Mini Fridge Overview: Portable, Efficient, Fun and On Point Mini Fridge

The So Chill Mini Fridge Infinity is an ultra-stylish mini fridge — perfect for keeping drinks, snacks, and even beauty products cool (in both senses of the word). It is an ideal addition for hangouts and perfect for road trips, late-night study sessions, and the occasional WFG (Working from Garden). Gamers, students, tweens and teens will love it.   

What’s Included:

• Mini fridge (4-litre capacity)
• Removable shelf
• USB cable
• Stickers sheet
• Instructions (if you need any)
  
  

What We Thought of the So Chill Mini Fridge Infinity

I normally do a ‘how to use’ section in reviews but there’s no need here; you just plug it in, flick the on switch and wait an hour for it to get to temperature; then you’re good to go.

The So Chill Mini Fridge Infinity isn’t just about cooling your drinks – although it does an excellent job of that – it is about cool aesthetics too. It’s sleek and has a mesmerising 3D infinity LED mirror effect door, which boasts 12 different light modes to suit the vibe or mood or you can set it to scroll through all the colour modes. This isn’t just an ordinary fridge; it’s quite a statement piece.

It’s compact and lightweight so you can move it easily between locations and it runs via a USB power cable, making it versatile and simple to use. It comes with 90 fun stickers for personalisation, which are a nice touch for younger ones.

Practical bits

The So Chill Mini Fridge has a 4-litre capacity and can hold up to six 330ml cans. It comes with a removable shelf, which makes it quite flexible depending on what you want to stash in there.

As someone who’s always thinking about energy bills (who isn’t these days?), I got the calculator out and discovered it costs approximately 6p a day to run continuously for 24 hours.

Dimensions:
Depth: 185mm
Height: 285mm
Width: 285mm

Verdict on the So Chill Mini Fridge Infinity

The So Chill Mini Fridge Infinity is a brilliant blend of function and fun. It looks great, is efficient, doesn’t guzzle electricity, and doesn’t make any loud humming.

It will appeal to a wide variety of people and is TikTok-approved, which is apparently the highest praise these days. Suitable for ages eight and up.

You can buy the So Chill Mini Fridge Infinity at various retailers including Smyths where it’s priced at £44.99.

Disclaimer:
I have been provided with this product for review purposes. I have not received any monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are my own and are based on my honest and unbiased experience with the product.

The post So Chill Mini Fridge Infinity Review: Cool in Every Way appeared first on The Parent Social.

Go incognito/search from a different device

Those pesky cookies mean Big Brother knows where you’ve got your sights set for your next holiday as soon as you start browsing. I usually find that flights are a certain price on my first look online and jump up on a subsequent visit. Or sometimes, knowing your preferences from previous times, you’re automatically quoted something more expensive. Going incognito (privacy mode) can shave a lot of money off. This article explains how. This doesn’t just apply to flights and accommodation it’s on lots of things.

Take early and mid-week flights

This is something I’ve been doing for years and it’s saved us £100s at a time. It is amazing what difference a couple of hours makes to the price of a flight. This is definitely something where the pain (getting up super early) gives a lot of gain! Also there’s a lot less traffic on the roads at this time and you get more of your first day at your destination.

Moneyboat says that mid-week flights, especially on Wednesdays, are usually more affordable than weekend departures.

Tuesday and Wednesday nights tend to be the best times to look online to bag the cheapest flights with midnight being the optimum time to get a bargain.

Spread the costs

Look out for options where you can put down a small deposit and then pay on a monthly basis to spread out the costs. Just make sure that you’re not having to pay a large premium to do this.

Book hotels with free cancellation

Locking in rooms where there’s a free cancellation policy ensures you’re covered and won’t have to pay large admin fees if your plans change. This isn’t the only money saving benefit though. You can also monitor the price of your accommodation. If it drops (and this happens a lot) you can cancel your room and re-book.

Book off-peak season trips

People head to well-known sun-drenched destinations at the height of summer. These same destinations, such as the Greek Islands, the Canaries, the Amalfi coast, benefit from warm temperatures and cheaper costs in spring and autumn (think half term) and in some cases even in winter. This can afford huge savings.

Be an early bird

Plan ahead and book your 2025 holiday as soon as possible before the prices begin rising. As well as grabbing a potential bargain you’ll also have the opportunity to spread the costs.

Compare airline prices

If like me, you’re pre-programmed to check the budget airlines first, you could be missing a money-saving trick. Head to the comparison sites to find the best prices and deals. Skyscanner is one of the big ones. I’ve also been recently introduced to Jack’s Flight Club, a site which lets you know when flights to lots of different destinations are going really cheap.

Also take a look at connecting flights as opposed to non-stop as these are often a lot cheaper.

Evaluate your dining options

While all-inclusive might feel like it takes the sting out of eating costs, it hugely impacts the cost of your hotel accommodation. Do your research and see if there are affordable places to eat in the local area and calculate whether it’s more cost-effective to book alternative options such as half-board or self-catering instead.

