Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

How My Snack Stash Saved the Day

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Last week I told you all about my toddler snacks that I took for our road trip up to Asheville. They were a great help in the car, to be sure. But they also totally saved the day in the most unlikely of all places:

AT A RESTAURANT.

That may surprise you to hear me say. But then again, if you have a toddler, then you understand that when they want to eat, they want to eat NOW. Tim and I took a while to figure out what we wanted to order, and then the food took a little while to come out. That span of 20 minutes was 8 eternities to little Layah, and she quickly started to lose her composure.

At first I thought one of us would just have to leave with herand we’d have to take turns eating our food. Then I remembered that I stuck an Earth’s Best Sunny Days Snack Bars in my purse.

I handed it over to Layah, and then turned around to grab my camera so I could snap a picture of our lunchtime hero. Here’s what was left of the bar once I turned back around:


 OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

This snack bar earns full credit for keeping Layah from losing her cool, and for keeping our family all at the same table, eating our food at the same time. It saved the day!

What snacks do you keep in your purse, either for your little ones or for yourself? 

I am an Earth’s Best Preferred blogger, and as such, have received complimentary products to facilitate my review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend what I already buy and love. 

Toddler Snacks for the Road: DON’T Leave Home Without Them!

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Before we left for our recent weekend trip to Asheville (a 4 hour drive away from us, factoring in a few stops with kids), I made sure that we had a fully stocked snack bag. Specifically, I packed all of this:

earth's best snacks for kids

 

And while we stopped 4 times on that 4 hour trip, we never did stop because of hunger. So I’m confident that my heft supply of Earth’s Best provisions kept us from stopping 6 or even 7 times each way. In that sense, they were a major sanity saver!

I carefully selected each item you see here for different reasons, but the common theme for all of them is that they are highly portable and relatively mess-free. Even Layah is getting tot he point where she can feed herself a yogurt smoothie, and she can definitely tear up a Sunny Days Snack Bar! It is so nice to finally reach that point where we don’t have to pull over in order to give her any food! And I absolutely love that you can purchase the Earth’s Best Yogurt Smoothies in the 6 pack. I have a hard time finding that option in my local stores, but it is available on Amazon in sets of two 6 packs at a time.

One tip I have for you if your kids love the smoothies: If you aren’t taking them on the road, try sticking them in the freezer for a few hours before you give them to the kids. They are DELICIOUS as a cool slushy treat this time of year!

Are you taking any road trips? What kind of snacks do you pack for your kiddos? I’d love to hear what makes your “must have” list!

I am an Earth’s Best preferred blogger, and I such, I have received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions listed here are strictly my own.  This post contains affiliate links. 

Vegetables for Kids: Tips and Tricks (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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I am the mom that serves things like powdered kelp and tahini to my babies. I make plain yogurt at home and add things like nutritional yeast and liquid DHA for babies to dishes. I steam and puree every vegetable I can think of and spoon it into those tiny little mouths. And I do believe I laid a good foundation for my kids being more adventurous eaters.

But with that said, I have to admit that my oldest, in particular, will still have days where she wants nothing more than to survive off food that is orange and brown (bread, cheese, peanut butter). So if you are ever feeling guilty that you “didn’t do enough” to get your kids to eat fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods, take it from the mom who went all out in that department: kids are just going to be picky, at least from time to time.

Vegetables for Kids

BUT….I do believe that if you are feeling defeated in the battle over vegetables for kids that I can offer some tips that will help!

Offer Variety

First and foremost, if your child is still a baby, then there’s no time like the present to introduce as many different flavors as you possibly can. You’d be amazed at the things that you can puree or just chop up and put on their high chair trays. With my youngest, Layah, I have found that there are days when she just really wants to feed herself. That’s when I ditch the purees and break out things like rice and peas. She goes to town!

Offer Often

Also, if a baby rejects a food, put it away for a few hours and try again. Just yesterday Layah only ate 2 bites of the sweet potato porridge I made for her breakfast. I offered it to her again for dinner and she ate the entire thing! Just because they reject it once, that doesn’t mean that they won’t ever like it.

