If you have a baby approaching 6 months old, you’re probably wondering where to start with weaning. There’s a myriad of ever-changing information out there, so you need to figure out who you trust and how to create a strategy that suits you and your baby without feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Here are some helpful … Read More
JUST ONE MORE BITE – HOW TO STOP BRIBING YOUR KIDS TO EAT “Just one more bite of broccoli and you can get down…” We’ve all been there… It’s hard not to be anxious when your child won’t eat the healthy food that you’ve lovingly prepared, but over time the dinner table can become a … Read More
Buying seasonal and local is the best you can do to reduce the carbon footprint of your diet. And food that hasn’t travelled is living it’s best and most nutritious life, so keep your eyes peeled for these ingredients to buy this month! Apples, potatoes, squash, celery, cabbage, carrots, onions, leeks, sprouts, red cabbage, pears, … Read More
Taking on baby-led weaning is a bit of a horror show at the start. Mess everywhere. I remember my husband coming in the back door from his garden office to find me arse-out on my hands and knees wiping up an explosion of couscous, yoghurt and defrosted berries. FLOORING After only a short, my husband … Read More
Pasta three or four nights a week getting you down? Finding it hard to get the variety in there? Never fear, here are ten family-friendly pasta dishes you can whip up in no time. FUSSY EATER ADVICE If you have a super-fussy eater, keep one thing the same each time. It could be the type … Read More
Whether you go out Trick or Treating for Halloween this year or not, there will definitely be an abundance of sweets and chocolate treats up for grabs in the next few weeks or months. And sometimes it’s hard to know how to walk the line between good cop and bad cop with how you handle … Read More
I’ve been investing some time in my breakfast lately and it makes the world of difference to my mood, concentration and snack cravings. And as a primary school teacher, I can tell you that children’s concentration is vital in the classroom, so it’s definitely worth investing some time in getting a filling and healthy breakfast … Read More
Kids have the most charming manners, don’t they? More often than not, it’s “URGH! THAT LOOKS DISGUSTING!” Or “Why did you make it like that?” Last week, Nicco told me that my food isn’t as good as the school dinners. I was actually quite pleased about the fact that he rates the school dinners seeing … Read More
Yep, it’s October already… You may be keen to reduce the food miles of your food by eating more local produce. And the supermarkets aren’t all that helpful at pointing it all out to you… So here’s a quick reminder of what’s in season in England in October: Figs Apples Pumpkins Squashes Cavolo Nero Kale … Read More
One of the biggest pieces of advice for improving fussy eating is to eat together as a family. So, how can you make eating together as a family more achievable, enjoyable and efficient? Here are some tips to help get you started. Habits and routines. Everything is easier when it’s done as a matter of … Read More
If you’re struggling to keep all your plates spinning, get your batch on, my friend. Make your meal for tonight AND save a family-sized portion in the freezer for next week… WINNER! Here are seven speedy batch cooks taken from my genius Recipe eBook The MasterPlan which you can find out more about here. Sausage … Read More
When it comes to vitamin supplements for our children, are we being conned into spending money on unnecessary products that could, in fact, be harmful or are we missing a great opportunity to help them succeed in life? Mother Nature is hard on us parents in the modern age. We want our children to thrive, … Read More
Look, I know you want to avoid a meltdown at teatime. I know it’s easier to just stick a stack of cucumber battons on the side and get the job done. But don’t forget that one of the biggest principles of overcoming fussy eating is to keep exposing the fuss-meisters to their most hated foods. … Read More
It’s just about now that I start to feel the festive anxiety rise. I’ve never been particularly organised with gift purchasing and sending – I’m always the one in the Post Office queue sending things off to relatives far and wide on the 22nd December. And don’t get me started on the mess in the … Read More
As a follow on to Alex Beard’s clever Christmas top tip about clearing out toys throughout December to make space for new ones arriving on Christmas Day, I thought I’d continue the theme of presents and explain the ‘Trips not Gifts’ policy we have adopted over the last few years. It’s helped us combat the … Read More
