Veeno Italian wine cafe Leicester Wine Tasting Experience

We were kindly invited to visit Veeno Italian wine cafe in Leicester for a wine tasting experience, to be quite honest before this invite, I didn't know this gorgeous little place existed, we accepted the invitation as it was a great excuse for a date night as we never really go out without the kids just the two of us!

The History of Veeno.

It started off with two Italian guys who shared a passion for relaxing with drinks and nibbles after a long day at work. This soon evolved to include their friends and family and before long they opened their very first Veeno – an amazing Italian wine cafe a place to enjoy great wine and various platters of meats, cheeses and other appetisers known as ‘Spuntini’.

The day before we visited (We choose a Saturday night to visit) Veeno the wine cafe sent us an e-mail, saying they were looking forward to our visit and it had a brief history of the business which I thought was a really nice touch, there was also an option to re-book in case we couldn't make it the following day which was nice as well it makes things hassle free if you are thinking of making a booking and then something comes up unexpectedly.

On approach to Veeno the wine cafe it looked really cosy from the outside it had pretty twinkling white lights hanging in the window there was also a small seating area outside for the warmer weather.

Inside we were greeted with a relaxed atmosphere it was really busy, but not too crowded it was cosy The interior of Veeno Leicester – St Martins Square is beautiful. On closer inspection of the website, it seems Each Veeno has a similar theme throughout in that it always has twinkling white lights hanging in the window. With a wooden theme and bottle/cork decorations, the venue really has a warm and friendly feel to it.

We approached the counter and I told them we had a table booked for seven the staff were really friendly they explained that the table wasn't quite ready and we ordered drinks whilst we waited they were very friendly and accommodating. Which I thought was amazing as often sometimes in venues you find on a Saturday night that staff are so rushed off their feet they forget the small, but still very important parts of hospitality.

We didn't have to wait long for our table and to be seated by our host and wine-expert for the evening which was a lady, now very rude of me but I didn't quite catch her name and at the end of the evening I still didn't catch it but she was an amazing help and host.

They left us for a short while to get settled into our seats and drink some of our drinks we had already bought the host then brought over the bottles of wine that we would be tasting that evening there were two white, a rose, and two reds I wasn't sure how this would work I was worried that we would be sniffing and spitting wine but it turns out you get a glass wine from each bottle - of course you don't have to drink the whole glass!

Veeno offers three various options for their Wine-tasting, their ‘Classic’ option, the ‘Blind’ option and the ‘Selezione’ wine-tasting experience. The Selezione option was the option we experienced and It made up of some more of their premium wines.

The host then brought over a beautifully presented platter and our first glasses of white wine, she explained to us that each thing on the platter was meticulously paired with one of the wines in the experience and to try not to eat all the food and save something of each thing on there with to try with each individual wine, so at this stage the platter was really just to observe, despite the temptation to tuck-in and eat it all right away!

I don't think I should go into to much detail about the wine or what each individual ‘Spuntini’ (part of the platter) that they were paired with its better if you go and try it for yourself as I would hate to get it wrong  as much as I learned a lot recalling everything from memory is difficult and I am not a wine expert plus it would spoil the fun. What I will tell you is that our host was an absolute expert in her knowledge of the wines on offer. She gave us plenty of interesting knowledge and insight into each individual wine getting us to describe them and asking us what we thought of each one and the wines pairing.It was really interesting, not too full on and made the experience very unique personal and exciting

We were very well-looked after by our host and after each wine and food-combination pairing, we were given some time before our host returned. I think this is important it gave us time to chat and savour the flavours and the wine, Veeno got it spot-on. Even though this was a paid-for experience to learn more about the wines and to take in Veeno, for us it was still very much a much-needed date night for just us and I am so glad we were given enough time to ourselves to make the most of the of the great atmosphere and enjoy what was in front of us.

To top off the evening we were offered either a large slice of Tiramisu or lemon sorbet we choose the lemon sorbet which was beautifully paired with this delicious sweet wine Tagos Grillo, and a Limoncello shot.

Of course, it’s not just wine on offer here. There are oodles of cocktails to choose from and coffees too. While we were there, people were just popping in for a glass of wine or a quiet Saturday night drink.

Thank you so much to Veeno Leicesters for inviting us along and hosting such a wonderful evening for us. The wine tasting experience is such a great night out it would be perfect for celebrations such as birthdays or anniversaries I could also picture having a work get together doing something like this it is really enjoyable. The Selezione experience in particular costs £26.90 per person. Veeno is a fast-growing brand and there’s currently 14 Veeno’s across the UK, so if you are near one I would highly recommend visiting and trying it out for yourself. Check out their website to find out more or book you experience www.theveenocompany.com

We were kindly given the opportunity to visit Veeno for the purpose of this review all opinions remain honest and my own.

