Healthy Snacks and Treats for a Rapid After School Energy Boost - Guest Post

Oh No it’s nearly upon us “Dare I say it” the school summer holidays will be over and the kids have to go back to working hard all day long, while us parents think of unique and amazing ways to keep their energy levels up. I am going to miss my boys that is for sure, but I know they both have a common trait when they come barging back into the house after school. My Kids both instantly head towards the kitchen cupboards looking for a quick fix of treats and snacks to re-energise their weary heads after a long day at school.

Knowing that a lot of the treats and snacks that they both tend to enjoy are usually unhealthy and full of sugar, which has them bouncing of the walls and means they have to work a little harder to

Special K Granola *Review and Giveaway*

I've been quite naughty when it comes to breakfast recently and I either don't have any at all or resort to eating the wrong things while on the move... chocolate fudge cake is breakfast, right?! 

It's really not a good idea but sometimes you just get into a bad routine which I unfortunately have done.

Special K Granola is one of the few cereals that actually appeals to me, to be honest there are some that look like cardboard aren't there, and with its delicious five grain recipe, made from Oats, Barley, Wheat, Spelt, and Rye I was tempted to make the time in the morning to give it a go and drop my

Crosse & Blackwell 4Kids Jelly *Review*

Combining food with fun is the best way to encourage children to eat from my experience, so the new Crosse & Blackwell Jelly Pots were bound to please.

 

Each of the 6 flavours has a specific Toy Story character associated with it and being BIG Disney fans this immediately appealed to a rather fussy eater - Jamster!

 

 

 

The 6 flavours:

 

Mandarin in mandarin jelly

Mixed fruit in strawberry jelly

Peach in peach jelly

Apple in raspberry jelly

Peach in strawberry jelly

Pineapple in pineapple jelly

 

 

 

Each pot is 125g making it the ideal size for picnics, lunch boxes or as an after school snack and as 1 of your 5 a day it's great for the health conscious too. A spoon is included with each pot which is very handy and the lid is easy to peel off, even for younger children, so you don't need to worry that they won't be able to tuck in at nursery or school without you to assist.

 

 

 

The jelly is easy to scoop with the spoon, we didn't have any real issues with it wobbling off, and the segment sizes are perfectly proportioned with the young in mind. I was pleased with the taste, as were the Mini Mes, as they were sweet without being overpowering and you get texture from the fruit chunks. The Mini Mes favourite was the mandarin, mine was the apple and the Mr liked the pineapple most - something to suit everyone! It's great that they are low in calories too so I didn't feel guilty enjoying them myself.

 

Each pot is made with no artificial preservatives or colours and contains real fruit juice. They are suitable for vegetarians and I was really impressed by the long life on them. Ours don't expire until December so they can remain in the cupboard without worrying that they will go off in a hurry.

 

 

 

Each pot is 65p which is perhaps a little more expensive than other snacks but as they are good for you, large in size and filling plus a great way to convince the kids to eat their fruit, I would definitely buy these again.

 

You can find out more about the Cross & Blackwell range here: http://www.crosseandblackwell.co.uk/our-pantry/4kids/fruit-pots/

The Smoothie Society

Struggling to get the precious five a day in? Fed up of those stinky vitamins that punctuate your mornings? Can't bear the thought of holding your nose yet again as the cod liver oil slowly slides down? Well why not join the ranks of the sworn in soldiers of the smoothie making society?

The world of the smoothie has really advanced over the past few years, and is no longer restricted by the constraints of regular fruits and juices. In dishing yourself out a delicious health kick in the morning; it can be goodbye to orange juice and bananas, and hello to aloe vera juice and wheatgrass powder!

A decent blender needn't set you back the earth, but will open up a universe of possibilities in creating a healthy start to your day. The more traditional smoothie ingredients can be combined with a wide range of interesting ideas to keep things fresh and different. If you’re taking supplements such as muscle building or weight loss protein powders, these can even be added to your blend to keep you away from that tiresome shaker!

Ingredients such as wheatgrass powder supercharge your red blood cells with green plant chlorophyll to help bodily regeneration and cleansing, while aloe vera juice supports a healthy digestive system. Zinc powder and Echinacea will give your immune system a boost, and guarana, ginseng and vitamin E products can all help to provide a dose of energy to set you on your way to an active day.

The beauty of the smoothie is that there is no better way to tailor a culinary creation to your own taste and fancy. Just chuck whatever you like in the blender and as long as you're not barking completely up the wrong tree you should be fine. Taking in certain things, such as carrots, in a raw state can also be favourable to their benefits, or release different goodness to when they are cooked.

There are zero constrictions to adhere to, but below are some ideas of ingredients you can throw together to get you started...

The Traditionalist

Orange juice, apple juice, banana, strawberries, raspberries

The Supercharger

Pineapple juice, aloe vera juice, wheatgrass powder, ginseng juice, mango

The Gym Buff

Pineapple juice, protein powder, oats, banana

The Vitamin Boost

Orange juice, vitamin E powder, carrot, ginger, lemon juice

The tasty treat

Vanilla ice cream, rhubarb, white chocolate, Greek yogurt

What goes in your smoothies?

*Sponsored guest post*

Good Natured - review

If you are looking for a healthy side to go along with the winter warming stews, pies and pastas Good Natured is a great option.

The award winning brand grow their fruit, veg, salad, herbs and potatoes in tunnels and glasshouses and by using natural predators like ladybirds they are able to provide your 5 a day in the best possible way - completely pesticide residue free.

Each product has a quirky name like 'Razzle Dazzle Basil' and 'Perfect Peppers' which makes them appeal to kid by bringing an element of fun to food that they may not always want to eat!

We received some 'Tantalising Baby Plum Tomatoes' to review and they really were delicious. The Mr likes to pop a few in his lunch box and I like them combined with salad. They lasted a long time in the fridge staying firm for several days and I really enjoyed the fresh taste and juiciness. They are priced competitively in comparison with supermarket products and they make a great snack to have to hand as an alternative to the biscuit barrel!

Good Natured's website has lots of information on where the produce is grown and a recipe page to inspire you to whip up something wonderful.

The Seasonal Calendar is helpful too as it informs you of which products will be available in store and when.

You can pick up your Good Natured products from Tesco, Asda and Morrisons.

*We received a voucher to purchase Good Natured products for the purpose of this review. The opinions given are honest and our own*