It was a fun-packed day and Annabel enjoyed teaching the children about different foods, what they should be filling up on and introducing them to new foods and flavours. It is so important for every child to understand the importance of eating well for a healthy future. This means interacting and engaging with them, which could be through cooking together in class or playing Food Bingo just like Annabel did with the class!

Following reports that take up of school dinners is just 40%, resulting in a service that is uneconomic; Annabel also met with school headteacher Helen Frostick to find out how she assures her pupils of a hot, healthy, tasty and affordable meal at lunchtime.

Helen was a real inspiration as she spoke about St Mary Magdalen’s school meals being cooked from fresh and nutritionally balanced. And most importantly, they taste good. Children want choice, so they have a variety of meal options and a fresh salad bar. Her chefs were real kitchen heroes too. One cook, Sarai, is so dedicated to healthy eating that she even brings in fresh home-grown vegetables from her allotment. As a result, lunchtime is a real highlight in the school day.

Meals at the school cost £2.15 per day and parents can pay in weekly, monthly, half-termly or termly installments, using a dedicated online payment system. For packed lunches, a policy has been put in place to ensure all lunchboxes are healthy and nutritious.

It is vital to build on what schools like St Mary Magdalen’s already do; it’s a shining example in terms of their dedication to making healthy eating commonplace in the daily school routine. And like Helen, every headteacher should take responsibility for the food served in their school canteen. If they can offer something healthy and appealing to children, parents may then be willing to swap the money they are spending on packed lunches for school dinners.

In the UK, one in 30 babies are born with a condition which could affect them for life. When Riley was born he didn’t have a pulse and wasn’t breathing. He had suffered oxygen deprivation at birth and was at serious risk of permanent brain injury. His parents, Dave and Sarah had to quickly make the decision as to whether they would allow Riley to become the first baby in the world to receive a combined treatment of cooling and xenon gas. As Dave explains, “We were told the treatment would have to start before Riley was 12 hours old. It was one of the hardest decisions we’ve ever made. But, somehow, everything seemed to click into place. We were in the right place at the right time.”

Riley was saved from possible brain injury by Professor Marianne Thoresen and her pioneering research which has developed a unique combination of xenon gas and body cooling treatment. Marianne’s research is funded by the children’s charity, Sparks who work to ensure that all babies are given the best possible start in life.

Riley is now a healthy and adventurous two-year-old.

Thanks to the research funded by Sparks, Riley is now a healthy and very happy two-year-old, awaiting the arrival of a new brother or sister!

So how can you help more stories turn out like Riley’s? Whether you have been affected by the work Sparks does or appreciate your own healthy children, there is a simple (and tasty) way for you to help make a real and lasting difference to the lives of children.

Join Sparks and hundred of others during 17-19 May and host your own cake sale as part of their new event, Bake for Bumps.

Baking with your children, can be a great way to take part in Bake for Bumps

Bake for Bumps is a great way to gather friends, family and colleagues and make a difference together, to children’s health. Annabel herself is supporting this brand new event, so if you do choose to hold your own Bake for Bumps cake sale, then why not try out her clever teddy bear cupcakes (which can be found at www.sparks.org.uk/bake.)

Taking part in Bake for Bumps could just be the tastiest way of making a real difference to the lives of babies, children and mums-to-be.

Find out more at www.sparks.org.uk/bake.

Common symptoms of teething include swollen gums, drooling or dribbling, mood changes and feelings of irritability, crying, sleeplessness, restless sleep at night and mild fever [ii] so teething tots and their parents will all need some help to provide relief from new and emerging teeth!

Babies will often chew on anything they can get their hands on to relieve the discomfort during the teething process. I have teamed up with Nelsons Teetha  to create these delicious Raspberry Yoghurt Lollies which babies can suck or chew to help soothe sore or swollen gums caused as a result of teething.

Yummy Yoghurt Lollies

Ingredients (makes 6)

150g fresh raspberries

2 x 125g pots raspberry yogurt

2 tsp caster sugar

Blend the raspberries until smooth using a hand blender. Pour through a sieve into a bowl. Add the yogurt and sugar and stir until smooth. Pour into a jug, then pour into 6 plastic lolly moulds and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.

I am pleased to be Annabel’s guest blog. My name is Amanda Frolich and for the last 15 years I have been supporting children with their learning and development within my bespoke classes and parties.

Like Annabel, I’m passionate about children’s development and health. I believe that every child should have the opportunity to be healthy and active. Annabel does this through providing wonderful recipes and unique dishes and I do this by physical activity and fun within my sessions, with both of us laying the foundation for children’s future learning and development.

