Let’s take a look at some tools and tips that can transform a ho-hum study session into a super productive one.

Tech that Enhances Learning

In today’s digital age, the right technology can enhance learning incredibly. A reliable laptop or desktop computer is essential, but don’t stop there. Consider software that blocks distracting websites during study times. Tablets can also be a great tool, especially for reading digital textbooks or using educational apps.

High-Quality Revision Materials

Nothing replaces good study materials. Expert-written GCSE revision notes from resources like Save My Exams can offer concise summaries and highlight essential information, making revision more focused and effective. They provide a structured way to review, which is especially helpful when exam time is on the horizon.

Setting Up the Perfect Space

The physical space where your child studies matters. It should be comfortable enough to spend hours in without becoming a distraction. A good desk and supportive chair are must-haves. Ensure the area is well-lit to avoid eye strain, preferably with natural light. If that’s not possible, a good-quality desk lamp will do the trick.

Organisation Tools for Home Study

Keeping track of assignments, revision sessions and exams can become overwhelming. Tools like planners, calendars or digital apps can help your child stay organised. Visual aids like wall planners or colour-coded timetables can also be incredibly helpful in visualising their week at a glance.

Sound Control

Noise can be a huge distraction. If your home isn’t naturally quiet, consider noise-cancelling headphones to block out background noise. Alternatively, some students find that playing certain types of music or ambient sounds can help them concentrate better.

Home Study Break Time Essentials

Taking regular breaks is crucial for maintaining concentration over longer periods. Equip the study space with a few comforts for break times – perhaps a comfy chair or bean bag, and a small stash of healthy snacks and water to keep hydration and energy levels up.

Motivational Touches

A little motivation goes a long way. Having inspirational quotes, a board with goals or even progress rewards visible in the study space can help keep spirits up and the drive alive, especially during tougher study sessions.

Adequate Backup Supplies

There’s nothing more frustrating than starting to study or tackle a project and finding out you’re out of printer ink, don’t have enough paper or your calculator is missing in action. Keeping a small stock of essential supplies on hand can prevent these minor crises.

A Supportive Family Environment

Lastly, the support from the family environment is crucial. Make sure everyone in the household respects study time, keeping noise and interruptions to a minimum. Encouraging words and a genuine interest in what your child is learning can also boost their motivation.

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With these tools and adjustments, you can help create an optimised study environment at home that promotes learning and productivity. It’s all about creating a space that supports focus and minimises stress, enabling your child to achieve their best academic performance.

The post Optimising Home Study Sessions – Tools That Make a Difference appeared first on The Parent Social.

Here a few of my holiday money saving tips along with some from Moneyboat (www.moneyboat.co.uk).

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 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.

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Would love to hear your holiday money saving tips. Please comment below

The post 16 top money saving travel tips for your next holiday appeared first on The Parent Social.

Cheesy pigs in blankets 

These couldn’t be any easier. They require just three ingredients, don’t need any prep and are mess-free.

Not the Christmas variety of sausages wrapped in bacon, these are instead an American version where hot dog-style sausages – along with cheese – are encased in a puff pastry blanket.

Ingredients

(Makes 18)

• One sheet of puff pastry (approx 320g)
• Six hot dogs
• Six slices of cheese

We use Herta Classic Frankfurters, and Emmental cheese slices as they’re not too gooey but still melt really nicely. Cheddar slices would also work well.

Method

• Preheat oven to 220˚C (200c for a fan)
• Cook hotdogs as per packet instructions
• Get puff pastry to room temperature and slice into six rectangles

(Method continues after pictures)

• Place a slice of cheese on top of each rectangle leaving a margin of pastry
• Put the cooked hot dogs on top of the cheese and roll it up
• Slice each of your rolls into three even pieces and arrange on a baking tray lined with parchment paper

Grandma’s Biscuits

This is another very easy recipe with just four ingredients. It’s a great way to get the kids to eat oats. Mine aren’t huge fans but when incorporated into a biscuit, it’s a different story! You can ice these, but we don’t feel the need as they are nicely sweet just plain.

