7 Tips For Easier Meal Preparation This Christmas

Christmas dinner is, for many of us, one of the most important meals of the year.  It is probably the highlight of Christmas Day and the pressure is on us parents to produce something Nigella would be proud of.

Not only that, but we feel our table setting has to be picture perfect - all fake snow, glitter and candle light.  

There's nothing like a spot of home baking at Christmas

If you find yourself obsessing over whether the gifts in your 'luxury crackers' will meet everyone's approval, it's time to take stock.

The following tips may help relieve some of the pressure.

Write a list

Yes, a piece of advice as old as Santa but one I often forget to do.  You may think you can remember everything you need but there's always something, isn't there?  Cranberry sauce, cornflour, stock cubes and a choice of non-alcoholic drinks for grandma are usually the ones we forget.

Consider dietary requirements

Are any of your guests vegetarian, vegan or on a gluten free diet?  Does anyone have any allergies? The major supermarkets all offer acceptable ranges of food for those on special or restricted diets but make sure you know what you need well in advance.

Don't over-cater

If you believe the TV commercials, tables across the land will be groaning under the sheer weight of food but, at Christmas, as at any other time, it's sensible to avoid waste (of food and money).  I think many of us believe it's better to offer too much than too little but this can be a costly philosophy.

If you are serving canapes, the recommended amount is generally about 4-6 pieces over an hour before serving lunch.

Have you got enough to offer all your guests a Christmas tipple?

And what about wine?   The average person drinks 3 glasses of wine at dinner and there are 4 glasses in a wine bottle. But who am I to define your average?!

Just make sure you have enough non-alcoholic drinks for those who don't touch the stuff or anybody who is driving.

You can do your own calculations on Majestic Wine's site (there are others) to get a rough idea. You might also consider hiring glasses or even tableware.

Work out what you can prepare ahead

Many of your dishes and accompaniments can be prepared ahead. For example, you can batch cook mince pies and freeze them.  Many desserts can be made the day before and kept in the fridge - trifles, mousses for example. Vegetables can be prepped the night before and popped in the fridge.  (I put them in bowls with a little water to keep them fresh).

Check the capacity of your oven

Will that huge turkey you've bought actually fit in your oven?  And if it does, will you have room for the roast potatoes and vegetables?  Are you steaming your veg?  Are there enough rings on the hob?!

Make More Use Of The Microwave

Vegetables can be steamed in the microwave.  And, sacrilege though it may be to some, many shop bought Christmas puddings can be microwaved too.

It may be worth investing in one of the new combination microwave ovens which also grill, steam and bake to give yourself extra cooking capacity.

On some of the newer Panasonic models, for example, you don't even need to set power levels, food weight or cooking time.

Delegate

Peeling and chopping veg can be delegated to the family.  Once children have reached a sensible age, they can help too.

If you've got guests coming round, why not ask them to bring a dish rather than the usual wine or chocolates.  They could bring a salad accompaniment or an alternative dessert or cheese.

And of course, if your partner considers you a nightmare in the kitchen like mine does, you could always delegate the cooking to them!

Lastly, remember it's your Christmas too - so make sure there's something on that shopping list you really enjoy.

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Teach Your Kids Scooter Tips & Tricks This Christmas

I'm sure that scooters are a very popular gift idea for kids and teenagers this Christmas.  Anything that gets them away from a screen and out into the fresh air can only be a good thing!

And, unlike most bikes, you can do some really cool stunts with a scooter - as long as you take the necessary safety precautions of course.

With this in mind, Halfords have come up with a great guide containing scooter tips and tricks.  The guide is for beginners to give them some cool insider knowledge and it's got step by step guides to tricks, information on essential equipment and the best places to go scooting around.

Did you know, for example, that it is actually illegal to ride a scooter on the road or a public footpath?

I've included a couple of the easier moves for you but why not check out the full guide HERE.

Safety equipment is so important, particularly if your child falls over with every gust of wind, like Ieuan seems to at the moment.  Head gear, in particular is crucial.  I see so many kids riding scooters with no protection to their delicate heads at all.

