I suppose because I’ve always breastfed Ameli, and known that if we’re ‘caught out’ somewhere without food, she has milk on tap, I’ve never been very good at planning and preparing snacks and drinks and carrying them with us. I find it a little embarrassing, sometimes, when we’re at a play centre or something and other mums have mini canteens full of different things in their bags, and we have nothing. It never bothered me, until Ameli started going over to those mothers and looking up at them with big puppy dog eyes, then comes back to me with a handful of whatever. So, I realised I had to start carrying something along with me.
Then, of course, I have the problem that Ameli refuses a bottle and that with a few exceptions, she rarely uses a sippy cup for very long either.
So, when my lovely friends from Husha Byebaby offered us a couple of items from their Green To Grow range, I figured I may as well try it. Surely we’d find something that suited Ameli at some stage, right? And if not, at worst we’d have a new addition to our sippy cup collection.
We received the Seahorse Green To Grow Sippy Trainer Cup, and despite loving the seahorse design, I didn’t really have high hopes. It has no fancy nozzle, no intricate flow design, nothing uber-super-duper. It’s just a sippy trainer cup. And Ameli loves it. I wish that guy from Lie to Me was here, so he could tell you how honest I’m being right now. Whereas getting Ameli to drink even 200ml of liquid a day from a cup or any one of her numerous supplies, was pretty impossible, and breastfeeding was her main source of liquid refreshment during the day, she will now happily drink one or two of these a day, and her number of breastfeeds during the day have started going down (remember, she’s almost two, so I’m totally happy with that.)
The Trainer Cup has a really soft spout, and I suspect the flow from the spout is big enough and that that’s what’s made this a winner for her. That, and the seahorse, which I sometimes find her chatting to!
The other Green to Grow item we have now, is a set of stackable snack pots, that also come with lids, should you want to keep them separate. They have as cute a marine themed design, with turtle and seabed designs. They’re a great size for hand bag snacks, such as peanuts, mini breadsticks, fruit portions and so on, and so far they’ve endured my handbag, and the occasional spin through the dishwasher.
Green To Grow (please note this link will take you to a website that advertises alternative feedings systems) are an American company, started the same way as so many others: Parents who wanted to find something better for their child. Their ABOUT page is similar to so many other ‘home businesses’, but Michael Ritterbrown, the company President, makes some really poignant statements I want to share with you.
He says, “We have learned, in our efforts to serve as stewards of health and wellbeing for babies and children, that it is impossible to separate what is best for babies and children from what is best for the earth.â€
I think that is such a powerful statement, and couldn’t agree more.
He also says, “We believed concerned parents like us would welcome safer alternatives, even if they cost more due to the higher price of the raw materials used.â€
This is something I’ve always said – I’d rather have less, but better for Ameli, rather than clutter up her life with lots of rubbish.
I love the ethos of this business, (on environmental matters, if not WHO compliance), and think their commitment to giving back is admirable. (From using recycled paper and soy inks in their packaging and printing, to donating a percent of their annual sales to environmental causes, to their charity that recycles used bottles to those in need.)
All this, while producing BPA, phthalates, PVC and lead-free products for babies and children.
Competition
Husha Byebaby have offered one Diary of a First Child reader the opportunity to win a snack stacker and Green To Grow Sippy Trainer Cup. To be in with a chance to win, leave a comment below giving me snack suggestions for when I’m out with my daughter.
Competition ends at 23:59 on 8 August, and the winner will be selected randomly using Random.org
And the winner is: megan adams
You can follow Husha Byebaby (and Diary of a First Child) on Facebook. If you do, be sure to let them (Husha Byebaby) know I sent you, and leave a comment below to tell me you have. Â
Liked and commented on Facebook 🙂 @pipersky1
Strawberries and raspberries are my girls favorite (expensive though!). They love grapes, carrot sticks and cheese twists (those pastry ones) as well 🙂 @pipersky1
Cheese and apple is a hit with my youngest Alfie x
My 10 month old loves sweetcorn & peas 🙂 keeps him occupied for a long time too 🙂
Carrot Sticks, apple slices and cheese sticks 🙂
MINE LOVED THE OLD FAVOURITES, BANANAS, CARROT STICKS, CUCUMBER (EVEN A WHOLE ONE STOLEN FROM THE FRIDGE WHEN SHE WAS 2) SOFT CHEESE TRIANGLES
Grapes are good to have in a little tub when out and about, so are small cubes of cheese, and breadsticks x
Buttered malt loaf is always a good ‘outandabout’ snack.
Raisins are my 2 year old’s favourite
Slices of fruit with a yoghurt to dip them in.
Raisins and all sorts of fruit.
cheese and crackers
Cherry tomatoes
My little ones love Jordans Super Berry Granola to pick at throughout the day!
Grapes. And apparently all the more delicious if they are left on the stalk for them to pull off themselves!
Cheese & crackers
carrot sticks and cubes of cheese seem to be a favourite for my little one
Home-made cheese and herb scones are a favourite for my little one
Cheese cubes, raisins, dry cheerios, star shaped sandwiches, bread sticks, apple slices.
raisins
Apple wedges with a puree mango dip.
This is a little mad, but my kids absolutely love cooked sprouts & carrots. I’m not complaining tho, it’s super healthy x
Raisins and carrot sticks never fail
My little ones love carrot sticks, sliced apple, raisins and grapes which are all ideal for on-the-go snacking and healthy too!