Set the Example

My nine month old is interested in trying ANYTHING that is on my plate. That motivates me to make sure I’ve got plenty of good food there. For example, yesterday I was having mac and cheese and I will admit, I didn’t have any vegetables on my plate at first. When I saw Layah making googly eyes at my food, I hopped over to my freezer and got some sugar snap peas. After a few minutes in the microwave, they were steamed and ready to eat. I got a good serving of veggies, and BOTH of my kids ate a good amount, too…all because it was on mommy’s plate!

Veggies ARE Snacks

My 3 year old asks for “a special treat” every day after her quiet time. I have moved out of my bad habit of giving her something sweet and started to offer her fruits and veggies. Carrot sticks with hummus, for example, have become one of her favorite “treats.” If you treat vegetables like they are something to look forward to, then they eventually will become so!

Blend Tastes

It is true that some vegetables have a more bitter taste, which can make them tough to swallow, literally. But I have learned that there are some vegetables that go nicely together and improve the overall flavor when combined. Earth’s Best has just launched a line of Organic Veggie Purees. These, my friends, are the new best friend of parents battling picky eaters.

Earth's Best Veggie Pouch vegetables for kids

 Earth’s Best does an excellent job of finding the perfect match of vegetables to puree together so that the taste is fantastic and the nutritional benefit is huge. Darah begs to eat these any time she sees them in the pantry. She thinks they are “special treats.” And they are…they just happen to also be really good for her!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win all the new Earth’s Best Veggie Pouches!

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I am a blog ambassador for Earth’s Best, and as such I have received complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All thoughts and opinions express here are strictly my own.

Earth’s Best Pouches Are a Travel Must-Have

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We have been doing a bit of traveling this holiday season, much the same as millions of other families across the world. We visited my family down in Alabama. They actually came up to visit us a few weeks ago when we had both our girls baptized. When they were loading up the car to travel back home, I sent them back with all the Christmas presents I had ready at that point and perhaps more importantly, I sent ahead some food for the girls. I wanted to make 100% sure that I didn’t forget the Earth’s best jarred food AND the Earth’s Best squeeze pouches. What a nightmare it would have been to have to go to Walmart, or really any store at all, on Christmas Eve to buy them!

Earth’s Best Food Pouches

I choose Earth’s Best for my girls for several reasons. First and foremost, the ingredients are all organic, and that gives me a lot of peace of mind. At home, Layah eats homemade organic baby food about 75% of the time, with some jarred food sprinkled in to give extra variety. I also aim to give Darah organic fruits and vegetables as much as my budget will allow.

Earth’s Best pouches are so fantastic to have on hand because it is pretty much guaranteed that Darah will eat them. Overall she is a good eater, but she’s 3, and that means that she certainly has days where the only thing in this whole world she wishes to eat is peanut butter and chocolate. Sigh… But I have found that if I offer her a squeeze pouch, she says yes to it EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. And Earth’s Best pouches contain all kinds of yummy stuff (no, not peanut butter and chocolate). It’s such a clever way for me to get some veggies and fruits in Darah’s system.

earth's best food pouches

The pouches also work great for Layah, especially on the road. She doesn’t have the hang of sucking the food out herself, but I can squeeze the food onto a spoon for her and feed her at whatever place we have chosen to stop at. When she’s finished, I just screw the lid back on. Since the pouches are shelf stable, I know the food inside will be just fine for several more hours until we reach our destination (at which point I do refrigerate opened pouches and jarred food).

On this trip, Layah has been enjoying the Earth’s Best 1st Foods pouches, which include the following flavors:

  • bananas
  • pears
She has also REALLY enjoyed the Earth’s Best Greek Yogurt Smoothies. Banana is what she has tried so far, but you can also find it in apple or cherry.
As for Darah, as I said before, she will eat any of the pouches (even the 1st foods!) but I’ve been giving her the Just for Toddlers Sesame Street Fruit and Yogurt Smoothies, available in the following flavors:
  • Strawberry Banana
  • Apple Blueberry
  • Peach Banana
  • Pear Mango
  • Mixed Berry
Earth’s Best pouches help our family make the long road trip a little bit easier, and they also help us ensure that our kids are getting the great nutrition they need even when we are away from home and not “in charge” of the meals being served.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win an Earth’s Best pouch sampler pack!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I am a blog ambassador for Earth’s Best, and as such I have received complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All thoughts and opinions express here are strictly my own.