Half Term Baking with The Kids and DR.Oetker

Half term is already nearly upon us and its difficult to find things to do especially with Christmas just around the corner and probably for most like me funds are short or are being preserved for Santa, what better to do than some half term baking with the kids its fun keeps them engaged and bring out the creative in them. We were kindly sent some amazing Cake decorating items from Dr. Oetker which made the cake decorating exciting and really let them explore their creative side.

We used a really simple recipe that I remember off the top of my head and I have been using for fairy cakes since I was a little girl remember when it comes to kids baking it doesn't have to be perfect nor does it have to be a piece of art like you see splashed all over the internet, baking should be fun, messy and inexpensive that is exactly what it was in my house.

Ingredients 

• 110g/4oz butter or margarine.
• 110g/4oz caster sugar.
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional).
• 110g/4oz self-raising flour.
• 1-2 tbsp milk.

Method

• heat the oven to before you do anything to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and fill 2 x 12 fairy cake tins with paper cases.

• Mix the butter and sugar together in a bowl it should turn pale once you have done this. Beat in the eggs, a little bit at a time, and stir in the vanilla extract (you don't have to use this).

• Fold in the flour or if its kids miking them stirring is just fine use a large spoon if you can. Add a little milk until the mixture is a soft dropping consistency and spoon the mixture into the paper cases until they are half full.

• Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until golden on top and using a skewer or knife insert it into one of the cakes if it comes out clean then they are cooked. Set them aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool and let them cool.

Usually, we would make our own icing, but with Dr.Oetker there is no need for icing the decorations are easy to use taste simply divine and will have the kids squealing with excitement as they add there own individual personality to each cake it was absolute chaos but they had so much fun.

There is so much choice to choose from with Dr.Oetker and it is certainly not going to break the bank this is what the boys used to get creative with theirs.

• Super Hero Sprinkles
• Fairy Princess Sprinkles
• Chocolate Mix Sprinkles
• Bright and Bold Sprinkles
• Chocolate Footballs
• Food Colour Gels
• Easy Swirl
• Writing Icing
• Heart Marshmallows

To see more from the Dr. Oetker range of baking goodies and toppings visit www.oetker.co.uk

Below are two more recipes from Dr. Oetker if you would like something a little more challenging or with a different taste, however, if you don't fancy any of these recipes you can find plenty more inspiration over on the Dr Oetker website Here You will also find all the toppings that they make on their website through there online shop so you can purchase them and much much more!

Chocolate Heart Mallow Cupcakes 

Ingredients

For the recipe Chocolate Heart Mallow Cupcakes
For the Cupcakes:
Dr. Oetker Cupcake Cases
220 g Margarine softened
220 g Caster Sugar
Medium Eggs x 4, beaten
5 ml Dr. Oetker Madagascan Vanilla Extract (1 tsp)
2 Dr. Oetker Fine Dark Cocoa Powder (x2 sachets or 50g)
170 g Plain Flour
3 Dr. Oetker Baking Powder Sachets x 3 (3 tsp)

For the Decoration:
150 g Butter softened
350 g Icing Sugar
2 Dr. Oetker Fine Dark Cocoa Powder (x2 sachets or 50g/6 tbsp)
25 g Dr. Oetker Heart Marshmallows

Preparation

Chocolate Heart Mallow Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C Fan, Gas Mark 5). Line a cupcake tin with 12 Cupcake Cases.

Beat the margarine with the sugar until light in texture.

Gradually whisk in the eggs and Madagascan Vanilla Extract.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder and Baking Powder. Using a metal spoon, fold the dry ingredients into the mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the Cupcake Cases and bake for 20-22 minutes until risen and just firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the icing, place the butter into a bowl and beat until soft. Gradually sift and beat in the icing sugar and cocoa powder to make a smooth buttercream. Add a little milk if the buttercream is too thick.

Fit a piping bag with a 1cm closed star nozzle then fill with buttercream and pipe onto the cupcakes. Place a Heart Marshmallow onto each cupcake to finish.

Strawberry Marshmallow Cheesecake Bites 

Ingredients

For the Cheesecakes :
Dr. Oetker Baking Cases
115 g Digestive Biscuits, (4oz) finely crushed
65 g Butter, (2 1/2 oz) melted
150 g Strawberries, (5oz) washed
1 Dr. Oetker Free Range Egg White Powder Sachet, (5g)
50 g Caster Sugar, (2oz)
150 g Full fat soft cheese, (5oz)
Dr. Oetker Platinum Grade Leaf Gelatine, 3 sheets
Dr. Oetker Bright Red Gel Food Colour

To decorate:
150 ml Whipping Cream, (1/4pt)
100 g Strawberry Jam, (3 1/2 oz) sieved
Dr. Oetker Heart Marshmallow, 1 bag

Preparation

For the Cheesecakes

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with Baking Cases. Put the crushed biscuits in a bowl.