These should certainly keep my two entertained for a good while and give my ears a break from the constant Harry Potter and Star Wars theme tunes which indicate the children are in the house somewhere!

And I'm sure we'll all welcome the chance to get out of the house over the Christmas break.  There are only so many times you can watch "The Empire Strikes Back", aren't there?

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Creating the Ultimate Kid's Bedroom

At the moment, Caitlin and Ieuan are lucky enough to have their own rooms but, being younger, Ieuan is in what you might call the 'box room' and he is already well aware that his sister has more terroritory than he has.

One of our projects for 2016 is going to be the revamp of his room to create a den any boy would be proud of.

A child’s bedroom should be a great place to play, study and sleep, and the design of a child’s bedroom can actually be beneficial to their development.

Decorating a kid’s bedroom offers lots of opportunities for creativity and a great way to nurture your child’s interests and passions. Is your child a fan of dinosaurs, or are princesses more of their thing? Are they more cool or cosy? No matter what your child loves, you can turn their bedroom into a space that they love and want to spend time in.

Décor

There are so many options for decorating your child’s room. You can’t go wrong with starting with their interests and going from there. For example, if your child likes water then you can paint the walls blue, decorate them with fish and make it look like the room’s underwater.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, keeping things cool and stylish can be great, especially for older children that may be growing out of their childhood interests and moving towards a more mature identity. For rooms like this, you can’t go wrong with bold and bright colours mixed with more neutral decoration will make for a cool and stylish bedroom.

Sometimes, there’s no better way to create a bedroom that your child loves than by letting the child decide for themselves. Having white boards fitted on the walls lets your child decorate their own room as little or as often as they’d like. Sometimes there’s nothing better than a blank canvas!

Furniture

Kitting out a child’s room with the right furniture, which can be used for various purposes. Sets of shelves can be used to store book, toys and trinkets, and a desk properly placed can make for a great study space. And, of course, there’s the bed. While it’s important that your child has a comfortable place to sleep it’s also important that it fits in with the theme of the room.

For example, if you have a daughter that likes to have sleepovers, then a wooden white guest bed is perfect for a girl’s room. The neutral white finish will suit almost any décor, the simple frame looks great, and the structure means that you can turn the single frame into a double or twin beds. These extra frames are stored within the bed, meaning that storage won’t be a problem. Bedstar provides a great range of beds suitable for children of all ages, offering fantastic comfort and style that would make an excellent addition to any child’s bedroom.

The most important thing is to remember that it’s your child’s room at the end of the day, and it should look the way that they want it to. Work with them to create their ultimate dream bedroom.

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5 Ways To Live More Ethically & A Coffee Hamper Giveaway

At Christmas, when a wave of rampant consumerism sweeps across the land, isn't it nice to pause occasionally and think about how you can do your bit for the planet and your fellow humans?

Without wanting to sound too evangelical about it, as I get older, I realize how lucky I am and how much I have.

There are many opportunities to give something back; so many charities competing for our spare cash but I think that living ethically should be something that is part of our daily lives.

For example:-

Reduce Food Waste

If you watched the recent BBC One TV programme "Hugh's War On Waste" with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, you were probably as flummoxed as I was by the treatment of local farmers by some of the big supermarkets. The vegetables supplied had, according to the supermarkets, look good with no knobbly or gnarled bits. This lead to tonnes of perfectly edible vegetables being thrown away.

Buy Local

Support local farmers and food producers by buying local produce. It's a great opportunity to teach children about where their food comes from and a chance for the family to get in touch with their food. You could take the kids strawberry picking in the summer, for example.

And what about local dairies, cheese producers and wine-makers?  Here in the Vale of Glamorgan where I live we are lucky enough to have a great local vineyard, Llanerch Vineyard, which makes award winning Welsh wine.

Buy Fair Trade Produce

Most of us are familiar with the work of the Fairtrade organisation and its principles are even taught in our local schools.

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers.