MY SON LOVES OLIVES AS A LITTLE SNACK
Raisins are a great treat
shreddies,cereal without the milk
Wedges of apple
grapes, carrot sticks or rice cakes always go down well in our family
sandwiches in different shapes x
slived apple 🙂
Raisins are my 3 year old’s favourite
Babybell, fruit bags wich can be just apple, apples & Grapes and melon.
Freshly baked bread cut in to soldiers. They’re great fun to suck and chew on x
Raisins
Grapes
Put some sweetcorn in a bowl and mix in with batter mix. ‘Fry’ gently in a good oil and serve as small fritters..sort of chicken nugget size but much healthier…my Grandson’s love them.
We take frozen frubes-and if they’ve melted when my son wants one it doesn’t matter as its just cold yoghurt!(they also keep sandwiches in his lunchbox nice and cool!)
Potato fries and chips are the best for my kids.
Grapes and mini breadsticks are always a winner with my toddler
Halved grapes and little cubes of cheese.
Rora loves carrot sticks, cucumber, pepper, I buy one of the big crudites trays for asda, and every day just select a couple of stick of each to take out!
My child loves dried apricot, rasins, yogurt covered fruit flakes, rice cakes, yogurt, apple slices, home made banana and rasin loaf with no sugar as the banana sweetens it enough for her or home made biscuits with fruit and no sugar.
Sliced mango. Healthy yet fun!
@megan_adams@hotmail.co.uk, Congratulations on winning the green to grow sippy cup!
Banana coins and dried pineapple are big hits here.
toast fingers
Cucumber sticks and homemade humous for a healthy and tasty snack
Sugar free jelly
Raisins & Apples.
Or a packet of crisps (obviously not too often).
Current bun/teacake.
breadsticks with a bit of cheese to dip
Rice Cakes
Sultanas and raisins
bananas – healthy and come in their own wrapper!
Raisins
My daughter loves raw carrots dipped in dairylea
My daughter loves rice cakes topped with soft cream cheese and slices of ham. yum yum 🙂
Already following on facebook and have tweeted. @frencn_caroline
I have 2yr old and 10mth old and they can now share snacks 🙂 never leave the house without cheese twists and ready to eat apricots!
A little pot of dried fruit.
apple slices and carrot sticks
raisins!
I tend to give raisins although the ones in the mini-boxes aren’t cheap – where possible I refill. Thanks!
I make sure i always have cocktail sausages, chicken bits and fruit with me when i take my little girl out. Great comp by the way x
icecream and fruit smoothies are a nice treat
Multi-coloured cherry tomatoes
Chubba Chop lollies are good as a sweet snack or bananas with sherbert! As a savoury snack I think Cheese straws or pommy bear crisps which most children seem to like!
At this time of the year my daughter enjoys picking her own snacks straight from the garden – peas, strawberries and cherry tomatoes are all favourites. If we are out she settles for raisins and cucumber sticks.
Cut up chicks of cheese or strawberries and keep then in pots for a quick snack.
sticks of fruit x
CARROT STICKS, APPLE STICKS, AND ORANGE SEGMENTS ALWAYS A WINNER WITH MY LIL BOY 😀
Grapes and mini boxes of raisins are always in my bag when i go out with my little boy
Those mini boxes of raisins are great as little ones love picking the raisins out themselves.
I think products like these are going to become more and more popular. I’ve seen plenty of evidence that shows that parents are willing to pay a little more to get something that is safe for their child. The fact that Greentogrow are environmentally friendly adds an extra element to their products, so I think it’s great that you are supporting them.
What about garbanzo beans? It depends on the kid, but some really like the size, texture, and taste.
I’d recommend a plastic tub of strawberries, blueberries, grapes and raspberries, excellent for sticking under the pram! If you know your going to be stopping somewhere some cubes of cheese and some oatcakes/crackers, my boy loves getting to place the cheese in different patterns on his :O) and always always always have a bottle of drinking water!
Kayleigh likes cucumber sticks, breadsticks, cheese cut into sticks, strips of cooked chicken, anything stick shaped really!
I always have a piece of fruit (when littler cut up apple was good), raisins, bread sticks and if it’s not too warm a yogurt drink or a frube :)- my kids are grubbers and as son as we leave the house i get asked ‘do we have any snacks?’
Littlest one still has his boob 🙂
Following you on Facebook and was already following Diary of a First Child x
My daughter has dairy and soya allgeries so trying to find her something to snack on is very difficult. Especially something that’s full of nutrients and give a child lots of energy that they need. It wasn’t until I poured myself a bowl of rice krispie multigrain and my daughter helped herself to some that I realise just how good they are for snacking. So as longs as the cereal is low in sugar and salt – it’s nutritious, not messy, easy to self feed and keeps them quiet for ages as they take so long to eat and pick up each one haha
Mine love mini bread sticks and carrot and cucumber batons when they are out and about – in fact my 8 year old still has them for school!
Following you and Husha Byebaby and have tweeted the comp.
Michele Elton
@glitterbaby40
yoghurts are good thanks for the comp x
My daughter used to love cereal (cheerios) so I would put it in a drawstring washbag (clean I promise) that way I could attach it to straps in the car or pushchair
@littleboo_21
For my kids- I give them fruit as much as I can, but once in a while some chocolate too 🙂
Mine love breadsticks as snacks with a few raisins mixes in!
Already following you on facebook
Now also liked Husha Byebaby 😀
apple sticks is always a hit here, and good for teething.
Frozen organic blueberries! I pack them in a little container and by the time we get to wherever they are ready to eat! Leaves blue fingers but a happy baby 🙂