The Aldi Baby and Toddler Event is back Thursday the 3^rd of July! I’ve already checked out the leaflet from the store and there are some good bargains to be snapped up! The prices are amazing for many of the products (big brands too!) – even cheaper than you can get online.

My shopping list is:

• Sippy cups
• Nappies (big box)
• Soothers
• Ella’s Kitchen Smoothies (Box)
• Baby Calpol
• Teether
• Folding bibs

I’ll update you here with a haul after I’ve done my shop.

Don’t miss out on all the great offers at this baby event. There are all kinds of products: buggies, booster seats, clothes, skincare, feeding equipment, food, nappies, bedding, safety gates, sun tents…

The post ALDI Baby & Toddler Event July 2014 appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

Here’s the haul from the ALDI Baby & Toddler Event that I promised!

I bought:

• Two Tommee Tippee sippy cups in orange for only 99p each. Also available in pink and blue.
• One large box of size 3 nappies – £6.99 for 98 nappies I think. (I had to take the nappies out of the box to fit them in the pram to get them home!)
• One pack 0f swim nappies – 12 for £2.49.
• Two fold-able (roll-able) wipe clean bibs – £1.89 each. They are a bit big at the moment but will be great in a month or so. Also available in blue.
• One bottle of baby Calpol – £1.89. We don’t use much of this but more teething is coming soon so I thought I’d get a bottle at this fabulous price – nearly half price!

In total I spent just over £17 and got many useful things that I needed for our baby. I’m very happy with this haul!

I didn’t end up getting a teether or Ella’s Kitchen because they didn’t have the styles/flavours that I wanted.

The post Haul! ALDI Baby & Toddler Event July 2014 appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

There are a few things that I think Aldi does really well and that I keep buying over and over again from my local Aldi store.

1. Nappies

Aldi’s nappies are better than all the other brands I’ve tried and they are much better value too. I’ve used Size 1, 2 and 3 and so far they have been great! They have won lots of awards and comparison tests.

2. Toilet Roll

Aldi’s Everyday Essentials Jumbo Toilet Tissue is another staple in our household. It comes in a 6-pack that fits nicely in our small bathroom, the rolls are double so they last long and the tissue is soft but not fluffy. Perfect! The price is great too! These toilet rolls have also won in comparison tests for value and quality.

3. Washing Powder

I use Aldi’s Almat Non Bio washing powder. It’s great if you have babies/children or a husband who is allergic to anything that’s scented. It cleans our laundry well and we’ve never had any allergy problems using it. The price is much better than the big brands and it does the job just as well.

A note: Aldi has recently changed the packaging though and it’s not as tightly resealable now so I store my powder in my previous box to avoid the powder going damp. Any lidded container would also do the job!

The post Aldi Top 3 Best Products I Always Buy appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

How can nappy brands be so different from each other? A nappy is a nappy, isn’t it? But the quality varies so much between different brands and types. These are the best newborn nappies according to me:

Boots Baby New Born Size 1 & Boots Baby New Born Size 2

These are soft and fit our little girl perfectly when she was brand new. They are a bit smaller than other brands but that was just what we needed. Other Size 1 nappies were too big for our baby in the beginning so we started with these, then moved on to other brands’ Size 1, then back to these for Size 2 and then onto other brands’ Size 2.

I really recommend these if your baby is between sizes or just a bit smaller. The quality is great, too, and the price is not bad! Look out for Boots Baby Event and stock up — you can usually get 3 packs for the price of 2 then.

They also come in an even smaller size: Size 0 Low Birth Weight.

Aldi’s Mamia New-Born Size 1 & Aldi’s Mamia New-Born Size 2

The Aldi Mamia Nappies are my absolute favourites in all sizes that I have tried so far. The newborn ones are great! They are the softest ones of all the many brands that we have tried and also the cheapest. They make buying nappies very affordable and I’m so happy that they are not just the best value but also the best quality. The fit is perfect and the absorption is the best I’ve come across. My baby feels dry after a full night in a Mamia nappy and that is not something I can say about any other brands. We’ve not had any problems with these at all — no nappy rash or anything. They are the perfect nappies and I’m looking forward to trying all the future sizes.

Also check out The Worst Newborn Nappies.

The post The Best Newborn Nappies – Reviews appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

Good news: ALDI launches budget maternity range! Maternity clothes can be very expensive so cheaper options are always welcome.

The new ALDI range consists of:

• A long-sleeved maternity/nursing top with a concealed opening panel which provides easy access for breastfeeding. The top is available in Red or Black and in sizes 10-18. It costs £9.99.
• Maternity leggings made of cotton with a wide panel that goes over the bump. The leggings are available in Black or Blue and come in sizes S-L. They cost £6.99.
• A knitted single jersey maternity dress available in Blue or Burgundy and in sizes 10-16. It costs £11.99.

These will be available in store from tomorrow, the 18th of September. I don’t know what the quality is like, but it’s worth having a look if you live near an ALDI shop. I think the top looks really good. I love maternity clothes that you can wear post-pregnancy, too, and especially items that are suitable for breastfeeding.

The post ALDI Launches Budget Maternity Range appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

Mamia and Pampers Nappies Size 4 – Reviews & Comparisons

Since my daughter was a newborn, I have been a fan of Aldi’s Mamia Nappies. We are now using Mamia Ultra-Dry in size 4 and are still very happy with them. I love trying different brands of things and have occasionally bought other nappy brands over the past year but we always go back to Aldi’s Mamia.

The other day I spotted Pampers Baby-Dry nappies in size 4 in Wilkinsons and they were reduced to half price making them pretty much the same price per nappy as Mamia. I thought this was a good time to see what the Pampers nappies were like in a bigger size. In this post I will compare these two nappy brands in this size and let you know which one delivers…

Here they are, side my side. Aldi’s Mamia to the left and Pampers to the right. They look quite similar here, size-wise at least.

The thickness is about the same and when you open them up like this (above) they look quite similar and feel pretty much the same too. They both have a faint chemical smell that most disposable nappies seem to have now.

