My Holiday Essentials For Children

AD - This post contains gifted products.

A few weeks ago we jetted off to southern Spain for 11 nights and I'll be honest, we didn't want to come home! Traveling abroad with young children isn't as daunting as it sounds, it's all about being prepared for the journey and for your stay. A simple way to do this is to start your travels off in a relaxed and organised manner. Easier said than done right? Well, if I can do it then you can too! I like to prepare them a flight bag each, full of goodies to keep them entertained and make sure to pack essentials (nappies, suncream, etc) in our suitcases. This blog post has been put together with gifted products, all which we took abroad with us and used every day.

1. Trunki Toddlepak Rucksack & Drink Bottle - £19.99 & £7.99
The first items on my list are the rucksacks and drink bottles from Trunki. Both the bags and bottles come in an array of different colours and designs, all of which are funky, bright, and cheerful. I let the kids choose which ones they'd like. Noah chose the orange tiger design and the blue bottle, whereas Ava opted for the green dinosaur backpack and the pink bottle. Both items have the design and aesthetic quality that I expect from Trunki so they are certainly worth the cost. I'll be dedicating a full review of them in the next week so do keep an eye on the blog if you'd like to read more about these products.

2. Slipfree Shoes - from £14.95
I was gifted these in exchange for a social media post but I love them so much that I had to include them in this post. Slipfree shoes are designed to be worn around the pool, in the pool, at the beach, on holiday, at home, everywhere! They come in lots of different designs and after much deliberation chose the flamingo design for Ava and the shark print for Noah. They quickly became an essential for us on our holiday, and I noticed that the kids would prefer to wear them over their sandals. They took a matter of seconds to get on their feet, gave them extra confidence in and around the pool and dried within minutes too. I cannot recommend them enough and will be buying them new ones once they have grown out of these.

3. Cuddledry Sun Protection Poncho Towel - £27.99

Cuddledry is a brand that I've adored for years so I was delighted when I was offered their sun protection poncho towel to try out on our holiday. With Cuddledry's signature blend of bamboo and cotton, it's just as soft and lovely as their regular towels, however, it offers something extra. It provides SPF50+ protection, which makes it ideal for taking on holiday, both in this country or abroad. Ava liked to wear it after being in the pool or the sea. I'd simply pull it on over her head, make sure the hood was up, fasten the underarm poppers and she was good to go. Take a look at the images on my Instagram page if you would like to see the sun protection towel in all it's glory.

4. Organix Goodies Snacks - from £2.00
I've worked with Organix for years and their snacks often end up in my trolley when out shopping, courtesy of the kids. I don't mind though. Their products are organic and contain zero junk, they are a no guilt treat for them to indulge in. Organix kindly sent Noah and Ava some snacks for them to enjoy on the plane and whilst on holiday. They received a couple of their all-time favourites; two boxes of Organix Goodies Gingerbread Men and four packs of Organix Goodies Soft Oaty Bars. I made sure to pack a couple in their flight bags and the rest went into our cases because I always find it comforting to take familiar from home just in case they refuse to eat much else.

5. Orchard Toys Games & Sticker Colouring Books - from £3.00
Okay, so this post has turned into a favourite brands type post too. First Trunki, then Cuddledry, Organix and now Orchard Toys! We have amassed quite the collection of Orchard Toys games and puzzles over the years. They are something we like to do together as a family and can often be found in Noah's room playing with them. Orchard Toys sent us a couple of their products for our trip, the first being two games; Match and Spell, and Let's Go Lotto. I packed both in our cases and we enjoyed playing both poolside or on our terrace. Match and Spell was a great game to play to keep Noah's brain engaged whilst off school and Let's Go Lotto provided lots of fun for all the family. The Sticker Colouring books were just the right size to pack in their flight bags. We were 40,000 feet in the air, colouring, writing and sticking and the kids didn't make a peep! In fact, the couple in front of us made a point to tell us that they didn't even realise children were sat behind them.

Which of these products do you like the sound of the most?

Organix Goodies Mini Space Cheese Bites - Review & Giveaway

AD - This is PR Collaboration.

Organix have graced our food cupboard for years now, ever since I started to wean Noah back when he was 6 months old. Since then I've worked with Organix numerous times, as well as being a loyal customer too. The Organix logo is something that both Noah and Ava look-out for when we are shopping, it’s like a little seal of approval for them. In fact, every time they spot it, it usually ends up in the trolley! (We actually went shopping in Aldi this weekend and spotted their mini Oaty bites and bought a few bags!)