Ingredients

(makes 20)

• 55g of oats
• 110g of soft brown sugar
• 170g of Flora margarine
• 225g of self-raising flour

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 180c (160c for fan oven)
• Mix all the ingredients together and then roll the mixture into a sausage shape
• Cut discs about as long and thick as an adult’s little finger
• Press very gently onto a baking tray. Rustic is good!
• Bake for a maximum of 15 mins and allow to cool

Easy Baking Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 100g plain flour
• 20g cocoa powder
• 140g caster sugar
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 40g unsalted butter
• 120ml of milk
• 1 egg
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Method

• Preheat oven to 180c (160c fan)
• In a mixer, add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter. Beat until well combined. You could also use an electric hand whisk.
• In a jug, mix the milk, egg and vanilla extract. Gradually add half of this mixture to the dry ingredients while beating. Increase mixer speed then add the rest of the liquid. Mix briefly until smooth.
• Fill paper cake cases two-thirds full with the mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes (until a skewer comes out clean).
• Leave to cool slightly then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool
• Make your favourite chocolate or plain buttercream icing (or buy one!) to top your cakes

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What are your go to baking recipes? Would love to hear in the comments below.

The post Three easy baking recipes for kids appeared first on The Parent Social.

Whilst we’ll be raising a glass (or several) this evening and I’ll be enjoying a quiet dinner out with my dad and brother, we won’t be marking that milestone with her. There’ll be no big bash or lavish celebration. Although she would actually have hated that as she didn’t like being centre of attention.

The march of time

It’s hard to believe that we’ve been without her for 24 years. It’s harder still to comprehend that she died suddenly at the age I am now. I knew it was young at the time, but now I’m acutely aware of just how so.

She’s been out of my life longer than she was in it. However, despite the passing of time, she remains my guiding star. When I have decisions to make or am a bit unsure about something I always think what mum might have advised. I do rely more on my own instincts than I think I would if she was still here. However, mum still offers ethereal counsel. To this day she regularly dominates my stories and reminisces. Whilst a lot of the time this brings smiles, often talking about her has the power to bring me to tears still.

Missing out with mum

I was at university when mum died (I’d just turned 21). Whilst we’d always been very close, I’d got to the age where the mother/daughter relationship was melding into a real friendship one too.

We’d always done a lot together as a family. However, we were on the cusp of doing more special mother and daughter things. When I was back from uni, we’d started going out just the two of us for lunches. I took it for granted that there was a lot more of this to come. Now I lament all those lunches we never got to have, all the weekends away or special trips to the theatre that never came to fruition and the fact she wasn’t there on my wedding day. I also miss the mundane; the day-to-day details of life with mum, which I can’t properly recall. When I see photos on socials of friends out with their mums I still get a bit jealous.

Even now I find myself wanting to ask her advice on all sorts of things. Grief never completely ends. It’s waxing and waning, and evolving. So now, probably one of the hardest things to accept is that my children never met her. She’d have been besotted with them. I talk about her a lot and I do feel like my daughters do ‘know her’ as much as they can.

Amazing mum

It’s said a lot, but my mum really was the most amazing mother. She was completely selfless, always putting my brother and I first. She devoted so much time to us. From helping with homework and revision and taking us to interesting places to seemingly solving all our problems and being the ultimate confidant. She knew me better than I knew myself. Mum was our biggest champion and took so much pride in us. I remember an entire wall of our certificates neatly on display. Her love was unconditional.

Mum never treated herself but lavished a lot on us kids. We were probably a bit spoilt if I’m honest. She was a fantastic role model and was always firm but fair. Mum was a lot of fun, but we never got away with misbehaving (although she was instrumental in making me a fake ID when I was 16 or 17)! She taught me to stand up for myself and not suffer fools gladly but equally to treat everyone with respect and kindness. Mum often said I was all things to all people, but that was down to her and what she’d instilled.

Mostly like mother like daughter

I have inherited a lot of mum’s personality traits (and mannerisms) and we looked very similar in our younger years. She also loved a drink and never got hangovers. Sounds familiar! We used to finish off each other’s sentences and were completely on the same wavelength.

I feel, as they’re getting older, my relationship with my daughters is becoming similar to the one she had with me. I open my mouth and sometimes my mum jumps out! Our parenting styles, I think, are pretty alike, and family time is sacred. Probably the biggest difference though is my mum would never go out without my brother and I. I on the other hand have no such qualms.

