The Funny Things Kids Say and Do - Tween Attitude

Children are often pushing boundaries and seeing just how far they can go before parents pop from pure frustration, and this is the same with the Mini Mes. Generally there is very little conflict in our household, which is just how it should be, but with Minxy turning into a teen (how is she nearly 13 already?!) hormones can certainly hit hard at times and cause a few minor issues. 

Life isn't perfect and my stress levels do sometimes increase...

When out recently purchasing new school shoes, the Mini Mes had asked if we could have dinner at a nearby restaurant. I must admit that a night away from the oven and dishwasher was rather tempting, along with the salad bar, so we agreed but made sure that they both knew we would be having the pulled pork I had planned for that evening the following lunch instead. 

A Family Feast with Bella Italia

We eat out quite regularly as a family but I'd never thought about going to Bella Italia until an invitation to do so popped up in my email account. There isn't one that locally to us and I certainly wasn't aware that they had such an amazing children's menu as they do - you can have a smaller portion of an adults meal which is ideal for Minxy and Jamster as they generally eat the same as we do.

We were invited to the Milton Keynes restaurant on Savoy Crescent where nearby parking after 6pm is free. We were the only people there when we arrived so we could take our pick from the tables but by the time we left, an hour and half later, staff were turning people away as it was fully booked! This was proof that the food and  service were really good, especially for a Monday. It's definitely wise to book in advance like we did.

A Family Feast with Frankie & Benny's

Frankie & Benny's is a place where we have enjoyed dining at several times over the past few years. It has a large menu with dishes to suit most tastes and a lovely relaxed atmosphere; it's somewhere you can take young children and enjoy a family meal comfortably with reasonable prices.

We were pleased to be invited back recently to try the updated menu and I quickly set a time and date for our booking, as I was eager for a night away from the kitchen (and dishwasher) and some delicious food.

Saturday Caption - The HUGE Dinner Edition

We went for dinner at Frankie & Benny's last week and I was rather shocked at the portion sizes for the kids....

Mahoooosive!

There were no complaints from Jamster though as he loves BBQ ribs.

An Evening at Red Hot World Buffet

I was delighted to be selected as a Tastemaker earlier this year, giving me the opportunity to try delicious cuisines all under one roof; Red Hot World Buffet. I scheduled a meal as soon as possible, selecting a Wednesday when the Mr and I are child-free, to enjoy some quality couple time with some quality food. Who doesn't enjoy a night away from the dirty dishes!?

We were shown to our table and I headed straight for the cocktail menu, I thought it was only right to make the most of the night with a few alcoholic beverages. While the lovely waitress fetched our drinks we made our way to the wide selection of salads, sushi and starters to begin.

What I love about Red Hot is that you can help yourself to as much or as little as your like, when you want, for a set price. You don't wait to be served you simply grab a plate and top up on whatever you fancy. 

For my first plate I chose:

 

Buffalo Cheese and plum tomato with basil pesto

Sweetcorn

Chicken tikka

Sheekh kebab

Chicken pizza

Chilli Chicken

Potatoes

Sushi

Everything tasted fresh, the salad was juicy and crisp, and the chilli chicken, with quite a kick, has become an all time favourite of mine. It was nice to see staff checking dishes regularly and topping them up when necessary and the signs indicating which were vegetarian and gluten free.

Once finished I left my plate at my table to be collected while I picked up another and filled it with my main courses.

Beef with black pepper sauce

Noodles

Pilau rice

Chicken korma

Chicken tikka masala

Being able to choose from a large buffet is a great way to try new foods and I like being able to mix different flavours and dishes from various countries all on one plate. There are over 300 to choose from!

As well as the main courses on display you can have meals cooked for you freshly on the live counters which includes fish, pasta and chargrilled items. I'm yet to try these but the ones that I saw being served look lovely.

There are plenty of sides to go with your meals with pakoras, bhajis, naan bread and prawn crackers being just a few we chose during our visit. 

Moving onto dessert, despite feeling full, my sweet tooth kicked in and I placed a variety of treats onto my plate to sample.

I dived into the chocolate fountain, holding my bowl of ice cream under the flow, and added a few sweeties on top too. I tried a strawberry mousse, chocolate brownies and cheesecake which were all perfectly proportioned. I wasn't keen on the baked mango yogurt due to the texture but bar that I thoroughly enjoyed my pudding. The Mr chose a healthier option of melon but I decided against that on this occasion as I wanted to indulge a little.

I look forward to returning to Red Hot soon, with the Mini Mes too!