It is also about supporting the development of farming and worker communities so that they have more control over their futures and protecting the environment in which they live and work.

There is a wide range of Fairtrade products available in the supermarkets these days and if you drink as much tea and coffee as we do, it makes sense to buy Fairtrade, for example coffee from Cafédirect.

Recycle

Many councils now run recycling schemes for plastic, cardboard, tins and food waste but what about other items like clothing and toys?  There are clothing recycling points in some supermarkets and numerous charity bag schemes where you fill the bag and put it out for collection.

We like to bag up clothes, books and toys and drop them off at our local charity shop but you could also donate toys to local playgroups.  Animal shelters are often glad of old jumpers, towels and bedding to keep the animals warm in winter.  There are even schemes to send used pairs of prescription glasses abroad.

I think the best advice is to think before you throw away.  It's the old saying "your trash may be somebody's treasure".

Choose an Ethical Bank

Do you really know how your money is used and invested?  How would you feel if you found out, for example, that your cash was supporting companies polluting the atmosphere?

The 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris has highlighted how great a threat the ever increasing level of pollution is to the world's population and how it is contributing to global warming.

Triodos Bank, are an ethical bank who only lend to and invest in organisations that benefit people and the environment. Triodos Bank is a world leader in sustainable banking and their mission is to make money work for positive social, environmental and cultural change.

They publish details of every organisation they lend to, and invest in, so you know exactly where your money goes. No other bank offers such a clear link between your savings and investments and the positive difference they make.

Triodos Bank are currently running a great giveaway with their partner, Cafédirect and I have a great coffee hamper to give away!

Triodos are also running a giveaway on their Facebook page to win a luxury glamping trip with Canopy & Stars.  Check it out HERE.

The hamper includes:-

Cafédirect Medium Roast & Ground coffee 227g
Rich Roast & Ground coffee 227g
Machu Picchu Roast & Ground coffee 227g
Kilimanjaro Roast & Ground coffee 227g
Instant Coffee Medium Instant Coffee
Machu Picchu Instant Coffee
Decaf Gold Tea
Everyday Tea
San Cristobal Hot Chocolate
SaoTome Hot Chocolate

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget.  UK entries only.  The closing date is 11th December at 5:30 pm.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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7 Signs You Need To Replace Your Electric Blanket

Now that it's getting colder, many of us are getting out heavier weight duvets, throws and electric blankets to keep warm.

But did you know that more than 5,000 house fires each year are caused by faulty electric blankets?

In most instances, the electric blanket was already showing signs of needing to be replaced - but would you know what these signs are?

Bedding specialists Sleepy People have put together an infographic which highlights 7 signs which quickly and easily show that a blanket shouldn't be used.

It really isn't worth taking a risk when you can get a new electric blanket like the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket for £21.99.

It's definitely better to be safe (and warm) than sorry.

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Review: The KidzInMind App - A Safe Digital Playground For Kids

There's no denying that iPads and tablets are a permanent fixture of the parenting landscape.  They can be a brilliant resource for education and hands-on learning.  Equally, and more contentiously, they are often used as a babysitter and a distraction when in restaurants and doctors' waiting rooms.

Ieuan testing the KidzInMind app

I'm sure that iPads, tablets and gadgets in general will feature heavily on many parents' shopping lists this Christmas, but how many of us think about our children's privacy and the risks they may be unwittingly exposed to?

Our two have had tablets for several years and we soon learned that children today are incredibly IT-savvy. Very quickly apps were discovered and played with and we found that Caitlin (aged about 4) was already trying to memorise passwords (with some success, I might add).

Both adored YouTube videos of Kinder Egg openings and the unveiling of the latest Marvel Superhero merchandise. Then there are many, many videos of people popping balloons.  Everyone needs a hobby, I suppose.

There have been one or two occasions though where we've caught them watching stuff like Annoying Orange and a Buzz Lightyear video in which the language was definitely inappropriate.

