To Wash or Not to Wash?

So, with the new business venture taking shape, I thought it was about time to get down to some washable nappy nitty gritty!

Why use wahable nappies?? Lets start with some stats...

1. Using washable nappies will save you money!

I think one of the most off putting thing for new parents when considering using cloth nappies is the initial outlay. But long term, using washable nappies could save you betweeen £500 and £12oo depending on which nappies you choose! Now think of the money you could save by using the same nappies on second or third children. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I managed to sell Harry's nappies for after we had finished using them, getting about a third of the money back. Using washable wipes will also not only save even more money, they are much kinder to your baby's skin.

2. Washable nappies are better for the environment!

An average baby will get through around 6000 nappies over 2 and a 1/2 years! That's 6000 nappies sitting in a lanfill site...for anywhere between 40 and 500 years. Even taking into account the energy used in producing and washing cloth nappies, they were found to 40% better for the environment than disposables by the Environment Agency. So, 6000 disposable nappies buried in the ground, or 20 fluffy cloth nappies flapping in the breeze on you washing line?

3. Best for Baby!

What would you prefer to have your bottom wrapped up in all day and night? I personally would choose a soft, fluffy, bamboo cloth nappy over a scratchy diposable one everytime! There is some evidence to suggest that cloth nappies are less likely to cause nappy rash than diposables as you have much more control over what is next to your baby's skin. The fleecey liners are the best to have directly next to the skin as they are beautifully soft and feel drier for longer by wicking water away. I also found having a big, cloth bottom was great when Harry started walking as he had a ready made, built in cushion for all those falls! Further more, there is support that cloth nappies can help with potty training as toddlers can feel when they are damp and start to know when they have had a wee that bit sooner.

4. Accessorise Darlings!

Gone are the days of having only plain white terry squares and frilly, plastic outer wraps. Now there is a huge variety of fabrics, styles, colours and patterns making cloth nappies an item of clothing in their own right. Go on, make a nappy statement!

So, a few reasons why you should choose washable nappies...but why did I choose to use them for Harry? My main reason was that I just couldn't stand the thought of his delicate little bottom being wrapped in a nappy that was made with goodness knows what kind of chemicals and plastics. I wasn't convinced that traditional disposables would allow air to circulate and keep him irritation free.

The next thing weighing on my mind was that I just knew I wouldn't sleep at night knowing how many nappies I had sent to the landfill site! I feel guilty enough putting an apple core in the bin rather than on our compost heap! I once saw a programme that showed a tipper truck dump one child's worth of disposable nappies onto someone's front lawn. Seeing those 6000 nappies in a huge nappy mountain is not an image you quickly forget!

Although I was aware of how much money it would save in the long run, the cost element for me was a bit further down the list. Using washable nappies was something I felt very strongly about and I was happy with the value of the nappy kit we chose, especially as it fetched some money back at the end of using them.

So, have I ever used a dispoable nappy then? Of course...I'm only human! Once Harry started rolling onto his front at night, we couldn't find a nappy that could cope with a 12 sleeping boy on his tummy. We have also had holidays from washables when on holiday with no washing machine and out for long days. However, I always stuck to the chlorine free, degradable nappies to lessen the guilt!

I really hope that you would consider using washables for your Little Ones as it really does benefit everyone from your baby, to your wallet, to the environment. As soon as you get into your new washing routine and realise how easy they are, you'll wonder why you ever considered disposables!

In terms of finding the right nappy for you, pop along to the Norwich Nappuccino group for friendly, independent advice on Thursday 11th August, 10am-12pm at St Alban's Hall, Grove Walk, Norwich. Or visit www.goreal.org.uk for more facts and figures. I would also be happy to chat to you about all the different options in the comfort of your own home, just drop me an email for more details, amyshawcross@yahoo.co.uk .

Good luck! x

My Top 5 Harry's Choice Meals!

One of the people who finally inspired me to start a Blog for Harry's Choice was my friend Kelly (Hi Kelly!). Now, our Kelly loves a list and so as a fellow list lover, I would like to dedicate My Top 5 Harry's Choice Meals to her!

5. Sweet Potato Carrot and Broccoli
This may not be the most exciting dish on the menu, but even though Harry is coming up to 3 and a half it is still my life saver! It is the base for my guilt free, easy meal at the end of a day's teaching...or just a day chasing round after Harry. Here we go, imagine a hill of Sweet Potato, Carrot and Broccoli with a castle of poached fish surrounded by a moat of frozen peas and voila! I've given Harry a healthy, filling meal without collapsing in a heap in the corner!

4. Pasta in Mushroom & Butter Bean Sauce
At this point, I must admit defeat and allow my husband and Harry to have their say! I really, really, really don't like mushrooms, but they do. If my hubby could eat garlic mushrooms every day...he would! In fact, I didn't add this to the menu for over a year until I could take their protests no more. And it would seem that you agree with the boys as this is one of our most popular dishes. It must be because the butter beans give the sauce such a lovely, creamy texture and with the pasta already added, it is a complete meal in a pot.