When you open the nappies up further you can spot some differences. The Mamia nappies “wings” are much wider and offer more protection and the flaps where the Velcro is, is also much wider and gives Mamia a better fit. The Pampers flaps are really narrow and give the nappies a really high cut fit when on (like a Baywatch bathing suit…) that I think looks uncomfortable and makes the nappy more prone to leaks. The Pampers nappies’ absorbent padding goes higher up at the back so should be better at preventing against leaks on that end.

Both brands promise up to 12 hours of dryness meaning your baby’s bum and nappy should be nice and dry after a full night. We usually use Aldi’s Mamia and have never ever had a wee leak with them. We use them overnight for 12 hours and have never had a problem. Mamia nappies live up to their promise and really do offer 12 hours of dryness. The nappy feels dry and my daughter’s bum is dry and rash free after 12 hours in a Mamia nappy.

Over to Pampers. I’m very disappointed with these nappies. Not only is the fit bad but they don’t offer 12 hours of dryness or even half that. We tried one of these overnight and less than 12 hours later when my daughter woke up, her nappy was soaked and wet on the outside and had leaked through her cotton sleepsuit and her thick fleece sleepsuit, too! If she’d slept any longer, I’m sure her mattress would have been wet too. We decided to only use these nappies in the day until we run out but they’re not great for daytime use either. They only last a couple of hours before feeling damp on the outside and leaking through to my baby’s clothes. Now we can only use these at home until our stock runs out and we will definitely not buy these nappies again. I’m so glad I didn’t pay full price for them. We also discovered that my baby’s bum and genitals went red after every time she’d worn one of these — no matter if she wore it for 2 hours or 12.

I don’t mind the brand Pampers at all — actually their baby wipes are among the best ones on the market — but these nappies are just not good enough and do not live up to their promises. They also cost about twice as much as the Aldi’s Mamia nappies. My trusty Mamia nappies fit really well, are super soft and really absorbent. I will stick with them! They do what they say they will and are priced really reasonably. Thank you Aldi for keeping my baby dry! You don’t always get what you pay for — sometimes you get more and sometimes a lot less.

The post Mamia and Pampers Nappies Size 4 – Reviews & Comparisons appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

ALDI’s Mamia 100% Organic Baby Food Pouches Review

This is a small range of 100% organic baby food pouches from ALDI. They do not contain any added sugar and are all smooth and Stage 1 (suitable from 4 months+) but can of course be enjoyed by babies and toddlers of all ages. My girl is 15 months old and used to eat everything before she became quite a picky eater after our holiday when she was about 9 months old. After that she refuses a lot of things so when I try her with something new, I never know if she’ll have it or not.

We’ve just tried the full range of pouches by Mamia: Apples & Bananas – Apples, Carrots & Parsnips – Strawberries & Apples. I am very pleased to let you know that she loved them all and they were all gone very soon after we received them. Often, my daughter refuses to eat out of pouches but with these she happily slurped down the purée in minutes! She loved all the flavours. 

From a mum’s perspective, I love that they are 100% organic, a nice thickness for eating straight from the pouch and very affordable at 59p each. I particularly like the Apples, Carrots & Parsnips one because I think it’s great when vegetables are combined with fruit to not make it too sweet.

These are now on our ALDI must buy list! I’m sure these will be added to our ALDI basket very often. I’ve never seen my daughter empty a pouch as quickly as she did these! They make great snacks and desserts for toddlers (at home and on the go) and they are perfect first foods for weaning babies since they only contain fruit and vegetables and are lump free.

We were sent these for this review. As always, all my reviews are 100% honest and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post ALDI’s Mamia 100% Organic Baby Food Pouches Review appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

ALDI’s Mamia Junior’s Mini Rice Cakes Review

These are baby and toddler sized wholegrain rice cakes from ALDI’s Mamia range. They are 100% organic and are flavoured with apple juice. That’s it — they are just made from organic wholegrain rice, organic apple juice concentrate and vitamin B1. I love a short ingredients list!

My daughter happily chews away at these and I’m very happy that they are organic and healthy. Your hands get a bit sticky after eating these but unlike some brands, there’s no staining from the flavourings. They only cost £0.59 per pack, too, which makes them very affordable. The bags are big (rice crackers are so light!) and last quite a while in our household. I offer these as a snack at home or when we are out. They are easy to take with you anywhere and must be nice to chew on when you are teething.

These rice cakes are recommended from 7 months+.

We were sent these for this review. As always, all my reviews are 100% honest and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post ALDI’s Mamia Junior’s Mini Rice Cakes Review appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

ALDI’s Mamia Baby Bath & Baby Shampoo Review

Both these products are really gentle for your baby’s skin and hair. The products are approved by peadiatricians and are tear-free formulas.

The baby bath is a clear blue gel that creates soft bubbles and smells gorgeous! It smells like Swedish violet sweets that I used to eat as a child and makes me crave them every bath time. I need to buy some of them next time I go to Sweden! Back to the bubble bath. It’s a mild formula with Vitamin E that gently cleans your baby’s skin. It’s a pleasure to use and my daughter’s skin has not reacted to it in any way so it’s kind to young children’s delicate skin.

The shampoo is a clear yellow gel that cleans hair quickly and gently. It bubbles nicely and does not irritate. It’s got a different scent that I think smells quite grown-up, but that might just be me. It smells nice! The shampoo rinses out easily and leaves my toddler’s hair clean and tangle free. This also contains Vitamin E that keeps skin and hair protected and nourished.

Both products come in large 500ml bottles that will last ages and cost £0.79 each — proper bargains. I’m happy with both products but especially love the baby bath that smells like my childhood.

We were sent these products for this review. As always, all my reviews are 100% honest and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post ALDI’s Mamia Baby Bath & Baby Shampoo Review appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

ALDI’s Mamia Baby Juice Review

I think this is a new product to ALDI stores in the UK. It’s a juice drink suitable for babies and toddlers that is only made from apple and blackcurrant juice concentrates, spring water and an antioxidant. This means it’s very low in sugars compared to other juice drinks and the only sugars occuring are the natural ones from the fruit and berries.