Vacuum pack clothes

Adding baggage allowance to your flight really racks up the costs. If you’re paying for four people to have hold luggage it becomes a very significant sum. Whilst vacuum packing clothes doesn’t reduce weight, it does create a lot of extra space, which means you can ditch some of the bags.

Save even more money by only taking hand luggage.

Join travel loyalty reward schemes

Certain airlines and ferry companies as well as Eurostar offer loyalty reward schemes for travellers. These rewards/points can often be redeemed off the price of future travel or offer other money saving perks.

The combo holiday

Half-holidays – where you visit one destination for a week and then move on to a nearby location for the remainder of the trip – are a great way to save money and combine a beach holiday with a sightseeing holiday or city break. For example, you can book a pricier resort holiday for a week, then book a much cheaper hotel near historical sites/city centre. This cuts down on the taxis or hire car that you’d otherwise have to fork out for to visit these sights if you did two weeks at a resort.

Don’t pay in pounds

When making purchases abroad pay in the local currency rather than converting to pounds. This can save a significant amount of money. As Moneyboat explains, often vendors and establishments offer less favourable exchange rates when converting your pounds on the spot. By paying in the local currency, you avoid these additional charges and get the best value for your money.

Reduce your airport travel/parking costs

Many airports have started charging for drop-offs even if your car is only there for a minute. There are however free drop-off points, which are a short walk or bus ride away from the terminal. Check the airport’s website for details of where these are and allow extra time.

If you’re driving and parking for the duration of your trip, look at parking zones that are further out as these are cheaper. Again allow extra time to get to the terminal.

Last-minute offers

If you’re not a planner and so miss out on early bird deals then go completely the other way and book last minute. This doesn’t always work, but you can often bag a bargain if hotels or flights have spaces to fill.

Don’t buy at the airport

You pay a real premium at airports for travel accessories so make sure you buy things like adaptors and neck pillows beforehand. The same goes for snacks.

The other thing that’s extremely expensive to do at the airport is buy foreign currency. I use Martin Lewis’ Travel Money Max tool to find out which local exchange bureaus are offering the best rate.

Book excursions, museums, tours etc in advance

Search what there is to see and do in your destination and plan ahead. Usually you can save a lot of money if you book activities online in advance as opposed to paying on the door. With a bit of research you might even hit upon free events and activities that are happening in the local area.

—–

Latest deal: Save up to £200 on your next easyJet holiday (Minimum spend applies)
Conditions: Save £200 off your holiday on minimum spend of £2000, save £100 off your holiday on minimum spend of £800  
Validity: Valid on holidays 25/4/25 to 31/10/26 inclusive
Bookings:  25/4/25 to 11pm 6/5/25
How: Go to: easyJet and use code ORANGE 

The post 16 Top Money Saving Travel Tips for Your Next Holiday appeared first on The Parent Social.

Angus Steak House

Children aged 8 and under can enjoy a complimentary Kids Menu dish when accompanied by a full-paying adult. The menu also comes complete with activity sheet and colouring crayons.

Full details here.

Asda

Originally just for school holidays, Asda’s Kids Eat for £1 café deal is available all year round. No adult purchase is required. More details about the initiative here.

Banana Tree

Ok, so not specifically for the holidays, but kids eat free every Sunday. Order one adult main course from the ‘All Day’ menu and get a kids meal on them.

Booking and further details here: https://bananatree.co.uk/kids-eat-free

Beefeater

Beefeater is offering an unlimited all-you-can-eat breakfast including a cooked full English and continental favourites. Two children under 16 eat for FREE with every adult breakfast purchased (£10.99).

More details here: https://www.beefeater.co.uk/en-gb/school-holidays

Bella Italia

Kids eat free all day every Thursday and for £1 until 6pm, Sunday to Wednesday at Bella Italia. Full details can be found on the website: https://www.bellaitalia.co.uk/kids

Bill’s at Easter

Up to two children can eat free all day over Easter at Bill’s from Monday, 7th April until Friday, 25th April (excluding Saturday & Sunday), when one adult orders any main dish, which can be breakfast, lunch or dinner.

More details here: https://bills-website.co.uk/events/kids-eat-free/

BrewDog

We’ve been to the Waterloo BrewDog and love it! Aside from the microbrewery and great food, there’s duckpin bowling, table tennis, an indoor ice-cream van and a massive slide, which is big enough for adults to go on too!

This Easter at BrewDog, if you pre-book and an adult is eating too, children eat for free off the kids menu. Just ensure you book for a visit on the applicable dates according to your region:

Aberdeen – Monday 31st March – Monday 21st April
All UK Bars – Saturday 5th April – Monday 21st April

Book here: https://drink.brewdog.com/uk/kids

Brewers Fayre

Brewers Fayre is offering the same breakfast deal as Beefeater (both part of the Whitbread group). Two children under 16 eat free with every adult breakfast purchased. More details here: https://www.brewersfayre.co.uk/en-gb/breakfast

Dobbies Garden Centres

Get your garden sorted in time for Easter plus get the kids a free meal with any adult traditional or full breakfast or adult main course. Details here: https://www.dobbies.com/tasty-treats

Offer available every day in the restaurant and also includes a free child’s drink. Find your local Dobbies.

