CMcL

I eat lots and often, and unhealthily. Might as well call a spade a spade!

I don't enjoy the taste or texture of most veg (after a lifetime cooking them in different ways), or humus, dips, coleslaw, most sauces, plain yoghurt, flapjacks, non-sugar cereal bars, or jerky, which are the suggestions I'm finding on most websites.

I do like soups, processed peas, beans, potatoes in most forms, onion rings, pickles, beetroot, raw carrot, apples, bananas, grapes, and oranges. I tend to finely dice other veg and hide it in minces, for example

I am looking for slightly less unhealthy snacks for work than my normal fare. So far I've got scrambled egg, boiled eggs mashed with margarine, redskin peanuts, plain popcorn, cheddar cheese, and yoghurt covered rice cakes. I can heat snacks at lunch time but not teabreak.

I'm a limited eater and a habitual shopper so looking for some inspiration for foods that I might normally walk by in the supermarket

I live in Glasgow and my brother lives in Belfast. His baby is due this year and I am unsure how to bond well with the baby.

My brother's wifi signal is unreliable so Facetime calls often freeze and drop out.

I don't have money to visit more than once a year (flights, taxis, food, and hotel will cost around £500 per visit). My sister-in-law will be stopping work until the kid is in school, so they won't be able to afford to visit us either.

My sister-in-law has four other sister-in-laws nearby and several close female friends, so the baby will have lots of aunties in its life. How do I bond with the baby without being able to be there in person or on Facetime?

I love books and want to take part in the #bookaweek challenge on Instagram next year as part of a movement to promote fiction – but I can admit photography is not my area of expertise!

I live in a small, crowded, shared house, with no blank walls or clear surfaces. My own bedroom has bookcases/open wardrobes against every wall.

I have a desk in front of some bookcases, but it’s badly scarred. I can sit books on my bed, but it's in the dark corner.

The advice online seems to be ‘use natural light’ (I have a single narrow tenement window in Glasgow), ‘clear a large contrasting surface’ (I don’t have any available), or ‘create a lightbox’ (I don’t have the funds).

I thought of using fabric to ‘make’ new surfaces but there’s always part of the damaged furniture or other belonging creeping in no matter the angle I take the photo from.

With lockdown I can’t really go out to other places to use them as backdrops either.

I know I must be missing loads of really obvious tricks for this, given the sheer volumes of successful accounts and challenges, but I’m baffled!

I started working in an NHS office and am trying to stop eating quite so many crisps, chocolates and biscuits. My travel time wildly increased from my last job, so I'd prefer to take something shop-bought that doesn't require prep time if at all possible.

As I don't like fruit (other than bananas) and veg, I've been really struggling to think of snacks to take with me. So far I've taken yogurt, peanuts, rice cakes, and occasionally some cubed cheese.

I was piling on weight with daily sandwiches and pasta pots (somehow more than when I had ready meals every day!) so swapped to soups, cereals, and crackers, but even that's doing my head in now. Ideas most welcome!

I know this is along shot, but here goes:

Years and years ago - maybe 2005-2008? - I went to Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow and one of the paintings impressed me, but I didn't take note of the title or the artist.

I've tried internet searches and looking on the GoMA website but no luck so far.

The painting was a large size - maybe 10 feet by 15 feet - and painted on canvas.

It showed skeletons holding cameras, camcorders and boom mics. There were lots of animals in it like vultures crows. The painting overall was quite dark; lots of reds and blacks.

Would anyone have any idea of who the artist may have been or what the title was? I know it's barely any information but figured it was worth a shot.

*** Please only answer if you KNOW of SPECIFIC ones that accept homemade cards! ***

I make handmade cards for pleasure and have amassed a collection of around 200. I make mny more than I use so would like to donate them.

I work in a large main hospital but there are so many levels of management within the NHS that I simply don’t know who I should be asking in my own region.

So, I’m looking to donate the cards to any hospital or care home who accept them, if anyone knows of specific ones THAT DO TAKE THEM.

I've started working for the NHS.

I can't get to a microwave from where I work with enough time to eat and get back to my desk. We can't carry plates of hot food back and have no dish washing facilities.

There is no fridge in our room, no communal fridge in the building, and we don't seem to be allowed to bring a fridge from home.

I checked out the building's vending machine meals and the little shop, but the prices are astronomical!

