The Real Hunger Games- Kellogg's Breakfast For Better Days Challenge

A week ago, I received an unexpected package at my doorstep- a hamper with some delicious Kellogg's cereal and an invitation to take part in a very exciting challenge- GO WITHOUT BREAKFAST.

For me, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I love food, so this was going to be tough. Nevertheless, the challenge was gladly accepted.

Why? This is all part of the Kellogg's Breakfast For Better Days™Challenge. You see, in South Africa, almost one in five children go to school without breakfast, which of course impacts on their ability to learn. By taking part in this challenge, I was able to get a sense of what it is like to start the day without any form of sustenance. 

Kellogg's provides breakfast to children at schools around the country. With Kellogg’s Breakfast for Better Days™ Campaign, 25,000 of South Africa’s school children are receiving a balanced breakfast before school, every single school day and are providing five million servings of cereal and milk to South African school children by the end of 2016. For example, this morning, they were making a difference to children at Duduza Primary School. There were a few other bloggers who went to Duduza today and you will  no doubt get to read all about that experience on their blogs. 

While I was sadly unable to go along to  Duduza due to being in a workshop elsewhere today, I participated in the challenge remotely. For me, this meant waking up before 6 a.m, doing school drop offs, sitting in traffic for a (very) long time and then concentrating on lessons, all without having had any breakfast. In other words, sitting in a class, hungry,  which is a norm every single day for many South African children.

There is a video up on Instagram which I took while in traffic this morning (sadly, my mediocre video skills mean that part of my rambling got cut off- or perhaps I can blame my lack of breakfast for this one).

How do I feel without having had breakfast? Not great, I must admit. I have slight insulin resistance issues so if I do not eat frequently, I tend to feel dizzy, nauseous and my blood pressure tends to dip. I feel sweaty and unable to concentrate optimally. Then of course, after while of no eating, there are further unpleasant side effects like bad breath and physical weakness. 

Truth be told, going hungry is not an entirely new experience for me. Every year, in Ramadaan, I along with other Muslims around the world fast with zero food or drink from sunrise to sunset. There are many reasons for this fast but one is to allow the individual fasting to feel empathy for those who go without and thus be more compassionate in engaging in charitable causes- very similar to what Kellogg's is doing with the Breakfast For Better Days Challenge. I still vividly remember fasting at school growing up (once I was old enough to do so) and the growing inability to focus on lessons fully as the day progressed. The challenge of course, was different for me compared to an underprivileged school child- I always knew that there was a promise of good food later in the day, while for them, the reality of being hungry is an ongoing struggle. While today, I got a small taste of what it is like to be hungry, I cannot really say that I know what it feels like to be a starving child, forced to walk great distances to school (expending considerable energy in doing so) and then learn on an empty stomach. I truly wish I could do something to help every child out there who suffers this fate. 

How can you help? Simply by buying any marked pack of Kellogg's cereal, which we all love of course, you will be making a contribution towards breakfast for a child in need. You can also read more at http://www.kelloggs.co.za/en_ZA/bfbd.html

As for me, I still haven't had breakfast but I will have brunch in a little while when I have a break. I have one of those single serving sized bags of Kellogg's All Bran Flakes stashed in my handbag and  I must confess, it is totally calling my name.

Kellogg's Asks- Are You Heart Healthy?

Last year was not my best year as far as healthy living is concerned but this year I have been giving a lot of thought to leading a healthier lifestyle and have taken steps to improve my own diet and exercise regime. Together with my family, we have been trying to eat more healthy food an lead more active lives.

Later this week we are going to share a very exciting campaign from Kellogg's, the Kellogg’s Breakfast for Better Days™ Campaign (which is an amazing initiative aimed at keeping school children who are not all fortunate enough to start their days with any sort of breakfast well nourished so that they can learn effectively but more about that later). In the meantime, here are some tips that they have shared about being heart healthy.

 

February was the month of love, but looking after the heart is an all year long thing. Are we looking after the heart that really matters? Here are their top tips for a healthy heart:

Start your day right- take the time to  eat breakfast in the morning as skipping breakfast can often lead to overindulgence on unhealthy, convenience foods that may be high in saturated fats, putting you at risk for coronary heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Keeping Things Moving-  the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 25mg a day offibre intake per adult. Diets rich in fibre can help to lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and protect against strokes and diabetes. The Kellogg’s All-Bran range is high in natural wheat bran fibre provides up to 43% of your recommended fiber intake.

Keep Active- Physical activity can dramatically reduce your risk of developing heart disease and can also be a great tool to combat stress.

