January Pick-Me-Ups - featuring Cadbury Highlights, Nim's, Bahlsen and Bacofoil

January is a bit of a juxtaposition! On one hand we face the struggle of attempting to get over the expenses and excesses of Christmas and getting back into the routine of daily life. Then on the other hand we are also welcoming a brand new year and looking forward to what it may bring; a chance for new beginnings, exciting prospects and brighter futures. And all this is played out against a backdrop of short winter's days with grey skies and chilly weather.

Here is a review round up of some of the products that we are trying out this January, which are helping make the return to the daily grind a little bit more manageable.

Cadbury Highlights - a guilt-free way to beat those chocolate cravings

Over Christmas, chocolate becomes one of the major food groups, consumed on a daily basis, often without thought. In the new year we have to face up to what those chocolate oranges, selection boxes and tins of choccies have done to our waistlines. No wonder so many new year's resolutions revolve around weightloss. But in this grim weather, we sometimes crave a sweet fix to get us through the day.

Cadbury Highlights allows us to indulge our chocolatey cravings without compromising on our diet plans as it is just 38 calories a cup and less than 1% fat. Available in a variety of flavours from the smooth, dark Bournville to the sweet, creamy Caramel or Fudge to the nutty Hazelnut, there is something to suit all tastes.

Cadbury Highlights are quick and easy to make - just add to hot water and stir to make a warming cup of hot chocolate. A 220g jar is £3.89 RRP and the individual sachets are just 32p each.

Nim's Fruit Crisps - the healthier, fruity snack

When you want a snack, it is easy to give into the temptation of something unhealthy and high calorie, but with Nim's Fruit Crisps, you can enjoy a sweet treat that is virtually guilt free. The fruit crisps are air dried, giving them a crispy texture and an intensely fruity flavour. It is a great way to enjoy one of your five a day and they are rich in fibre and vitamin C and only 57 - 75 calories a day. The nutritional content and natural sweetness of the fruit is maintained and 100% of the fruits are used in the unique process used to make them.

Available in Apple, Pear and Kiwi, Orange and Melon and Pineapple and Mango flavours, they are suitable for coeliacs, gluten free diets, vegans and the health conscious. They make a good snack for when on the go or for lunchboxes.

They really are very different to anything I've had before and are really fruity tasting. They make a nice change from savoury crisps and really hit the sweet fix spot. They can help combat bad snacking habits in adults and children alike (if kids can get past the appearance!)

A 20 - 22g bag costs £1.10. Find out more at www.nimsfruitcrisps.com.

Pick Up! - biscuit treats from Bahlsen

Bahlsen make some really good quality biscuits and their Pick Up! range of individual biscuit bars deliver a crunchy treat. Each bar consists of solid chocolate sandwiched between two crisp biscuits. They come in Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Black 'n' White and Choco & Caramel flavours.

They are individually wrapped to lock in freshness and each biscuit is around the 140 calorie mark. So, if you fancy a biscuit, you can enjoy a single portion sized Pick Up! and avoid the danger of eating a whole packet of loose biccies! Find out more abour Pick Up! at www.pickupbiscuits.co.uk.

Bacofoil Sandwich Bags - for a warm packed lunch

Buying lunches out or when at work can prove to be a costly and often calorific choice. However, in the winter months, a cold sandwich is not always that appealing. But with Bacofoil's Foil Sandwich Bags, you can enjoy a warm, homemade sandwich at lunchtime. Just make something in the morning, like a warm falafel wrap, seal it in the bag and eat it warm later. The foil bags seal together, retaining the freshness, flavour and heat. The bags also keep cold food fresh for 24 hours, so you can make your lunch the day before to enjoy when you are ready to eat it. This can save time and helps you get organised.

The bags are reusable making them good value. 16 large bags costs £2.49 at Ocado. Homemade packed lunches can save lots of money, especially important in January, after the expense of Christmas. Bacofoil ensures your lunch stays fresh and safe to eat. Also you can be sure that what you are eating is a healthy option using quality ingredients from home.