Even the most exotic dish can become mundane if repeated every other Tuesday ad infinitum. But it’s easily done: kids have a reputation for enjoying the same old familiar favourites. Experience tells you that they’ll kick up a stink if you attempt something new, so it’s hardly surprising that you’ve fallen deep into a rut … Read More
When it comes to feeling your best, your body needs nourishment – and what better way than from fruit and vegetables! We all know they’re good for us, but why? One of the main reasons is the antioxidants they contain! The survival of all living things relies upon antioxidants, and plant foods are 64 times … Read More
Combatting fussy eating with harmonious routines at the dinner table Would you rather sweat cheese or vomit marbles? What’s your favourite dinosaur? Beach or forest? Wellies or Flip flops? What would you change about your school if you were in charge for the day? How do bananas grow? *** Mealtimes can often be the most … Read More
Recipe books become an addiction after a while… And now I have the perfect excuse! Here is a collection of the books I keep returning to…
Every Monday night as we go to sleep, my husband leans over, gives me a kiss and whispers “Night. Love you. Bins in the morning”. Oh, be still my beating heart, you’re killing me with the romance. Luckily I get it, the bins are a big deal around here, I’m delighted it wasn’t me who … Read More
SUMMER BLOG SERIES – 3 Routines Summer holidays send everything into the breeze. All the happy, predictable old routines are shot to pieces and every. single. decision. becomes a trial and a challenge. I do love the freedom and fun times the summer holidays can afford me within the family set-up, but when the … Read More
Summer Holidays Blog Series – 2 – Camping CAMPING HACKS WITH GUEST BLOGGER SAM SWANN and a exclusive peek at two recipes from The MasterPlan! Camping is a bit marmite, isn’t it? I’m in the ‘love’ camp – pun intended – but even if you’re not a happy camper, there are still loads of … Read More
Summer Holidays Blog Series – 1 – Snack Attack AVOID A SUGAR CRASH THIS SUMMER WITH EASY PREP SNACKS I have an issue with garages and service stations. Sweets and plastic tut at kids’ eye level; how is any parent supposed to get through the holidays without seeming like a total meany? Don’t get me … Read More
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Call me lazy if you want, but I’ve always been hell-bent on getting my kids to do things for themselves. It feels right to me to encourage them to meet their own needs now that they’re older. What’s more, they have the ability. I think there’s a question in the two-year review: does your child … Read More
Let’s talk about the sexy stuff. I’m not kidding. I want to share what I think is sexy. I’m only talking about me, right… not passing judgement on anyone else. Just sharing how I feel about sexy times and how my definition of ‘sexy’ has changed as I’ve morphed into some semblance of a grown … Read More
“LIMES!” she squealed as she thumbed lemon wedges over the top of our dinner. We hadn’t expected that as we walked back in the room last Friday. It was as if she’d done a Little Britain-style leap up onto the table! And to be honest, it was the perfect start to the meal – once … Read More
I’m out out. I left a whirlwind behind me. I did make (& photograph) these meatballs, but I do feel a bit guilty for leaving such a mess in the kitchen/house for my husband to tidy up. I’m not sure I’d be so understanding if the shoe was on the other foot… But it can … Read More
Too much chocolate. Too many sweets. Too many sugar highs… Getting the right balance between healthy and fun is tricky at Easter. Manic little mentalists screaming for “MORE, MORE, MORE!” in the back of the car or worrying about them smearing chocolate dribbled faces all over grandma’s sofa is not my idea of fun. If … Read More
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Cook, eat, clean, repeat. Cook, eat, clean, repeat. Cook, eat, clean, repeat. Cook, eat, clean, repeat. Sleep….. And start again. The relentless nature of feeding young children makes it all the more frustrating when they start to enjoy chucking food. Why would they do that? How are we all supposed to react? It is possible … Read More
This boy has always had the ability to charm the pants off anyone. Look at those eyes! This is our middle one. He’s almost 5 now and in Reception at school. He’s a whirlwind. He’s exhausting. Basically, we stand in the wake of his Tasmanian-devil approach to life and we love it here. It was … Read More
Have you ever seen those incredible film clips of wild bears, jaws agog, intercepting salmon as they leap upstream? Well, let’s just imagine that’s me. Salmon’s a massive favourite of mine and I’ve been troubled by the price hike lately. In a time of tight budgets for us all, it’s impossible to add it to … Read More