Dad’s promise

My mum always made my dad promise that if anything ever happened to her he’d do everything possible for my brother and I. Well mum, you’d be pleased to know that he’s stayed true to his word and some. From babysitting, cleaning and hedge trimming to chauffeuring and being our Italian food and wine provider, we couldn’t be without him.

Cheers to you mum and to everything you did for us. You live on through your children and grandchildren. As my very young cousin remarked after she died: “She really charged their [my brother’s and my]batteries.” She did indeed!

The post Forever 45 – A tribute to mum appeared first on The Parent Social.

Low sugar and low salt ketchup

Ketchup is generally renowned for being laden with both salt and sugar. This has led to lots of reduced/low versions coming onto the market. At the end of last year, M&S launched its ‘Reduced Sugar Ketchup’. At just £1.00 for a 495g bottle this, on the face of it, appears a great healthier option. However, on closer inspection you can see that this ‘reduced’ option offers just 1.1g less sugar than Heinz’s regular tomato ketchup and contains just 0.42g less salt.

By the way, the British Heart Foundation has written a really good guide to the hidden health hazards in our food including ketchup and other favourites such as brown sauce, soy sauce, pesto and mayonnaise: How much sugar, salt and fat are in your sauces?

Real Good Tomato Ketchup

We were sent samples of Real Good Tomato Ketchup to try. This product is 100% natural with no added sugar and crucially no artificial sweeteners. It has 75% less sugar and 83% less salt than Heinz’s regular ketchup and 74% less sugar and 79% less salt than M&S’s Reduced Sugar Ketchup.

In a nutshell:

• No added sugar
• No artificial sweeteners
• Natural, plant-based ingredients, vegan
• Free from 14 top-listed allergens
• Over 80% less salt
• Award winning taste
• World Food Innovation Award Winner
• Recyclable packaging and powered by renewable energy

The taste test

I am not a fan of ketchup myself, but the rest of the family are huge fans so I left them to do the taste testing. Our go to is Heinz, but I’m always looking for healthier options, which don’t compromise on taste so I was very interested to see what they thought. For last night’s dinner I made fishcakes, which my children always slather with ketchup!

The first observation was that the consistency was a little more like tomato puree than our usual brand. In terms of flavour they said that it tasted exactly like Heinz just ‘a little more tomatoey’ (I take this to be a big plus!). They all said that it tasted perfectly sweet so were amazed that it contained no added sugar.

The verdict: They loved this product and have said that they would like me to buy this brand going forward as it tastes exactly how they want it to taste and is healthier. Winner!

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Real Good Tomato Ketchup is available to buy at Ocado, Wholefoods Market London stores, selected Co-ops & health food shops. 

Check out some of Real Good’s recipes here.

The post The Genuine Low Sugar, Low Salt Ketchup: Real Good Ketchup appeared first on The Parent Social.

My children might now be reading the likes of Shatter Me, Red Queen and New Moon independently, but I have very fond memories of reading stories to them.

Judith Kerr’s Mog books and The Tiger Who Came to Tea; Spot the Dog, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, loads from Usborne’s touchy-feely That’s not my… series and the wonderful My Mum book by Anthony Browne were firm favourites. A plethora of Julia Donaldson books including The Gruffalo, The Smartest Giant in Town, The Highway Rat, What the Ladybird Heard and Room on the Broom also featured regularly as bedtime (and daytime!) stories.

Julia Donaldson and the Gruffalo

A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood. A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good…

It looks like we weren’t alone in our love of Julia Donaldson books. A survey commissioned by The Works reveals that nearly 20 percent of parents will choose one of her titles as the first book they read to their child. The modern classic The Gruffalo tops the list and is selected by one in eight parents. Released in 1999, The Gruffalo has sold over 13 million copies to date.

My girls loved the Gruffalo. We had the book in different versions (as well as The Gruffalo’s Child), had lots of merchandise and even had the Match and Memory Board Game!