And it's not surprising.  In a recent GPEN report on children’s privacy online, the results showed that nearly 60% of websites and apps redirect children away from the site or app, meaning there is a greater chance of discovering inappropriate content. It also found that only 22% tailored content specifically for children.

So I was pleased when we were recently invited to review KidzInMind which is described as "a safe digital playground filled with fun and educational apps for the growing minds of little children".

The KidzInMind app offers a safe 'digital playground' for kids to play in.

Available on iOS and Android (sadly not on Windows), KidzInMind claims to offers parents peace of mind with age appropriate and approved educational apps, videos and games for kids on smartphones and tablets.

There are no adverts, no hidden payments and parental device controls are included.

Kidzinmind is an app containing apps which have all been vetted for the educational suitability and safety. The recommended age range is 1-6. Parents are able to control what the kids see and the kids are given access to a playground of icons such as a book, an easel and so forth.  Clicking on each of these take the child to a range of themed apps.

Every app has been selected and approved to meet strict criteria.

● Safe and secure - no inappropriate language, no advertising, no hidden payments and a baby safe mode.

● Educational - all apps have been evaluated to ensure that they are engaging, educational and appropriate to the child’s stage of learning.

● Time alert play - you can relax in the knowledge that your child is learning within a safe and secure environment and control the amount of play time your child is allowed with the parental control timer.

● Restrict activity – you can use the parental control feature to specify exactly what your kids can do whilst using the KidzInMind e.g. no internet or other app access.

● Approved by parents – KidzInMind has received the kidSAFE Seal, Mom’s Choice Award and was nominated Best Mobile App for Children and Toddlers in 2014

He's very thorough.

The games are varied in their age appeal.  There are some really sweet simple games where the child can create their own aquarium.  Ieuan (6 last June) really loved the camera templates where you can take a selfie and superimpose funny glasses or a santa hat on to your photo.

There are also some age appropriate videos, including one of our favourites - Larva (you may have caught it on CITV).

I think 6 is definitely the top age for this app and it was interesting to see that, despite the relative sophistication of some of the games Ieuan plays, for example Spiderman, he was just as happy with a simpler, less noisy, less intrusive game where he could fully understand what he was doing.

I would definitely feel confident letting the kids play with KidzInMind without having to dash back and forth checking that they aren't watching something adult rated.

I really liked the handy parental control features and there is a good choice of games to play. KidzInMind say that the value of the educational games and apps is well over £50. The types of app you can expect (all fully vetted) are nutritional, (in collaboration with Parma University), handwriting and brushing your teeth correctly.  In fact, KidzInMind has worked closely with experts in paediatrics, nutrition and education to curate a unique selection of the best apps for children.

Ieuan says "It's amazing. My favourite is Dino Lab and I love watching Larva" - he's currently assembling the ingredients to make a cake via the Families 2 app. Prior to that, he reassembled a dinosaur skeleton in an online jigsaw.

KidzInMind is more than just an app too. The KidzInMind blog, the Facebook page, the Twitter profile and the YouTube channel offer parents access to a wealth of information about different services or products for their children and discussions with other mums and dads.

KidzInMind is available to download on Android from Google Play and iOS from the App Store.

The app is subscription-based and after the first week, which is free, KidzInMind is priced at 79p per month for limited in-built apps and features. Parents can pay £2.99 per month for unlimited access to the full app, video and game catalogue and all the parental safety controls.

I think this very reasonably priced, given the quality of the apps contained within KidzInMind and it is certainly worth if for the peace of mind and educational content.

For more information about KidzInMind please visit www.kidzinmind.com/uk.

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Is Your Boss A Scrooge? Here's 12 Gifts Employees Would Appreciate.

When I was working in the law firm, the festive period was heralded by the appearance on reception of a tin of Quality Street (other chocolates are available) from the bosses.

Ah, Christmas.  Absolutely no effect on the workload whatsoever.

If we had been good employees, we would also receive a bottle of something non-vintage and possibly some chocolates to take home.

Reactions would be mixed.  Happy employees would be grateful and secrete the gifts straight into their bags to take home to share with the family.