The drink is recommended from 4 months+. My daughter is 15 months old now and when she tried it, it was the first time ever that she had a drink that was not water, milk or homemade smoothies. She seemed to like it! I diluted it with some more water since she’s not used to fruit drinks. I tried the juice too and it was very tasty, just like a normal squash drink. You really don’t miss the sugars/sweeteners that adult juice drinks contain so this drink could be a great replacement for adults trying to cut down on sugars/sweeteneres but still wanting a juice drink as a treat sometimes.

I also used some of the drink to make ice lollies to see if they’d help my daughter with her teething pains. The drink freezes well and is very suitable for this!

We were sent this drink for this review. As always, all my reviews are 100% honest and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post ALDI’s Mamia Baby Juice Review appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

ALDI’s Mamia Baby Wipes Review – Fragranced and Sensitive

I’ve been using the Mamia Sensitve wipes from ALDI for years now. They are really gentle and of great quality. They are thick, do not break and have the right level of moistness. The moistness is really important to ensure a gentle and quick clean that does not irritate or drag your baby’s skin. It makes such a difference to my experience of a wipe! ALDI’s Mamia wipes come in packaging with a plastic lid that clicks shut too, meaning that the wipes stay moist and are easy to get out.

The wipes are hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested. They keep your baby’s skin soft, smooth and nourished with Aloe Vera and Chamomille.

I usually always buy wipes that are fragrance free or “sensitive” but the fragranced version of these wipes worked well with my daughter’s skin, too. They are well suited to delicate baby bottoms just like the fragrance free version.

A pack of 64 wipes costs £0.59 (bargain!), which is less than 1 penny per wipe. These wipes have won loads of awards and I’m not surprised — the quality is defintely among the very best on the market and the practicality of the packaging and the low price makes them irresistable.

We were sent a pack of each for this review. As always, all my reviews are 100% honest and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post ALDI’s Mamia Baby Wipes Review – Fragranced and Sensitive appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

Our Day At The Baby Show Birmingham With ALDI Mamia 

On Sunday I went to The Baby Show at the NEC in Birmingham with my husband and toddler daughter. I was sponsered to go by ALDI who were a big part of the show with one of the bigger stands (with an impressive nappy cake that you could win) and also a huge baby nappy changing area where they supplied free nappies, wipes and a safe place to change your baby. This was a perfect way to introduce their nappies and wipes to parents who haven’t yet discovered them and it was great for us since they are the nappies and wipes we usually use.

The Baby Show is a pretty big event and it was very popular and full of visitors. We tried to get there early but got slightly lost due to conflicting road signs for the NEC. We vowed to just follow the instructions on our map app next time. We got there for about 11am and the place was buzzing with fun brands and curious parents.

One of the first stands that we saw was the Arla Big Milk one. Arla have just launched a new product which is a vitamin enriched milk for toddlers to drink when they move from breast milk or formula to cow’s milk. This new milk ensures your child still gets all the vitamins he or she needs. I like it and will have a look for it in the supermarket. You could sample it there and also take a big bottle with you but our drive home was too long for that. Below to the right, you can see me lifting a huge Tommee Tippee sippy cup for a photo competition with Arla Big Milk. It was so heavy (solid wood, I think!) and looks just like the ones we have at home that we bought from the ALDI Baby Event.

There were lots of fun to be had in many of the stands. At Tommee Tippee I went for a ride in their space ship (#ttbigadventure) and met up with a few other bloggers to hear about the new Tommee Tippee products. You can see some of them in the photo below. There will be more about them here on the blog in the near future.

There was also a Tomme Tippee Feeding Area with equipment to make and warm bottles and lots of free first food samples from Cow & Gate, including spoons to eat it with. A very helpful and good idea! Together with the ALDI Mamia Changing Area, you had everything you needed for your baby.

We found loads of our favourite brands and their lovely stands. Some that we know extra well are below. The shoes that my daughter wears are by Bobux (review here), our video baby monitor that we use every single day is by Chicco (can review soon), I was part of the focus group forum when nutrimum was being developed (review coming soon) and Diono makes one of my favourite newborn baby products ever — the Cuddle Soft (review here).

The best photo opportunity of the show was the Stokke stand where they had HUGE versions of their classic furniture. My sisters and I had these exact furniture when we grew up so it was all very nostalgic to me. As a Scandinavian myself, I like the sign in the background with Stokke’s slogan “Scandinavian thinking”. The Stokke Tripp Trapp chair is very popular in Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia.

Another great product that we have at home is this foldable bath called Flexibath that is now made by Stokke. It was previously made by A real cool world. We use ours all the time since we only have a small bathroom and currently just have a shower. This bath fits next to our sink folded up and comes out every second night for bath time. We have one that’s bright orange — my favourite colour. We love it and it’s made bath time possible for us (instead of just having shower time).

Another brand that’s very important to us is The Gro Company. We started using a grobag (review here) as soon as we could and they are great! We recently installed a gro-light too (review here) and they are brilliant! The gro-hush is great for smaller babies too (review here).

Cuddledry had a lovely stand too, showing their beautiful towels. We’ve not got one yet but it’s on our wish list. They are so beautiful! Cuddledry have a great Twitter account with lots of baby care tips.

There were some great freebies at the event too including a Munchkin Latch bottle, Cow & Gate baby food, nutrimum bars and cereal for pregnancy and breastfeeding (more about them coming soon!) and a MAM Anti-Colic Self-Sterilising bottle. MAM is one of my absolute favourite baby brands and we love their bottles, breast pump and accessories. I’m so happy to have a new one of these bottles. They are really clever!

There were loads of other great brands there too, of course! It was a great day and I got to see many of my favourite brands and discover some new ones too. Thank you to ALDI Mamia for inviting me! We had a great time!

