friday: wholefood new zealand style

Spending five days with five children under the age of six as we have just done in Auckland, leaves little opportunity for exploring foodstores and markets as I did in my traveling solo days but nevertheless we were treated to beautiful meals in our friend's home and even a night out at ile de France with all five children on their best fancy-restaurant-behaviour.

For me there is nothing like travel to recharge and inspire. Some people baulk at traveling with small children but I have always loved it right from when my boys were babies. Traveling when children are little means all the same things - nappy changes, sleep deprivation, squabbles over favorite books/teddies/cars, seeking out parks and spaces to run around, regular mealtimes - but it also means new scenery, new friends to make and places to explore. You can read my tips for traveling with children here.

On with today's New Zealand inspired list of links:

Good coffee for me, pastries for the boys and chai for Pete in a comfortable booth at Cafe Vue at Melbourne Airport made for a good start to the trip. Particularly after Sol woke at 4.30am and did not go back to sleep. What was I saying about travel with children being fun?!

First stop once we landed Huckleberry Farms foodstore. I didn't even manage a squizz in here because my littlest angel who woke at 4.30am was now fast asleep with his head nestled into my shoulder so I waited in the car while Pete bought enough organic wholefoods to last a month! Not the cheapest place to shop but hey we were on holiday.

I've been a fan of New Zealand food mag Cuisine in the past, but at our friend's house between wrangling children I worked my way through their collection of Dish magazine and had to buy the latest edition to bring home.

I searched the shelves at Auckland airport to buy a copy of Good magazine I like the look of the content...greener though to read it online!

Robin I saw a story about this Community Supported Agriculture farm in West Auckland and thought of you.

Love this - a great story and great service - Angel Delivery a food delivery service started by a kiwi mum for when you can't deliver that new baby food hamper yourself.

Now we're back home and the winner of the gluten free giveaway was announced last night - congratulations Sonia from Natural New Age Mum!

I shared this anecdote on The Wholefood Mama facebook page it is going to keep me giggling for days...At school River is learning how to write persuasively. I was thrilled to hear the teacher had chosen 'junk food' as the topic talking with the children about the negatives of eating junk food and then asking them to write persuasively about it. River says "You should put that on your blog Mum. To everyone who eats junk food tell them to get on to healthy food because junk food makes you sick". Great idea I tell him. Sol chimes in with "And tell them no children should be drinking wine". Wholefood wisdom right there.

Happy weekending everyone xx