Bloggers we love #2 - Toddler and Toast
Since launching Nom Nom Kids I have discovered so many interesting blogs and met (virtually) some lovely supportive people. I want to introduce you all to some of the brilliant blogs that we love and give you a bit more information about them....
Second in the series is....ToddlerandToast
Maria is a working mum to 19 month old Austin and member of the #healthykidscommunity team on Instagram. I discovered her ToddlerandToast account a few months ago and loved the photo's of Austins food on Funky tablecloths! Each week Maria takes part in a themed food week. It can be anything from healthy takeaway style dinners to making veggies fun. There's a lovely team of bloggers taking part and their posts give great tips, ideas and meal inspiration to their readers.
I asked Maria a few questions about blogging....
Why did you start a Blog?
I started blogging after I had returned to work. I knew when Austin was a few months old I wanted to blog as I needed an outlet, to reach out to other mums. When I returned to work after my maternity leave I attended a course about achieving your goals and moving to 'greatness.' It opened my eyes and gave me the confidence I needed to start writing. I wrote my first post that night.
How would you describe your Blog?
I want my blog to be lighthearted, a diary of Austin and mines adventures as well as a food journal. A place where people can get to know me too.
What have you got out of the experience?
A positive of blogging is all the parents I've met online and talk to, people with similar interests, that are going on the same journey and get when you're having a tough day and you just need to vent or don't (seem) to mind me talking about Austin, again!
Another massive perk is the products I have been able to review, all my money goes on things for him now, clothes, feeding products, so its nice to be able to get something to review and really help parents know if its worth it!
What are the downsides to Blogging?
A negative to blogging is it can be very time consuming, and challenging to sit down and actually write something when all I want to do is sit in my PJs eating chocolate watching the Kardashians.
How do you see your blog changing?
I am expecting my newest addition to the family in 2016, so I don't see my blog changing, more like going back to the beginning! Austin was 10 months old when I started my blog, so I never documented his first foods or our journey from the beginning, this time I get to! Which should be helpful to any first time parents around at the same time, as I often get questions about first foods.
What was your most popular post?
I have 2 photos that have been very popular....One was my pregnancy announcement photo which I was very shocked to see it get so many likes!
The second, was a difficult post to share, the meal that Austin choked on. I didn't want to share it, I wanted to forget about that meal, but I never will. I found it therapeutic to write about it and I was very saddened to see how many parents have been in a similar situation. Austin is currently 19 months and we did baby led weaning from 6 months, I did plenty of research at the start of our journey but never bothered to 'freshen up.' That was the most terrifying ordeal of my life, and I am ashamed to say I didn't know what to do, my mind went blank, I ripped him out of the high chair, got him over my knee and banged his back, I ran into the street screaming, no one came, I got it out (frozen banana). I have put steps in place to make sure I am better prepared if it ever happens again. And I have also familiarized myself with the most choking hazard foods. Please make sure you do your research.
What are your thoughts on Nom Nom Kids Reusable Food Pouches?
We absolutely love the pouches! They are so much fun and so colouful! A big hit with Austin, he loves animals and is amazing at animal noises so gets very excited when he sees them.
For me, I love the practicality of them, the unique side opening, that they're easy to clean and fill and perfect for sneaking extra goodness in!
Plus the double fastening is a great bonus, we never had a leak previously, but I am sure we never will now either!
What are your favourite recipes for our pouches?
My smoothie recipes are usually whatever fruit I have in the freezer!
-
A firm favourite, (because I bought a lot of blueberries in the summer when they were cheap and frozen them) is: 1 Banana, handful blueberries, full fat milk to cover them and 1 tsp smooth peanut butter. I always freeze bananas too as soon as they look questionable they are perfect for smoothies! -
1/2 apple, 1/2 avocado, full fat milk, couple of blobs of natural yogurt and 1 tsbp of honey - again perfect for that half an avocado you need to use up.
-
1 can of coconut milk, 1-2tbsp cocao powder, 1tbsp honey & 1tsp vanila extract. I originally used this for smoothie pops, but had so much mixture left they were perfect for the pouches.
A firm favourite, (because I bought a lot of blueberries in the summer when they were cheap and frozen them) is: Thank you Maria for answering my questions! I can really recommend giving ToddlerandToast a follow if you have little ones. See links below....pop over and say hi to her!