Organix keeps their snacks exciting by continually adding new products to their range and the children always look forward to trying them out. We recently reviewed the new Organix Jammie Monsters which you can read about here. They quickly became a favourite, for both Noah and Ava and we've bought more since our last review.

Organix Goodies Mini Space Cheese Bites are the latest product from their range which is suitable for children from 18 months old. They are pieces of cheddar cheese which have been dried and sprinkled with a little bit of potato starch (so they don’t stick together in the pack) and that’s literally it! They are suitable for vegetarians, are junk free, gluten free, organic and are a healthier alternative to other snacks on the market. Similar to the Organix Jammie Monsters they are sold in a box and contain individual portions which make them great for snacking on at home or on the go.

The concept behind the Mini Space Cheese Bites is brilliant! The packs look colourful, engaging and inviting. The dried cheese inside the pack looks just like little pieces of the moon which have certainly made snack time a lot more interesting! The snacks have filled Ava’s tummy whilst fuelling her imagination at the same time. She now has a new found interest in stars and the moon. I’m going to run with it and dig out some of Noah’s books about the solar system because we might have a little astronaut in our midst!

Looking a little different to regular dried savory snacks Ava needed a little encouragement to try them at first but once she did there was no going back. She seems to really enjoy not only the taste but the crunchy texture too. I also tried them and have to say they are delicious! I could happily sit there and eat the lot but I wouldn’t do that to Ava! I just hope she intends to share!

Organix Goodies Mini Space Cheese Bites are sold in a box containing four individual bags. They are suitable for children from 18 months of age, retail at £2.49 and are available to buy at Boots, Ocado, Sainsbury’s and more. 

How would you like to win 2 boxes of Organix Goodies Mini Space Cheese Bites? To enter simply use the Gleam form below. Good luck and don't forget to enter my other competitions!

Two boxes of Organix Goodies Mini Space Cheese Bites

Terms & Conditions.         
1. There will be 1 winner who will win the prize mentioned above.
2. Prize sent via the PR. 
3. Competition ends 31/05/19.
4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified.
5. UK entries only.

Organix Goodies & Gruffalo Prize Pack - Competition

Organix Goodies is partnering with Chessington World of Adventures Resort and its new Gruffalo River Ride Adventure as it splashes into the Wild Woods, to offer little explorers (and mums and dads too) the chance to GO FREE. 

Thanks to Goodies, everyone’s favourite toddler snacks, little ones can come face to face with the Gruffalo, as they join Mouse on a picturesque riverboat journey through the deep dark wood, with exciting twists and turns along the way. Look out for The Gruffalo promotion on multipacks of your little ones’ favourite Goodies snacks – from tasty oaty, crispy and fruit bars; corn puffs, including the new puffcorn; breadsticks and gingerbread men, farm animal and alphabet biscuits. Each multipack contains a voucher which gives one adult or one child free entry to Chessington World of Adventures Resort.

In more good news for visitors to Chessington World of Adventures Resort, for the first time you’ll be able to buy your favourite Goodies snack foods (cheese and herb puffs, oaty bars, gingerbread men, and raisins) and Organix finger foods (carrot sticks and apple rice cakes) at the Resort too. Plus, a couple of Goodies foods will also be part of the Kids’ Meal Deal at Chessington’s Original Sandwich Company and the Coffee Hut.

All Organix and Goodies foods come with the Organix No Junk Promise, a stamp of reassurance for parents that they are made with the best organic ingredients and contain nothing unnecessary, so hungry little explorers get great tasting snacks without the junk #SmallWins.

Celebrating its partnership with the new Gruffalo River Ride Adventure at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Organix are giving a lucky winner the chance to win a Gruffalo DVD, Gruffalo book, Gruffalo plush bear and a £10 bundle of its top selling Goodies healthy snacks. To enter simply use the Gleam form below. Good luck and don't forget to enter my other blog competitions!

Organix Goodies & Gruffalo Bundle

Terms & Conditions.                                                                                                 
1. There will be 1 winner who will win the prize mentioned above.
2. Prize sent directly by the PR. 
3. Competition ends 08/10/17
4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified. 
5. UK entries only.

Celebrating Organix 25th Birthday & Win A Hamper Of Organix Snacks - Competition

Leading baby and toddler snack food brand Organix are celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2017. For 25 years, Organix has been setting standards for the food industry, providing parents with nutritious ‘no junk’ organic food for their little ones and campaigning for better quality food for children.