Stir the melted butter or margarine into the biscuits until well coated. Divide the mixture equally between the cases and press down into an even layer to make a smooth base. Chill until required.

For the filling, remove the green stems from the strawberries, roughly chop the fruit and blend in a food processor for a few seconds until smooth. Spoon 30ml (2 tbsp) into a small bowl, cover and chill until required for decoration.

Make up the Egg White Powder according to the pack instructions and whisk until stiff. Gradually whisk in the sugar to make a thick, glossy meringue. In another bowl, beat the soft cheese until smooth.

Put the Leaf Gelatine in a shallow bowl and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 5 minutes then drain and squeeze out the excess water. Place the gelatine in a small bowl and spoon over 45ml (3 tbsp) very hot water. Mix well until thoroughly dissolved. Stir into the remaining strawberry purée.

Using a spatula, scrape the meringue onto the soft cheese and carefully mix them together. Gradually and gently, mix in the strawberry purée until well blended.

Spoon the mixture on top of the biscuit bases to fill the cases. Chill for at least 1 hour until set.

Carefully peel away the cases and put the marshmallow bites on a serving plate. Whip the cream until softly peaking and load into a piping bag fitted with a large closed star nozzle. Pipe a swirl on top of each. Mix the reserved strawberry purée with the jam and drizzle a little over each cheesecake. Top with a Heart Marshmallow to serve. Serve any remaining sauce as an accompaniment.

Blackbird Sizzling Pub & Grill Leicester

In the Heart of the city,  just a stone's throw away from the huge city park Abbey Park and around the corner from popular superstores Smythe's toys, B&Q and the ever popular space centre,

There Is The Blackbird Sizzling Pub & Grill Leicester. A Substantially sized pub offering more than you expect, there is a small kids corner to keep the children entertained and you can have a pint whilst watching the sports and having a drink, and there is a fair sized dining area where you can feast on great family priced pub grub.

I have been to the Blackbird pub before - but since I last visited it has had a big refurbishment and a brand new menu, I wasn't sure what to expect when we arrived I noticed that the outside looked fresh modern and sleek - on the inside the theme carried on throughout I noticed the pub was fairly tidy we waited to be greeted, as the table had already been booked however it was a while before anyone acknowledged us and the table had not been booked in by the manager, however, the staff were quite apologetic.

Once we had been seated at the table, I looked over the new style menu there was a very good choice of food both for adults and children there was also a good range of vegetarian options available, that were all clearly marked on the menu with a green V on the menu it took quite sometime for us all to choose what we were going to eat as there was a vast amount of choice, there were quite a few options for starters but we decided not to have a starter as the kids tend not to eat there dinner if they have a starter first, it was straight onto the main course.

I choose the BBQ hunters a chicken (£5.49) - A grilled chicken fillet topped with bacon, BBQ sauce and Monterey Jack Cheese, served with seasoned chips and a half a grilled tomato. Ian Choose the Sizzling Lamb Kofta Kebabs (£8.79) - Grilled lamb koftas served with warm naan bread, tomato and onion salsa, cooling minted sour cream and hot peri-peri chilli sauce, my sister also came along with us she opted for the classic cod and chips (£6.99) hand - battered line caught cod with seasoned chips and mushy peas. The two younger boys opted for the nuggets and chips and peas (£2.99) its a mix and match kids menu so they have the choice of various mains, veg and a side and Liam the oldest chose Pizza it was served on its only as requested as its all he will eat.

The food came out very well presented on their plates and not to disappoint mine was sizzling away the chicken was succulent and very mouthwateringly tasty, the barbecue sauce was very flavoursome and the chips were chunky, cooked just right. Ian and my sister were pleased with their meals too the only thing that was negatively said was that there wasn't enough mushy peas with the cod, however, the waitress would have fetched some more if required but the fish was filling enough.  The boys were all very content with there meals there were no complaints, in fact, the kid's portions were nearly as big as the adult portions and the boys struggled to finish them.

Once we had finished the boys were asking if we could have pudding, of course, we were going to have pudding it's the best part! I chose the chocolate fudge cake (£4.19), served with vanilla ice cream and Belgium chocolate sauce, Ian had the treacle sponge pudding (£2.79), served with custard and vanilla ice cream and my sister had the strawboffee pie (£3.49), a shortbread base layered with caramel, strawberry compote and vanilla cream topped with dried strawberries served with Devon toffee sauce. The three boys had the build your own sundae (£1.29) build a masterpiece! two scoops of vanilla ice cream with dairy milk buttons, marshmallows, milk chocolate pieces and chocolate sauce.

The puddings were absolutely divine and the chocolate fudge cake was enormous as a chocoholic myself even I struggled to finish the beast of a cake off but I soon had some help from the boy's none of that was going to waste! There is a great range of desserts available to choose from something to suit all tastes.