I believe my sessions are truly special and that they link very well to the Government’s curriculum for the under-fives, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). There are three prime areas of the EYFS that the Government have stated are important for your child’s development; communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. The EYFS states ‘Three areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive.’ EYFS, 2008

In my sessions, your child will experience many opportunities to further their development, including the various physical movements that we do through music to develop their large and small motor skills. They will use their language skills to sing songs, share ideas and socialise with their peers by taking part in a group activity. Most importantly, my sessions enhance children’s self-esteem by giving them a sense of purpose. I do this by a combination of funky music, stimulating props, nursery rhymes and interactive games. It’s high energy, very involving and a lot of physical fun! All the children feel good about themselves after leaving one of my sessions.

Interactivity is a big word for me, I believe young children learn best when the adults who have accompanied the child join in – this could be you as their parent, nanny, grandparent, childminder or another special adult in your child’s life. We believe this sharing is crucial in helping children make great strides in their development.

Here is what Britain Got Talent judge Amanda Holden said about my parties: “It was phenomenal – the party of the year! I wanted something different, fun and really active for my 4 year old’s birthday party and Amanda’s Action Club delivered big time! Amanda’s energy is incredible.”

But don’t just take my word for it. If you live in and around London and have a child under five, then why not drop by and try a class? We’re a very friendly team, so don’t be shy! To find your nearest class visit http://www.amandasactionclub.co.uk/amandas-action-kids-classes.php

Enter this competition for a chance to win five free classes. Simply answer the question below and send it to info@amandasactionclub.co.uk for your chance to win.

Q.  Finish the name of Amanda’s educational music album for kids:  ‘Fun ……………’ You can find the answer by looking around our website www.amandasactionclub.co.uk).

Closing date: Friday 31st May 2013

Thanks, Annabel, for letting me contribute to your wonderful blog.

Connect with me on:

Twitter:                https://twitter.com/actionamanda

Facebook:           https://www.facebook.com/amandasactionclub

Below you will find some fab ideas for recipes you can make with bread as well as some delicious dough recipes! Why not tell us your favourite recipes in the comments below.

Annabel’s Easy Cheesy Rolls

Bread can often be difficult to make but the end results are very tasty! This simplified step-by-step guide takes you through each process and is great for cooking with your kids.

Click here for the full instruction guide http://www.annabelkarmel.com/kids-cooking/kids-recipes/cheesy-bread-rolls

Added Extras
Have you tried adding different things to your dough? Bread is very versatile and you can add a huge range of ingredients to it to change the taste. Some our favourites in the office are:

• Cheese
• Olives
• Rosemary
• Butternut Squash
• Spinach
• Pear & Honey
• Banana
• Chocolate

But the possibilities are literally endless!

Why not try Annabel’s recipe which uses cherry tomatoes & onions

http://www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/family/red-onion-tomato-bread

Breadspiration

We have also created a Pinterest board with any bread recipes that caught our eye! Check  it out here: http://pinterest.com/annabelkarmel/national-bread-week/

Cooking with bread

Aside from the styles and flavours of the bread itself there are many tasty recipes you can make using it as an ingredient.

Recipes:

For the recipes, click on the names below.

Pan Bagnat  Not heard of this before? Take a look at this recipe and try it for yourself, it is as tasty as it looks.

Bagel Snake  Who knew a tuna bagel could look so exciting!

BLT  The maple roasted bacon adds extra sweetness to this classic sandwich

Vegetarian Mini Muffin Pizzas This quick, easy take on a firm family favourite makes a great finger food dish.

Lamb Koftas  A tasty finger food recipe that is not only served in pitta breads but uses breadcrumbs to help bind the meatballs together.

Oink Oink Sandwich – This is a fun way to make a ham sandwich look more appealing! We used some spring onion to make the curly tail and currants for the eyes. Recipe from Annabel’s Kitchen – My First Cookbook.

Don’t forget to share your successful (or unsuccessful!) bread creations with us on Twitter, Facebook or G+, we love to see how you got on.

You can find more recipes like these on Annabel’s App or on our recipe section.

Blazing the flavour trail for tots, Annabel Karmel, the UK’s number one parenting author and expert on baby and child nutrition, has cooked-up a new all-American classic – Smokey BBQ Chicken and Rice – for her best-selling toddler chilled meal range.

Teatime back at the ranch is about to get even tastier for little tums – and easier for mums – with this delicious, nutritious time-saving recipe.  Taste-tested by toddlers and packed full of natural flavour, the new addition combines tender diced chicken with Basmati rice, cooked in a scrumptious smokey BBQ sauce.

Using only the best natural ingredients with no added salt, sugar or preservatives, the yummy dish joins Annabel Karmel’s eight existing toddler meals for children aged 1-4.

Annabel Karmel MBE says: ‘Healthy doesn’t have to mean bland, and my newest arrival will tempt even the fussiest eaters.  And while young tastebuds take a flavour adventure, mums can be safe in the knowledge that they are giving their toddlers all the goodness of a home cooked meal.