Aldi provided me with a ticket to the show, a pre-show set of Mamia products and reimbursement for my travel costs. As always, all my posts are 100% honest and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post Our Day At The Baby Show Birmingham With Aldi Mamia appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

ALDI Baby & Toddler Event Spring 2015 Haul & Review

Yesterday was the first day of the current ALDI Baby & Toddler Event and of course I had to check it out. I love these events because the shop gets filled with lots of great mum, baby and toddler products which is my favourite genre for shopping.

There are lots of great brands available and so many different kinds of products! I’d checked out the magazine the week before and had already spotted loads of bargains that I wanted to get. Above, you can see what our pram looked like after our shop! I stuffed all the items from the top photo in the pram to get it home and carried my daughter back in the baby carrier. So, let’s look at what we got…

We bought two packets of Philps Avent soothers at £2.49 for a pack of 2 which is about half price to normal. These are our favourite dummies and I really like the clear style. (Review here.) We picked up two lovely pram toy teethers by Nûby. There were lots of designs to choose from. The left one is a wind chime and the right one is a squeaky dog. My daughter is obsessed with dogs and loves this one already! They cost £2.89 each. They are very entertaining, bright and colourful, make noise, have built in teethers and can be hung on your pram or cot. Lovely little things!

We stocked up on some edible goodies too and got a huge bag of Organix Goodies for £2.79. The big green bag is filled with 4 of each of Saucy Tomato Noughts & Crosses, Carrot Stix and Cheese & Herb Puffs. Also a bargain! We bought two packs of 5 of the Mamia 100% Organic Just Apples pouches for £1.79 each. We love these and have reviewed some of the other Mamia pouch flavours here.

Above, you can see a lovely V Shaped Pillow that we picked up. It only cost £5.99 and included a pillow case too. I love pillows and cushions and especially maternity and breastfeeding ones like this one. I love how big it is! We have put it on our spare bed in our daughter’s room to cuddle up against when we read bedtime stories. Very cosy and comfy!

One of the things that we needed were some new hooded towels for our little girl. I found this really cool children’s beach poncho towel that makes your child look like a shark and could not resist it. The colours are so bright and vibrant and it looks really cute on. It cost £3.49 and is also available as a mermaid, a princess or a strong man. This towel will be perfect for the beach or the pool this summer.

We picked up a baby towel to use at home for bathtime too. This one is white with a turquoise trim and is also available in blue or pink. It only cost £2.99 and it is such a nice quality — so thick and so soft and much better than the one we have and are replacing with this one.

I love orange and I love plastic so when I spotted these Tommee Tippee Food Pots, I had to get them. They were only 89p for a pack of 3. They are quite sturdy and the lids click on nicely. They’ll be ideal for packing snacks to take with us when we go out somewhere.

The two baby items that we ALWAYS need are nappies and baby wipes so we picked up a big box of our favourite Mamia nappies (Review here.) and a huge big value box of Mamia Sensitive wipes (Review here.).

The big boxes of nappies used to only be available during these events, but are now available all year and cost £6.79 for Size 4. The big box of wipes is a Baby & Toddler Event special and cost £5.99.

We also picked up some handy sized travel packs of these lovely wipes. They come in a pack with 4 x 24 wipes and cost £1.29. So handy for changing bags! We always play with the big cardboard boxes and our girl is always impatient and wants to sit in one straight away when we bring it home. She is very happy that we have these two boxes now.

As well as being obsessed with dogs, our little daughter is also obsessed with chairs and other things she can sit on so we got this cute step stool for £2.99 that she can sit on. It has sweet illustrations on it and anti-slip feet and an anti-slip area on top too. The ones on top are feet shaped! She loves it, of course. It will also come in handy when we start toilet training soon.

To go with the step stool, we got the matching children’s toilet seat that also cost £2.99. This also has anti-slip to make sure it stays on the seat and wherever you wish to stand it when it’s not in use. There’s also a matching potty available for the same price and these are all also available in pink/purple or white/red.

This event is full of great big buy items too such as the Munchkin Travel Booster Seat £10.99 (we bought this from ALDI in one of the previous events and we love it — will post a review soon!), Mamia High Chair £18.99, Hauck Travel Cot £19.99 and Deluxe Baby Bouncer £19.99 (if I hadn’t just recently bought a travel cot, I would have got this one and I will look out for this bouncer in future events when baby number two is on its way — these products are about half price to other shops!), a UV Play Shade £17.99, Fisher Price Glee Smart Trike £19.99, Hauck Buggy £16.99 and these cute drawers for £12.99. All absolute bargains!

The items in this post are only a fraction of all the amazing baby, toddler and maternity products available in the ALDI Baby & Toddler Event. See more details here and head to your local ALDI store soon — you don’t want to miss these deals!

As a blogger for ALDI, I was sent some vouchers to spend on items from the Baby & Toddler Event. As always, all my posts are 100% honest and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post ALDI Baby & Toddler Event Spring 2015 Haul & Review appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

MyBuddy-Box, The Alternative Aldi Challenge & My Aldi Favourites

A little while ago, I was challenged to take the #AlternativeAldiChallenge which is to see if you can beat the fast cashier and fill your MyBuddy-Box before you get asked to pay. MyBuddy-Box is a clever invention — it’s a storage box that you can use for many things but what’s so great about it is that it folds up really small, is very strong and sturdy and is stackable too. It’s a great box to take with you when you’re doing your supermarket shop. Read my full review of it here.

I usually shop in Aldi midweek and then I just walk up with the pushchair but for this occasion we took the car so that we could use the MyBuddy-Box and take the challenge. I also took this opportunity to do a shop of some of my absolute favourite Aldi items that I always get and document the items here on my blog.

Here’s some of our shop. It’s a medium sized shop for us with some treats and some bits for the home that we needed.

The #AlternativeAldiChallenge was a success! I easily finished packing the shopping away into the MyBuddy-Box before it was time to pay. I’d forgotten to take a trolley coin with me but if I’d had a trolley I would have been even faster. Having a box like this makes it really quick and easy to put your items away.

