Hungry to happy challenge

“This post is an entry for BritMums’ Hungry to Happy Challenge sponsored by Richmond Mini Meatballs”

I was given the opportunity to review the Richmond's mini meatballs, we decided that tonight we would taste them.

It did take me a little while to locate them in the shop- I assumed they were a fresh product, they were frozen! LOL

Today I decided its Friday and I want to cook something quick. The packet says that you can microwave them. Perfect, we'll have a microwave dinner then! So I asked the children what they wanted "jacket potato and beans with mine" (Stephanie) I decided to join her in this. Dylan doesn't eat jacket potato or beans, so he got some left over pasta.
I went to the cupboard no beans! We have run out and I have pledged not to buy ANY more food until July's payday. So I found some spaghetti instead.

The whole lot was microwaved, it took about 15 minutes in total.

Stephanie's.

Mine

Dylan's, he decided he would like some spaghetti too once he got into the kitchen.

 

 

So what did we think on the taste? Honestly, not good. They tasted floury rather than meaty. Very little taste, the children weren't keen either. I do have some left in the bag, they may taste different cooked in the oven but I don't hold out much hope.

 

Most definitely not worth the £2.49 Tesco's are selling them for.

 

I didn't read the bag before the taste test, I wanted to not have any preconceived ideas. However, after tasting I must say I was not surprised to read the ingredients;

pork (52%), water, rusk, potato starch, wheat fibre, dextrose, soya. made up 98% of the product. The last 2% was made of various flavours and preservatives.

Typical 'children's food' full of junk and tasteless.

I will be continuing to make my own using meat from the local butchers- sorry Richmond's.

 

I was not paid to write this review, I was provided with a voucher to cover the cost of purchasing the product in order to review it. The views put across in this review are my own ( and my children's!).

 

Kids Grow Wild

This is an entry for Britmums' #KidsGrowWild challenge.

Yesterday we went to the post office retrieval place, I had missed a  parcel on Thursday but as they shut before I finish work I had to leave it there until the weekend. Not easy as I didn't know what it was, and I am hopeless at waiting for surprises! I also knew I had not ordered anything as I am really trying hard to curb my spending.

As soon as I saw the box I remembered, I had entered to join in with the Moneysupermarket and Britmums' kids grow wild challenge. This was my box of goodies to help with this. So I called Stephanie down to open the parcel, not telling her what I expected to be inside.

 Mum there is a letter in here! Along with the letter there was a gardening bag, which contained a watering can, a hand trowel, a hand fork, a pair of gardening gloves and three packets of flower seeds. A perfect gardening kit for any child.

 

 Being the avid reader that she is, she set to reading the gardening tips page included in the package. this has useful ideas for how you can use the contents of the package with your child, for example making a scrapbook to follow the process of growing your seeds. About encouraging your child to read the instructions and lead the way in following the process of planting by asking prompting questions. The one I am really taken with trying is growing a bean seed so that you can see the roots etc form. I am going to do this one with her today.

So after Stephanie had read the sheet I asked what she would like to do. She immediately put on some shoes, the gloves from the gardening bag, which she also picked up and went outside. No words but that simple response showed me she wanted to get planting!

 

I gave her some empty planters to use and went and dug some compost out of the bin. Here Stephanie is reading the seed packet for what she needs to do.

Sprinkling the seeds into her pot.

Getting a little help from big brother to fill the watering can from the water butt.

Once Stephanie had finished planting her seeds I gave her the choice of several places in the garden to form her garden. She chose along the fence where I don't have any pots already. We moved them in to place together ready for watering. I also gave Stephanie a couple of my strawberry plants I had growing, as she loves strawberries and so that she has something immediately to be taking care of, so that she doesn't become bored waiting for the other seeds to grow.

Here she is admiring her hard work.

 

I have a feeling that this is going to become something that really interests her over the summer.