Franco Manca

Mondays-Thursdays, Children 12 years and under receive a free kids pizza for every full-priced adult main meal. This is in selected pizzerias throughout the UK. Check the full details on the site.

Gourmet Burger Club – Easter Special

One child gets a free kids meal with every adult spending a minimum of £20 at Gourmet Burger Club Banstead and Cobham between the 14th and 21st of April.

Find out more, and book here: https://www.gourmetburgerclub.co.uk

Hungry Horse

Children eat for £1 every Monday on selected kids’ meals at Hungry Horse with every full paying adult. However, over Easter, it is also doing a special Feed The Family For £20 offer where you can enjoy two adult mains from its Pub Classics menu and two kids’ small meal deals, complete with a main, dessert, and a drink.

More details about both deals: https://www.hungryhorse.co.uk/deals/kids-eat-for-1 https://www.hungryhorse.co.uk/deals/family-meal-deal

Pizza Express Easter Deal

Enjoy one free Piccolo meal (includes dough balls to start; a pizza, pasta or salad as main, dessert and Bambinoccino) for free when you dine-in at Pizza Express and purchase an adult main. This is available when dining in Monday to Sunday, from Monday 7^th April until Thursday 24^th April 2025 (inclusive). 

More details here.

Premier Inn

You don’t have to be staying at the hotel to take advantage of its great breakfast offer. When one adult orders a full Premier Inn Breakfast or a Meal Deal, up to two under 16s eat breakfast for free.

For more details go to: https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/family.html

Prezzo

At Prezzo this Easter kids receive a free, three course kids meal when you purchase an adult main meal. It’s available from the 31st March until 27th April.

Tesco

Kids can enjoy a free meal with any adult purchase in The Café when dining in.
More details here: https://www.tesco.com/zones/tesco-cafe/kids-menu

TGI Fridays

You can really get that Friday feeling at TGI Fridays every day this Easter. They’re giving away a free kid’s meal when you order an adult’s main, available all day, every day.

Full details on the TGI Fridays website.

The Blue Ball

The Blue Ball’s Kids Eat Free offer is back for the Easter school holidays.

From Tuesday, 8th April to Friday, 18th April, enjoy a free kids meal with every full priced adults main course that’s purchased. For mroe details and booking go here: https://theblueballtadworth.co.uk/

The Coconut Tree  

One child (aged 10 and under) eats free per one paying adult between Monday, 7th April 2025 – Sunday, 27th April 2025. Available on food only. 

For more details and booking go here. 

The post Where Kids Eat Free (or for £1) This Easter appeared first on The Parent Social.

Organic, free-range, barn or caged?

This Shrove Tuesday, people across the UK will reach for the eggs to whip up their pancakes. National Geographic Kids says that an astounding 52 million eggs are used in the UK alone on this day. Shockingly, 20% of eggs in the UK still come from caged hens. However, according to RSPCA Assured, 60% of UK adults who’ll be making pancakes say it’s important that the ingredients come from higher-welfare farms.

In the UK, eggs must have a series of numbers and letters stamped on them. Cracking this code tells you everything you need to know about the egg’s origins and the conditions the hen was kept.

Deciphering the Egg Code

Farming Method Code

The first number is key. It tells you how the hen that laid your egg was kept:

0 – Organic: these eggs come from hens raised on free-range farms with access to outdoor space and organic feed.

1 – Free-range: hens live in barns and have access to the outside through openings called ‘popholes’. This provides them extra space and the opportunity to express their natural behaviours.

2 – Barn: hens have the freedom and space to move around within a building. Like on free-range farms, there are perches for roosting, as well as material to dust-bathe and scratch in and nest boxes. Some systems are ‘multi-tier’, providing additional above-ground levels for hens to use.

3 – Caged: Colony or so-called ‘enriched’ cages typically house around 60 hens. They limit the hens’ ability to move around and perform natural behaviours, causing high-stress levels and frustration.

Country Code

Next up is the two-letter country code of where the egg was produced. This is pretty easy to decipher. Don’t assume that all eggs in the UK are from here. Whilst the UK is 92% self-sufficient for eggs, it imports an egg-traordinary additional 1.4 billion eggs a year.¹ There had to be one egg pun!

• UK – United Kingdom
• FR – France
• DE – Germany
• NL – Netherlands

Producer Code

After the country code, you’ll find a unique farm identification number. This allows you to trace the egg right back to its source. You can use the egg tracker at https://www.eggtracker.co.uk to find out its origin.

Best Before Date

While not part of the egg code itself, eggs often have a ‘best before’ (BB) date printed on them. This is typically no more than 28 days from when the egg was laid. On a separate note, I often go a few weeks past the BB date so long as the egg passes the ‘water float test.’

