Welcome to 2017 everybody!  We are sure that you enjoyed the Christmas break just as much as we did, and hopefully also over indulged in food, booze and good company too!  This first week back at work has come as a bit of a shock to the system, and any advice on how to make it a little bit easier is most welcome.


That is why we have popped together this handy guide on our favourite family detox tips to help streamline your return to normality.

Cleanse Your Home

Christmas is a beautiful time, the tree goes up, the fairy lights sparkle, and cards from relatives and friends are displayed proudly across every surface.  However, as January has indeed come around, it is about time we put away the festive decorations and got our houses back in neat(ish), working order.  

If you haven’t already, take down your tree, and sort out your cards.  Keep only what you must (hoarding gift cards is an easy sentimental trap to fall into), and recycle the left overs. Everyone does it, so don’t emotionally punish yourself.  Cash those gift cheques, unpack and organise your presents and send out your thank you cards.

Christmas Declutter

This may also be the time to have a bit of a home purge – get rid of any extra bits and pieces that are no longer needed.  Let’s face it, you really don’t need 50 mugs (why does everyone always insist on giving you mugs!) and now you have that gorgeous new cashmere sweater, do you really need your old cardigan?

Don’t be afraid to give unneeded Christmas gifts to the charity shop, regift, or sell them on. Not everything you are given will be needed or desired, and you shouldn’t keep absolutely everything you are given for the sake of it.

Fairy Lights

A January cupboard and wardrobe cleanse will help you declutter your home and your mind, and set you on a good track for the new year.  If you are anything like us though, the fairy lights will likely stay up – strictly speaking, they aren’t just for December are they, and they make us feel all twinkly inside.

Detox Family Friendly Food

After Christmas, we are all feeling a little larger around the waist, and our belts may appear to be just that bit tighter than usual.  It’s hard enough inspiring yourself to detox, how on earth do you encourage your kids back into healthy eating after endless supplies of chocolates have become the norm?

The first step is to get rid of any snack foods that are left lying around the house.  If they haven’t been eaten already, you are only going to indulge further over January.  The best, and least wasteful way to do this is tried and tested.  Give them to your visiting family – grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins.  At the end of Christmas, my parents attempt to stack my bags high with left overs.  It is quite the tradition.

Smoothie Bowls

Once your cupboards are free of remaining Christmas chocolates and half filled bags of Lebkuchen you have made an excellent start.  Kick start your family’s day with smoothie bowls.  Create healthy breakfasts by blending berries, almond milk, bananas (and sneak in some kale whilst the children aren’t looking) and top with seeds and nuts.  

These healthy treats are beautiful to look at, delicious to eat, and will ward away sugary cravings for the first half of the day.  Here are some of our favourite recipes.

summer-courgetti-meatballs

Fill your fridge with delicious organic vegetables and sneak them into your kid’s meals.  Don’t forget how popular finger food is – everyone loves dipping carrots, cucumber and pepper into humous!  

Introduce children to cooking, get them to help you spiralize vegetables and turn the results into courgetti spaghetti! The kids will have fun, and the spirally shape food and familiar flavours will (hopefully) distract them from how healthy their meal is.

Brownie Bliss Balls

Finally, to help satisfy that sweet tooth, we really reccomend date balls.  These little wonders taste absolutely delicious, and really kick cravings.  As long as your children don’t see the dates going in, they will be none the wiser.  Our favourite recipe for guilt free Peanut Butter Brownie Balls is from Bake.Play.Smile.  All you need is almonds, cacao powder, dates, peanut butter and honey and you have a healthy snack that, miraculously, somehow, tastes a lot like chocolate.

Get Moving!

Finally, it’s time to get your family moving again!  After days spread across the sofa watching Christmas movies, everyone could do with dusting off the cobwebs.  Think of family friendly days out that gently encourage exercise, such as park walks, bicycle rides or swimming outings. 

tree-go-ape-london

London has plenty to offer in terms of sneaky exercise trips, wether that be going bounce crazy at Mega Jump Trampoline Park or taking to the heights at Go Ape Battersea Park.  Both of these days out will give your family a great cardio boost, and Go Ape will really work your arms and legs.


With all of these tips your home, body and mind will be in the perfect place to start the new year with a bang!

Author:  Hannah Coates