My kids (like most I imagine) like an afternoon snack when they finish school. As their mother, I want to be able to give them something that they enjoy, and that is good for them. However, in the rush that is the end of the day, I don't always put much thought into what I'm giving them, and have been known to resort to a cheap shop bought cake or a couple of biscuits. These things are fine sometimes, but it started happening more often and I don't want to feed my kids a heap of sugar as soon as they finish school - and when I'm expecting them to eat dinner in a couple of hours.
So I've compiled a list of healthy after school snacks. Things that are a little bit out of the ordinary and things that are more obvious. You'll notice there's not a total ban on sugar, but I do have a preference towards home made treats as opposed to shop bought ones. Shop bought treats are convenient, but I can't control the amount of sugar (and other processed ingredients) that are put into them. I think most things in this list are quite balanced, not too labour intensive for mums to do and are things that kids will still enjoy.
- Milo yoghurt (see photo
above). Easy to do and something my kids love, this is sure to be a
winner. It's just vanilla yoghurt with a sprinkle of milo on the top.
There's a bit less than a teaspoon of milo added to the yoghurt you see
here, and I've just used the end of a teaspoon to swirl it in a little
bit.
- Ants on a log. An old favourite with the kids in our house. It's simply celery sticks cut to child size, filled with peanut butter and has a few sultanas sprinkled on top.
- Frozen yoghurt tubs. Pick up the individual yoghurt tubs when they've been reduced in price at the supermarket and pop them into the freezer. An instant sweet, cool treat for the kids after school.
- Frozen banana dipped in chocolate. Do this with half bananas so they're easier to handle. Push an icy pole stick into the end of it and half dip it in melted chocolate. You can also dip it in some crushed nuts too. Lay on a baking tray lined with baking paper and freeze. Once frozen you can wrap them individually or put into a container to stay fresh. Perfect summer treat!
- Sushi. Making sushi is a bit on the fiddly side, but it's an unusual and healthy snack for kids. Make the filling inexpensive and keep it simple by using tinned tuna, cucumber, corn and avocado. Even ham and tomato! Let your imagination go wild and make it according to your child's taste.
- Cheese, crackers and sultanas. Kids love a bit of variety on a plate. Vary the type of cheese and crackers to keep it interesting. Try some more unusual cheeses like Edam or Swiss too. There's a big range of kids cheeses available now. We use rice crackers most of the time, but it's certainly not limited to these!
- Frozen Fruit Crush. Use tinned fruit salad for this when other fruits are not in season or for convenience.
- Yoghurt Berry Pops. Easy to make ahead of time, these are sure to be a favourite with the kids. Perfect for Summer or a warm Spring afternoon.
- BBQ Popcorn. A nice change from plain or sweetened popcorn. Store in an airtight container.
- Corn thins with peanut butter or vegemite. A nice and easy snack. The corn thins are a great staple for the pantry and taste like popcorn! Always a big hit with my kids.
- Fruit or savoury muffins. Use my never fail muffin recipe to either make muffins full of fruit or omit the sugar and add grated cheese, carrot, corn and zucchini to make delicious savoury muffins. The butter in the recipe can also be substituted for rice bran oil or similar and the milk for rice or soy if you'd like to make them dairy free.
- Pikelets. So easy to make and can be frozen! Add grated apple and cinnamon to them for something a bit different.
- Rice Paper Rolls. Kids love these, full of rice noodles and raw vegetables. If you're feeling inventive, make a peanut dipping sauce for them too. Kids love dip :)
- Homemade cakes, biscuits and slices. Make your child's favourite treats for that special 'sometimes' after school snack.
- FRUIT. Any way you'd like to present it, whether it's threaded onto skewers to make wands, rockmelon 'boats' complete with pirate flag, cut with cookie cutters into animal shapes or just cut up on a plate, fruit is a winner with most children. Freeze melon for the warmer weather.
I hope you find this list useful. If nothing else it might inspire you to think of something new that your child will love! A little bit of forward planning goes a long way and will save you a lot of time in the afternoons. Many of the above ideas are either designed to be frozen or can be frozen easily, which means the most you'll need to do is put it in the fridge in the morning and it will be ready to eat after school.