The staff in the Blackbird were very polite and accommodating, the spaces between tables were good we managed to fit the double pushchair in behind us and not feel like we were imposing on anyone else's dining space or them ours and there was quite a bit of room to move round in the pub meaning it was alright for the boys to be walking up and down to the kids corner which is a small area not that well equipped but the boys seemed entertained by it. The Blackbird has a huge car park and an outside seating area which is nice it also has a couple of benches especially for the kids which I thought was a nice touch my only suggestion would be that it could do with a fence or something around it as it opens up onto the car park.

Food is served up until 10pm which I think is great so if you have been out or if you are hungry later in the evening there is no rush its handy to know - especially with late night shopping coming up, Christmas and the huge firework display at abbey park coming up its ideal for a late night dinner or snack it really is a great menu so there is something to suit all!

Overall was it the best meal I have ever had the answer to that is no, however, the pub offers a great family atmosphere it really is amazing value for money we dined six of us, three adults, three children, all had deserts and drinks and it came to just under £50 you cant get value like that in many places will we be visiting again? the answer to that is yes definitely we would eat there again if you would like to check out the menu for yourself you can see that here it's well worth popping on the site or signing up by e-mail as you will be able to see and hear about the special offers they have on before you give them a visit yourself.

We were given a voucher to try and review the yummy food at the Blackbird Sizzling pub & Grill all opinions remain honest and my own. 

Snack time with little Yeo and OXO tot

When all three of my boys started to wean, I always gave them some sort of yogurt or fromaige frias through out the day, It is always far simpler than paying lots of money for specific baby based pudding or snacking products.

We were sent out the OXO Tot Roll Up Bib and On-The-Go feeding spoon plus 42 pots of Little Yeo’s in various flavours to try out and see what we thought.

OXO Tot Roll Up Bib & On-The-Go Feeding Spoon

Let me tell you a bit about OXO in case you haven't heard of them, OXO is an American company that specialises in making products that make everyday living easier for everyone, including young and old, male and female, left and right-handed and many with special needs. They’ve made 1,000+ products – all with a tangible improvement on aspects of everyday living.

Roll Up Bib features

• Soft fabric is comfortable around baby’s neck
• Wide, food-safe silicone pocket catches crumbs
• Fabric rolls up into pocket for portability
• Easy to wipe clean and machine washable
• Bib provides ample coverage

The Roll Up Bib* from OXO Tot is a soft, comfortable bib with a silicone pocket. The top of the bib is made out of fabric to cover baby’s clothes; it has wide shoulders and closes at the nape of the neck with rip tape that is resilient enough to stop it being pulled off during mealtimes. The wide pocket is made with food-safe silicone and catches any stray bits of food or yogurt. The Bib  is perfect for using during snack time when we are on the go, as the fabric part of the bib can be rolled up into the silicone pocket and closed securely and there is no need to worry if you haven't got too much time to clean it down properly until you get home as any mess stays rolled up inside the bib - it also doesn't take up to much space which is an added bonus - if you have an overflowing change bag like myself! 

 On-The-Go Feeding Spoon features 

• Silicone spoon feels soft on baby’s mouth, gums and face
• Spoon is shaped for easy scooping
• Contoured spoon handle is angled for easy feeding by you or by letting your baby feed himself 
• ideal compact case for portability and to help keep it clean 

I love this perfect little spoon its great for weaning babies and it comes with its very own travel case. The shallow spoon is coated with super soft silicone which is gentle on baby’s mouth and gums, just what babies need when they are teething, the handle is contoured making it easy and comfortable to hold. It’s ideal for self-feeding as the shallow spoon stops your little one from loading too much yogurt onto the spoon and it doesn’t matter if Jack gets the spoon all sticky and messy in the process as when he had finished, you can simply put it back in the travel case roll it up into the bib and that way you remember to wash them all when you get back home.

It has to be said I am a big fan of both of these products I love how practical and useful they both are they are very simple but as a mum I have found they made my life so much easier definitely a lot less mess, and I love that when Jack has finished you can just roll it all up together and go, not only that both the spoon and the bib are of a great quality so they are going to last for a very long time.    

Little Yeo

Let me tell you a bit about Yeo Valley, Yeo Valley Are a family owned business and farm and are the UK’s no.1 organic dairy brand, they make a variety of dairy products and we got to try their Little Yeo’s range. The yogurts are perfect for weaning. They’re organic with real fruit puree and no added sugar! 

The green pack of Natural Fromage Frais is the the newest addition to be added to the Little Yeo range, you can mix in with other foods, like soup, stew, mash, homemade pasta sauce, chopped egg or tuna sandwich fillings. It’s also good for adding to porridge or breakfast cereals to cool it down, which is an excellent idea as waiting around for food to cool down when baby is hungry, which Jack is almost certainly it can be very stressful.

