesday and I've once again been inspired to bake something of my own.

With custard tarts featuring last week I thought I'd make one, but with such a sweet tooth I felt I needed to throw some chocolate in too!

With a crisp pastry and smooth, rich centre this is truly indulgent.

It goes perfectly served with fresh berries and or whipped cream.

The Koala Brothers Turn 10!

If you don't already know, ‘The Koala Brothers’ is an animation series for pre-schoolers which is broadcast by CBeebies within the UK. Your little ones can follow the adventures of Frank and Buster, two cute and friendly koalas living in the Australian outback, whose mission in life is to help others. From their isolated homestead, they fly out on daily patrol in their yellow aeroplane, looking for anyone in need of help. The series shows the true value of friendship and caring for others and has sold to 150 territories worldwide, been translated into 31 languages and it has even been nominated for four children’s BAFTA awards.

5 Dangers You Might Be Exposing Your Family To And Not Know It

Everyone wants to look after their families. There are many dangers though, that you might not even be aware of, and these may cause damage to your family’s long-term health. Here are five of these dangers to look out for:

1. Noise can damage your ears

Most people should be aware that exposure to loud noise at an early age can damage your ears. This is not an old wife’s tale. If your children enjoy loud music, or you constantly wander around the house with your iPod playing in your ears at full blast you could be setting a dangerous example to your family. Hearing deteriorates over time, and you may find that your family members will have to attend a Hidden Hearing clinic for a hearing aid at some stage in their future. It’s far better to explain how the ear can be damaged by excessive noise and let your kids appreciate the importance of their ears.

Personalised Chocolates From Thornton's

Receiving tasty treats from loved ones is always a pleasant surprise but when gifts are personalised too it adds an extra special touch. When food has your name on, quite literally, it also helps to prevent others from taking a sneaky nibble when they shouldn't, or it at least will make them feel a little guilty if they do!

Thornton's have a wide range of goodies and we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to try some; the 33 truffles above (£16) were our favourite and they are just one of the delicious products that we received. 

Take a peek at some of the others...

An easy guide to car insurance – what policy is best for you?

Car insurance is a complex and costly matter. 

Price comparison sites provide an interesting way of analysing car insurance, but also throw up its oddities. It seems strange, for example, that if one has suffered an accident in the past three years, the value often means little – a driver responsible for an accident which caused £200 of damage might still pay the same premium when it comes to renewal as an accident which caused £20,000. Meanwhile, the age of the car, or a slight location difference, might make a massive difference.

Despite this, drivers know that there are certain ways they can almost certainly cut costs; driving a cheaper car safely, paying in full rather than monthly, keeping the car in a safe location at night, and buying a car with good security measures from somewhere such as Kia Washington in Sunderland. They also know that some things will push up the price, such as driving an expensive or unusual car or amassing convictions. Until 2012 females paid less than males, but the European Court of Justice banned ‘gender pricing’ in 2012.

Back To School With Smiggle - WIN A £50 Bundle

The fresh uniforms are ironed and labelled, the fridge is stocked with lunch box goodies and the new bags are hung up above the shiny shoes. Although selecting all of these new items is fun, getting the stationery and pencil cases is our favourite part of going back to school and we like to seek out the most fun and quirky products available. It makes writing those stories and drawing those pictures a little more exciting doesn't is? 

Smiggle certainly helps with this!

The best education apps to help your child develop

With technology advancing at a rapid rate you can now find a host of educational apps that will help your child learn and develop. From puzzles and games to clever teacher/parent communication tools there are plenty to choose from, but which applications are the best?

Here are five apps that you simply must download:

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss 

Education should be fun, so why not download the Green Eggs and Ham app by Dr. Seuss and teach your child how to read in a lively, colourful and interesting way? A quirky, interactive e-book with plenty of animation, this app highlights words as the narrator reads, giving kids the chance to understand and learn new vocabulary. Youngsters can also record their own narration and click on objects to discover a word or sound.

Have our views on waiting for marriage changed?

Years ago the norm was very much that a man would court a woman, ask her to marry him, they'd get married, they'd live together. That’s the way it went. 

Now, our views on marriage have certainly changed and so many of us are having casual relationships and living together way before marriage, or perhaps not even getting married at all. We’re meeting partners in different ways, through online dating websites, and going on multiple dates, with several different people, before we meet our perfect match.

There are still plenty of people out there who wait for marriage before consummating their relationship (3% of people in the USA) but with so many of us living free and independent lifestyles, it's no wonder that bleeds into our relationships too.

In the 1950s more people waited for marriage but not as many as you might think. 11% of people in the USA waited for marriage back then. That figure has dropped dramatically in recent years. Most of