Nadia
xxx
It's Day 6 in the 20 Day Cleaning and Organising Challenge, and today we're focusing on the bathrooms in the house. You might have noticed I haven't put up a post for Day 5, but I'm still working my way through that. It was to clean the floors (something I do regularly anyway) but also to organise the pantry. Mine was in desperate need of some organising, and while it's now cleaned out, it's not quite there with being fully organised, but it will be done by the end of the week. So I'll do up a big pantry post when it's finished.
Onto the bathrooms! One thing this challenge is teaching me is the value and importance of a regular cleaning schedule. Since I began mine a few weeks before the challenge started, I'm finding that a lot of the tasks that The Organised Housewife is setting I'm already on top of. That is such a good feeling! It's letting me focus on some of the not-so-everyday jobs like window cleaning, pantry organising, wiping down the clothes line....etc. And I'm loving it.
The list of tasks for today is quite long, but they don't really take much time at all. The more often you clean your bathroom, the quicker it is to give it a really good clean. So, I wipe down my benchtops and mirrors and clean the toilets daily. I also vacuum the floors daily, which takes care of hair and dust accumulating in the bathroom. Then, once a week on a Thursday, I give the bathrooms a really good clean that covers the shower screens, tiles, grout, taps, bath, walls and window sill. So, this list details what I do once a week, and I was quite pleased to see that Katrina's list matches up with mine nicely. I don't feel like I'm missing something!
- Spray shower with cleaner and leave for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, use a brush to remove the hard water build up from around the taps. An old toothbrush is ideal.
- Pop open the plug hole and give the entrance of the drain a good scrub too.
- Clean the toothbrush holder.
- Wipe over the vanity and all the items on it.
- Wipe over and refill the soap dispenser.
- Wipe down window sill.
- Clean the window.
- Wipe out the bath tub and tiles.
- Wipe the sink/s.
- Scrub out the shower and screens. I like to use a scrubbing brush to get right into the grout and corners, but I use Viva Shower Fast Wipes for my glass shower screens. They are fantastic and make the job so easy.
- Clean the toilet.
The cleaning products I use for the bathroom are: all purpose cleaning spray (I like windex surface and glass, but any all purpose cleaner is fine) for the bench tops and sinks, the Viva wipes for the shower screens (I also use them for stubborn marks in the sinks), a bit of Jif or Gumption for the grout in the shower, Viva glass and mirror wipes (brilliant!) for the mirrors and all purpose spray and toilet cleaner for the toilet.
As I usually clean my bathrooms on a Thursday, I'll do them today as part of the challenge, but will mop on Thursday instead of today. So I'm just swapping things around this week in the spirit of the challenge. But I will get back to normal when it's over.
Enjoy your day!
Nadia
xxx
Well, it is Spring! Blue skies, washing waving on the line and a cool breeze. It feels strange talking about spring, because living in the tropics, we don't really have spring! But, the arrival of this season in southern states usually coincides with the cool dry season ending and a hint of the build up (the beginning of our hottest time of the year) appears. Now, for those of you who have just shivered through winter, spring is a wonderful time to throw open those windows, let in that scented air and freshen up your home in time to spend those summer months outdoors.
For those of you in the tropics with me, this time of year is a good time to give your home a good clean to get rid of the dust that may have blown in and accumulated during our dry season. It's good to get rid of it now while it's still dry! Once that humidity sets in and the rain begins, that dust will absorb moisture and that's where mould begins.
So, I've compiled a list of tasks to do around the house that are appropriate for this time of year. They are outside of the normal cleaning routine, so they're not intended to be done all in one day or even one month! Spread them out over the season if you wish, so when the season changes again you are ready with a fresh and clean home.
- Clean Windows: It is amazing how much brighter your home feels when the windows sparkle. It lets more light in and gives a clearer view of the outside world and makes you want to throw open those curtains!
- Wash Curtains and Blinds: Throwing open the curtains to let in the light is a much nicer thing to do when they're not loaded with dust, small cobwebs and full of grimy marks from little hands. Wash the dust out so you're not breathing it in and you'll have a happier and healthier household.
- Clean Carpets and Rugs: Lots of dust likes to hide in carpets. Plus there's always the possibility of hidden mould in the fibres from things being spilled. The change in season is a good time to hire a professional or hire a steam cleaner to go over all your carpet and rugs and get rid of those nasties.
- Clean the Refrigerator: This can be a big job if you've left it too long between cleans. But it's never too late to sort it out and makes meal planning so much easier. Mine is due to be done soon, so I'll update my refrigerator post with a few more photos as I clean it out.