Little Yeo's are widely available in lots of supermarkets including Tesco, Morrision’s and Sainsbury’s , the price is great too starting at £1.00 for a 6 pack. You can find out more about Little Yeo’s over on there Website Here

The Taste 

Jack isn't a particularly fussy baby he really loved every flavour , I had a sneaky spoon or two my self and I must admit they are really nice quite thick in consistency and creamy packed with lots of taste, I love that they have no added sugar, Little Yeos are perfect for puddings to add to dinners my older boys loved them to they fit just right as a lunch box snack or a snack for a weaning baby they are an all round versatile product something all the family could enjoy.

We loved both the OXO tot bib and spoon and the lovely Little Yeo range a big thumbs up from both myself and Jack we will certainly be continuing to purchase these in the future, what are you favorite snacks? have you tried any of the Little Yeo range? I would love to here your thoughts? 

we were sent the Little Yeo range and the oxo tot spoon and bib for the purpose of this review all opinions remain honest and my own.

  

Packing a perfect free from lunch with Holland & Barrett

Holland & Barrett has one of the largest range of delicious Free from food products on the market -  They produce foods to help people with multiple allergies. not only that a lot of there food provides a healthier alternative to what you are most likely to find in your regular supermarket. With research showing that almost 1 in 12 children in the UK suffer with some kind of food intolerance/allergy, parents can be limited in what food they can send there children to school with in there lunch box. Holland & Barrett have put the fun back into school lunch boxes by providing a wider range of choice for parents and children with an intolerance/allergy or just to give your children a healthier alternative.

Holland & Barrett sent us a fantastic range of there free from products to try, this is just a small selection of what they have to offer in stores and online.

Glutafin Fibre rolls 4 pack £3.45 for 200g

These rolls are really tasty you can have them straight from the bag or bake them in the oven for five minutes to have them warm and crusty, we chose the second option and enjoyed them with the Meridian organic strawberry spread (See below). The rolls are Wheat, Gluten, and lactose free so they are idea for the coeliac although you would never believe it as they are really tasty, the price it quite expensive but around average for gluten free food.

Meridian Organic Strawberry fruit spread £2.49 for 2884g

finding a suitable sandwich filling for a child with an allergy or intolerance can be quite difficult for parents this organic fruit spread is perfect for children with multiple food allergies or just as a healthier alternative, it is free from Celery, egg, fish, gluten, crustacean, kiwi, lupin, milk, mollusc, mustard, nut, peanut, sesame seeds, soya and sulphate. I must admit it was really nice as a spread, Adam really enjoyed it and asked for it on his toast the following day. the spread is quite sweet and has a lot of flavour to it.    

Mrs Crimbles original Cheese Bites £0.89p per pack

Mrs crimbles crisps are award winning Cheese bites made from 48% cheese they are baked rather than fried, they are Gluten free and they are very,very moreish all three of us loved these the packs are quite big so you could separate the contents into two little tubs ideal for a lunchbox snack.

Nakd berry delight bar (various flavours availible) 99p a bar

nakd bars are gluten,wheat and dairy free they are a tasty treat for anyone with a food intolerance with 17 different flavours available it would be difficult for anyone to get bored they have no added sugars or extras the perfect lunch box treat every now and then. Adam liked these and they didn't last very long at all there such a better healthier choice of food.

Redwood, Wot no dairy Raspberry dessert 125g 79p

Ambient pea protein yogurt, raspberry flavoured with visible pieces of raspberries. sweetened with fruit juice, contains no soya, dairy, artificial colouring, preservatives or flavours. these are suitable for vegetarians and vegans and they don't taste any different to a normal yogurt they have a lot of flavour and are still quite thick and creamy they are also made in a nut free site which is an added bonus.

Clearspring 100% fruit on the go 100g 89p

This was very popular in our house in baby Jack had some of this and loved it the pouches these are ideal for any lunches on the go for taking on a picnic they're also great if your little one is a bit slow in the mornings and could easily be eaten on the school run. They can be chilled or frozen to make delicious sorbet, there are three varieties available, they are made without added sugar, salt, concentrates, sweeteners, preservatives, or artificial colourings or flavourings each pouch counts as one of your 5 a day!




If you would like to see more of their range you can pop in store or see online at www.hollandandbarrett.com and if you visit www.hollandandbarrett.com/info/free-from you can browse more than 1,000 free from food products, great recipes and advice for allergy and intolerance sufferers.

do you have a favourite? I would love to hear your thoughts...

we were sent a lovely selection of free from food from Holland&Barrett for the purpose of this post all opinions remain honest and my own 

#Weaning Week, Drinks and your baby

Whilst weaning its a good idea to always offer your baby a drink with a meal start off with a few sips of water from a sipping cup make sure the cup you give them is one that is within the right age group for you baby for example if your baby is six months give them a cup that states on it six months plus and so on.