An Easy Shortcut: Look for the RSPCA Assured Label

If you don’t have time in the supermarket to scrutinise eggs, there’s a simpler way to confirm how ethical they are: look for the RSPCA Assured logo on the egg box.

Eggs carrying this label mean the hens lived on free-range farms or in large barns that meet nearly 700 stringent welfare standards. Here, hens have perches, nest boxes, and enrichment items like straw bales and pecking objects. These are all designed to allow them to express their natural behaviours. RSPCA Assured farms are regularly inspected to ensure the RSPCA’s higher welfare standards are met. Crucially, RSPCA Assured farms never use cages.

Crack on

Next time you’re reaching for eggs – whether for pancakes, omelettes, or a fry-up – take a second to check the code or find the RSPCA Assured label. It’ll ensure that your eggs come from farms that prioritise hen welfare.

1. In 2021, the UK imported an extra 1.4 billion eggs – https://www.nfuonline.com/media/coeb3iju/trade-export_poultry.pdf ︎

The post Making More Ethical Egg Choices: Cracking the Code appeared first on The Parent Social.

What’s included:

• Digital camera
• USB cable
• 8GB MicroSD Card
• Shoulder strap
• Sticker sheet
  

TLDR – capture high-quality images with ease with the Photo Creator Pop Colour Digital Camera. This vibrantly coloured (available in teal and purple), compact, lightweight camera, takes high-resolution pictures and videos. It has a large 2.4″ screen, flash, 20 fun photo frames, numerous filters and two lenses.

Performance, features and our experiences with the Photo Creator Pop Colour Digital Camera

The setup was wonderfully easy. The camera charges up quickly; its built-in rechargeable battery allows for hours of creative fun on a single charge and the in-built memory means you’re good to go immediately. However, the 8GB microSD card substantially extends the memory capacity and is a significant bonus, especially considering the camera’s modest price point. The intuitive interface means kids can start snapping and customising their shots with minimal or no assistance.

The camera’s 32-megapixels pack a punch, producing sharp, crisp photos and enabling high-quality video recording. Its numerous customisation options and features include:

• 20 fun frames
• Built-in filters to change the mood of each shot
• Three picture shooting
• Timer
• Dedicated selfie lens

The girls loved experimenting with the filters, which range from black and white, and sepia to warm and cool colour tones. The wide selection of borders really up the entertainment factor. The back lens, specifically for taking selfies, is really good and adjusts seamlessly according to the light.

“The camera had lots of fun filters and borders. It was cool trying a new way to take photos and seeing how the light settings changed automatically. The cyber-shot effect was really fun to experiment with!”

Final Thoughts

The Photo Creator Pop Colour Digital Camera is a great, fun, easy-to-use camera, which will appeal to both younger and older tweens and teens. It’s affordable, takes great-quality pictures and has plenty of features, which will hold children’s attention. The fun effects will appeal across the age range and younger ones will love the stickers, which they can use to customise their camera. It’s ultra-lightweight but sturdy and perfect for small hands. The 2.4” colour display is a great size for kids to view and edit their shots easily. My one criticism is that the memory card is rather fiddly to insert.

Great value at £29.99, the Photo Creator Pop Colour Digital Camera is available from Smyths and other outlets.

Disclaimer:
I have been provided with this product for the purpose of review. I have not received any monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are my own and are based on my honest and unbiased experience with the product.

The post Photo Creator Pop Colour Digital Camera Review appeared first on The Parent Social.

What you spot, record and report enables the RSPB to analyse trends and help effectively protect the UK’s birdlife. Sadly, the UK has lost 38 million birds from its skies in the last 50 years; the RSPB is doing everything it can to reverse this and you can help…

How do you take part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch?

Firstly, sign up (it takes about a minute) and access all the resources you need including your free Big Garden Birdwatch guide.

Then just choose one hour between Friday, 24th January and Sunday, 26th January to spot birds. If you don’t have a garden don’t worry, you can choose an area in your local park, green space or even street.

Three simple steps

1. Watch for birds in your chosen spot for one hour

2. Tally how many of each species of bird lands on your patch. Just record the highest number of each species you see at any one time so you don’t risk counting the same bird twice.

3. Go online and tell the RSPB what you saw: rspb.org.uk

What we do to prepare for our birdwatch

We stock up on a variety of bird food, which includes fat balls, a seed mix with mealworms (particularly attractive for robins and blackbirds), wild seed mix and nuts, which are popular for great tits, blue tits, woodpeckers, jays etc. Birds are very appreciative of kitchen scraps. These are a very cost-effective way of attracting and feeding them.

We have a couple of hanging bird feeders and a bird table so it should be a good combination. If you haven’t already got any feeders/table already in situ, set up new items as far ahead of the Big Garden Birdwatch as possible as birds can be quite cautious/skeptical about change.

We’ve also got our trusty binoculars at the ready and the hot chocolate on standby.