The top 10 first books parents read to their children:

1. The Gruffalo – Julia Donaldson
2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Eric Carle
3. That’s Not My…  – Fiona Watt
4. Guess How Much I Love You – Sam McBratney
5. Peppa Pig
6. Spot – Eric Hill
7. The Tale of Peter Rabbit – Beatrix Potter
8. Dear Zoo – Rod Campbell
9. Winnie the Pooh – A. A. Milne 
10. Harry Potter – J. K. Rowling

The research highlighted that 44% of parents read to children from birth. This is certainly what we did, and I’m convinced it fostered my children’s love of reading.

The First Books We Remember

A certain series featuring a boy wizard tops the charts in terms of the books that we remember as our first read. The survey highlights that 5% of the population cite one of the J.K. Rowling books as the first they remember reading either independently or having read to them. 

The second book on the list is Enid Blyton’s The Faraway Tree followed by the author’s Famous Five series. Winnie the Pooh and The Very Hungry Caterpillar complete the top five.

Roald Dahl features prominently in the top 10 with The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory all making the list with 13% of the respondents recalling something written by the author. For me it was George’s Marvellous Medicine.

Gruffalo versus a Caterpillar

Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar – which has sold over 50 million copies since its 1969 release – is the only book to feature in the top five of both lists. That is it’s the book we most remember being read to us and one of the first books we read to our own children. I certainly remember it on both sides of the fence!

World Book Day 2024

World Book Day, a charity that operates in the UK and Ireland, aims to enrich lives by promoting a love of books and reading. Whilst dressing up has become a big aspect of the annual celebrations there are plenty of other activities and ways to engage from ‘adopting an author’ to redesigning book covers and being a contributing author in ‘story consequences’.

Find out more below:

World Book Day takes place on Thursday, March 7th 2024. The Works are supporting the charity and are encouraging children and parents to bring their £1 book token into stores any time up until March 31st to exchange their token for a book from the World Book Day 2024 range.

You can find out further information here: https://www.theworks.co.uk/page/world-book-day.html

The post The Gruffalo Tops the Charts as World Book Day 2024 Approaches appeared first on The Parent Social.

What did 80s and 90s kids collect?

• Pokémon cards – The 90s card trading game. The release of the augmented reality game Pokémon GO in 2016 reignited interest in the franchise and the trading cards got a new audience. Some are really valuable now
  
• Care Bears – Multi-coloured plush stuffed bears that had their own TV show

• Lego – My brother and I had a massive collection. As popular today as it’s always been

• Beanie Babies – iconic plush, under-stuffed animals  
• POGs – Err cardboard discs that you could stack and flip

• Panini Stickers – My brother and I used to collect these in albums for major football tournaments. Part of the fun was doing swapsies with friends; I even recall a market stall where you could riffle through their extensive collection and do swaps for a few pence. I still collect Panini stickers for major football tournaments.

• Marbles – the more colours they had the more ‘valuable’ they were. We used to play on drains at school
• Warhammer – my husband used to collect and paint theses 3D miniatures then play the tabletop game with his older brother
• Body Shop bath pearls – If you know, you know

• Strawberry Shortcake dolls – a character originally developed by American Greetings to appear on its greeting cards, it became so popular it was quickly re-imagined as a doll
• Polly Pocket – micro-figurines, which were less than an inch tall. She could be played with in miniature play sets (the original was based on a make-up compact)

Eraser Collection

As mentioned, I used to collect erasers. Sounds odd, but I wasn’t the only one. My friends and I used to have 100s of them between us. They were small, cheap, tactile, colourful and came in infinite designs, which often resembled other things (loved my post box one!). They’d often have special features such as a ‘display case’ or the crème de le crème be a ‘smelly!’   

Collecting Smurfs

My Smurf collection deserves a special mention. I loved watching the Smurfs cartoon series during the weekend in the 80s. It was something the whole family enjoyed. We even used to call my dad Papa Smurf! These little blue creatures were very much a part of popular culture at the time (there was even Smurf ice-cream in Italy!).

The collectible figures soon appeared in my local gift shop in Streatham. I wasn’t into dolls but enjoyed collecting things, so these little characters really appealed. Starting with basic ones, I then moved onto hunting out rarer ones. Then there were special edition ones tied to things like the Olympics. I built a massive collection, which was probably nearing 100. Sadly, by 14 I’d totally outgrown Smurfs, so sold them for a quick buck at a car boot sale. Someone bought them within minutes of us arriving so knew their value. I’m rather gutted as certain collections go for £1000s. I later found a few that had missed the chop (pictured above – not much of a collection).