Set Goals- Slowly change your daily habits and set small goals like taking the stairs over the lift or cutting down on your weekly sugary treats.

Sweet Dreams Are Made of This- 10 of Jozi's Yummiest Dessert Spots

I am trying to eat healthier this year. Some days I am successful. Some days less so. Chocolate is my kryptonite and I am fully aware of this. Today I am craving something sweet and delicious. 

So instead of eating the sugary stuff, I have decided to just daydream about my favourite sweet delights in Jozi and inflict my daydream on you. 

So here goes... in no particular order... my list of the yummiest sweet stuff to be found in Johannesburg.

JB'S CORNER- MELROSE ARCH

Yes, there are other branches but this one has an ambiance lacking at the other branches. They are of course, best known for their delicious Lindt brownies (with good reason- they are divine). However, what I love most is their JB's Sundae- ice-cream infused with chocolate brownie, Oreo, caramel popcorn and whipped cream (warning- share this one with someone).

THE PATISSERIE- ROSEBANK

This cute little sidewalk style cafe is dessert  heaven. I was here recently with a friend who remarked on how much it reminded her of her time in Paris. I battled to decide what I wanted as everything looked delicious.Red velvet is something that is done badly way too often (there is nothing worse than a cake that tastes only of food colouring) but I had the red velvet baked cheesecake, which was out of this world. My friend's mille feuille was also exceptional. They are a bit on the pricey side but well worth it.

SLICE- NORTHCLIFF

Formerly known as Jo Bean's Waffle House, this is another sweet treat heaven where you will battle to pick which delectable sweet treat you want. The berry cheesecake waffle was delicious, as was the 'Chocoholics Not So Anonymous'. Their fudge picasso is also the best I have tasted, although the portions of the deserts other than the waffles are a bit skimpy.

BELLE'S PATISSERIE- BLUE BIRD SHOPPING CENTRE

Well if you want something sweet, this is the obvious place to go as they have every sweet thing under the sun! I must say, I found their cupcakes a bit too sweet (and I have a high threshold when it comes to 'too sweet' but everything else is good.The good news is they now have a skinny menu of sweet treats too, including Banting and Paleo options.

FOURNO'S BAKERY

When I first started working, there was a Fourno's just downstairs from me and I hate to admit it but their chocolate croissants were often all I had for lunch (super healthy right?). Their baklava is also delicious.

CHATEAUX GATEAUX- ILLOVO

In honesty, I have not tried them yet but friends assure me that they have the best desserts in all of Jozi.

JIMMY'S KILLER PRAWNS

While one would not typicaly think of them as a dessert venue, their Lindt Pancakes and their Ferrero Ice Cream Bomb deserve special mention.... non non nom. 

HANOVER BAKERY- MAYFAIR

While this one has been around for as long as I can remember and does not look like much from the outside, their cakes and desserts continue to please. However, I must admit that freshness of goods seems to be luck of the draw these days- a pity since their stuff is really delicious when fresh.

PAUL'S HOME MADE ICE-CREAM

With flavours like salted caramel, halva, lemon and basil, peppermint crisp tart and birthday cake to name but a few, can you blame me for daydreaming about this one? You might not notice them since the view of the small store is usually obscured by the crazy queues at Krispy Kreme but you can find them downstairs at  the Zone in Rosebank. At half the price of the Haagen Dazs store upstairs from them, I dare to say, while I like Haagen Dazs, local is lekker and Pauls' is the better tasting of the two!

VOVO TELO- CRESTA

I know you would typically not classify hot chocolate under dessert, but their 'Chocotelo' is literally like drinking a slab of hot, gooey chocolate.  Mmmmmmmmmm. 

What is your favourite sweet treat in Johannesburg? What have I forgotten or not discovered? Please share!

Making Memories with Burger King SA

Yesterday,my inlaws looked at Squish puzzled when he told them 'we went on a picnic to Burger King'. He wasn't exactly wrong though- this weekend, Burger King SA treated us to a picnic to celebrate the launch of their delicious new King Snack meals. We received a stunning hamper stuffed with everything we need for the perfect picnic- picnic blankets, sunhats, water bottles, frisbees, bats... you name it! (I loved the fun messages printed on the various items). 

Most importantly, we received vouchers to collect the perfect fuss free picnic meals- the new King Snack meals (plus drinks of course). I think picnics are all about family fun and relaxation. Why spend hours slaving away in the kitchen for a picnic when you can just pick up your picnic food on the way? 