I don't want fruit and veg in my meals, so no salads please! I'm not keen on cold pasta but it remains a backup

I'm making sandwiches for now but looking for some other main meal ideas.

I've got lots of options for snacks so I could perhaps pad out a small main.

My dad has liver cirrhosis. He can't have anything with preservaties, no no pre-made sauces, purees or anything from a ton. He also has to cut way down on red meats. He would like to still have a bolognese now and then, but he can't use jarred sauces, and every recipe I find uses cnned tomatoes and salt and tomato puree, none of which he can have. Does anyone have a link to a specific recipe that doesn't use these ingredients?

My cousin's school does an Xmas fair and she keeps asking me to rent a stall to sell my craft work.

I make things as a hobby and I do have a lot of craft embellishments etc to use up.

I spend £25 per advent calendar. They take about 4hrs each, so they aren’t money makers. If I priced them at £30, are they likely to sell?

I make cards, costing 50p-£2 each. I don’t think I can price any at £2 at a school fair. What would be a good price range?

I also made a few little Christmas scenes from old printer trays, which maybe cost 50p each.

I’m aware that it’s a slightly lower income area and that most of the kids will be given £2-5 each to spend, most likely on sweets. My dad makes brilliant homemade tablet. Would anyone buy that at a card stall? I don’t know if homemade food is allowed yet, will need to find out nearer the time.

I don’t drive so I’d have to get my stock and table dressings there on a bus (thinking of using a wheeled suitcase with boxes of cards inside).

The school provides the table, in a classroom. We can’t bring other tables or stands or move the tables, and we can’t put anything on the walls.

I’m not sure how to display the cards to let people see them, as I can’t really take anything with me on the bus.

I know I should have a float of coins and fivers, and was thinking about £30 worth to start?

I don’t run a business so no business cards.

What tips would help sell more cards, and is there anything I’ve forgotten that would help me on the day?

A family member has recently been diagnosed but despite a lot of googling, we can only find lists of banned foods and go to foods, not actual recipes or meal plans.

He can t have salt, pre-made sauce, dressing, stock, broth, oil, butter, gravy, red meat, tinned food/soups, breading, stuffing, batter, ready meals, takeaways, processed meat, butter, white bread/pasta/rice, pickles, instant noodles/cereals, crisps, popcorn, rice cakes, full and semi fat dairy, baked goods, most cheeses, processed cheese, tea, coffee or fizzy juice.

The meal list so far is quite light, as so many ingredients we would normally use are on the banned list.

He doesn t like nuts, seeds, granola, quinoa, margarine, tofu, cream cheese, salmon and greek yoghurt, which is most of the rest of the list.

The only things on the go to list he likes are eggs, lean white meats, herbs, vegetables and cheddar.

He s currently only having sauceless chicken or fish with potatoes and peas, sauceless pork stirfry, chicken sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, or cheese on toast. He s trying to find a homemade stock receipe for soup that doesn t include anything on the banned list.

The doctor had no more information and the dietician simply told him to avoid the banned list.

It s been near impossible to find recipes that don t have banned ingredients on them, so help locating some would be much appreciated.

I bought some stepper card blanks at an annual craft fair last month and they went down very well as Christmas cards. I'm looking to get more but Amazon, eBay, The Works and Hobbycraft have very little. Any ideas who sells them?

If you don't know anywhere that sells them, or want to suggest an American equivalent, can In politely ask that you please don't answer!

My brother and sister-in law are coming over for Christmas dinner. My sister-in-law has lost something like 6 sone through slimming world over teh last four years.

She does eat 'cheat' foods at Christmas time, but as she is having an early lunch with her own extended family and a small late dinner with ours, she mentioned to common friends that she cannot have any snack foods over teh holidays.

I normally do a small nibbles platter late evening, but I am struggling to find a way to find out about what syns each brand has, in order to provide her with a few options.

I don't want to just do biscuits and cakes which she will avoid. I thought a veg dipping platter would work, but apparently lots dips are bad on slimming world! Can anyone give my any (UK only) specifics?

I had an empty open gift basket, which I decided to use for my friend's Christmas to make her a pamper hamper.

I bought things over the course of the summer/autum to put in it (yes, I get my Christmas presents in early). After this week, the last item should arrive and I'm ready to wrap it.