Once they have got used to having water you can try giving them sugar free diluted juice or fruit juice one part juice and ten parts water, things like orange juice are a good source of vitamin C for your baby.

When you first start weaning baby milk will still be your babies main source of nutrition they should still be having around a pint of milk a day.

If you are breast feeding, babies may still have around five - six feeds a day but you may find they will gradually reduce this themselves, as once they start having more food they will need less milk.

Babies should not have cows milk until they are over 12 months old but cows milk is fine to cook with until then.

Some drinks are bad for your baby and should be avoided as they will cause tooth decay and can cause dihorrea not only that they can leave your baby feeling full so that they don't want to eat there meal meaning they are not getting the nutrition they require.

Avoid fizzy drinks, flavoured milk, tea and coffee, undiluted fruit juice.

This takes me to the end of my weaning week I hope it has helped you along with your little one if you missed anything you can find the stages below and let me know how you get on!

• How do I know my baby is ready for food?  
• What do I need? (Equipment)
• How to get started?
• Do's and Dont's & food Safety
• Food Choices
• Baby led Weaning
• Drinks and your baby

#Weaning Week, Baby led Weaning

Baby Led weaning has been around for years most parents do this without even knowing they are doing it, the confusing thing about baby led weaning is probably just by the name of it, So what is it? it basically means no purees, no ice cube trays, no food processor, no potato masher, no baby rice, no strange fruit and vegetable mixtures its just you and your child, eating food that you enjoy with you and your family.

The difference between baby led weaning and traditional weaning, is only in the order that children learn to eat, with a puree, they learn to swallow first and then chew, which works fine until they meet a lump. With baby led weaning, the babies learn to chew first and swallowing might come some time later.

How to get started with baby led weaning. 

The best time to try giving your baby finger foods, is when you and your family all sit down to eat. Remember never use this method before six months not only will most babies not be able to pick there own food up but there digestive system wont be ready and they won't know how to chew.

The easiest foods for babies to pick up themselves are the ones that have a natural handle about them like broccoli as they have a long stork, carrots that have been cooked so they are soft cut into stick shapes, you could even try bananas cut into strips so they are easy for your baby to hold.

Your baby might not eat them to start off with and just play with what you put in front of them, they might just suck on them but eventually once they learn what they like they will eat them. This method will also help them to learn how to use there pincer grip this is where they hold food in between there forefinger and thumb but to start off with they will just clasp food in there fist.

What are the benefits of baby led weaning.

By using the baby led weaning its encouraging your baby to try food for themselves they learn quicker about different tastes and textures, they learn how to handle food and eventually learn how to use there pincer grip effectively. It will also help to feel more independent and part of the family. Hopefully this will be fun, increase your babies confidence and your baby will develop a positive attitude towards food.

#Weaning week, Baby Safe feeder #Review

With Jack being my third son you would think I would have tried most things already to do with weaning, but I have never actually tried one of these before, I have heard of the baby safe feeder but I somehow must have missed them when my other two were going through the weaning stages.

What Is the Baby Safe Feeder?

The Baby Safe Feeder takes the scariness out of weaning your baby only ever been used to milk and suddenly there’s a whole new world of flavours and textures to try. The Baby Safe Feeder allows your baby to chew on and become accustomed to different foods without the risk of biting off and swallowing or inhaling a chunk! It can also be an ideal soother when baby is teething – simply fill the net with ice or frozen fruit and it provides instant relief.

This baby product was developed by a Dad after a scare involving his son choking on a piece of teething biscuit, the Baby Safe Feeder is a simple mesh net attached to a plastic holder. An unlimited variety of foods can be used in the Baby Safe Feeder. Baby can chew and suck on the food, deriving all the flavour and goodness from it, without actually biting pieces off.

The bag can be washed in hot soapy water or the whole thing can be put in the dishwasher. Replacement nets can also be easily and cheaply purchased separately. All materials in the Baby Safe Feeder are fully lab-tested (FDA approved) and contain no latex, PVC, phthalates or BPA. Suitable for babies aged 5 months plus.

What We thought, 

The Baby safe feeder, does claim to help keep your child clean, however this definitely didn't happen I gave Jack several food in the net and the fruit and other food with juices leaked through the holes, however when weaning you cant expect your baby to stay clean! The baby safe feeder has a good sturdy handle although to start with Jack did struggle a little to hold it but once I had put both hands on the handle he was fine holding it by himself in fact he really loved it and so did I as while he is sitting in the high chair at the side of me eating his fruit or biscuits himself I can be eating my dinner or cutting up food for the other boys. 

Its great knowing that you can let them have a little independence with fresh food and not have the worry that they are going to choke. I really like this product. The net bag can be a bit difficult to clean, but if you soak it in hot, soapy water for a while it's fine. If you use it for things like biscuits and fruit it doesn't stain the bag.

