Klean Kanteen Challenge - One Month On

Last month we were set a challenge, to see how much money we could save using the Klean Kanteen range from Whitby & Co. Using the drinks bottles and canisters to take to work and out and about, meaning we didn't have to buy food and drinks.

For me, it has been a huge part of my lunchtime routine and I haven't bought lunch at work for the entire month, everything has gone in my canister, everything from salad to soup.

We have taken them on picnics and camping, they have been a great way to keep things cool and to make sure we all drink plenty of water. The bright colours have ensured that both our children want to drink from them.

The canisters themselves are a great for camping, although it wouldn't last the whole weekend we still had ice eight hours after when we left home, great if you fancy a cheeky gin and tonic. It still even had ice in over 24 hours, albeit not much, which just goes to show the insulation capabilities of the canisters and the Klean Kanteen range.

So how much have we saved? Whilst it is hard to pinpoint exactly, I would say we have saved between £80-£100 over the month, I haven't bought any lunches saving myself about £5 a week. My husband has also taken lunches to work when in the office saving about £10 a week.

Out and about we have taken water with us which is potentially another saving of around £16-£20 (four bottles of water over four weekends out) over the month, then I have used it for picnics and other days out meaning we didn't need to buy lunch.

Whilst we would always try and take picnics with us anyway, making it easier has definitely helped. Being able to keep food cold on these warmer days means people want to eat it and it stays fresher for longer too.

I will keep on using these for my lunches and the water bottles are an absolute god send in the warm weather, nothing is less welcome on a hot summers day than a bottle of warm water!

NB: This is a collaborative post, all words are my own.

Style a Shed Challenge

I saw this Style a Shed challenge over on Love Chic Living and knew straight away I wanted to enter it. I don't currently have a separate office or nice space to take photos in and this has given me an opportunity to fantasise about my dream space.

Teaming up with Tiger Sheds, this challenge wants bloggers to put together their ideal space, mine would be somewhere to go and write my blog, somewhere with the quiet of the garden, space to chill and put together pretty things to photograph. Tiger sheds offer a beautiful range of cabins and I think one would fit perfectly amongst the trees in my garden.

First of all, I would paint the whole interior white, making the perfect backdrop for taking pictures, then I would fill it with brightly coloured furniture and accessories.

Here are just a few of the pretties I would include in my shed...

Rug from John Lewis - I love the shapes and colours
Pom Poms from Bodie & Fou - I have a few of these already and they look so fabulous.
Blind from Bodie & Fou - How beautiful and bright this is I just adore it.
Pouffe from Wayfair.com - I love the chunky knit of this.
Vases from Wayfar.com - I adore the colours and shapes of these, great for flowers or pencils.
Word banner from Baker & Maker - I have these in black, but I adore the brightness of these.

Over on my Pinterest page is everything I would put in my shed, including a sleek and beautiful desk and stool to work at, chunky throws to snuggle under and the perfect chair to curl up in to read and think in.

Of course, I would have to include plenty of Washi tape to stick up pictures and photos and some pretty note books to jot down ideas. In fact, the more I think about these things, the more I would love to have a space like this...

Follow The Mummy Diary's board Style a Shed on Pinterest.

The Real Mums All-Bran 5 Day Challenge

When I saw the brief for The Real Mums All-Bran 5 Day Challenge I knew I wanted to get involved, not only did they sound really tasty but the reason for taking the challenge sounded perfect for me.

Suffering with bloating most days and a sluggish tummy the challenge sounded like a great opportunity to change something simple in my diet to try and help with these problems. 

Here is short video of how I got on…

The three flavours are all unique in their own way and there is something for everyone, whether you are a chocolate fan, fruit fan or anything sweet really.

The chocolate I think were my favourite and that of my children who I reluctantly shared with, I loved the texture of the wheat, I do like shredded wheats anyway and these were very similar except with teeny tiny chocolate pieces in. I didn’t need a lot in the bowl to fill me up and it satisfied the often sweet taste I prefer in the morning, the chocolate wasn’t overpoweringly sweet and I really enjoyed the taste.

The red berry crunch all bran offered a fresh tasting fruit option for those who aren’t keen on chocolate, great for summer days where you just want a hit of freshness in the morning, I’m not normally a freeze dried fruit fan but these just hit the spot.

And finally the golden crunch, a great alternative to the above, sweet and tasty I didn’t need a lot to fill me up and again I managed most of the morning without snacking.

Not only did this cereal taste great it really did help, after day three my stomach felt a lot less heavy and bloated and was a lot  flatter, I really noticed a change in how my stomach was by the end of the day too, be gone the six month pregnant looking belly.

This simple act of changing my morning routine has helped with how my stomach feels throughout the day, making me feel fuller for longer and helping me to stop snacking.

A happy tummy also means a happier you, did you know that 90 to 95 per cent of the ‘happy’ hormone serotonin is made in the gut? A study* of 1,000 UK women found 52 per cent experience digestive complaints, such as bloating or gas, at least once a week. Eating fibre everyday is a simple remedy for happy tums.(*Source for all research findings included in this document: Kellogg’s All-Bran Save Our Stomachs European Research Study (2014) conducted by Edelman Berland. The full report is available upon request.)

So did I feel happier, yes I did, was it the cereal? Who  knows, was it just because I felt less like a sack of potatoes, probably.

I am looking forward to wearing my swimming costume on the beach which I didn't think would be possible! I have carried on with the cereal and am even thinking of taking some with me to France!

This post is an entry for the Real Mums of All-Bran Linky Challenge, sponsored by Kelloggs. I was sent the three boxes of cereal to try for the challenge. All thoughts, opinions and pictures are my own.