The allure of collecting

I think the draw of collecting comes from having a connection with a particular subject be it a place, programme, game or brand or a type of object that captivates. I used to love looking through tickets I’d hoarded as they were a reminder of family trips and interesting places. Sometimes it’s just about the actual look and haptic quality of items.

It’s not only about accumulating items but also about engaging with ‘your tribe’ or entering an imaginary world. For grown-ups nostalgia plays a big part; collecting is also quite comforting. Then there’s rarity and treasure hunting. As a kid, if you found a super rare you were the talk of the playground. Don’t even get started on the rush to collect special editions!

What my children collect/ed

One of my twins is an avid shell and fossil collector. She loves shells simply because they’re pretty. However, it was Mary Anning prompted the fascination and collection of ammonites, belemnites and even coprolites ! My other twin has a collection of gemstones and crystals. All three enjoy collecting buttons.    

Panini stickers, marbles, stamps, Lego, coins and Pokemon cards have made the cut with my kids.

However, every generation has its new trends and below are what my Gen Zedders have collected/are collecting:

• Lego Create The World Trading Cards – exclusive to Sainsbury’s, kids were going nuts for them
• Beanie Boos – the successor to the Beanie Babies of the 80s; they have bigger eyes (!?)

• Jellycats – These soft toys have been around since 1999, but have exploded in popularity in the last few years. The range has expanded significantly from the  original bunnies and includes everything from sushi and seafood to succulents and sausage dogs 
  
  
• LOL dolls –  Billed as the ‘ultimate unboxing toy,’ LOL Surprise! Dolls landed in February 2017. Each layer reveals a surprise in the way of the doll itself, outfit, accessories and stickers – the perfect mix ‘n match collection with coveted rares 

• Red Noses – Red noses for comic relief have been around for decades. However, in 2022 things got really serious with different ones to collect. Everyone was desperate to get hold of a super rare Cam the Chameleon

What did you used to collect? What do your children love collecting now? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to know!

The post Collecting and Collectibles – A Timeless Appeal 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.

Getting the most out of a family holiday to Spain

While the idea of taking a family holiday to Spain sounds exciting, travelling as a family has its challenges. A recent Kayak survey revealed that nearly 27% of British respondents find family trips stressful due to the planning, booking and preparation required. During a Spanish holiday, where the sights, sounds and environment may be drastically different, it is important to make sure your child is comfortable and happy. This paves the way for a great holiday for everyone.

Here are some tips to ensure a fuss-free family trip to Spain:

Book family-friendly destinations ahead of time

Since Spain is a top holiday destination, establishments and tourist sights in popular areas can get crowded. This often leads to long queues and impatient children. It’s therefore important to book ahead and check the destination has family-friendly activities to enjoy. Don’t let common preconceptions about locations narrow your options. Ibiza holidays are a magnet for tourists. However, while the island is commonly associated with clubbing, many parts are a popular choice for family holidays. San Antonio Bay and Cala Llonga are home to beautiful beach shores with shallow and calm water that are great for paddling with children.

Similarly, a historical city like Seville might seem the choice for older visitors. However, a little research will reveal that it is actually family-friendly. It boasts adventure parks like Isla Mágica and wholesome art performances at Sala Cero.

Take note of the climate in Spain

According to Spain’s official tourism website, the country experiences around 3,000 hours of sunshine each year. The climate is generally mild all year round, but there are regional variations. Popular tourist destinations of Seville and Madrid experience maximum temperatures in the peak of summer, reaching an average of 35-37°C. A particular hotspot is Córdoba, which hit 50°C last summer, and holidaymakers in Mallorca were warned of “extreme risk” due the Charon heatwave. Make sure climate doesn’t adversely affect your family and trip and prep accordingly. Apart from avoiding particularly affected places, take clothes made from lightweight and breathable materials to help your children stay cool. Shirts made from cotton and linen are good summer choices. Ensure you pack the sunscreen, hats and sunglasses for your children. You could even invest in a rechargeable mini-fan to help them cool down on the go.

