Food Glorious Food!!

Mum knows best.... or does she?

I've just read an article in the Daily Mail about the amount of rubbish children eat and drink in the year. To be bluntly honest with you I wouldn't have looked twice at the article but something in the photograph caught my eye.....

Can you see it? Yup the huge stack of milk that is essential for healthy teeth and bones all stacked down the right hand side. Now I'm sitting here wondering what on earth is this is all about?! 

On close inspection of the 'rubbish pile' there are some other items that aren't necessarily healthy that you would be forgiven for mistaken they were. Such as fruit juices and fish fingers which are rich in Omega 3 and all that Jazz. Turning my attention to the also deemed to be healthy for the heart cereals like Bran Flakes, Fruit n Fibre, Country Crisp, All Bran and Shredded Wheat, I'm left bewildered.

Now what on earth is a working Mum to do on a school morning? Cereal is totally out of the question along with the milk you pour on top. Not to mention the fruit juice! My dentist informed me that too much fruit could be bad for the kids' teeth, so that's another thing scuppered. I think the only thing for it is plain bread and water.

It would seem that the only thing left to do is buy a farm and live the "Good Old Life" of self-sufficiency. Then I remember my Mum's advice on food "moderation is the best policy because too much of anything can be bad for you". Either way as a working Mum of two kiddies I'm struggling to know what to do for the best for my childrens' health, they eat very little sweets, crisps, cakes, biscuits, processed food or drink much fizzy pop as it is.

Perhaps I should have ignored the article but then I wouldn't have been privvy to such useful insights from other people who saw this article for what its really worth. Read them and weep!

Ooo, shock, horror.
has anyone tried dividing all that by 365? It's really not that shocking at all...
- Captain Sensible, UK, 12/7/2010 15:21

Pile up all the vegetables you eat in a year too, it will probably look just as scary.
Half of that isn't even junk anyway. Shreddies have one of the lowest cereal sugar counts. Is that fruit juice I see? Oh, and what's average? My child hasn't eaten anything in that pile apart from a few low-sugar biscuits and fishfingers. Hardly a one way ticket to an early grave.
- deia, uk, 12/7/2010 15:21

Why is this "rubbish" ???? Fish fingers, apple juice, milk .... ??
What are they expected to eat then Claire ??? ... Quorn and alfalfa shoots washed down with soya milk ???? I think Claire Cohen needs to get out from Archway and see what is happening in the real world ... !
- badger, rough bottoms, 12/7/2010 15:20

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1293824/Junk-food-mountain-The-astonishing-rubbish-child-eats-year.html

Twitter puts a Vimto Smile on my face!

Nothing more yummy than Vimto Bonbons?!

Earlier today a tweet from a friend who was partaking in a yummy Vimto Ice-Lolly turned into a huge Thursday Vimto obsession.

I have been known to add Vimto to a whole host of alcoholic spirits in an effort to make them more interesting than the boring standard mixers of cola, orange, lemonade. Even Irn Bru has been stolen by Wkd and other brands thus becoming equally boring to the taste buds.

The invention of the Vimto Bonbons has to be classed as a master stroke of genius and www.aquarterof.co.uk actually sell these luscious sweeties! So grab them quick!

So it would seem that I have gained a new groupie of followers on Twitter who also share a passion for all things Vimto and craving for new Vimto flavoured items. I draw the line at asking Walkers if they'd do Vinto flavoured crisps though (this had me giggling hysterically for ages) but I like to find out how you would make Vimto flavour jelly perhaps Rowntrees could get in on the act? Other suggestions have been:
  • Vimto Slush,
  • Vimto Smoothies,
  • Cupcakes with Vimto icing 
  • Vimto Ice-Cream and
  • Vimto split ice-Lollies yummy!!
Perhaps a Purple Party with Vimto inspired goodies would be a great idea. Wonder if the Big Brother producers have thought of such things?....

I'd be interested to hear if you have any additions and even better recipes for us to try!!