Myself and Jack really loved the baby safe feeder what a fantastic idea I cant believe I never spotted these before with my two older boys. The baby safe feeder is available to buy from www.maguari.com and are priced at £8 for the feeder and £8 for the replacement bags and I think its well worth the investment! 

#Weaning Week, Food Choices

Food choices when weaning your baby can be a minefield, knowing where to start can leave you scratching your head in this post. I am going to tell you about different food options the best foods to start with, home made food and supermarket based foods.

Where to start and first foods?

 - Baby cereals and baby rice - a good place to start when giving your baby food for the first time is with these foods they are plain and just give your baby a feel for what the different texture is like.

 - Sweet vegetables - Babies naturally have a sweet tooth so give them the sweeter vegetables they will love them and they are a healthier option. vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots and parsnips.

 - Mashed fruit - again its sweet babies love nothing more than mashed banana, cooked apples and pears or you could even try something a bit more exotic like avocado.

 - Ripe fruit - If your baby is able to pick fruit up give them some soft ripe fruit such as strawberries or melon

Don't ever add sugar or salt to your babies food.

Ready prepared baby food.

If you head towards the baby isles in the supermarket there is a mass market for ready prepared baby food and to be honest its always pretty useful to have some about it can make life easy when you are travelling about with a little one or several little ones in tow.

 - When buying any ready prepared food always check food labels if the food is not primarily made for babies it can be very high in salt and sugar, check and change to healthier versions if possible.

 - It seems obvious but check "use by" and "best before" dates.

 - check the seals on any of the packaging have not been broken.

 - choose the food that contain no added sugars or sweeteners, again you can do this by checking labels.

Foods to try.

Once your baby is established on there first foods you can start trying to introduce other food options into there diet foods such as,

 -  lentils (dhal) or pulses

 - mashed up meat, fish and chicken.

 - mashed rice, noodles or pasta.

 - full fat dairy products such as yoghurt's, fromage frias or custard.

Recipes

If you cook a lot of food at home try making meals so they are universal, meaning you are not cooking separately for the family and your baby main meals can be easily adapted to suit your baby as well as the rest of the family. most of the baby websites around such as Hipp Organic, Ella's Kitchen and Cow and gate have there own recipe sections to help you along with making your own food. Also Ella's Kitchen have several recipe books available that focus on baby made meals only.

  

#Weaning week Hipp Organic #Review

As part of my Weaning week feature we were sent a fantastic bundle of baby foods from Hipp Organic. Hipp Organic have been a big part of our lives since I was pregnant with Liam at which time I joined up to their baby parenting club where they have some top tips and good advice. From joining there baby club this has followed on to using there products when Liam was weaning right the way through to now when its Jacks turn to start weaning. I do actually love there products there is a huge variety in choice flavours and different age ranges to suit babies.

If you don't know Hipp Organic, they're are a brand that create good, healthy, nutritious food for babies and toddlers. They pride themselves on creating meals that babies will enjoy and that will help them grow and learn to love good food.

Hipp Organic sent us an array of there lovely products, here is what they sent

• Creamy Porridge (box)
• Apple juice with mineral water
• Pear banana and kiwi Pouch (Pouch)
• peach apple and banana muesli with yogurt (Pouch)
• Cherry apple and banana breakfast (Pouch) 
• Mild tomato and chicken curry (pouch)
• Vegetable and chicken risotto with peas (pouch)
• creamy rice breakfast (jar)
• spaghetti bolagnase (jar)
• Pumpkin carrot and apple spaghetti (Jar)
• Carrot salmon and dill risotto (Jar)
• vegetable lasagne (jar)
• Just fruit pear, banana and kiwi (flavoured yoghurt's)

As you can see from the list there is quite a variation in the products lots of different flavours and tastes coming in all different packaging and this isn't even half of the products they make, there is so much variety to suit all.

In the past I have always had the baby jars for the older boys, with that fact in mind and that Jack has only just started weaning, we tried out the pouches that we were sent. 

The very first thing we tried was the Cherry, apple and banana breakfast - Cherry can sometimes be a bit sour so I was a bit unsure as to how Jack would be with the flavour, I had no need to worry it was a huge hit as he enjoyed every spoonful of the pouch. I loved the ease of the pouch the food was really easy to squeeze from the packet, I like that you can screw the tops back on so you can use half the packet the next day. I must say the breakfast smelt delicious and Jack ate every last bit and was looking for more! 

We also have tried the, pear banana and kiwi pouch and the peach apple and banana muesli with yogurt both of which were hits for Jack he really loved them, over the next few weeks we are looking forward to trying the other products we have been sent and incorporating the jars with the lumps in - watch out for a follow on post to see how we got on with lumpy food.

Hipp Organic is a fantastic brand of baby food, there website is also a place where you can gain lots of information and view all of their products, we will definitely be continuing to stock up with Hipp Organic products we love them!      

we were sent the lovely Hipp Organic products for the purpose of this review all opinions remain honest and my own.