“While parents are working harder than ever to keep their family happy and healthy, we all know that cooking from scratch isn’t always possible. That’s where our chilled meals come in as the ideal alternative for those busy days.”

Smokey BBQ Chicken and Rice will launch exclusively into Sainsbury’s in April

The toddler range also includes Salmon and Cod Pie, Chicken Potato Pie, Bolognese Pasta Bake, Beef Lasagne, Chicken Tikka, Beef Macaroni, Vegetable Pasta Bake and Butternut Squash, Beef Cottage Pie and Chicken with Rice.  In addition to Sainsbury’s, the main range of toddler chilled meals can be purchased in Waitrose, Ocado and Morrisons.

Grandparents are often a huge part of your little ones life, Grannynet.co.uk have given us this fab post to help you maintain a healthy balanced relationship with them. Research has shown that one in three working mums rely on their mums or mother-in-law’s for childcare when they return to work or further education.

At face value this is a wonderful arrangement that works for both parties – you have piece of mind that the person responsible for your child has a vested interest and granny has lots of precious time with her grandchild. Plus of course, the child benefits from an enriched upbringing.

However, this seemingly perfectly balanced set up can sometimes turn out less harmoniously than planned. Asking granny to sign on the dotted line when you hand over your children may seem a step too far, but according to a survey carried out by Grannynet.co.uk, 78% of grandparents agreed that families should establish some kind of formal childcare arrangement when they are providing the childcare. Here are some of the grandparent’s reactions to the idea of drawing up a ‘contract’:

“Consistency is important – but so is flexibility. There should be a few very basic ground rules, if only to forestall ‘playing off’ parents against grandparents, but with ‘wiggle room’ for learning that different people have different attitudes.”

“… we have had a long chat about it today and decided that we are going to impose some basic restrictions that may help us – the care must be in our home (theirs is chaotic and sends us scatty), and if it’s for several consecutive days we will have them sleep over or even rent a cottage at the seaside and go off for the duration – gives us at least a shot at consistency. Feel a bit better already!”

“ABSOLUTELY!!! [There should be ground rules established] We didn’t and now it’s a nightmare. It’s caused real problems and tension in the family and how I wish wish, wish that we had written up an agreement in advance.”

“It is only fair on the child that all the people that are caring for them are on the same page.”

So here are some of Grannynet’s top tips on how to avoid conflict:

• Few grandparents have the energy to offer full time care for five days a week. They may be keen to offer this, but those with experience say it’s physically overwhelming. Of course this depends on family circumstances as sometimes needs must.
• Make you have good communication with them – listen out for signs that they might need a break or are finding it hard to say ‘no’ even when they should, especially for health reasons.
• The issue of whether grandparent should be paid for looking after their grandchildren leaves people divided. However, this just goes to show how important it is to offer, particularly if the arrangement is for the foreseeable future.
• If your mum or mother-in-law refuses any payment then you could suggest you reimburse her for expenses, such as travel or surprise her with the occasional bunch of flowers as a gesture of appreciation.
• Most grandparents feel more comfortable looking after grandchildren in their own homes. This is because they feel that they are able to function better in their own surroundings. Be sympathetic to this, as it’s good for a child to spend time in different environments and get used to being comfortable somewhere other than home.
• It really helps if grandparents have all the equipment they need at their house to save lugging things backwards and forwards. Offer help in the purchasing of these items, either in monetary form or by advising them on where best to buy everything. Second-hand stuff and eBay really comes into its own here.
• Agree on an approach to your children’s eating and share with them what they like and dislike. Grandparents love to give treats to their grandchildren, so if you feel strongly that certain things are off limits then tell them.
•  A consistent approach to discipline is very important. Grandparents should be given the right to judge discipline in the context of that child’s day. Granting them this will make their life far easier, but discuss appropriate punishments and rewards beforehand.

The bottom line is that communication is key. Discussing and even formalising your arrangement on paper can really help bypass any friction that can easily rear it’s ugly head (often when you need it the least).

Go to http://www.grannynet.co.uk/grannynet-groundrules to view Grannynet’s Ground Rules, an informal contract that families can download to prompt families to talk over the more contentious issues surrounding childcare.

Grannynet is the definitive website for grandmothers looking after grandchildren. We offer advice for grandparents, a forum for friendly chat plus product reviews. Be in the know with Grannynet.
“All grandparents need support and I can’t think of a better way of finding that support than by logging on to Grannynet” Dr Miriam Stoppard OBE

Eve Pollard in conversation with the UK’s number one parenting author, Annabel Karmel MBE, about her life and setting up a business from scratch as a full time mum, her recipe books and her top tips for fussy eaters.