- Dust your Light Fixtures: A build up of dust in a light fixture isn't just unhealthy for your family when it all filters down on top of everyone, it can be dangerous because light fixtures get hot. Clean them twice a year to remove any build up that occurs.
- Clean Ceiling Fans: Once ceiling fans get very dirty they start flinging it everywhere! Avoid this and give them a good wipe over with some mild detergent and water. Just remember to turn them off first! :)
- Clean Skirting Boards: We often forget about our skirting boards, and it really makes such a difference to the look of a room when they're done! They're a good thing to add to your spring cleaning list.
- Clean the Oven: Chances are the oven has had a good workout over the winter months and this is a job that is often put off. It's not the most pleasant of tasks, but if you do it seasonally, it will be much easier than if you put it off for 6 or 8 months!
- Organise the Pantry: If you haven't done it recently, getting your pantry organised is such a good feeling. It's nice to keep order in your home, inside and out. It's also a good chance to look over the canned food you may have stockpiled over the winter months and start using them up in preparation for summer cooking.
I'm going to be focusing on these tasks in more detail in the coming weeks, letting you know how I tackle my spring cleaning.
Enjoy brushing off the dreariness of the cooler months and welcoming in the warmer weather.
Nadia
xxx
It's weekly meal plan time again! Feel free to link to your meal plans below as well :)
Friday - Slow cooked Beef Massaman Curry and rice
Saturday - BBQ with friends. A delicious selection of meats and salads with individual strawberry pavlovas for dessert.
Sunday - Devilled sausages and veg (but hubby has gone fishing, so maybe fish instead!)
Monday - Barbecue meatloaf and pumpkin casserole. Both are CWA recipes, and I'll do a blog post on them with the recipes this week.
Tuesday - Red lentil spaghetti
Wednesday - Lazy Weekend Chicken with mash
Thursday - Chilli Con Carne with rice and sour cream
You can look forward to a few recipes being posted in the coming week, more posts about the cleaning challenge and I'm compiling a post on Spring Cleaning too! So stay tuned :)
Have a lovely week,
Nadia
xxx
Well, I have completed today's task in the 20 Day Cleaning and Organising Challenge, that Katrina is running over at The Organised Housewife. Today was cleaning the laundry and some associated tasks. Here are the things that I did:
- Cleaned the laundry sink and taps
- I used Windex and a chux cloth then used a microfibre cloth to polish over the stainless steel fitting.
- Wiped over all surfaces (luckily I don't really have any)
- Those surfaces I did have I used Windex and a chux cloth.
- Wiped over the washing machine and dryer
- Again, good old Windex. It cleans SO well, it's my staple cleaner in the house.
- Used the brush attachment on the vacuum to clean the dryer of all lint and fluff
- Washed the window
- I used some warm soapy water to wash the window, then used Viva Glass and Mirror Wipes to go over the windows to make them streak free.
I used a Chux reusable microfibre cloth
- Vacuumed and mopped the floor
The organising task was to get a laundry routine in place. I sort of already have one, I put on one load a day and then on the day I strip the beds I wash all the bedding and on the day I clean the bathroom I wash all the towels and bathmats. But it occurred to me today that I have a huge cupboard in the laundry and I'm only using one shelf. I store all my cleaning products and laundry powder nice and high so that my small children can't get to them, and that leaves about four big shelves underneath that are empty. I'm thinking about getting some tubs or baskets to label and use to sort my washing. Perhaps darks, coloureds, whites and towels/sheets? Hmmm, might have to see what Martha thinks about it. I might have to check out her laundry systems and get some more ideas.
Then the decluttering task was to declutter the laundry pile. I am up to date with my washing at the moment, so I don't need to worry about that. Luckily.
So, do you want to see some piccies of the finished result?
Nice and clean and organised! I am loving this challenge, I'm really cleaning things properly, not just giving them a once over and it's nice to have some direction. Then all I'll need to do is schedule the bigger tasks into my calendar so I don't miss them in the future!
See you tomorrow! I wonder what the next challenge will be?
Nadia
xxx
Good morning everyone! Just doing a quick catch up this morning with a post on my Day 2 Challenge - the main bedroom.
It's just going to be a short post, I didn't need to do very much to get my bedroom sorted out. Thank goodness! Here is a run down of some of the tasks that were set for this challenge.
- Take the sheets off the bed and wash them (my day to do all the beds is usually a Wednesday, but I did our bed a day early as part of the challenge - less to do today!).