My problem is that since she recently moved, I only see her once a month, and won't get to see her in December as she'll be visiting family. But, if I cover the hamper in cellophane to give her next month, she'll obviously see the contents and it'll ruin the suprise.

I tried Christmas paper and it simply tears (I had to layer it to get enought to try to tit it at the top of the hamper)

What would be a good way to cover the contents but provide a safe way to carry the basket?

I m staying in a London hotel for 2 days in a few weeks, and breakfast is included. The other meals aren t.

The trip is costing about a month s wages, so I d rather not eat out if at all possible. I m struggling for ideas for meals I can take with me.

The room will have a kettle, but no other equipment (i.e. no stove, microwave, fridge, hotplate, utensils etc).

I’m taking sandwiches for the train down, and noodles for one lunch, but now sure what else will work for the other lunch and two dinners.

I’m also diabetic and need to eat a set amount of carbohydrates each meal. I cannot take snacks into the theatres with me, so I cannot have just a salad at dinner, for example.

Any ideas?

I bought a wire necklace with silver star beads on it, but the wire doesn't sit well on me, although I love the beads.

I want to make drop earrings out of the beads, but can't find the name of the piece I would need to buy.

If I used a stud or hook top, what do you call the bar-like part that drops down from the top, with a flat base to hold the bead/s on?

I know in a stud earing, the bar that passes through the earlobe is called a post, but they are too short and the bases would be too wide.

The beads I am using are approx 8mm accross, with the bit between the bottom two arms of the star being about 3mm wide

My gran's 82nd birthday is coming up and I’ve no idea what to buy.

She has balance problems and severe asthma, and won't go outside alone.

If we take her out, she cannot walk for more than six steps without stopping to breathe. She refuses a zimmer.

She has no friends as she can be very mean and uses people.

She will only go to one hairdresser and ONLY for a perm. She hates spas and getting her nails done etc.

She buys the newest perfume as soon as it’s in the shops, so when we buy anything it’s a duplicate.

Last year I took her to make her own perfume and was called everything under the sun for ‘turning her into a factory worker’.

She likes makeup but we found she hadn’t even opened any make up from any family member in well over a decade.

She likes glitzy things, the colour red, and butterflies.

She does not like flowers, chocolates, or eating in restaurants or hotels.

The only positive present response I ever got was to a glittery red butterfly themed perfume holder and jewellery box set.

So far I’ve got a glass butterfly-patterned lantern with a red candle in it and added some diamantes to the bottom.

Any ideas for what else I can add? I don’t want to just not bother, as she’s unwell and I don’t know if this may be her last birthday with us, but it’s hard when you’re wrong no matter what you get.

I m thinking of going on a theatre trip to London in a couple of months.

I d leave home mid-morning on day 1 and return early evening on day 3.

Between the hotel, three plays, trains and subways, it is likely to cost around £870.

I can eat breakfast on day 1 and dinner on day 3 at home.

The hotel includes breakfast on day 2 and 3 (no food items can leave the dining area).

The hotel is fairly basic (bed, shower, kettle). There are no heating or refridgerating facilities available.

I need ideas for what food to pack for the two dinners and two lunches while I m away. It s an expensive city and I don t want to eat out/buy locally if I can avoid it, as the three days are going to cost me nearly a month s wages.

I m diabetic, so my meals need to have a decent carb content.

Any ideas?

I've found a few solutions so far:

* Using steel straws

*Replacing clingfilm with beeswax cloth or silicon lids

* Using ribbon instead of cellotape to seal wrapped presents

* I'm looking for steel tubs for bath cooking portions of food.

* Cutting down on online shopping

* Canvas shopping bags

Any other easy things to cut out I've not thought of?

I take leftovers to work quite often to microwave, a) to save waste and b) we have no heating in work, so hot meals help!.

The plastic tubs end up cracking after being in the freezer, or warping when being washed in hot water (especially if all the plates in work are already being used and I have to micro my meal inside the tub).

I've tried to shop online for sets of metal food tubs (ideally to fit at least a full sandwich and a snack) but they're £30-50 each! And most of them don't give clear sizes to work out if they're fit for purpose.

Anyone know which shops sell them so I can look at them in person?

Please only answer if you know the name of a shop that sells them - I've tried all the supermarkets and homeware shops I know of, and googled like crazy, and am not getting anywhere.