My three children are 6, 4 & 3 and I can assure you that there is no shortage of drama at the dinner table, but with the right approach, we’ve found that it can be very short-lived. I have written and continue to write posts about happy vibes at tea time, but the biggest piece … Read More
We have a magic bag of things we take out to restaurants. I don’t want to sound like a show off, but we have four sets of grandparents (…divorce…not what I’m showing off about), five sets of siblings, and our combined friendship groups all close enough to see each other over food and drink, so … Read More
“Nooooooooooo!” he screamed. “I don’t like that!” This is the standard reaction from our middle one. He’s rarely at the table at the start of a meal. He’s not one for conforming. But this meal was special. We had two cousins staying with us and I’d prepared a two-part curry with naan and poppadoms in … Read More
When my babies were weaning, I found that there was no greater pleasure for me than watching them scoff down a scrambled egg. 🥚And only the other night, under the grips of an insomniac duvet wrestle, I started thinking about this post and what I would say about eggs. They border on the mundane. In … Read More
There she goes. My little warrior girl, sword in hand. Never looking back. We got rid of the stroller last weekend. I was a huge landmark for us. We’ve had a travel system/stroller in the boot of our car for the last 6.5 years. I can honestly say it’s a relief. Please don’t get me … Read More
My bloody husband is amazing at sleep. He could fall asleep ANYWHERE. I really mean it. ANYWHERE, ANYTIME. I’m so bloody jealous. I’m the opposite. Struggle to fall asleep, struggle to get back to sleep, struggle with sleep in general. It’s true that parenting tests your teamwork. Thankfully my melatonin-soaked life lobster agreed to do … Read More
Aged 6, 4 & 3, our tribe of kids wake up early and boy do they wake up hungry. On occasion, we hear them all pootle downstairs and grab bananas, and sometimes they even lay the table and eat bowls of Weetabix all lead by the eldest who switches into parent mode with staggering ease. … Read More
It’s taken a long time for the modest cauliflower to step out from under its coat of baked cheese and into the limelight. Previously underappreciated, cauliflower is now the Dark Prince of Versatility. Loved by veggies, vegans, paleo fanatics & keto followers for its ability to provide low-carb bulk as well as easy rice or … Read More
How do you manage your working hours? How does your partner manage it? How do you make family & work work? Man, it’s been so windy this week. The perfect weather for flying a kite. Cue a Mary Poppins singalong… Hilariously, kite flying was not our friend, despite gale force winds! We tried on Sunday. … Read More
Nervous about sugar levels in the yoghurts you offer your kids? Me too. I offered my babies natural yoghurt from the very start. They had no clue other, far sweeter yoghurts existed until they experienced them at Grandparents’ houses and play dates. It was no big deal for me at that point. Like I always … Read More
New post series about the food we simply shouldn’t miss off our shopping lists! This week – PESTO! We all have a friend who’s effortlessly stylish and great in any situation. Pesto is that friend. Great in a dress up, out-out situation: sophisticated and acts like an actual grown up. Great in a pub: making … Read More
People who talk to me about fussy eating and weaning tend to cite confidence as a bit of an issue when it comes to parenting and decision making. My NCT Group always take the mick out of me for saying I’m not confident. As they experienced 7 years ago, I’m great with new people, happy … Read More
Look at these two. My eldest and youngest having a snuggly moment over crumpets. My three children are all born inside a 3yr and 2 month window. Yes, my belly and bits did some solid work for a few years and now they’re having a well-earned rest! 90% of the time my kids are lovely … Read More
This is my middle one. He’s in Reception. We keep waiting for the crazy toddler phase to pass, but with him, it’s not a phase. He’s a live wire through and through. Along with an appetite for destruction, he’s got charm. Believe me, he could win you over in a heartbeat. You’d be at his … Read More
Ahhhh, wasn’t last weekend amazing? By complete chance, we were on the SouthBank with family drinking lager out of plastic cups as the kids made it their mission to get as filthy as humanly possible. There’s a load of kiddies’ games painted on the ground outside Royal Festival Hall & it was hard to drag … Read More