Some useful resources 

• RSPB First Book Of Birds – Anita Ganeri, David Chandler
• i-SPY Birds – Collins Michelin i-SPY Guides – we’re big fans of these pocket-sized boredom busters!
• Birds – Usborne Spotter’s Guides
• RSPB My First Book of Garden Birds – Mike Unwin, Sarah Whittley 

The post RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2025 appeared first on The Parent Social.

Winter cooking is my favourite. I find it so much easier to come up with family meal ideas when it’s cold as we’re big fans of stick-to-your-ribs casseroles, stews and one-pots as well as comforting pasta dishes.

Here are six of our favourite winter warmers:

Chicken and Chorizo Jambalaya

This Cajun-inspired chicken and chorizo jambalaya has become a firm family favourite. It’s a wonderfully simple one-pot, which is filling and packed with flavour. In short, the perfect winter warmer.

Ingredients (Serves 5)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 chicken breasts, chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g of cooking chorizo, sliced
• 1.5 tbsp of Cajun seasoning
• 320g long grain rice
• 400g can plum tomato
• 500 ml chicken stock

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet with a lid and add the chopped chicken breasts. Fry until they’re lightly browned (approximately 5-8 minutes)
2. Remove the chicken and set aside. Add a little more oil if required and gently fry the onion until soft and translucent (approximately 3-4 minutes)
3. Add the red pepper, garlic and chorizo alongside the Cajun seasoning and cook for a further 5 minutes
4. Reintroduce the chicken along with the long grain rice. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock
5. Cover the pan and simmer for 20-25 minutes (stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn’t stick) until the rice is tender

Pork, Chorizo and Cannellini Bean Stew

This has been on our meal planner for years and it really lends itself to winter cooking. It’s a hearty dish, extremely cheap and easy to make, and the kids love it. The pork cooks for a long time so becomes very tender. I love it with crusty bread so I can dunk and mop up the lovely sauce. I often make more than necessary so that we can have the leftovers the next day served with rice.

Ingredients (serves 5) 

• 850g pork shoulder steaks/pork shoulder
• 400g tin cannellini beans
• 250g of cooking chorizo (chorizo ring or several packs of the ready chopped)
• 2  x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 2 large red onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 teaspoons paprika

Method

1. Slice the pork into strips and fry off in a casserole dish (which has a lid) until brown all over. Remove from the pan and drain off the fat
2. Cut the chorizo into small chunks (or use the ready cubed) and add to the pan; brown off for two minutes then add the chopped onions, four teaspoons of paprika and the chopped garlic. Fry for a further two minutes until the onion has softened
3. Add the pork back to the pan along with ½ a pint of water and the tinned tomatoes. Season to taste
4. Simmer for one hour on a low heat with the lid on. Remove the lid, add the cannellini beans and simmer for a further 30 minutes

Winter Vegetable Soup

Winter cooking in a nutshell! This is my George’s Marvellous Medicine concoction, which I created when my go to recipe disappeared. It can be adjusted according to taste so don’t worry about deviating from the below quantities. I’d already adapted the original as it was too parsnipy for us. It’s really quick and easy to make, and surprisingly filling.

Ingredients (serves 5) 

• Salted butter – 75g
• Two small leeks (sliced) approximately 165g
• 1 small onion – 125g (I use frozen chopped onions)
• Carrots – 500g
• Parsnips – 230g
• 1 large potato – approximately 200g (peeled and roughly chopped)
• 1 litre of vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Melt the butter in a casserole dish, add the leeks and onion and gently heat until softened. This should take approximately five minutes

2. Peel and very roughly chop the carrots, parsnips and potato if using a food processor (recommended) or chop smaller if not. I still use my trusty 15-year-old Babycook for this!

3. Add the carrot, potato and parsnip to the leek and onion and fry until softened

4. Add one litre of hot vegetable stock (as per pack instructions) to cover all the veg, add pepper to taste and bring to the boil

5. Simmer gently for 20-25 minutes with the lid on until all the vegetables are tender

6. Blitz with a hand stick blender or similar to desired consistency (add milk if you like a bit thinner)

7. Check seasoning and adjust accordingly. Add garnish if you fancy and serve with some warm crusty bread.

Meatball, cannellini and cavolo nero casserole

Don’t let the number of ingredients put you off. This winter warmer is easy to make and actually makes use of many items you’ll probably already have in your store cupboard. I don’t know whether this should be categorised as a soup or a casserole, but what I do know is that it’s a hugely satisfying, filling and flavourful dish.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 48 mini beef meatballs (approximately 800g)
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 3 medium-sized carrots
• 1 large onion (diced)
• 3 large garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp of chilli flakes
• 200ml of dry red wine
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 litre of beef stock
• 200g of cavolo nero (remove stalks)
• 1 x 400g tin of cannellini beans
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 1 tsp of white pepper