When you put your shopping on the conveyor belt you can even put the heavier items first and the light, delicate ones last to make it even easier.

Another thing about the MyBuddy-Box that is great is that you can just put it straight in the boot of your car from the trolley. No organising needed. The box protects your shopping and removes the risk of bottles rolling around and bags falling over spilling the shopping as you drive.

The MyBuddy-Box is also great to use to sit in when eating your rice cakes.

My Aldi Favourites

What did we buy? After the recent Aldi Baby & Toddler Event, we are still stocked up on our favourite nappies and wipes that we usually buy when we go to Aldi. These Mamia products are definitely part of my favourite items from Aldi, but we didn’t need any more on this occasion.

• Double Length Toilet Tissue 6 Pack £1.95 — We’ve been using this toilet roll for years now and it’s great. Super soft and great value. It was tested on Channel 4’s Superscrimpers and it was the winner of their test.
• Junior Mini Rice Cakes £0.59 — Review here. My daughter loves these!
• Pistachios £1.25 — Delicious and such a great price!
• Breaded Camenberts 4 pack £1.89 — This is my absolute favourite Aldi product! They are so tasty and addictive. At the end of my pregnancy, I stocked up on these to eat after giving birth. I really struggled going 9 months without these! Everybody loves them. We eat ours with jam. I want some now…
• Herbs £0.41 each — We use a lot of basil and oregano in our house because we love Italian food. These herbs from Aldi are great quality and amazing value.
• Orange & Almond Dark Chocolate £1.19 — This is something I buy a lot! The dark chocolate available in Aldi is very tasty and this packet contains five mini chocolate bars so that helps if you struggle to not eat it all… The Mint one is another one of my favourites.
• Beer, San Miguel 660ml £1.25 — Aldi makes a really nice french lager in small glass bottles that we usually get but on this occasion we spotted these very large San Miguel bottles and San Miguel reminds us of our last holiday so we thought they were suitable for the heatwave. Great value again!
• Crème Caramel 6 Pack £0.68 — This is a new bargain favourite. Crème Caramel reminds me of childhood desserts but I’d not had one since becoming vegetarian at the age of 12. I was pleased to see that these do not contain gelatine nor eggs (I don’t like eating eggs) so we bought some. Very tasty, simple and not too indulgent — perfect when you’re craving something sweet. The whole family loves them and they only cost 68p for six!
  
• Anti-bacterial Wipes Pack of 40 £0.75 — We use these all the time to clean all kinds of surfaces in our home. I even took these with me on holiday to sanitise the aeroplane and the highchairs in restaurants when our girl was a baby.
• Anti-bacterial Cleaner Spray £0.49 — Another cleaning staple in our home. We use this in the kitchen to clean the work surfaces, our table and the sink. Sometimes I use it for the floor. It’s available in a Lemon scent too.

Those are our favourites! This shop only cost £13.36 — what a bargain. What do you usually buy from Aldi?

For a chance to win a MyBuddy-Box, enter my Rafflecopter below. Terms & Conditions apply. The competition ends on the 22nd of July 2015. Designs may vary. UK entrants only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
I was sent a MyBuddy-Box to use in this challenge. As always, all my posts are 100% honest and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post MyBuddy-Box, The Alternative Aldi Challenge & My Aldi Favourites appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

Having a Baby on a Budget – My Tips

Babies can pretty much cost as little or as much as you want. There are many ways to do it for all kinds of budgets and lifestyles. Not surprisingly, it usually takes a bit more effort to do it when you are on a tight budget but it can definitely be done. Babies don’t really need that much either but some things can be nice to have. Here are my tips and the ways of thinking that have helped us to have a baby on quite a tight budget. It’s quite a long post but I hope you find it helpful. All the links go to other helpful posts on my blog.

Ask Friends & Family

Most people will know someone who already has kids and if you do you, don’t be afraid to ask to borrow some things. If they know you are on a budget, they’ll hopefully offer. We borrowed a bunch of baby clothes, a baby nest and a baby carrier from my older sister and our neighbours were clearing out their loft right before our daughter was due and gave us a couple of baby gates and a baby bouncer chair that they were going to take to the tip.

When you borrow things, it’s important to take great care of the items and replace anything if it breaks or gets damaged in any way. Don’t borrow things that are sentimental to other people — like a coming home outfit, a favourite or anything that’s one of a kind — in case it gets damaged.

Also offer to lend other people things that you might have. If you are generous, others will be generous to you.

Think & Wait

Think about what you really need. Babies don’t that need much. The main things they need are: food, clothes, somewhere to sleep, nappies and love. You don’t need a baby bath, a Moses basket, a bottle warmer, a changing table, fancy clothes, expensive toys, etc. Start with the essentials!

Wait until your baby is born to see what he or she is really like. For example, we didn’t need any muslin cloths because our girl was pretty much never sick. We can count on one hand the times she were. All the muslins we have were freebies so we didn’t waste any money on them but we definitely didn’t need any. Don’t stock up on lots of something that your baby might never use.

Get What You Need

If friends and family ask you what you’d like for birthdays, Christmas or for a new baby gift, tell them what you really need. You are much better off receiving something your baby really needs than yet another blanket or cute but impractical outfit. If you need sleepsuits of a certain size or a sleeping bag, let them know if they ask you.

Free Food

Breastfeeding is completely free so therefore obviously a much more budget friendly option than formula which also comes with extra costs such as lots of bottles, teats, steriliser, brushes and detergent. If you want to express milk, a breast pump is helpful — but you can do it by hand too — and you’ll need a bottle or two then, too. It will still work out a lot cheaper though, and we all know about the great health benefits to both the baby and the mother.

Getting Around

A pram is definitely good to have but you can get by with just a baby carrier if you don’t plan to travel in a car with your baby. Most people do though, and, in my opinion, a travel system is the best way to get what you need on a budget. With a travel system, you get a pram, a car seat, a push chair and a carry cot — that can be used like a Moses basket — all in one.