#Weaning Week - How to get started?

So you have the correct equipment and your baby is showing signs that they are ready to be weaned here are my top tips on how to get started.

• Pick a time of the day that is quiet and your baby Isn't really hungry or really tired, I choose about an hour before Jacks tea time bottle was going to be due and after he had had a nap so he is wide awake but you could try mid morning after there morning nap it would work just the same.

• Start with something that is easy on the taste buds like baby rice as this doesn't have much taste, you can make it up with some of there normal milk it gets them ready for different textures.

• Place a small amount onto a plastic or rubber tipped spoon only give a few spoonfuls to start off with probably no more than four then follow with your babies own milk.

• Once they have had baby rice for a few days try, introducing a different taste give that to them for a few days, then repeat the steps with the next food until they get used to different flavours.

• Once your baby has been having meals for around a week try introducing another meal at a different time of the day, also try mixing up flavors together.

• Once your baby is successfully taking dinner and tea, introduce breakfast, there are lots of baby porridge's available, you could also try giving them puree fruit or a baby rusk made mushy by there milk.

• Don't be too hard on yourself if you baby turns there nose up or spits there food out, its only natural when they are used to only having baby milk, eating food takes practice, and patience.    

Once you have started feeding your baby solids, like us they will need a drink to go with it the best drink you can give your baby is water, if they are under six months water will need to be boiled then cooled the same as there baby milk, it is not recommended that you give fruit juice to babies under six months. It is important to remember that all fruit juices contain natural sugar and giving them through a baby bottle will cause tooth decay, also make sure you brush there teeth mornings and evenings even if they only have one tooth and they are drinking through a beaker.

Anabel Karma - baby #weaning products #Review

Annabel Karmel is an international best selling author on baby and children’s food and nutrition. She is the no.1 parenting author in the UK having sold over 4 million books up to now NUK has teamed up with Annabel to create a range of products designed to make life easier for parents, I have been sent three items to review from her range - the baby snack pot, the feeding cutlery set, and the feeding bowl.

The baby snack pot,

- Suitable for weaning

- Dishwasher safe

- Convenient size for at home or out and about

- Easy grip trainer handles

- Suitable for children from 36 months

The idea behind the snack pot is that it helps teach your little ones to eat on their own and is perfect for holding little snacks like raspberries and small pieces of fruit. The clip-on lid helps to keep food fresh, and the soft silicone fins mean the snacks won't fall out, whilst it's easy enough to reach in and grab snacks at any time.

I must admit Jack is to young for the snack pot but I took this out with me this week for Adam, he absolutely loves his fruit and the snack pot kept his strawberries and grapes fresh. He was also running round with the snack pot and it was great that when he did stop to eat something all the fruit had remained in the pot and he could just pop his hand in when he wanted something the pot itself is really easy to clean, lightweight, big enough to fill a small appetite but small enough to leave room in your bag for all the other things you need to carry about with you.


The Feeding bowl with lids


- Feeding bowl by Annabel Karmel, perfect for the weaning stage

- Made from BPA free plastic with vented lid for microwave use

- Features a seal-tight lid & non-slip suction base

The Annabel Karmel by NUK Feeding Bowl comes with a vented lid for the microwave and a seal-tight lid for when you are out and about. The bowl also has a non-slip suction base that helps avoid messy feeding times. It is also dishwasher and freezer safe and BPA free.

The bowl is a really good size I really like the different lid ideas but it could be easy to mix if you are out and about so just be careful which one you are using or you could end up with a bag full of food! The suction grip on the bottom isnt that strong however little ones grips are not either. This is the perfect bowl to carry about in the changing bag with you as its not to big and it is easy to clean if you are somewhere you can only give it a quick rinse.

Cutlery set

- Suitable for weaning

- Anti-slip handles and rounded edges for extra safety

-  Dishwasher safe

- The Feeding Spoons are suitable for children from 6 months. The mini cutlery are suitable for children from    8 months.

The Annabel Karmel by NUK Cutlery Set includes two feeding spoons which have especially long handles, making them ideal for tall jars, as well as a mini fork and spoon for when your little one is ready to start feeding themselves. The feeding spoon is particularly well-suited to your little one's mouth, with round edges for added safety. 

This is my favorite products out of the three I love that the two spoons have extra long handles not only for the fact they save mess when you have taller jars to get into but they also save your back when your reaching over the high chair to feed your baby, I find the grips on the cutlery make them really easy to use the set has definitely been designed with both mum and baby in mind.

All three items are very reasonable in price, they are all priced at £5.99 they are available to buy from a lot of high street stores and are also available online at Amazon and www.Nuk.co.uk

 I was sent these lovely weaning products for the purpose of this review all oppinions reamain honesr and my own.