- Put pillows/cushions out in the sunshine to air out (I did the same with our doona).
- Vacuum mattress
- Flip mattress (I was due to do this anyway, so it was a good reminder to get it done).
- Pick up all clothing off the floor (I didn't have any! Yay!)
- Clear all paper clutter and other clutter off surfaces (again, I didn't have any!)
- Dust (I did need to do some dusting, especially over the tv and dvd player).
- Vacuum floors (I did the whole house and mopped as well, I ran out of time to mop on Monday)
- Organise the top drawer of the bedside table (I really did need to do this. It did have a whole pile of junk in it that I would throw in there when I didn't know where else to put it. So lots thrown out and some more put away. All that's in there now is some books, my journal and a pen.
As I finish reading my books, they'll go back to the bookcase, but now it gives me some space to keep a few things. When we get to clearing out the wardrobe, I'm hoping to free up the other drawers in my bedside table so I can keep some candles and other things in there too.
So, now I have a lovely clean, tidy and organised bedroom. And today it's onto the laundry!
See you this afternoon,
Nadia
xxx
I'm a bit behind, aren't I? I have been busily doing the Organised Housewife's 20 day cleaning and organising challenge (you'll find the button in the sidebar). So, before I get going on cleaning under the kitchen sink, I'll quickly fill you all in on what I've been doing!
The last pre challenge task was goal setting. I'm admittedly a terrible goal setter! But, I did decide to set myself a few. These were goals we hope to achieve by the end of the challenge. Okay, I set myself two. But they're biggish ones, and ones that have been bothering me for quite some time!
The first one is ORGANISING MY PANTRY. This job is soooooo overdue it's not funny. And I have all the containers etc (or most of them) to do it. I just need to do it!!! I have a feeling this will be a future task in the 20 day challenge, so I'm glad about that. I promise to do a full blog post on my pantry when I get it done.
The second one is ORGANISING MY LINEN/STORAGE CUPBOARDS. Unlike my last house, I'm lucky enough to have an abundance of storage space in the form of cupboards. But, this has resulted in me just throwing things in there when they don't seem to have a home. It's not atrocious, but it does need to be sorted out and I need to work out some long term storage solutions to keep it all organised. I have a few ideas so I'll let you know when I get to it.
Day 1 of the challenge was the kitchen. Now, it wasn't doing absolutely everything in the kitchen, but it was a general clean and tidy up including cleaning the microwave and decluttering and organising The Cupboard Under The Sink. None of this challenge really bothered me, luckily I've been pretty up to date with my housework thanks to my routines, and they really have been a sanity saver. My dishes were up to date, I had a clean and tidy kitchen every night, and most things were in order. I did need to clean my microwave though, so it was great to get that done. And I REALLY needed to sort out the cupboard under the sink. You know, the one that you go to all the time to retrieve cleaning products, cloths, bin bags etc but can never find what you need because it's all just a big mess? Yep, that one. I did take photos as I went along, but I'll show you the end result first, just because I like looking at it :)
It's nice, isn't it? And I can find everything!!! It's awesome.
But, I know you want to see the mess, don't you? Well, I admit I forgot to take a messy cupboard shot, I was so excited about cleaning it up! But I remembered when it was all out on the bench.
And, there was more on the other bench too. Blergh. Not very soothing for the soul at all. So, I sorted through that mess, and threw some things out that I hadn't touched for the last 6 months (whether it was because the product didn't work, or I just didn't need it ) and put some of the rarely used items in the laundry, like the BBQ cleaner, the bleach, etc. Then, I wiped out the cupboards.
So they were nice and shiny and clean. Then I went to the supermarket and bought some of those little white plastic baskets to put all my cloths and things into so I can see exactly what is there and how many of everything I have. A VERY handy thing when I'm doing my shopping list!!
Here's the pretty one again :)
I love it. It just makes things SO much easier. I'll do a post later on about what's in this cupboard and what I use it for. I have some favourite things I like to use and they're working quite well at the moment.
Now, today's task was the main bedroom, but I'll do a quick catch up post on that tomorrow. then tomorrow I'm onto the laundry, which I'm quite excited about because my laundry is pretty darn good! So there won't be too much to do. But I'll fill you all in tomorrow and then I'll be back to blogging daily again. I have lots of ideas for posts coming up that I'm excited to share :)
Have a lovely evening,
Nadia
xxx