Saturday was a perfect sunny day- ideal weather for our #Kingsnackspicnic. We decided to have our picnic at the beautiful Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens in Roodepoort, famous for its plants, breathtaking waterfalls and black eagles. While our usual Burger King is the Rosebank one, for the picnic, we stopped at the new Burger King at Clearwater Mall, which happens to just down the road from our chosen picnic destination to pick up our picnic lunch (if you are looking for this particular Burger King, it is in the upstairs section of the food court). 

While we like the Rosebank branch for its location and play area, at this one I was impressed by how friendly and knowledgeable their staff were and by how quickly and efficiently they dealt with a minor glitch with our card. While waiting, I was tantalised by the flashing poster for the King Snack meals we were about to enjoy- each King Snack consists of four chili cheese bites, four King nuggets, four King chicken ribs, two small fries and two barbeque dipping sauces. Everything contained works well as finger food for a picnic and it is perfect for one very hungry individual or two less hungry people. For us, two King Snack meals were just right for two adults and two little ones with tiny tummies.

After a quick drive to our destination, we found the perfect picnic spot under a large tree and we settled down to enjoy our meal- still piping hot in the cooler bag. 

I must say, we really enjoyed the new King Snacks. I think those chili cheese bites are my new favourite snack- they are beyond divine and I am dreaming of them while typing this up! I was very curious as to what chicken ribs were- did I miss that biology lesson? It turns out that they are succulent chicken wings in a spicy rib sauce- quite tasty but with a bit of a bite. Look- they kind of look like ribs!

The nuggets were firm favourites with the kids and the wings were yummy too. I don't need to tell you the fries are good- you already know that I am sure!

While every calorie consumed was well worth it, we decided that after lunch it was time to burn off some of that deliciousness. We played with the bats and balls, which the kids really enjoyed!

Then it was time to play some frisbee. This was fun for a few minutes until Noodle got whacked in the face. 

After the tears settled, we got even more active with a walk to the picturesque waterfall, followed by a hike up the ridge. 

We were quite impressed that Noodle got all the way to the top all on her own. It is quite a steep and tiring climb and hubby A built some muscles carrying Squish all the way to the top. We were all completely out of breath by the top but luckily, I still had some Burger King bottled water stashed in the cooler bag- boy did that go down well!

The long trek was worth it as the view of the West and North of Johannesburg from the top is quite spectacular and you have a good view of the waterfalls below too! 

All in all, we had a super fun day which we will all remember for a long time to come. Thank you to Burger King SA for making it happen!!!

*Sponsored post

About the Weekend- The Little Prince and Burger King

This weekend we were lucky enough to catch the premier of The Little Prince at Ster Kinekor at The Zone, Mall of Rosebank, sponsored by Burger King and Toy Kingdom.

The kids had loads of fun before the show, with face painting, balloon animals and they got to meet a prince, a king and a toad (or at least Noodle did- Squish is still going through his petrified-of-people-in-animal-suits phase). Noodle is going through a bit of a cat obsession at the moment, so she got her face painted as a glittery pink cat and got a matching kitty balloon animal (or at least they told her it was a cat) while Squish got a dinosaur.

After the movie, we were treated to some yummy Burger King burgers and fries. We have been a big fan of Burger King since it launched in South Africa not that long ago... the kids love their food and they are Halaal in South Africa. Incidentally, the Rosebank one, just downstairs from the cinema where the premier was held, is our most frequented branch.

We were also given some great treats from Burger King and Toy Kingdom- thank you to both! We have read the Burger King books a few times already- I love that they are very educational (one is all about recycling and the other one is an interactive but challenging I Spy book) and the kids enjoyed them too! The Little Prince kaleidoscopes are beautiful (I am strange and have not outgrown kaleidoscopes).

 

The movie is an adorable animation about a nine year old girl (I don't think her name is ever mentioned) who is being groomed by her loving but over-achieving mother (played by Rachel McAdams) and by society at large to be the perfect adult. Her controlled life of maps and schedules is suddenly interrupted when she meets the eccentric Aviator from next door (played by Jeff Bridges) who introduces her to the world of The Little Prince and helps her to rediscover childhood. Watch the trailer here.

If you plan to watch one movie with the kids this holiday, I would recommend this one. I would say that this one is probably better suited to children ages seven upwards though- while it is family friendly and hubby and I both loved it, it is a longish movie and some of the themes are quite complex so my kids, being a bit younger, seemed to lose interest about halfway through. That having been said, this film is a thought provoking one, with an important message to any adult viewers about allowing kids to be kids and not forcing them into growing up too soon- something I think we are all sometimes guilty of.