This will last you through the baby and toddler years and up until your child is 3 or 4 years old and no longer needs a pushchair. You still need to get a new car seat when your child grows out of the baby one that usually comes with a travel system.

Expensive is not always the best and that’s something to remember for most things in life. I know lots of people who complain about their fancy pushchairs and prams that cost many times more than the one we have. We have a brilliant travel system from Hauck that cost less than £200 and is exactly what we wanted and needed. We still use the pushchair all the time and the carry cot was a great bed for our baby when she was a newborn — we used it just like a Moses basket so it was really easy to transfer her to our bedroom without waking her up.

If you are planning to have more children soon, it might be a good idea to consider travel systems that can be converted to a double pram/pushchair.

Be Savvy

Sign up for all the baby clubs that supermarkets, baby shops and baby food brands offer. They often send out free gifts, samples, special offers and coupons. Most supermarkets and Boots have frequent baby events where they have special offers on lots of baby and toddler items. Often this is a good time to stock up on things but do keep track of what things normally cost to ensure you are getting a bargain and only buy things you really need.

Bargain Clothing

Babies grow really quickly and often only get to use clothes a few times before they get too small. Therefore, Ebay is a great place for cheap baby clothing that is pretty much as good as new. Shoes for babies and toddlers are also great to buy from Ebay since they’re another thing that often only gets worn for a bit.

Scan Ebay listings and save things to your watch list. Don’t be too picky and choose a bunch of things that you need and like and only bid if the prices stay low and preferably at the last minute. Buying bundles is often cheaper and if you buy from the same seller you save on postage.

Aim to create a small but very useful wardrobe with items that are comfortable and that you will use on an everyday basis. The cute fancy clothes will often only get used once — if that! — so it’s better to buy more basic items that get a lot of use, wash well and are of good quality.

Primark have some great baby leggings, sleepsuits and vests that I find meet the above criteria. H&M is better for style since they have much more interesting patterns and colours and more to choose from if you want to buy unisex items. H&M’s baby clothing are great value for money and their fabric is a bit sturdier than Primark’s, in my experience.

Buying mainly unisex clothing is important to me and I suggest doing the same if you are planning on having more children in the future because it will save you lots of money if you have a child of the opposite sex next! Plus all the colours in the world are much more fun than just baby blue or baby pink.

Check out the sales and stick to a list of clothes and sizes that you need for the next year or so. If you plan ahead you can stock up on items while they’re out of season and have very reduced prices. Also keep an inventory list of what you already have to avoid over buying.

Own Brands Can Be Brilliant

When it comes to nappies, wipes, baby toiletries, medicines and food — try own brands. They are much cheaper and often the quality is the same or even better. Aldi’s nappies are better than any others I have tried and their wipes, toiletries and food are brilliant too. Boots do great nappies as well and have a large selection of their own baby food, wipes, medicines and toiletries. Just try it and see for yourself. Paying 2-3 times as much for a bigger brand name is crazy — especially when you’re on a budget.

Something New

Though you can get most things second hand now, some things should be bought new. These include car seats to ensure they have not been in an accident, mattresses because that minimises risk of cot death and any hygiene items like bottles, teats, soothers, teethers etc.

Do Your Research

Research any bigger buys before you purchase. Read forums, blog reviews and ask people you know to see what they think of certain prams, car seats, baby equipment and toys. Some play groups offer toy libraries where you can borrow toys and you can, of course, borrow books from your local library. If you notice that your child really likes something you borrow, it might be worth investing in.

Surveys For Treats

If you are on a tight budget, a great way to easily earn some money or vouchers for some treats is to join online survey sites. You can save your points to get gift cards for your favourite shops and spend them on those items you really like and want but think are a bit extravagant. I’ve bought most of my daughter’s toys and books this way. Sign up to a few of the many sites available and take a few surveys every week and see the points and pounds collect. Obviously, they don’t pay as much as a real job but you can do them from the comfort of your own home, even your bed, and I think it’s a great way to earn a few extra pounds if you have the time.

Did you have a baby on a budget? If so, what are your best tips?

The post Having a Baby on a Budget – My Tips appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

The ALDI Wine Club – The Fifth Panel 

I’ve recently become a member of the fifth panel for Aldi Wine Club which is an exclusive wine tasting panel made up from Aldi shoppers with a passion for good wine. I love Aldi and I love wine so I’m really happy to be on this panel with my husband as my tasting partner.

Members stay on the panel for a few months and receive two bottles of wine per month for as long as they’re on the panel.

After you’ve tasted the wine, you need to submit a Twitter review of no more than 140 character using the hashtag #AldiWineClub and including @AldiUK in the tweet.

The two wines in my first package were these below:

The Exquisite Collection South Australia Shiraz (£5.99)

• Deep, dark, powerfully attractive and bulging with ripe black plum fruits, blackberries and succulent black cherries
• Beautifully rich with weighty yet soft layers of liquorice, creamy chocolate, sweet spice and traces of eucalyptus gum
• The finish is long, intense, super-ripe and delicious

The Exquisite Collection Argentinian Malbec (£5.99)

• Bright and ruby-red with aromas of plums and blackberries overlain with subtle violet notes
• Plums and blackberries are overlain with subtle violet notes to give a premium wine with great structure and a long and intensely fruity finish

My husband preferred the Shiraz and I preferred the Malbec. I really like the sharpness combined with the sweetness from the fruits.

Great quality and value as always! Thank you Aldi!

The post The ALDI Wine Club – The Fifth Panel appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

ALDI Baby & Toddler Event Autumn 2015 Haul & Review

Yesterday was the first day of the current ALDI Baby & Toddler Event and of course I have checked it out. I love these events because the shop gets filled with lots of great products for babies, toddlers and mums. I love that each event comes with loads of new and exciting products along with some known favourites.

I always check out the website or the magazine before going so that I know what I’m going to buy and what I’m looking for in store. I had my list and came out with everything I’d planned to buy plus a little bit more.

Above you can see everything I bought this time and I spent just over £30 for all these items.