Be mindful of local customs

While it’s easier for adults to adapt, younger kids may experience a culture shock that can be confusing. For instance, the siesta – a time when most shops and restaurants close – has been a habit-based tradition in Spain for centuries. The break usually lasts from around two in the afternoon until early evening and can catch you unawares. Therefore make sure you get family essentials such as snacks and prescriptions before siesta time.

Another cultural difference is the dos besos greeting. Generally, most Spaniards greet with a kiss on each cheek. This can be surprising for little kids. Teach them about the custom and let them know it’s part of the Spanish identity to ensure they understand what’s going on!

There are plenty more tips and stories on the blog about family-friendly European trips.

The post 3 Tips to Ensure a Fuss-Free Family Trip to Spain appeared first on The Parent Social.

Ideas for eliminating the January blues and banishing ‘Blue Monday’

Themed Film Nights

We always watch a lot of Christmas films in December, but after Boxing Day that’s it! To fill the void in January, pick a theme for each weekend, such as 1980s classics (I’m really enjoying re-visiting these with my kids) or comedies, and watch a series of films together. Don’t forget the popcorn and cozy blankets!

Plan a Future Trip

Research and plan a big day out, weekend away or even a family holiday. It’s something to look forward to and the anticipation and excitement of planning gives everyone a boost. We had a wonderful time plotting our route and stop offs for a European road trip. Not quite as far afield, but we’re excited about going on the City of London Mystery Adventure, which I got as a family present at Christmas. My mother-in-law coincidentally got me a voucher for another Mystery Guide so we’re thinking that we may head to Oxford for our next adventure and make a weekend of it.

January bakeoff

Get the cookbooks out and try out new recipes as a family. Bake some biscuits, make homemade pizzas or sausage rolls, be adventurous with an unfamiliar country’s cuisine or create a delicious dessert. Cooking together is a great activity plus you get to enjoy the results. I cherished our bake-alongs on Zoom with friends during lockdown.

Arts and Crafts

Gather some art supplies and bits and pieces from around the house – think spare buttons, bits of wrapping paper, ribbon, old cards – and get creative. You can paint, make crafts or even create a family scrapbook with photos and memories.

Games, Cards and Puzzles

Break out the games and cards and have a family games night. It’s something we do regularly. We have lots of favourite board games and play a variety of card games – including poker – but also like more active games.

The surprise hit of 2023/2024 is Chicken vs Hotdog. It’s a silly game, but so much fun, and kids and adults love it equally; it went down a storm at the New Year’s Eve party!

We’re also fans of jigsaws. It’s a great collaborative experience and actually very relaxing.

Home Spa Day

Relax together with a home spa day. Chill out, put your feet up, put on face masks and have some calming music in the background. You could add in some yoga, give massages and have an all round pamper. It’s also a good opportunity to pay attention to those winter chapped hands and lips.

Walks in January

There’s nothing nicer when it’s cold and crisp (and sunny if you’re lucky) than to rug up and head out for a nature walk. Exploring the winter landscape can be really refreshing. There’s still plenty to see even if it seems a barren time of year on the surface; if there’s snow so much the better. Our National Trust membership comes into its own.

Learn Something New in January Hobby Month

My eldest daughter started learning a bit of Italian with Duolingo last year. I want to get the rest of the family doing this too. Knitting is seeing a huge resurgence, and a lot of this could be down to its dopamine-releasing effect. Similarly crochet has become very popular. You could keep it even simpler and learn a new card game together.

Indoor Gardening

Start a windowsill garden with herbs or small vegetables. We did well with our Eden Greens Microgreen Grow Kit. It’s a great way to bring some green inside and maybe sprout an interest in gardening. You could get even more creative and make a miniature terrarium.

Become a Twitcher

The birds really need a helping hand at this time of year. Leaving food out will attract lots of feathered friends, which are fascinating to watch. The Big Garden Birdwatch, which is taking place the 26th to the 28th of January, is a great activity to take part in. As well as helping collect vital data about the UK’s bird population, it’s the perfect opportunity to take an hour out and get closer to nature.

Would love to hear your ideas; please share below!

The post 10 Ways to Beat the January Blues appeared first on The Parent Social.