My January survival guide

These Atlantic storms that keep on battering Britain are bringing some terrible wintry weather our way.  It's grey, damp and chilly out there and the school run is proving to be a bit grim, especially when the threat of snow hangs over our heads.  I am consistently fearful that the heavens will open and dump their white stuff on the 3 miles of narrow, winding country roads I have to take to get Freddy to and from school.  It's a scary prospect, and I am forever grateful that I have winter tyres on my car. I am a bit of a worrier so I also keep a tealight and a box of matches in my glove compartment - apparently it can keep you warm if you get snowed in.  I also have a foil blanket and a supply of water (I've done that ever since watching Cujo!) so I am prepared for any unexpected blizzards.

With winter doing its worst to freeze us to the bone, one of the best things we can do is get out our woollies, wrap up warm and do our best to stay cosy in spite of the elements.  I love winter clothes. The bigger, the baggier the better! I have a big collection of oversized, chunky knit jumpers and I regularly 'borrow' something from Ian's collection of super cosy men's cardigans that are my defence against the winter months.  I like nothing more than to pull the woolly fabric around my body and feel like I am being enveloped in a big, warm hug.  My winter clothing colour scheme is a palette of greys, fawns, blacks and browns. (Not that much dissimilar to my summer wardrobe colour scheme if I'm very honest - I clearly have a very predictable attraction to dark and muted tones!)

Being thrifty, I am not one to leave the central heating on 24/7, in fact my older girls mock the fact that my house is sometimes a bit on the cool side.  They both live in flats that are always incredibly warm, anyone would think that they were cold blooded. Me, Ian and the two little ones are acclimatised to the temperature we maintain at home, but my big girls do moan about it. My mantra is 'if you're cold put on another woolly jumper and snuggle under a blanket'.  I think it's much nicer to get snuggly that way...and it doesn't cost any money!

Comfort food is a big part of coping with this season.  But the consequences of indulging in lots of stodgy, carb laden meals does not go well with the newly made annual resolution to eat healthier and lose weight.  To satisfy my desire for tucking into warming, comforting meals, whilst not breaking any resolutions, I make big, hearty stews with red lentils and root vegetables topped with wholemeal, seeded cobbler; homemade apple crumble sweetened with maple syrup and fortified with oats and smoky Quorn chilli packed with beans and veggies served with cauliflower rice.  They all taste seasonally delicious, while being totally nutritious.  Guilt free comfort.

In winter, it is good to get out and get some exercise, especially if the sun is making one of its rare appearances.  It is all too easy to stagnate at home and dream of hibernating, but to get some fresh air and blow away the cobwebs is really good for the soul.  All you need to do is wrap up warm, grab your wellies and head out for some family fun.  Going for a brisk walk out in the countryside is a great way to get the heart pumping.  Having a ramble in the woods or a play in the park is energetic, fun and free.  A great antidote to the excesses and lethargy of Christmas that gets the kids away from their new technological devices and gets me away from the left over Christmas chocolates.

We may complain about January and the wintry weather, but it definitely has its good points.  The new year gives us all the opportunity for a fresh start filled with optimism and determination. It's the month when all the good TV shows come back on, so I'm happily rewelcoming American Horror Story, Scandal, Broadchurch and the Undateables into my life. We get to buy next Christmas's presents, wrapping paper and decorations in the January sales, saving a load of cash and getting ourselves super prepared in advance. And, as previously mentioned, we get to legitimately enjoy wearing our snuggliest winter woollies and steal our husband's cosy cardies!


I have been compensated for writing this post but retain all editorial control.

January In Pictures

January in Pictures

Ja-NEW-ary Thinkings

It's the time when thoughts turn to resolutions, plans and hopes for the new year. Whether we are hoping to get slimmer, richer, fitter or more successful, the internet is awash with people's dreams for the 2013.  To be honest, up until now I haven't really involved myself with the concept of change this year.  I've been doing OK so why fix what ain't broken?!  But on closer inspection, my life could do with a bit of a makeover and the setting of achievable targets never hurts in motivating oneself to get off one's arse!

As an avid list maker, I have taken my virtual pen to virtual paper to jot down my '2013 To Do' list.  It includes people to see, places to visit and a few personal goals thrown in for good measure.