Come join us on the 26^th June 2013, 12noon – 2.30pm at Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER

Buy your ticket online

Since the launch of her first book more than twenty years ago, Annabel has been credited with revolutionising the way children eat with delicious and healthy tried and tested recipes, meal planners and expert guidance.

Such success in the industry has helped her become one of the UK’s leading female entrepreneurs, and her mission to serve families continues in June with the publication of her 27th book, Quick and Easy Toddler Recipes to help busy parents rustle up a range of meals in minutes.

To coincide with her book launch, Annabel will be talking with acclaimed journalist Eve Pollard about the inspiration behind her first books and her inspiring career; her passion for improving children’s diets and the feeding challenges faced by parents all over the world today – and how to tackle fussy eating.

So why not join us for this interesting an insightful lunch with Annabel sharing her top tips, recipes and information about new and exciting foods, on 26^th June 2013, in The Drawing Room, Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER.

Tickets are £75 to include a 2 course lunch and a glass or two of wine. Tickets for this event are limited so we encourage you to book straight away! There will also be an opportunity to purchase copies of Annabel’s books and have a personalised message signed by Annabel herself.

To enquire about this event or purchase a ticket please call Chantelle Morgan on 020 7772 6400 or email: cmorgan@wellbeingofwomen.org.uk by 17^th June. Tickets are also available to buy online

As one of Britain’s brightest female entrepreneurs, Annabel was honoured to join LinkedIn & James Caan on Tuesday to talk at Advertising Week Europe. It was the first time that this very special event had been held outside of New York and it was an opportunity for Annabel to share the best piece of advice she had ever received with an audience of budding young entrepreneurs.

“Turning failure into success”

Most of what Annabel has learnt about business has been as a result of tackling problems and face on, undertaking challenges and and learning from failures.  It was a hugely inspirational talk, with anecdotes from some brilliant business women she has met – from Chrissie Rucker, CEO of The White Company to Dianne Thompson, CEO of the Camelot Group.

If you are in need of a quick confidence boost, below is a sneak peak of a few of Annabel’s presentation slides!

The event was a huge success, and below you can see some of the tweets we received during and after the talk. Different users have picked out different quotes that resonated with them.

You can watch the seminar here:

THE BEST ADVICE I EVER GOT by advertisingweek

You can connect with Annabel Karmel on LinkedIn here.

With many celebrities being dog owners before they are parents, it seems there is a new phenomenon – mutternity– as couples such as Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge try their hand at furry parenting before they go for the real thing.

As most dog owners will tell you, sharing your life with man’s best friend is deeply rewarding. Yet, what happens when this harmonious balance is disturbed by the tiny patter of baby feet? A new survey* released today by Dogs Trust and NCT reveals that almost half of new parents (46%) found it challenging to cope with their dog and a new baby and one in six (17%) had considered giving up their dog when the baby arrived.

To help parents feel more confident about dealing with their dog alongside their new baby, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust, and the UK’s leading charity for parents, NCT, have joined forces to create a new leaflet aimed at preparing dog owning parents-to-be.  http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/_resources/resources/factsheets09/factsheetnewbaby10.pdf

The survey also shows a need for health professionals to give clearer advice to expectant and new parents who own a dog. Of the 1,000 expectant parents surveyed, nearly 1 in 5 (18%) had been told by family, friends and health professionals to give up their dog before their baby arrived but very little advice was given. Over 52% said they would like to see more guidance from health professionals on to how to introduce their new arrival to their current pet dog.

TOP TIPS FOR PREPARING YOUR DOG FOR BABY’S ARRIVAL:

• Dogs like routine so it’s never too early to get your dog used to changes BEFORE the baby comes home.  By making changes while you or your partner are still expecting, your dog won’t associate the baby with upheaval.

• It’s essential that your dog associates the baby with positive feelings, so if you’re intending to make some rooms ‘dog free zones’ and using baby gates then start doing this well before your baby is born.

• Now is also a good time to get Rover used to staying in a safe place with his bed and tasty chew for short periods of time every day. There will be times when you’ll be busy with the baby, so training Rover how to be happy on his own for a short time is going to help him cope with the changes ahead.

• Members of your family or health workers may put pressure on you to part with your dog thinking they are making life easier for you.  If your dog is friendly with people then you should be able to introduce your new baby to the family dog quite happily.

• Involve your dog in as much family life as possible so he feels included and his nose is not put out.

• Think about how you can make dog walking as easy as possible – a sling might be easier than a pram as it leaves you with your hands free to hold the dogs’ lead.

• Dogs love cuddly toys but can find it tricky to differentiate between their toys and the baby’s, so keep the dog’s toys separate and perhaps smear a tiny blob of peanut butter on them.

• Being a new parent is time consuming, but always make time to stroke or groom your dog, so they have your undivided attention away from the kids

For more information or to download a copy of the “New Baby” factsheet, please visit www.dogstrust.org.uk