Let’s start with toys! My daughter doesn’t have any proper bath toys because all her squeezy ones got mouldy due to the holes in the bottoms. That’s why I bought this octopus bath toy by Nûby. It has not got a hole in the bottom so it cannot go mouldy on the inside. It’s also large and looks like lots of fun. We’ll be trying it tonight. There are quite a few bath toys to choose from in this event and they all cost £2.89 each.

My daughter is obsessed with Peppa Pig so I had to get her these wooden puzzles featuring characters from Peppa Pig. There are four to choose from and we went for Peppa with a ball and George’s Dinosaur. The puzzles are really chunky and nice and have 3-4 pieces so are perfect first puzzles. They cost £2.99 each.

I’ve recently had some bad luck with toddler duvet covers that I’d bought from Asda and Dunelm. They were awful quality and broke in the wash straight away so had be returned. We’d been without a duvet cover for my daughter because of this so I was really happy to see toddler bedding on the ALDI website when I was planning my shop. Unlike the other ones we’ve had, they are 100% cotton and I think they’ll be much better quality. Third time lucky! There are a several cute designs to choose from and they cost £6.99 each. A pillow case is also included.

I also picked up another toddler duvet with a thin pillow reduced to just £3.99. On the website they show one with a thick pillow in a different packaging for £9.99 but these were available in my local store. I wanted another duvet to layer up with in the winter.

I bought one of these hooded towels in the last event and was so impressed with the softness and quality that I picked up another one for £2.99. The duvet cover is by the same brand so hopefully the amazing towel quality is a good indication of the quality of the bedding.

I also picked up these adorable tights. A pack of two cost just £2.49 and there were three different unisex designs to choose from in sizes 0-4 years.

I couldn’t go to the ALDI Baby & Toddler Event without picking up the Organix Goodies 12 pack of snacks. My toddler loves these and made me open the bag as soon as we got home from doing the shop. The huge bag cost  £2.79. We also picked up a packet of our favourite nappies by Mamia. We’ve used these since birth and they are the best ones that we’ve come across. They are so soft and really absorbent. They keep my daughter dry and rash-free. My girl is now in size 5 nappies.

Some of the big buys in this event are definitely these ones:

• Graco Endure 123 Car Seat £39.99
• Nursing Pillow with 100% cotton cover £9.99
• Lindam Easy Fit Bed Guard (Blue or Pink) £14.99
• Hauck Speed Buggy £34.99 — We bought our Hauck travel pram from ALDI a year or so ago.
• Body Pillow with pillowcase £9.99
• Mamia By Hush Smart HD Baby Monitor £59.99

The items in this post are only a few of all the amazing baby, toddler and maternity products available in the ALDI Baby & Toddler Event. There are loads more products in store. See more details here and head to your local ALDI store soon — you don’t want to miss these brilliant deals!

As a blogger for ALDI, I was sent some vouchers to spend on items from the Baby & Toddler Event. As always, all my posts are 100% honest and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post ALDI Baby & Toddler Event Autumn 2015 Haul & Review appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

Munchkin Travel Booster Seat Review

I’ve been meaning to review this handy item for ages now. We’ve had it for about a year and it’s been so useful for travelling and visiting grandparents.

The Munchkin Travel Booster Seat easily attached to a regular chair and makes it highchair/toddler chair. It’s suitable from 12 months+ and can be used up to a weight of 50lbs (about 22.5kg). We started using it at around 10 months because our daughter was an early sitter and could support herself well.

We also use our regular highchair harness with the booster seat for added support.

The seat has its own harness too that holds the child in place but for younger children I recommend using a highchair harness for the top of their bodies. The chair grows with your child and it can be used for many years. The harness can be adjusted to make it bigger or smaller. When your child is big enough and sits well you can simply us the seat without clipping the harness together. On the bottom of the seat there are anti-slip patches to ensure the seat stays put. The seat also has another function — it’s a bag too. You can easily carry the bag over your shoulder or by using the handle and under the seat there’s a large hidden storage area. This is perfect for bottles, utensils, snacks, nappies and wipes. For bigger kids it can be used to store entertainment items like books, toys and crayons which can be very useful during a meal out.

The Munchkin Travel Booster Seat is strong and sturdy, yet very lightweight and portable at the same time. It’s so convenient and a must for us when we visit friends and family members who don’t have a highchair. Our daughter is the first grandchild on the English side of our family and we only have meals with my in-laws a few times a year so there’s really no point in them having a permanent highchair available for us. We simply take this one with us and carry the items we need in the storage compartment. Easy! The fabric still looks lovely after over a year of use. It wipes clean really well and is made of good quality materials. These photos are all taken after the seat had already been used loads of times — there’s not a single mark or stain and my daughter is a really messy eater.

We got ours in the ALDI Baby & Toddler Event, but it’s also available to buy from Asda and Amazon.co.uk where it currently costs £18. Visit the Munchkin website for more information. This seat has received lots of 5 star review online and I agree — it’s a brilliant piece of baby/toddler equipment.

The post Munchkin Travel Booster Seat Review appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

ALDI Baby & Toddler Event January 2016 Haul & Review

Today is the first day of the current ALDI Baby & Toddler Event and I’ve already been to ALDI to do my shop early this morning. As always for these events, the shop gets filled with lots of great products for babies, toddlers and parents. There are always lots of known brands available as well as our favourite Mamia products. Some things are completely new and other items are favourites that have been available during previous ALDI Baby & Toddler Events.

I always plan my shop before these events and do this by checking out the ALDI website and the magazine that’s available the week before. I do this so that I know what’s available and what I want to buy. I usually write a list too, so that I don’t forget anything.

Everything I wanted to buy was available and I bought everything in the photo above plus a big box of nappies for just under £30.

We love ALDI Mamia nappies (See my review here.) and always buy these big boxes if they’re available. We currently buy size 5 but there weren’t any in my local store today so we got size 4+ which is a size that still fits my daughter.