You can book your table here:

http://www.redhot-worldbuffet.com/book-a-table/

*I received a complimentary meal for two including drinks as a Red Hot Tastemaker. The opinions given are still honest and my own*

Saturday Caption

A family meal at Buddies and it looks like a smartly dressed Jamster has his eyes on the Mr's beverage...

 

Have you got a caption for this picture!?
I would love to hear it!
 

Have a great weekend

 

 

Top 5 family discount vouchers for eating out

 Eating out can be an expensive experience, especially when you want the kids to come along too, but it's always nice to have a night away from the oven and the dishes!

 With Mother's Day fast approaching why not book a table, enjoy a delicious family meal out and save some money in the process with these great discount vouchers.

Buy one main and get another for £2.50 at ASK

At Ask you can buy 1 main meal and get another for just £2.50! They have a lovely children's menu which includes a starter, main, dessert and babyccino for just £5.95 and gluten free ingredients available upon request - superb.

25% off your food bill at Pizza Express

Pizza is a favourite for us and with 25% off the bill at Pizza Express you can enjoy authentic Italian food without worrying too much about the cost. The menu including dough balls, olives and of course freshly prepared pizza made from the finest ingredients!

£10 off when you buy two mains at Strada

Reduce the bill at Strada with a £10 off voucher when you buy 2 mains. With pasta, risotto and even seafood stew on the menu you will have a great evening enjoying flavour filled food at an affordable price.

Two courses at Bella Italia for £9.95

You can enjoy 2 courses for less than £10 at Bella Italia this March and being able to book a table online it makes dining out even more convenient. The kids menu features chicken breasts, cod goujons and lasagne and with a great variety of meals for the grown ups too there is something to give everyone an appetite.

25% off when you spend £25 at Domino’s

If you don't fancy a night out and an evening at home with a movie and wine is more to your taste you can always order dinner to your door. Save 25% off Domino's pizza and you can treat yourself to some cookies, pancakes or ice cream for dessert too!


Where will you be eating out next?

Meal Planning Monday

I had a great evening out Friday for my work Christmas party and I enjoyed parsnip soup followed by roast turkey and strawberry cheesecake. The portions were huge so I felt rather stuffed after several vodkas and wine too.
Well, it is Christmas!

Saturday we had our Mexican night which was a success (yay) and everyone complimented the food; fajitas, enchiladas, chilli and nachos plus several desserts too.

This weeks planner...

Pizza and garlic bread
Reviewing a restaurant so dinner out and for FREE!
Salmon and gnocchi bake
Lasagne
Kievs, mash and veg

I am still on Jenny Craig and pretty much will be until the new year now. I can't wait to start 2013 a few pounds lighter and to continue eating less and better. I'm leaving the weekend free as I have no idea as yet what we will be up to but the Mini Mes will be with their dad.

What's on your menu?

I'm linking this over with At Home With Mrs M.

The frugal guide to eating out

There are a lot of ways in which you can save money when you treat yourself to a meal out.
By researching a little and being a little tech savvy you can save yourself money and probably discover some new, great places to eat too!

• Check for online discount codes. Try visiting Netvouchercodes.co.uk to see if the restaurant you’re headed to is offering any discounts or offers. You could be surprised at how such little effort before you head out to your meal can end up saving you a huge amount on your bill.

• Sign up for loyalty schemes. A lot of restaurants offer incentives for being a returning customer. Ask if they have a loyalty card. You’ll get a stamp when you visit and once you’ve collected a certain amount you’ll get a side or part of your meal for free. Some even will give you your meal for free once you complete your card.

• Bring your own wine. More and more restaurants now will let you bring your own bottle of alcohol. It means a quick stop off at the supermarket, but will mean that your bill will go down, as restaurants can charge over the odds for their own bottles. 

• Eat “off peak” when you can. Restaurants will normally provide a cheaper lunch time menu to encourage customers. It means a cheaper meal for you, and normally the same size as the normal evening meal. However, you’ll also be able to dine in a quieter environment as an added bonus.

• Don’t buy water. Water is free! Instead of asking for expensive bottled water request a jug of tap water with ice. It will taste pretty much the same, without having the huge price tag. And it’s less calories than the other drinks you might have too!

*This is a featured post*

Meal Planning Monday

The planner for this week is short and sweet! The kids are going to their dad's house Wednesday until Sunday and the Mr and I are camping, somewhere, during this time.

Monday - Fajitas.

Tuesday - Pizza, garlic bread and salad for the Mr, the Mini Mes and I are eating out with friends.

Wednesday - Sausage and veg pasta bake.

Thursday - Sunday I am leaving free as we will be away. It will be a lovely combo of camping food and meals out. I can't wait for the break!

What's on your menu this week?

You can link up your own planners or view more over with At Home With Mrs M