Did you manage to buy and wrap all your gifts in time and create an outstanding Christmas lunch? Oh, and did you deck the stoeps (balconies) with boughs of holly?
I had an amazing Christmas and New Year in the UK with family and friends and guess what – we didn’t have a white Christmas! Far from it, as the day was sunny, albeit cold. We travelled from Cornwall up to Scotland and back again, visiting family and friends in between, and we renewed our wedding vows at Gretna Green. It was so special and we’ll have the wonderful memories to last a lifetime. I have to admit I am a little “home” sick and it was magical being there over the Christmas season and being able to enjoy real Christmas trees, log fires, old English pubs and the Salvation Army singing Carols but best of all I got to hold my niece’s four-day-old baby boy, the most beautiful gift!
Now it’s back to work and all 2014 holds for us. Let’s hope it will be a good year for us all.
Not only are most of us back to work but children are back to school and with that comes headaches for moms to try and make imaginative packed school lunches. I remember it well and at the beginning of the year I’d go all out, rather like the Salticrax beginning of the month and as the weeks went by the lunches definitely ended up as end of month Salticrax!
Packed lunch ideas
Sandwiches are good but they can be great. If you can, use low GI bread (brown, white or wholewheat) as it fills tummies up for longer. Choose fillings which won’t make the bread go soggy. This means no lettuce or tomato! In hot weather sandwiches aren’t the best choice but they are quick and easy to prepare. Try tuna and finely chopped onion, mixed with a little mayonnaise; ham and cream cheese; chicken and mayo or the good old favourites, peanut butter or cheese spread.
A great idea, and just as filling, make savoury muffins, either from a recipe or buy Snowflake or Golden Cloud Savoury Muffin Mix. You can add grated cheese or chopped ham. Freeze them in packs of two, then in the morning before you pack your child’s lunch box remove from the freezer and they’ll be fine by lunch-time.
Also mini pita breads make a change and you can fill them with chopped bacon and grated cheese or chopped chicken and pineapple. Make sure you drain the pineapple well if you use tinned.
Alternatively make mini pies. Fill with mince, chicken or cheese and onion. Make your own pastry if you have time or buy ready-made. Make 24 and freeze.
Dry wors and viennas are also great in a lunchbox.
To the lunchbox add fruit, either fresh, such as grapes, strawberries, apple; or a fruit bar (Safari do a tasty range).
A small packet of pretzels or chips and a sweet treat can also be added, especially if your child will be at school for after school activities or sport. Don’t pack chocolate though! Museli bars are a good choice or fruit gums.
If you have to get your child to school early, pack a breakfast bar which they can eat while waiting for school to start.
Don’t forget a cool drink. Bottles or cartons of juice can work out expensive so rather buy a few drink bottles (plastic) and make diluted fruit juice. When the juice is finished your child can always fill the bottle up with water so they won’t go thirsty or dehydrate.
Good luck!
That’s it for this week. E-mail me with your shopping news: juliem@caxton.co.za. Shop till you drop!
Julie