Disgruntled employees would spend hours (possibly days) moaning about how a box of chocolates was never going to make up for being asked to work late in June nor the terrible state of the office microwave.

Which rather begs the question, what Christmas gift would make employees happy - apart from a pay rise and an increase in their holiday allowance of course.

These days I'm responsible for ensuring my own working environment is safe and efficient, but when I was a practice director, I well remember what a fraught time Christmas could be in an office where morale was not at its highest.

Commercial furniture specialists, Sketch Studios have been inspired by the song "On The 12 Days Of Christmas" and come up with 12 suggested presents they think would generate more good will from the work force than a Quality Street jumbo purple sweet.

Here are their suggestions.

Day 1 - better tea/coffee/refreshments

Fundamental to the well-being of every worker, isn’t this what gets us through the day? Adopt the same cafe-style culture as those on the high street and invest in some decent beans/tea and equipment. It’ll make staff feel valued and will draw them back to the workplace for their refuelling.

Day 2 – plants

As well as great health benefits - they generate oxygen and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, aiding concentration and lifting spirits - plants are a calming influence and great to look at. 

Day 3 - a height-adjustable desk

One size will not fit all – it creates poor posture, a major cause of back pain, stress and repetitive strain injury.

Day 4 - a decent ergonomic chair

Humans are not designed to sit all day, so invest in chairs that aid posture. It may be tempting to invest in trendy tub chairs or modular seats to spruce up the office/reception, but they will not help those who are desk-based.

Day 5 - more flexible space

Today’s workers are expected to multi-task so create environments that help them do this. Tasks may include undertaking focused work, reading, attending meetings and collaborating with colleagues. Then there’s a need to squeeze in a break away from work and have some social interaction.Those with a variety of spaces to choose from will be more productive (who wants to sit behind a desk all day?).

Day 6 – headphones

Noise can be a major irritation. It prevents concentration and adds to stress levels. If you’re unable to provide appropriate spaces for the task in hand, such as a quiet room for reading/individual focused-work, these may do the trick.

Day 7 - better temperature control

If it’s fine for men but too cold for women (as the recent gender debate suggested), set the temperature between the two and adjust to the daily outside temperature as opposed to what it should be for the season. Otherwise winter woollies will have to suffice.

Day 8 - improved lighting

Access to natural light is a must, particularly during the sun-starved winter season. Shift furniture to make windows more accessible and where natural light is limited, invest in office lamps to prevent eye strain.

Day 9 – a computer upgrade

With more people using mobile technology it’s easy to overlook the fixed desktop equipment, yet for those who are office-based it’s their professional lifeline. A revamp will make staff more productive as they’ll spend less time waiting for their machine to perform tasks. 

Day 10 - more storage space

Staff who bring in their own equipment need somewhere to put it. The same applies to those who exercise; set aside a storage area for kit, it’s more secure and keeps the place tidy.

Day 11 – an office clean-up

Initiate a tidy campaign and give staff 30 minutes or so to clear up their working areas. Office-based workers can un-clutter desks, file away paperwork, clean-out draws, move items from the top of filing cabinets, smarten up those wilting plants and remove out-of-date food from the fridge. Flexible staff may want to check the leads/chargers they borrowed for their laptop, tablet or mobile are back where they should be.

Day 12 – pimp the small room

Spruce up the toilets/washroom for Xmas; give them a lick of paint or re-tile, pipe in Christmas music, add a plant or two and some decent accessories. If there are high-level water tanks, turn them into mini-aquariums or encourage employees to contribute to their mural. 

I'm not sure an office clean-up would find much favour unless there was an incentive involved (mulled wine and mince pies?) but these are sensible suggestions to make the time spent in an office environment more enjoyable.

But why should these be kept for Christmas?  A better 'present' would be the inclusion of a sensible amount for ongoing office maintenance in the annual budget, together with decent investment in staff training and HR support.

Then the office moaners might be a little happier with their Chateau-Collapse-A-Rhino and the bosses might even get offered a Quality Street.

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