Let’s have a closer look at the items I got today:

A packet of two children’s toothbrushes that only costs £0.79. We are always misplacing my toddler’s toothbrushes so I like having plenty at home.

This set of toddler cutlery is gorgeous! I love the bright colours and rounded handles. They have a good weight to them and feel like they’re really good quality. My toddler loves them too! The steel bits have little cute faces on them. The set only costs £3.99 and there’s a plain stainless steel set available too.

New cups for my toddler daughter was something we really needed. After having a big clear out and getting rid of all the cups that were worn (chewed) we were down to just two cups so I stocked up on three Nûby cups — one Flip It Cup for £1.99 and two Sipper Cups for £1.79 each. I love the fun designs and that they all have a cover for the teat/straw as this is ideal when you’re out and about. Very hygienic! There are lots of different designs to choose from and more styles of cups/beakers/bottles available too.

Snacks! We love Mamia organic baby food pouches and got two of the boxed five-packs of Apples & Strawberries smooth fruit blends and a couple of our favourite Apple, Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash & Blueberry pouches. I love that it’s vegetables and fruit in one pouch. The boxes cost £1.79 each and the individual pouches are £0.59 each.

The Kiddylicious Smoothie Melts are made from 100% strawberries and bananas. My daughter is a really picky eater so I wasn’t sure if she’d like these but she has already devoured three of the four bags in this packet! The box of four bags costs £1.49. I think I’ll have to go back for more!

Speaking of baby food, I noticed that there are lots of new organic Mamia baby foods available now that I’ve not seen before. I’m really happy to see this organic, affordable and tasty range expanding. As well as the new fruit and vegetable pouches, there are also breakfast stage 1 ones and cooked meals for stage 2 available now. We definitely need to try all of these.

We often use ALDI‘s washing detergent and fabric softener but these two products are new and we haven’t tried them yet. I usually go for the Non-Bio powder but fancied trying the liquid version. We’re having another baby in May so I’ll have to start washing baby clothes soon so this Baby Soft detergent and fabric conditioner will be perfect for that. I bought two of the fabric conditioner. The detergent costs £1.99 and the fabric conditioner £0.99 each.

Here’s another item for the new baby — 100% pure cotton cleansing pads perfect for nappy changes for newborn babies. A packet of 60 costs £1.29.

There are lots of baby vests, sleepsuits, socks and tights in this baby event and I picked up a packet of tights for my daughter as she wears tights nearly every day. They cost £1.99 for two and I chose a dotted pink and striped design.

As always when the ALDI Baby & Toddler Event is on, there are a few amazing value big buys. This time around, they include:

• Hauck Alpha+ Wooden High Chair £39.99 — We have this chair and we love it! (Review here.)
• Kinder Valley Moses Basket £19.99, stand available too.
• Mamia By Hush Comfort Baby Monitor £16.99
• Hauck Sport Buggy £22.99 — We bought this travel pram from ALDI in 2014 and have used it loads.

Another great item that is available this time is cloth nappies from Bambino Mio in several, very cute, designs. They’re £7.99 each.

The items in this post are only a few of all the amazing baby, toddler and maternity products available in the ALDI Baby & Toddler Event. There are loads more products in store, including toys, books, feeding equipment, nappy change products, different types of blankets, soothers, muslin cloths, towels and more. See more details here and head to your local ALDI store soon — you don’t want to miss these brilliant deals!

As a blogger for ALDI, I was sent some vouchers to spend on items from the Baby & Toddler Event. As always, all my posts are 100% honest and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post ALDI Baby & Toddler Event January 2016 Haul & Review appeared first on A Mum Reviews.

Feed Your Family for Less Than The Price Of an Egg This Easter

This Easter, at Aldi, customers can feed a family of four for a mere £3.80 per head – cheaper than a single luxury Easter egg in most UK supermarkets – and to celebrate, the supermarket has commissioned a life-sized chocolate dining table, complete with a lamb roast dinner and all the trimmings.

Aldi’s edible and intricately crafted ‘Chocolate Roast’ includes all the components customers would expect to see on a Easter celebration table including a Whole Leg of Fresh British Lamb (£3.79 per kilogram) and Good Housekeeping Institute approved Specially Selected Hot Cross Buns (99p, 4 pack), as well as cutlery and plates.

Accompanied by fluffy Maris Piper potatoes (£1.89, 2.5kg), garden peas (69p, 907g), fresh carrots (45p, 1kg) and Bramwell’s Mint Sauce (39p, 180g), this mouth-watering table also includes a bottle of Aldi’s Exquisite New Zealand Pinot Noir (£6.99, 75cl) all of which, can be picked up in store, for less than a twenty pound note!

Tony Baines, Joint Managing Director of Corporate Buying at Aldi, said: “At Aldi our everyday low prices reflect customers continued demand for best value, good quality products, particularly around family celebrations such as Easter.”

“We are proud that for the cost of an egg in other supermarkets, you can feed a family of four with delicious, quality British products, showing once again we are the supermarket that won’t be beaten on quality or price.”

Master chocolatier, Jen Lindsey-Clark, spent three weeks creating Aldi’s ‘Chocolate Roast’ which has been made from a whopping 50 kilograms of melted Aldi Moser Roth Premium Easter Egg (£2.99, 185/195g).

Jen said: “Aldi certainly set us a challenge with this very quirky commission. It has been great fun moulding and carving all of the classic Easter roast features. I’d say the trickiest item was the Ashfield Farm British leg of lamb which took 4 days, 4 moulds and 2 kilos of chocolate to complete.

“We’re all really pleased with the final sculpture – it has got to be the ultimate chocoholic’s Easter lunch.”

Earlier this month, Aldi won Good Housekeeping’s price comparison for the cheapest Easter supermarket shopping basket beating nine other supermarkets including Morrisons, Asda, Lidl and Iceland.

To find out more about the range of products available at Aldi this Easter, visit aldi.co.uk.

This content was provided to me by Aldi.

The post Feed Your Family for Less Than The Price Of an Egg This Easter appeared first on A Mum Reviews.