This table… I adore this table so much. It came into our lives Christmas five years ago after peeing on a stick for a second positive. Somehow another baby on the way warranted splashing out on a proper grown-up dining table to replace our knackered old hand-me-down. As a Christmas present to each other, we … Read More
Mealtimes are such a trap. I’ve been thinking a lot about fussy eating lately and the way I put my messages across to people about mealtimes. I am a huge believer in family mealtimes. Eating one meal together can really help you connect and communicate with an otherwise rowdy pack of petulant children. There is … Read More
I’ve been trying to figure out why I’m obsessed with laying the table…Well, firstly, I’m a crockery junky. I ruddy love a pretty serving bowl. So maybe that’s how this all started. But seriously, I lay the table the same way for each mealtime because it really works in a routine kind of way to … Read More
Mealtimes can be a nightmare if you have conflict at the table. Young children respond well to a routine, but sometimes they can be anxious or disruptive and it’s tough to bring them around. Here’s one thing to try to keep the mood light and help you stay zen… Music! We’ve always loved sharing music … Read More
Fajitas can be a quick and easy week night dinner! It really is possible. What’s more, the children love this kind of construction meal where they can build a wrap of their choice. If you’re battling with a fussy eater, this is definitely a meal you can sit back, relax and watch them enjoy.
There’s homework to do, laundry to put away, swimming kit to get ready, and grumpy grumpy tiny people who need your undivided attention otherwise they’ll riot and start trashing the kitchen (insert your latest toddler anarchy anecdote here) … but there’ll also be hell to pay if you can ‘t get some sort of tea on the … Read More
I recommend using cutlery from the very start, but you’ll find that they don’t use them in anger until about 12m. Much like cups, I’ve always been keen to move my children on to real cutlery, so I’ve offered them reduced sized metal cutlery as soon as possible. Tommee Tippee do a great first set. … Read More
Babies fling stuff, so you don’t need these on day one. You can use your normal crockery to plate up and place food directly on their tray. You will need to buy a set further down the line though, so here are my pearls of wisdom: In my experience, children bicker over which colour plate … Read More
I remember a colleague coming round when I was feeding my eldest when he was about 14m or so. I put an open cup of milk on his tray, he picked it up carefully, took a sip and put it back down without spilling. She was flabbergasted & I was beaming with pride! Drinking from … Read More
So, inevitably you have to take your messy little cherub out for a meal as some point. Initially it may be lunch in a café with mummy friends, but you will have to graduate to the slightly more formal confines of a pub or restaurant. DO NOT PANIC! It will be fine. Here’s the most … Read More
Tiddlers get grumpy if you don’t keep them fed! And when making the transition from milk to food, you’ll start to give them snacks. I recommend a 10.30am and 3pm sort of time schedule to keep the hunger grumps at bay! My dentist is quite insistent that snacks shouldn’t just be fruit, so when I … Read More
white bread porridge oats Shredded Wheat Bitesize cream cheese cheddar cheese avocado cherry tomatoes cucmuber hummus pepper plain natural yoghurt (Total) fresh fruit e.g. banana, satusumas, pears, kiwis, plums fresh veg e.g. carrots, courgettes, butternut squash, sweet potato, broccoli chicken thighs good quality sausages or sausagemeat – check salt content fusilli pasta risotto rice
Sandwich fingers – white bread (wholemeal is too filling) with cream cheese, cheese or hummus Breadsticks Crudites to dip into hummus or cream cheese e.g. pepper, carrot, cucumber, celery, avocado Salady items e.g. boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes cut in half Roasted veg e.g. carrot, butternut squash, courgette, sweet potato Steamed veg e.g. green beans, mange … Read More
Shredded Wheat Bitesize briefly soaked in breastmilk/formula/whole milk Porridgeovercooked to make it easy to pick up Toast with butter, peanut butter, cream cheese etc Eggs scrambled or omelette Eggy bread Pancakes Savoury muffins
So, this is your big investment. Many people see their highchair as a piece of furniture in their house and spend lots of time and money on it, others aren’t that bothered. You will need to consider these factors: storage – does it fold away for storage or is it part of your furniture? tray – … Read More