3. Vegetable and Coconut Milk Curry
An essential item for your freezer if you are a curry loving family but don't think your Little One is ready for a Madras just yet! For us, Friday night curry night means having a really tasty meal altogether and Harry is able to join in without realising he is having something different. I think children catch on pretty quickly that they haven't got the same food as us, and someone else's tea always looks just that bit nicer. The beauty with this curry is that it is all about flavour and not heat, ginger and coconut are perfect with the mashed butternut squash and sweet potato.

2. Spinach and Quinoa Pasta Sauce
The main reason I love this is because it is bright green! The only very teeny weeny drawback with using our lovely local root vegetables is that they can lead to a lot of orange dishes. But this is pure spinach heaven. Another reason for loving it is that the organic spinach in grown about 2 miles away in Bunwell. I had the pleasure of visiting the glass house last year and was extremely impressed with everything from the set up to the quality of produce grown. I used to give this to Harry as a puree, and the quinoa and potato kept him going all afternoon. Once we moved onto solids, I started to use it as a pasta sauce simply poured over some pasta shapes. One final thing that gives it a well deserved #2 spot is that it provides a very speedy tea after our Sunday night swim.

1. And the top spot goes to....Lentil and Sweet Potato!
This was the first dish to go onto our menu and to this day, it is still mine and Harry's favourite lunchtime treat. We love it served as a dip with lots of lovely finger foods; carrot, celery and pepper sticks, pitta bread and rice cakes. The lentil and sweet potato combination provides a delicious, sweet, creamy puree and is also another filling meal. Try it as a spoon fed puree or be brave and let Little One enjoy some messy finger food time!

There you have it, my Top 5 Meals from the Harry's Choice Menu. Depending on seasonal availability, I always aim to have around 8 different dishes on the menu, so try some today and tell me your favourites too!

Amy xx

Welcome to Harry's Blog!

Welcome to our very first Blog! This is our opportunity to share not only news from Harry's Choice, but anything else baby/toddler/child/food related. We hope you enjoy reading them...and will forgive any Blog newcomer faux pas!

So, as we approach the end of our 2nd trading year I thought it would be a perfect time to reflect and revisit the reasons Harry's Choice started back in June 2009.

The very first seed of an idea was planted in August 2008. Harry was 6 months old, ready for his 2nd stage of weaning and about to be whisked off for a family holiday in the Lake District.

Having been a big baby (9lb 8oz) and great feeder, he was ready for solids at 16 weeks. I didn't waste too much time with baby rice so we jumped straight into vegetable and fruit purees. Well, no one has ever had so much fun with a food blender and ice cube tray! Everything I gave Harry to eat was organic and home cooked. With the exception of broccoli (fair enough!), it was all wolfed down and soon Harry's clothes became stained a permanent shade of orange. No jar of supermarket baby food passed through our door...until the afore mentioned holiday!

We were going away with Harry's grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins and I knew that there would be more than one lunchtime pub visit whilst out and about. So, I picked up a couple of organic meals from the supermarket with the idea of adding to jacket potatoes at lunchtime. Tea time would be fine, I just planned to whizz up whatever we were cooking for ourselves.

The time arrived for our first pub lunch...Harry's jacket potato was garnished with a bright purple concoction...he looked at his plate...he looked at me...he looked back at his plate again...this was not going to plan..."Look darling, this is your yummy lunch. Better be quick or Mummy will eat it all up!"...Mummy tried...Mummy would NOT be eating it all up...and neither would Harry! Never mind, banana and rice cakes in the bag. Now imagine this scene repeated the next day, but with a bright green topping instead and you start to get the idea.

Harry would not be eating shop bought food, and I certainly would not be buying it again.

Back at home my mind was in overdrive. All I could think about were all the parents out there who wanted to provide home cooked meals for their children, but with every good will in the world just didn't have the time and so were resorting to baby ready meals that they would never want to eat themselves. For me, the food we give our very young children is so important to their health and development that I felt I just had to do something. I wanted to feed the children of the world...but South Norfolk seemed like a good enough place to start!

With this in mind I began reading all the government literature on running a catering business, which was quite daunting given that I didn't have a commercial kitchen at my disposal. However one meeting with my local Environmental Health Officer and I had the all clear to go for it! I gained a qualification in food hygiene and started to write 7-step cleaning guides for washing each item in my cupboard. My EHO also arranged for some sample meals to be tested at the UEA for shelf life and bacteria levels. These came back rated as being at the highest/safest standard.

Everything else, as they say, is history. Harry's Choice was born. Right from the off, I was determined to only use organic ingredients and am very grateful to have a wonderful local supplier who sources fresh produce from across East Anglia for our seasonal menu. When it came to the packaging, I was not prepared to put our delicious meals into any old plastic pot. Instead we chose sustainably forested paper board containers from an environmentally friendly company.

So there you have it, the start of our little business in a nut shell...or Blog shell! In future Blogs I am planning to introduce you to our suppliers, offer serving suggestions for our meals, provide an insight into a day in the life of our kitchen and much, much more. But for now, just remember that when it comes to buying healthy, home cooked meals, there is a choice; Harry's Choice.

Thank you for reading, see you again soon

Amy x

www.harryschoice.co.uk