Method

1. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large pan and fry the meatballs until browned all over (approximately 10 minutes). Remove and drain the fat from the pan
2. Add the remainder of the oil to the pan and gently cook the onion, garlic, carrots and bay leaf until soft (approximately 10 minutes)
3. Pour in the wine and wait for it to start bubbling. Then add the tomato purée, beans, stock, chili flakes and thyme and give a good stir.
4. Add the meatballs back to the pan and cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes ensuring the meatballs have no pink bits.
5. Stir in the white pepper and cavolo nero and cook until that latter has wilted (approximately 2 minutes).
6. Season with salt and a little bit of black pepper

Spaghetti Carbonara

The children would have spaghetti carbonara twice a week, every week if they could. It’s ridiculously easy to make and is the ultimate comfort food so perfect for winter cooking. This one is based on the recipe from the bible of Italian cooking: The Silver Spoon cookbook. This means there is no cream in the ingredients list!

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 25g butter
• 100g cubed pancetta
• 3 whole peeled garlic cloves (recipe says one clove but even three isn’t very strong)
• One pack of spaghetti
• 2 large eggs (beaten)
• 40g Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• 40g Pecorino (freshly grated)
• Salt and pepper

Method 

1. Melt the butter in a pan, add pancetta and garlic cloves and cook until garlic turns brown. Discard the garlic
2. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti for a minute less than packet instructions say in a large pan of salted boiling water
3. Drain the pasta, add to the pancetta and mix to coat
4. Remove pan from heat and pour in the eggs – my children prefer the egg to be better cooked so I usually leave on the heat for a few seconds longer
5. Add half the Parmesan and half the Pecorino and season to taste with pepper. Mix well, add the remaining cheese and mix again.

Winter Cooking Sausage and Bean Casserole

Ingredients (serves 4-5)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 12 high quality pork sausages
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 3 tbsp tomato purèe
• 2 tbsp flour
• 250ml red wine
• 1litre of fresh chicken stock (hot)
• 1 x 400g can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Method

1. Heat oil in a casserole dish (or large frying pan) over a medium heat. Add the sausages and fry until browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add the onion, celery and thyme sprigs to the pan and cook for 5 minutes; stir to prevent sticking.
3. Add the tomato purèe and flour and cook for one minute.
4. Pour in the red wine, bring to the boil and then simmer until reduced to a third.
5. Add the stock to the pan, and once boiling reduce heat to a fast simmer
6. Diagonally halve each sausage and add back to the pan. Simmer for a further 15 minutes ensuring they are cooked through
7. Stir in the beans and cook for a further 5 minutes. Season to taste.

What are you favourite recipes for winter cooking? Please share them below.

This article first appeared on VINOCIBO.

The post 6 Family Winter Warmers: Embracing Winter Cooking appeared first on The Parent Social.

Gumtree selling site for big items

I’ve had a lot of success on Gumtree over the years when selling big, collect only items. I’ve sold numerous cars, a freezer, a bike, a dining table and even an oak front door. The site is easy to use and creating ads is quick and simple. There are no listing fees and you can add up to 20 images at no charge. There are additional paid for services should you want. These include adding a link to your website (£5.21) and numerous ad promotion options.

Go to: https://www.gumtree.com/

De-cluttering baby equipment

I amassed so much equipment when the children were babies especially as the twins needed additional specialised items. I found Preloved UK a great selling site for this type of stuff and items such as feeding cushions, a Medela Double Electric Breast Pump, the iCandy Peach Blossom and a Silver Cross 3D Pram System were snapped up.

The site is extremely easy to navigate. Again it’s free to list and you can upload three photos for free. If you’ve subscribed to Preloved Premium membership, you can add unlimited photos. You can set a specific price, invite offers, say you’ll accept near offers, very near offers or offers above ‘x’.

Go to: https://www.preloved.co.uk

Selling children’s clothes locally and further afield

Outgrown clothes accumulate quickly so serious de-cluttering is needed regularly. I find the local selling pages on Facebook great for bundles of lower valued items as well as higher value pieces. My go to is Kidz Stuff Surrey. This is great as people can see exactly where you’re based and can usually collect, which saves on faffing on postage and packing. There are also even more localised selling groups. For designer/high end items there are some brand-specific groups such as Mini Boden and Joules childrens’ clothes. The audiences on these sites know exactly the worth of the items listed so these are the perfect venues. However, you are likely to have to post the items. Facebook marketplace is also a great option.

Vinted for children’s and adult’s clothes

I’m quite new to Vinted, but am finding it a good platform, which is really easy to use. You can add up to 20 photos and there are lots of drop down menus that help you to describe the item as well as select the brand. I initially thought that the suggested prices for items was too low, but soon discovered that this is recouped on the shipping costs, which are paid for by the buyer. Vinted even generates the shipping label for you. You also receive updates about the progress of the order and you’ll be alerted as soon as the buyer receives.