Organix makes their food in a sustainable way and to celebrate this milestone in their history, they are launching Making Things Better - their first sustainability report - which tracks their progress across 19 key areas. A letter from Organix to the children of future generations pledges their commitment to always keep improving and challenging the status quo (see notes to editors for full text).

Now the number one baby and toddler snack food brand in the UK, Organix originated from more humble beginnings, the kitchen of founder Lizzie Vann, who decided to turn her vision to improve children’s health into reality and set about developing the UK’s first organic baby food.

Long before it was popular to put purpose before profit, Organix was set up with a social mission at its heart – ‘Pure Food, Healthy Babies, Safer World.’ Since then Organix has worked tirelessly to pioneer healthy children’s food, lobbying Government and the food industry through impactful, attention grabbing campaigns, including:

* Food for Life (2003): led to changes in school meals and was championed by Jamie Oliver.

* Action on Additives (2007): sought the removal of six artificial colours from food targeted at children - food giants like Nestle, Coca-Cola and Cadburys changed their recipes as a result.

* Georgie, Porgie, Pudding and Pie (2008): Highlighted the poor quality and lack of regulation around nursery food.

* Out to Lunch (2013): transformed children’s food served in restaurants, at leisure attractions and on the high street.

* Engineering Taste (2016): shines a light on food engineering and how food companies are making misleading claims and leaving parents confused.

Organix will be marking their quarter century with a show stopping birthday cake which tells the story of their 25-year history through the medium of icing! The cake, comprises seven tiers of delicious sponges reflecting the flavours of two of their top selling foods – Carrot Sticks and Goodies Raspberry & Apple Oaty Bars – and is topped with another of their best sellers, a Goodies Gingerbread Man.

Fun Facts

* 12 million people have bought Organix snacks – that’s enough to fill Twickenham 150 times over!

* Organix have sold over 3,000 tons of Goodies raisins – that’s more than 21 blue whales!

* Organix have sold 1.6 billion rice cakes – that’s enough to share with one fifth of the world’s population!

* Organix have sold over 235 million Goodies soft oaty bars – laid end to end they would reach to Timbuktu and back 3 times!

I've teamed up with Organix to give away a hamper of Organix snacks to one lucky winner. Included in the prize will be the Organix Carrot Stix, Organix Goodies Raisins, Organix Goodies Gingerbread Men, Organix Goodies Soft Oaty Bars and the new Organix Punk'd Bars. To enter all you need to do is use the Gleam form below! Good luck and don't forget to enter my other blog and social media competitions!

Hamper of Organix Snacks

Terms & Conditions.         
1. There will be 1 winner who will the prize mentioned above.
2. Prize sent directly by the PR. 
3. Competition ends 18/06/17.
4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified.
5. UK entries only. 

Organix Goodies Snack Chest - Competition

It can be challenging when toddlers start to develop their own opinion of what they like or don’t like. To cater for toddlers’ developing independence and sense of adventure Organix Goodies is launching a limited edition Snack Chest.

The new selection boxes and multipacks give little explorers on the go lots of variety and the chance to choose for themselves from a fun mix of Goodies snacks. They join the award winning Goodies line-up of 32 snack foods, including savouries, corn snacks, oaty bars, biscuits, fruit snacks, crispy bars and puffcorn, providing variety in flavours, textures and fun shapes; and convenience whatever the occasion.

Research by Organix found that nearly half (46%) of mums think their toddler is a fussy eater, but according to clinical psychologist Dr Angharad Rudkin, the chances are that they’re actually just becoming more independent, rather than fussy! She says: “The toddler years are a time when little ones want to start taking charge, and it’s a crucial stage in their development. For parents that can be hard, and especially when it comes to food, as mum tries to do her job of feeding her little one well, and her toddler is doing their job of showing they have their own opinions”.

Emily Day, Food Developer at Organix, says, “We’ve created our new Goodies packs to help toddlers’ developing sense of independence about food with a choice of flavours, textures and shapes to explore, all in convenient portion packs, so they can choose their own little taste adventure. And we’re giving parents great tasting snack choices for their little ones, without the junk.”

The Snack Chests contain a selection of portion packed Goodies foods – two single soft oaty bars in raspberry & apple and apple & orange; and a single bag of mini gingerbread men biscuits, alphabet biscuits and mini cheese crackers. All come with the Organix No Junk Promise that all foods are made with the best organic ingredients and contain nothing unnecessary. 

