I recently told you about Annabel Karmel’s partnership with Infantino to create a line of products that make it easy for moms like you and I to make our children’s food. You don’t have to spend countless hours in the kitchen laboring over baby food.  Since my daughter is still very much in the puree stage, I experimented with the Freeze Tray, Stackable Food Pots, and Fill & Freeze Puree Pops.  My son was very interested in “helping” me make his sister’s baby food and we ended up making some fresh fruit lollies for him as well.

The Freeze Tray is ideally used for freezing small portions of freshly prepared baby food (because who has time to make fresh baby food every day?).  Not only will you save time by preparing the batches once a week or so, you’ll still be providing your child with fresh food you’ve prepared with ingredients you’ve selected.  Each cube holds 1 ounce of food for a total of 9 ounces.  I actually used the tray to freeze juice and then used it in place of ice, which made my son quite happy!

The Stackable Food Pots, ideal for storing fresh baby food, can be clipped together to save space in the fridge.  Each pot can be used as a serving size for your child, depending on his/her age and appetite.  I actually stuck them in the freezer and popped out the food to thaw when we were ready to use them. The pots are see-through to avoid the hassle of labeling.

Both of my children enjoyed the Fill & Freeze Puree Pops.  My son can’t eat ice cream, and we typically buy sorbet or popsicles for him. It wasn’t until I was freezing some organic pureed peaches and mangoes for my daughter that I thought about making fruitsicles for my son.  I can make them with pure fruit and juice while avoiding added sugars and dyes.  My daughter has been teething for weeks and when I gave her a pop, it seemed to soothe her sore gums. The Pops are perfectly sized for tots small hands.

You can purchase Annabel Karmel’s line of feeding products at Toys R Us.

I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for Infantino and have received various Infantino products as part of my participation.

mOmma is a new line of feeding products that “combine innovation and technology to transform mealtime into an opportunity to play and learn.”  When I first opened up the feeding products, I was struck by their uniquely designed shapes.  My first thought was, did my toddler have the dexterity to utilize the fork/spoon and straw cup?  Could my almost 8 month old daughter, who’s nearly ready for a sippy cup actually drink from it?  Interestingly enough, the unique design of mOmma’s products is  supposed to make it easy for both infants and toddlers to eventually learn to eat and drink independently. Features like dual handles and round shapes help strengthen a child’s grip and make it easy for infants to grasp.  I’ve yet to see a company design feeding gear with a spherical base which keeps the products upright and prevents them from coming into contact with germ-ridden surfaces. And, the utensils come with protective lids which makes it easy and hygienic to tote along on outings.

A vast majority of sippy cups leak…either initially or eventually.  mOmma’s cups feature a non-spill lid and rubber-coated bottoms to prevent leaks and drips.  So far my 3 year old has managed to avoid the spills…when he isn’t trying to untwist the top of the straw cup.

I was surprised my daughter could grasp the utensils and sippy cup.  And my son was immediately intrigued by the bright colors and spherical designs.

mOmma’s line of feeding products are BPA and phthalate-free.  While I find them to be a bit higher priced than conventional products (around $10), I like their modern design and durability.

Now through September 10, you can enter a photo of your tot’s messiest mealtime moment for a chance to win a pack of mOMma products (retail value $104.50).  For more information, just visit their website or Facebook page.

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No compensation was received for this post. Product samples were provided via Team Mom to facilitate this review.

New to the market is a line of bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers, and teethers designed by an Austrian company called MAM.  With safety at the forefront of their designs, MAM is committed to ensuring their products are free from BPA, PVCs, Phthalates, and Lead.  The company has been around for over twenty five years and elicits the expertise of pediatric dentists, developmental psychologists, and other medical experts in their design process.

Because my daughter is already accustomed to a particular brand of bottle and my son is too old for bottles, we opted to check out some of the company’s other products including their teethers, training cups, and and training brushes.

One of the things you’ll notice about MAM’s baby care products, is that they are categorized by age.  A teething product designed for a newborn, isn’t necessarily appropriate for a 6 month old…and MAM recognizes that.  Their teethers are colorful, soft, and ergonomic.  I particularly like their Starter Teether, which clips on to a baby’s outfit for easy grasping.  The Bite & Brush actually cleans teeth when a baby bites on it and the Cooler cools, soothes, and reaches incoming molars.

MAM recognizes that oral care begins long before the first tooth eruption. They have a line of brushes designed to keep a baby’s teeth clean.  With ergonomic handles and a massaging head, parents and babies can start the process of regular oral care.

I will admit that my almost 3 year old son still drinks from a sippy cup from time to time, although we prefer to have him drink from a straw cup.  My six month old daughter is actually at the age where she can begin to use a sippy cup, but I don’t think she’s quite ready yet. One of the things I’ve noticed about sippy cups is that some are shaped in a way that makes it difficult for babies and tots to grasp. MAM designed their cups to be ergonomic which helps babies learn to drink on their own. Their cups are made with a hard spout to prepare babies to drink from a glass and include a patented valve to prevent leaks.

MAM baby care products are reasonably priced (anywhere from $5-$10) and can be found at retailers nationwide.

No compensation was received for this post.  Product samples were provided by the company to facilitate this review.

It seems like so far away, yet by six months, our little girl will be ready to start using a sippy cup…she’ll be staring solid foods.  It will happen before we’ve had a chance to even think about catching up on sleep.  On my quest for feeding products, safety is my number one concern.  Since MOST feeding products are derived from plastic, it’s important that anything that goes in my childrens’ mouth is free from BPA.  A couple of years ago, I can’t tell you that well-known baby companies even thought about BPA as an issue.  These days, it would be a little more difficult to find a company still using BPA in baby products.

Evenflo is one such company who has worked to ensure that their products are BPA-free.  The company has just launched a new toddler line called Smart Steps.  The launch of the line is an effort by Evenflo to address childhood obesity and eating disorders (a product concept I find very interesting).  Here is a little more info from the site:

Smart Steps was developed in collaboration with top nutrition experts from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, to offer parents a simple solution to fostering lifelong healthy eating habits by providing products for each age and stage of a child’s eating development. The products can help toddlers recognize proper portion sizes, explore new and different foods, and learn to self-regulate meals by listening to their bodies to identify when they feel full.

Smart Steps offers products in 3 different lines:  Knowing Portions, Exploring Food, and Serving Myself.  Each category offers products which correlate with varying developmental stages.  Insulated Cups which keep liquids cool, Portion Plates that teach toddlers about appropriate portion sizes, and Snack Stackers which promote toddler self-feeding are just a few of the products offered in this new line.  I really like the incorporation of a child’s development with education about nutrition and eating.  They’ve also aligned their products to correlate with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidelines for toddler feeding.

Overall, I think this the line is healthy, user-friendly, and a great starting point for teaching toddlers.  You can find Smart Steps at Babies R Us and select retailers nationwide.  You can  download a coupon here.

Do you have a picky eater?  I know I do!  Here are some tips, courtesy of the site:

• Let your kids be “produce pickers” at the store.  If they can pick out their own fruits and veggies – they’ll be more inclined to eat them
• Invite your kids to prepare meals with you.  All of that mixing, mashing and measuring will make them want to taste what they are prepping.
• Try to make meals a stress-free time. Talk about fun and happy things.
• Offer choices. Rather than ask “Do you want broccoli for dinner?” ask “Which would you like for dinner: broccoli or cauliflower?”

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Evenflo and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”