Go to: https://www.vinted.co.uk

Top tips for selling online 

• Good pictures are vital
• Be realistic, if you price too high you’ll put people off
• That said, don’t go too low as you might be bartered even lower
• Descriptions should be informative but succinct
• For something like a buggy, people will want the instruction manuals, without these you can’t expect to get as high a price
• If you are sending items by post, don’t buy posting and packaging until you have received payment (or at least a deposit)
• Be prepared for time wasters and learn how to spot them
• If someone is coming to pay in cash for a larger item and requests you take it off the market, then you need to get a deposit
• If you’re not doing a face-to-face transaction, then PayPal is the way to go

De-cluttering with a Nearly New Sale 

Keep an eye out for local Nearly New Sales. These are great for shifting large volumes of items in one go. You have to pay for a table (and rail if you want to hire), but if you’ve got a lot of stuff and some higher value items, it’s very easy to recoup and make a healthy profit. They are often publicised with posters at church halls and community centres and you can use the following links to find out where your local NCT sales and Mum2Mum Markets are taking place. These two are the biggest out there. Whilst I haven’t done an NCT sale, I have done a number of Mum2Mum Markets. You can find out more about this here.

Happy de-cluttering!

The post Making Money in the New Year appeared first on The Parent Social.

Christmas Gifts for the Family

The 1% Percent Club

We love this show as a family. My eldest and I are a little bit competitive when watching and this translates brilliantly at home. It’s all about logic and reasoning skills and has nothing to do with general knowledge. The gameplay is simple, but it’s highly entertaining. Some of the questions are so infuriating, and this often leads to heated ‘discussion’ but that’s all part of the fun. If you’re a fan of the TV show, this is definitely for you.

Buy the 1% Club for £25 at The Entertainer. Suitable for 3-6 players ages 8+.

Traitors card game

This a new addition to our game repertoire, but it has cemented itself as a firm favourite. The Traitors Card Game brings the suspense and duplicity of the hit BBC show to your living room, making it a perfect choice for festive fun (and indeed fun at any time of the year). Designed for 4-8 players aged eight and up, this immersive game challenges participants to uncover the Traitor/s while collectively building a prize pot of gold. Its simple rules, engaging twists, and option for digital gameplay (highly recommended) create a unique mix of collaboration, bluffing, and deception that appeals to both kids and adults.

Read the full review here. You can buy it on Amazon for £11.99.

Mystery Guides

Mystery Guides turn UK cities into giant outdoor escape rooms where you discover lots of history and hidden gems whilst solving a mystery (and stopping off at a couple of pubs). You can read my review of the City of London Mystery Guide, which I bought as a family present last Christmas. We loved it. Coincidentally, my mother-in-law bought me a Mystery Guides voucher for my birthday. We opted for the Cambridge one and enjoyed a wonderful day out exploring a city we’d never visited before.

Buy one of the the 37 city Mystery Guides (£19.99) here.

Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride is an engaging strategy game, which is perfect for older children and adults. The goal is to build railway routes across North America, Europe or London (depending, which version you have) by collecting various train cards and claiming sections of track to connect cities. The more routes you complete, the more points you score, with longer routes offering higher rewards. Bonus points are awarded at the end of the game for the longest continuous track, often shifting the final outcome. Be prepared for some sabotage—whether intentional or accidental!

Ticket to Ride – Days of Wonder (North America version) is priced at £33.57 on Amazon.

Christmas Gifts for the Creative Child

The Photo Creator Instant Pocket Printer

The Photo Creator Instant Pocket Printer is a great gift for creative teens or tweens. This compact Bluetooth device prints black-and-white photos directly from smartphones without needing ink, thanks to thermal technology. Pair it with the Tiny Print app to add personal touches or generate unique designs and special effects. It’s ideal for scrapbooking, journalling, or decorating, and comes with extras like stickers and pens for added creativity. Read more about this pocket printer.

The Photo Creator Instant Pocket Printer is available at various retailers including Amazon & Smyths (prices vary).

Instax Smartphone Printer

The Instax Mini Link 2 is a sleek and nifty gadget, which combines tech and nostalgia perfectly. It links to your smartphone so that you can print your digital pictures in seconds. All too often, precious memories stay trapped on phones hardly ever seeing the light of day. I love how the Instax printer brings back the now old school process of printing so that your photos can be permanently displayed and enjoyed.

I particularly like the retro-style borders of the Instax mini instant film, which you use for the printer. My daughter loves it. As well as using it for her treasured memories, she also uses it for her GCSE art coursework and to create gifts for friends.

The Instax Mini Link 2 is currently on offer at Boots (£99 from £119).

Christmas Gift for the Tween and Teenager

LED Armoire Storage Mirror

We bought this white LED Armoire Storage Mirror, which has great theatre dressing room-style lights, for my daughter (now 16) quite a few years ago. The mirror opens to reveal ample storage for all those bits and bobs. It also has a handy holder for hairdryers. It’s still a favourite fixture and continues to house her constantly expanding jewellery and toiletry collection. It’s currently on sale at £66.99 on Amazon.

