childhood dreams made true

By SodaStreamUK   |   12.06.2013

There are certain toys or gadgets that everyone but you seemed to have as a child. You would go to a friend’s house and lust after their Barbie dream house, knowing you’d be stuck forever with your Cindy.

For me, those items were Mouse Trap, Mr Frosty and SodaStream.

Mouse Trap I have since played as an adult and realise it is truly awful, the only fun being that 20 seconds of setting off the trap after hours of tediously putting it all together and trying to get everything to balance properly. Mr Frosty I also came to realise was probably not all it’s cracked up to be. Ice, flavouring and…um…that’s it.

SodaStream though…

The urge to own a SodaStream has never quite gone away. The idea that you can make things fizzy AS IF BY MAGIC, well, who would not want that in their kitchen? A crazy fool, that’s who.

My SodaStream arrived just in time for a little cocktail party I was hosting and the timing could not have been better. What better way to impress your friends than to casually whip up a bottle of ginger ale to add to a gin cocktail, as if from nowhere? Plus you have the hilarity of the bubbling noise, which appeals to children of ALL ages.

I am a bit of a secret coca cola addict, but there is something that feels a bit wrong about buying massive bottles of coke in the supermarket. Making a bottle of cola flavour SodaStream though is positively wholesome, practically home-cooking I would say.

My SodaStream is proof that childhood dreams can come true. Just please don’t make me play Mouse Trap ever again.

Review courtesy of slummy single mummy.  Follow her on twitter @mummyblogger, or on facebook.com/slummysinglemummy.

Pictures courtesy of www.hungrysauce.com

 

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Bikini Diet Tips from our SodaStream Trainer

By SodaStreamUK   |   29.05.2013

As the warmer weather approaches, layers come off, more flesh is on show and new temptations arise. Here are a few tips to keep your healthy lifestyle on track from our resident SodaStream personal trainer, Claire Steels.

  1. Exercise is much more fun outside, get together with friends and enjoy a bike ride, or grab your trainers and hit the pavement!
  2. Swap winter warming comfort food for fresh summer treats like salads and raw veggies.
  3. Summer is a popular time to bring out the Pimms, if you want to enjoy the party but without the calories then try this alcohol free recipe: 1 litre bottle of SodaStream diet Lemonade, 50ml of balsamic vinegar, chopped cucumber, chopped strawberries.
  4. Stay hydrated! A nice cold glass of water will help refresh you in the summer months. Also drinking water before a meal can help you feel fuller so could actually stop you over indulging at the table.
  5. Bring out the BBQ!!!Ditch the frying pan and start grilling, the food tastes great and is a healthier alternative.
  6. Enjoy the light mornings and exercise before work, take the dog out or go for a jog.
  7. If the weather’s right, eat outside! Due to the changing environment, swatting bees and stopping your napkin from flying away, we eat more slowly, and therefore are likely to eat less!
  8.  Need a snack???? Opt for watermelon, it has a high percentage of water and is a great fix for those sugar cravings.
  9. Swap your meat for fish. The lighter taste is ideally suited for summer and also with fewer calories.
  10. Stay motivated! Think about what your weight loss goal is and keep focused. Reward your progress with a summer related treat, new bikini for the ladies or a new BBQ apron for the men!!

For more exercise and health tips see Claire’s Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/ClaireSteelsPersonalTraining

or follow her on twitter: @claire_steels

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Half term ideas to keep the kids entertained

By SodaStreamUK   |   24.05.2013

 

 

How has half term come around already? It only feels like the kids were off for Easter last week!  A week with the kids at home can be wonderful but also challenging to keep them entertained, especially as it looks like we’re not going to get the best of weather.

At SodaStream HQ a lot of us have kids and have half term off so we had a little brainstorming session to come up with a couple of ways to keep ourselves sane and the kids entertained:

1.   At the start of the week make a boredom buster Jar, great idea that Net mums came up with. You and the kids should do this together at the start of the week and then when they say their bored, get them to pick something from the Jar. http://www.netmums.com/activities/galleries/view/half-term-fun-on-a-budget/44110

 

 2.Once you’ve done the above put together a weekly planner with the kids so they know exactly what you have planned for each day, even if you just say it’s a free day at home. If the kids know upfront what they’re doing they’ll be less likely to keep nagging you! Fingers crossed anyway…

 3. SodaStream Jelly- we tried and tested this recipe in the office a couple of weeks ago, get the kids to do a couple of different recipes. This will keep them entertained for an hour or so. http://newblog.sodastream.codeoasis.com/sodastream-jelly-can-it-be-done

4. Check what’s on at your local sports centre, they normally have a couple of things planned during half term. From fun pool sessions to outdoor activities, this will get the kids up and moving.

5. Plan in a day when you need to do jobs around the house, the reality is you also have a week at home so you will have some things you need to get done. From washing to painting, make sure you add it to your weekly planner so the kids know which day they can expect to have to stay at home. Try to get them involved in whatever you need to do.

 6.   Organise a picnic, weather permitting. Getting out for lunch is a great way to break up the day and get a little fresh air, even if it’s only to the local park. Just remember to make up your favourite SodaStream flavour!

 7. Take the kids to see a movie, some cinema chains do some great offers for kids in school holidays, for example Vue have an offer where you only pay £1.75 for each child (£3.00 for 3D) http://www.myvue.com/offers-savings/kids-am. It will keep the kids entertained for well over 2 hours and it won’t cost you the earth.

 8.  Get baking, this is a great way to do something together and have some fun. Make anything from rice crispy cakes to butterfly cakes. Stick it all on the dining room table, so the kids can help every step of the way. Check out some good kids recipes here: http://www.netmums.com/family-food/meal-planning/cooking-tips/baking-cakes-biscuits

 9.   Get the kids creative juices flowing by doing a SodaStream recipe session. Make lots of weird and wonderful mixes with different flavours and extra ingredients. Make it fun and get the kids to dress up and pretend their on a judging panel. Then blind fold them and get them to rate each drink, for its smell and taste. Hours of fun and good teamwork!

10. Invite some friends around with their kids and run a treasure hunt for the day. There will be some prep involved as you figure out whether you run it at home or run it around your local area.  But if you’ve got a couple of adults involved you can create a great treasure hunt. It’s great fun for the kids and it gets them working in teams.

Competition

That is as much as the mummys and daddys at SodaStream could come up with so tell us your ideas around keeping the kids entertained this half term and you‘ll be entered into a prize draw to win 1 of 10 SodaStream lunchbags.

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