• This year will see a huge change for me as my baby boy Freddy will be starting school.  As a summer baby, he will be just 4 years and 2 months old as he joins Reception class. I've applied for a place at our local school.  He has his pre-school jabs next week, which makes it feel very real!  It breaks my heart just to think about it!  However I intend to spend the months up until September preparing my son to be ready for school.  We will do reading and writing and counting and crafts together. His fabulous nursery has made him so much more confident around other kids and will stand him in good stead for the hugest step in his little life to date.  For me, I will have much more free time.  I pledge not to become a couch potato glued to Jeremy Kyle and This Morning.  I will blog, I will volunteer, I will get fit and I will do more domestic goddess style cooking (I'm loving my slow cooker!) I will be productive!

• My blog is now over two years old.  It started with no expectations.  It grew quickly.  For a moment I thought I could make it something special and find a niche that would fit.  Then I was seduced by opportunities and PR contacts.  It evolved into something else.  It took on a life of its own.  In 2013 I want to reclaim my blog and steer it in a direction where I can be really proud of it.  I am not precious.  I am realistic.  I am happy to work with brands.  I enjoy doing blogger competitions.  I will never be dictated to nor will I lose my integrity.  I just want to find a bit more structure and balance.  As long as I enjoy it, Inside the Wendy House will continue. (I even bought my domain name - but am too scared to use it!)

• This year I really want to see the people who I care about that I haven't seen for a while.  Last year flew by and I neglected some of the relationships which matter most to me.  I have some amazing friends out there that I need to catch up with. This personal housekeeping is long overdue!  I also want to try to nurture relationships with other relatives.  I hardly know Ian's side of the family, and I'd love to rectify this in 2013! 

• As I am now a granny, I will make sure that I do as good a job as possible getting to know the adorable little boy who is my grandson.  It is an amazing feeling seeing the new generation of our family emerge and observing as the changing relationships develop.

• Last year I was lucky enough to give my family lots of amazing experiences through blogging and comping.    I hope that 2013 gives us as many brilliant opportunities.  I love watching Freddy's face as he witnesses something new and the girls love family days out.  We have our Merlin Annual Passes too plus we have our Butlins and Centre Parcs holidays booked up.  I want to fill the calendar with as many events as I can to punctuate our year.  I want Freddy to visit Warwick Castle this year.  He loves historical places and is so interested in castles and towers.  He is an old soul at heart!

• I intend to celebrate milestones and special days as memorably as I can.  We are beginning 'Operation Reclaim The Dining Room' and hope to enjoy many sit down meals together now Freddy is more open to the idea of sitting at a table for more than 5 minutes at a time.  In reclaiming our dining room, we will also be re-doing our living room, donating a load of stuff to charity shops and sorting out the chaos that is just beginning to subside now Fred is getting older and is less of a whirling dervish of destruction.

• Following on from celebrating special days, I intend to experiment more in the kitchen.  So for Burn's Night, homemade vegetarian Haggis will be on the menu.  Celebratory pies will be invented (my New Year's Day pie was pretty good!) and baking will ensue (themed gingerbread houses anyone??)  I plan to add a few more dishes to my repertoire.  I will be posting recipes on my blog to share my love of veggie food and grouping them on a 'Food For Thought' tab on my homepage.

• Lastly, I want to take photographs to document everything and preserve special memories.  I won't be doing any official Project 365/52 entries this year, but I will be taking pics everyday.  If I decide to post any I will.  Simple as that!  Oh the freedom :)

Add to the list: drop a dress size, buy some jeans that fit me, revamp my underwear drawer and go on some quality dates with my husband and I'm pretty much set to make 2013 as good as I can.  I hope that this year our highs will outnumber our lows.  I hope that we grow stronger in light of our inevitable challenges.  I intend to take stock of my blessings regularly and hold my loved ones close.

My Tip for a Frugal New Year!

I have recently been lucky enough to win £100 of Argos vouchers in a competition by submitting a tip that would help you cope with the onslaught of January's bills. I am quite proud of my idea, so I thought I'd share it on my blog....


"To tighten my belt in January, I have my annual "food audit"! My family laugh...but I go through the cupboards and freezer and plan menus around what we've got lurking there! It means nothing gets wasted, we only have to buy perishables for a few weeks which cuts our shopping costs and the kitchen gets a good sort out!! We also discover a few new ideas for dinners as we have to get creative and google new recipes to use up all the rogue tins and packets bought then ignored over the previous year!!!"




Time to get creative in the kitchen!