The Big Christmas Gift

Playstation 5

We bought the Playstation 5 last Christmas and it has been used almost every single day of the year since they received it. The PS5 loads a lot quicker compared to its predecessor, has improved graphics and provides an all round enhanced gaming experience, which is more immersive due to the superior audio and DualSense controllers. It also supports all the PS4 games. My husband plays a lot of two-player games with each of the girls and they play against each other. Favourite games include: Rocket League, Uncharted and Fortnite.

It’s pricey at £399 (Amazon), but for the usage it gets and entertainment it provides the whole family, I’d certainly recommend.

Subscription Boxes

Subscription boxes are a versatile gifting solution and there truly is something for everyone. Here are a few ideas that have been popular…

Mysteries in Time

You can give the joy of history and mystery this Christmas with a Mysteries in Time subscription. Aimed at children aged 6-11, each box contains everything needed to take children on an immersive journey through historical periods such as Ancient Egypt (the first box), the Elizabethan Era, WW2, Ancient Greece, Wild West, Aztecs, Ancient Rome, Victorians, Vikings, Ancient China and Stuarts.

Read the full review here.

Mandira’s Kitchen – for the foodie

These are Indian ready meals, but not just any Indian ready meals. Mandira’s Kitchen frozen meals are authentic, made with the finest ingredients and are the sort of dishes you’d expect to be served in a high-end restaurant. You’ll find familiar dishes such as masala (chana), biryani and samosas but also lesser-known ones including kaju dhania murgh, chicken xacuti, meen moilee (fish) and the intriguingly named railway mutton curry.

Mandira’s Kitchen offers a range of monthly subscription boxes of varying sizes and you can pause at any time. More details here.

The London Sock Company

Ok, I know they’re a Christmas gifts cliché. However, my husband, dad and brother all love to put on brand new socks.

With the London Sock Company Subscription, you buy the gift card and then the recipient activates their own subscription where they can select their size and opt for specific styles or choose to be surprised each month. There are different levels of subscription (starting from £42) and time period options.

These are a real quality product and very attractively packaged. My husband loved receiving them.

The Sporty Gift

NET1 Portable Netball System

All three of my girls love netball, playing for school and in a league. I bought the NET1 Portable Netball System  (£109.99) from Little Big Sports for our garden quite some years ago as they were developing their interest. It has remained consistently popular and with five different height settings has grown with them. It is on wheels so completely portable. You then fill the base with water or sand and it becomes fully stable. It is extremely durable and has survived many winters without being covered. I can thoroughly recommend it.

—–

I’d love to hear what your tried and tested gifts of Christmas past are. Let me know in the comments below.

The post Top Christmas Gift Ideas for 2024: Tried, Tested, and Loved appeared first on The Parent Social.

We have been using the Zip Oyster Photocard for several years and they are brilliant. Available for ages 5-10, 11-15 and 16-17 year olds, they offer free and discounted travel across London and beyond (including areas of Surrey, Essex and Kent).

Like all Oyster cards, Zip cards can be preloaded with credit for pay as you go and enable users to easily touch in and out anywhere where there’s an Oyster yellow card reader (you only have to touch in on buses and trams).

Applying for a Zip Oyster Card Online

A parent or guardian needs to apply for the Zip Oyster Photocard for under 18s and you do this by creating a free account in your own name on the TfL website here: Create an Oyster photocard account.

By entering your child’s date of birth, the system automatically recognises which card you’re applying for. You’ll need digital photos of each child you’re applying for and their passport details to verify their age.

It’s all very straight forward. Make sure you use a clear head and shoulders shot though as two out of three of my pics were rejected (possibly as they were too heavily cropped).

The communication, which is via texts and emails, about the progress of the application was great and the cards arrived 2-3 days after application.

Zip Oyster Photocards for 5-10 year olds & 11 -15 year olds

Zip Oyster cards for 5-10 year olds cost £10 on application and with it your child gets free travel on all London transport services (under-11s can travel free at any time on London buses and trams without a ticket/Oyster Card).

Benefits

• Free travel on Tube, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail
• Free travel on most National Rail services* that accept pay as you go
• 50% off adult rate tickets on the Thames Clippers River Bus services
• Pay as you go at a child rate on the IFS Cloud Cable Car (formerly Emirates Air Line Cable Car)

For children aged 11-15 the card costs £15 and offers free and discounted travel.

Benefits

• Free travel on buses and trams
• Child rate pay as you go fares on Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and Emirates Air Line
• 50% off most fares on National Rail services *
• 50% off adult rate tickets on the Thames Clippers River Bus services.

Topping up your Zip Oyster Photocard

You can top up ad hoc easily from your account once you’ve logged in by clicking the link shown.

However, there’s also the option to auto top up. This Tech Advisor article provides a useful step-by-step guide: https://www.techadvisor.com/how-to/internet/top-up-zip-oyster-3803620/

Enjoy your travels!

* check website for exclusions

The post Zip Oyster Photocard: free & discount travel for 5-15 year olds appeared first on The Parent Social.