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I’M not one for picking up calendars but during one of my – MANY – markets over the Christmas period, I couldn’t resist this one from @cafeartuk 👌🏾

The amazing snaps featured were the result of 100 single use cameras being handed to homeless people or those at risk of homelessness whether through addiction or mental health issues.
It was great to hear about the project so just thought I’d share 😁

You can read more about #mylondonphotoproject on their Instagram page or visit the website www.cafeart.org.uk

IT was interesting to read details of a new survey which discovered only 10% of children are getting their five-a-day and that 1 in 10 parents think chips count as one of their children’s five-a-day.

Look, I’m the last to sit here to shame anyone on their parenting skills – particularly as my response to reading that was ‘aren’t potatoes vegetables?!?’ (FYI, they are classed as a starchy food, LOL.)

The research helpfully carried out by children’s fruit snack supermarket brand Fruit Bowl, also noted that 1/3 of parents think fruit yogurts count, while 1/5 parents mistakenly believe a strawberry milkshake contributes – I mean #desperatetimes, right?

I personally battle to get my kids to eat most vegetables, so its interesting that less than half of parents know that tinned veg, frozen fruit and sweet potatoes count towards the recommended daily amount.

Additionally 4 in 10 parents think their child gets only 2-3 portions each day.

FIVE unexpected foods that DO count towards our five-a-day:
Baked Beans
Guacamole
Onions
Hummus
Spaghetti Hoops

FIVE foods that DON’T count towards our five-a-day:
Onion rings
Ketchup
Potatoes
Vegetable Crisps
Pickled Gherkins

Nutritional Therapist, Filomena Komodromou has shared her tips to get children eating fruits and vegetables;

1. Think colour – chop up some crunchy crudités such as carrots, pepper, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, radish, celery and serve with hummus or cream cheese for a healthy filling snack
2. Get them to help in the kitchen – even toddlers can help too. Peeling, chopping or grating can be done quite safely by children supervised by an adult.
3. Blend it up! Homemade smoothies are a great way of getting their five-a-day and sneaking in some veg too.
4. Add mashed banana or grated apple/pear to porridge
5. Make frozen fruit lollies or banana pancakes

Susanne Fraser, Marketing Manager of Fruit Bowl, added: “Here at Fruit Bowl we are a team of parents and know firsthand how difficult it can be to make sure our children get their five-a-day, every day, and we know it’s a struggle that lots of other parents have. By conducting this survey, we aim to highlight this and also show busy parents that there are easy solutions, tips and tricks they can use to give their children five-a-day.”

Fruit Bowl create everyday fruit snacks and treats – many of which contribute towards your 5 a day. #bonus

Available at Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, The Co-Op, Asda, Waitrose and on Ocado.

Hackney Empire pantos are renowned for being one of the best on offer each year. ‘Oh, no they’re not’ – Oh yes they most definitely are!

And while taking my two (nearly three!) year old daughter to her first pantomime, I couldn’t have wished for a better introduction to the theatre.

This year the east London theatre welcomed Joanna Riding to star in Dick Whittington and his Cat. The show was full of laughs, especially with Steve Elias in the role of the panto dame and Tony Whittle as Alderman Fitzgerald – they were the perfect comedy duo – and while my daughter definitely did not warm to the King Rat played by Kat B, he was also hilarious; playing up to the audience’s boos and hisses.

I must admit, even I was scared when a giant gorilla/king kong type character clambered on stage using some sort of puppetry/stilt walkers inside (although I still haven’t quite got my head round how they did that!), but my little one took it fairly well and didn’t bat an eyelid.

Vocally it was Dick Whittington’s love interest Alexia Khadime who stole the show alongside Elias who could more than hold a note or two.

All in all a great show and what better excuse to support your local theatre? Go check it out.

www.hackneyempire.co.uk

IF like me you have a daughter in primary school, then you’re no stranger to various unboxing toys such as LOL Dolls, Num Noms, Shopkins… (the list goes on).

But with the majority of these clearly aimed at girls, it was refreshing to be invited to an event where boys were being included in this growing trend of pocket money toys.

The launch of Teamsterz Micro Motorz took place at Westfield Stratford and was hosted by super car customiser Yianni Charalambous.

Both my son and my daughter tagged along as we joined Yianni for breakfast at Giraffe and at the same time introduced to the miniature unboxing toys.

The two of them – my daughter and my toddler son – were already fascinated by the car collectables in the short time we were there.

The Micro Motorz come with six surprises, including tuning accessories, stickers, a display capsule and there are 20 to collect, including the coveted rare styles.

The display capsule also acts as a launcher for the cars to race – it’s admittedly a bit fiddly to operate and my daughter had to ask me for help and watch the how to guide on YouTube.

It has to be noted that the toy is aimed at 3+, so while my 22 month old showed an interest in the cars, I had to make sure none of the smaller pieces were within his reach.

Our day ended with the chance to gawp at Yianni’s one of a kind £300k chrome wrapped Lamborghini Aventador!

Micro Motorz retail at £4.99.