Christmas, Chris-t-mas?

Mami and Chef Phil Vickery

I don't know how mami spends her days. She takes the train after leaving me at nursery, but after that I have no idea how she fills her time. I have heard her talk about her "office" and "work". But that is as much as I know.

So when she came home last week talking about seeing new toys and food for something named Aldi, I was even more confused than before.

"There was a room full of delicious food and chocolates and fun toys in another!" She told daddy.
I perked up from my high chair. "Toys?" I thought.

"It was Christmas in July" she exclaimed 

"Aldi has a whole range of toys, I had no idea they had anything other than food at their stores. Remember Aldi stores from Spain?"  She asked daddy and emphasising the word Spain  (I don't know what that is either) but daddy just thought for a moment and said,

"Oh yes. They have toys there?"

"Yes! That's the German store. I had forgotten they had them in the UK. They have amazing prices" said mami.

"They had a display of all products that will be out for Christmas".

"Christ-mas, Chris -t -mas" I thought slowly. I know that word. How do I know that word?

"So what else did they have?" asked daddy.

"Hold on!" said mami and she ran out of the kitchen into the living room. She came back with a white bag and began taking out chocolates and cookies.

"Yummy!" I thought and pointed for a piece. "No Little M, you finish your dinner"

Daddy looked at her and said "well, this isn't very good for your diet" Mami just snorted at him, took the chocolates out of his hand and put them into the fridge. I could tell she couldn't wait to eat them! I can't blame her because I want some too!

Changing the subject quickly she said "well, the best part of all is that I got to meet with Phil Vickery!"

Daddy stopped stirring the sauce and looked at mami wide eyed "You did? How? What's he like?" he asked excitedly.

"Well" said mami slowly, "He's a really nice guy. Very funny, big advocate for getting kids cooking.  He's been working with Aldi stores for 2 years now."

"So that's what Aldi is, a store" Got it.

"Oh, really?" said daddy "Wow! I had no idea"

"Oh yeah, he's got an online school called Phil's Cooking Academy that helps kids learn to cook from scratch. Something I want Little M to learn when he's older".

"Sure! I've seen daddy cook and I want to help too" I shouted out. Mami looked at me, wiped away some sauce from my cheeks and kissed my forehead.

"So, did he give you any advice?" asked daddy

"Of course!" Said mami and read off a list of tips that Phil recommend for all mamas:

• Bulk cook so that you can freeze 2/3 of it for another day - Daddy smiled because he does this already.
• Keep your meals simple and have balance of sweet, fruit, veg, meats - Mami smiled this time because she cooks very very simple. Daddy rolled his eyes.
• Fast-food does not mean junk food. He says you can have healthy packaged or frozen food that is fast and easy to make but that does not mean its "junk"  - No reaction. Guess they both agreed.
• Kids should be introduced to a variety of foods early enough so that they are open to try it all later on. He said it is something called "flavour profiles" - Daddy perked up and said "its like muscle memory, the mind doesn't forget"

"Don't forget meeee" I thought. And I threw some mashed potatoes at mami to get her attention. She turned to me and said, "Okay mi amor, lets get you in the bath".

I still need to figure out what this Christmas business is all about and how it involves toys.

At least I learned that Aldi has "great value" for money as mami says, a yummy range of fresh and frozen foods, and Phil Vickery on their side!