We’ve teamed up with Organix to celebrate toddler independence and offer 3 lucky winners a Goodies limited edition Snack Chest. To enter all you need to do is use the Gleam form below. Good luck and don't forget to enter my other blog competitions! 

1 of 3 Organix Food Limited Edition Snack Chests

Terms & Conditions.
1. There will be 3 winners who will each win 1 Organix Goodies Snack Chest.
2. Prize sent directly by the PR. 
3. Competition ends 25/11/16
4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified.
5. UK entries only.

Organix Goodies NEW Breadsticks & Crispy Bars - Competition

Organix have been a favourite of ours ever since Noah started weaning two years ago. A great brand for both weaning, through to toddlerhood and beyond as their range of snacks grow with your child. Organix Goodies are always adding new snacks to their wide range of yummy and healthy snacks and today I thought I'd introduce you to two of their newest creations.

Organix Goodies Mini Cheese & Chive Breadsticks.
New mini cheese & chive breadsticks extend the savouries range from Organix Goodies and offer little ones new tastes and textures to explore. Packed in handy portion bags, these crunchy little sticks are great for nibbling on – a fun tasty choice to keep toddlers going in between meals and on the go.

Toddlers can have some fun exploring their new Goodies mini breadsticks – try stirring and dipping them into hummous, salsa, or a delicious homemade soup and great for summer picnics. They come in a multipack containing 4 x 20g portion bags – for tiny little tummies on the go. RRP: £1.99.

Organix Goodies Crispy Bars.
If your little one loves Goodies soft oaty bars they’ll love to try these new crispy bars. They’re available in two tasty flavours: tangy berry - bursting with a fruity twist from strawberry and raspberry juice and scrummy cocoa & orange – a new flavour in your local supermarket’s baby aisle. Packed into individually wrapped bars for little tums, they offer a new lighter texture for little ones to explore on the go or in between meals.

These new crispy bars come with the Organix No Junk Promise, a stamp of reassurance that they are made with the best organic ingredients and contain nothing unnecessary, so your little one gets great tasting snacks, without the junk.

New Goodies crispy bars come in a multipack containing 6 x 18g individually wrapped bars. RRP: £2.49 You’ll find them online at Ocado and in selected Tesco, Morrison’s and Waitrose stores. Coming soon in other retailers.

Both new snacks the line up of award winning toddler snacks from Organix Goodies. Available in a variety of fun shapes and delicious flavours and textures, Goodies make exploring all kinds of foods fun and enjoyable as little ones grow up.

To celebrate the launch of Organix Goodies tasty new snacks I've teamed up with them to give away 2 picnic hampers both worth over £30! Not only can your little one try out some of their new snacks but there’s also a lunchbag, a hat and water bottle included too, perfect for your little explorer’s adventures! Good luck and don't forget to enter my other blog competitions! 

Organix Goodies Hamper worth £30

Terms & Conditions.                                                                                                 
1. There will be 2 winners who will each receive the prize shown above.
2. Prize supplied directly from the PR. 
3. Competition ends 30/09/16
4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified. 
5. UK entries only.

Organix Goodies - Competition

I've always been a big fan of Organix. Ever since our weaning journey began all those months ago Organix was always a brand we reached for and still do to this day.

In case you don't know, Organix and Organix Goodies create delicious foods and snacks using only the best organic ingredients to help inspire a lifelong love of good foods. 

They produce food for all different ages and stages from 4-6m* through to 12m plus. From fruit puree's through to gingerbread men, they really push the boundaries when it comes to baby food and snacks. 

At every stage of our weaning journey there has been something from their diverse range that Noah has thoroughly loved. At the beginning of our journey he gobbled up their fruit pots and then when he was moving on to different textures he would have a bowl of their scrummy muesli for his breakfast. 

Now at 21 months Noah is still enjoying snacks and nibbles from their Goodies range. There is so much to choose from and his favourites are the banana and date bars and the mini oaty bites. I like stocking up on their range because I know come snack time that Noah will be eating something healthy and organic. 

Organix recently sent Noah some of their new products to try which he absolutely loved, as per usual. Not only that but they have also supplied a prize for you guys too! How would you like to win an Organix Goodies hamper worth £20? All you need to do is enter via Rafflecopter below. Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

t&c-

1. 1 prize of £20 worth of Organix Goodies.

2. Prize supplied directly from the PR.

3. Competition ends 14/9/15

4. Incomplete entries with be disqualified.

5. UK entries only.