Do You Prefer Jars or Pouches for Baby Food? Great Reasons to Choose Both!

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Have you ever found yourself at the baby food aisle trying to decide if you should purchase jars or pouches? I definitely have, but I find that I reach for different options based on the reason why I’m getting the food. If I’m picking up something for Darah, I obviously go for pouches because she’s way too old for baby food, but she LOVES squeeze pouches of fruit and vegetable purees.

If I’m just trying to add variety to the meal options at home for Layah, I’ll go with the jars. They are less expensive than pouches so they provide a better value for times when I’ll just be feeding her in her high chair.

Earth’s Best has a great chart that breaks down some of the key differences between jars and pouches and the reasons why you might choose one over the other:

 

As Layah gets older, I’ll gravitate more toward the pouches because the self-feeding aspect of them is one of the biggest pluses. They are also fantastic to use on the road!

What about you? What percentage of solid food for your little ones comes from a jar vs. a pouch? Do you have a favorite brand of baby food for jars and/or pouches? I’d love to hear what you are buying!

I am a blog ambassador for Earth’s Best, and as such I have received complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All thoughts and opinions express here are strictly my own.

All Layah Wants for Christmas is Earth’s Best Toddler Biscuits (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Just as everyone told me it would be, my two little girls are so very different in so many ways. But they seem to be mirror images of each other when it comes to teething. Namely, they get their teeth two at a time. It makes for double the pain of teething, but at least we get two teeth in instead of just one each time we go through all that teething drama!

Layah has had her two bottom teeth for over a month now. They are the cutest thing on earth! I suspect that more teeth will be along shortly, judging by the GALLONS of drool she produces every day. Even with bibs on her (which, by the way, she’s learning how to pull off! ARGH!), I’m still changing her onesie two to three times because they are getting soaked.

I have had some Earth’s Best Toddler Biscuits in my freezer for a little while, waiting for her to be ready for them. Oh my word, you guys, they are a HUGE hit! I think sticking them in the freezer makes them even more enjoyable to her sore gums. Since they are intended for slightly older babies, I want to emphasize that I do not leave her unattended with these. For her safety, I’m right with her when she gets to gnaw on them. If you choose to give these to a baby under 1 year of age, I recommend you do the same.

(What I would give to have lashes like hers!)

Teething biscuits are popular with babies because they are hard. The point isn’t so much for them to eat it (although they are obviously edible!) but to have something very safe and soothing to gnaw on as those little teeth work their way up through the gums. I like the Earth’s Best teething biscuits because they are the perfect size for Layah to grasp. They also are made with organic wheat and barley, which makes them a good choice from a nutrition standpoint, too.

If you have a little one going through teething, you may have some questions about the process. Check out the FAQ section on Earth’s Best about teething. It’s got some really helpful tips!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win toddler biscuits from Earth’s Best!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I am a blog ambassador for Earth’s Best, and as such I have received complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All thoughts and opinions express here are strictly my own.



Getting my Kitchen Ready for Layah: Earth’s Best 1st and 2nd Foods (GIVEAWAY!!!)


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Over the past week, I’ve been extra busy in my kitchen. I’m getting my freezer stocked up for Layah. She’s already 4 1/2 months old. My intention is to start her on solids at 6 months, but I want to be prepared sooner just in case she can’t wait that long. I will make the majority of the food she eats using my baby food maker. I’m also using product from our CSA share and from our own little garden. These fruits and veggies are organic, and that’s what I aim to feed Layah, as much as possible. Plus, when you make it yourself, it really is quite affordable!


I also made Darah’s baby food, so I can tell you from experience that when you are going to be away from the house all day (running errands, going on a trip, etc.) it is challenging to bring your own food that might not be shelf-stable. Just like last time, I’ll be reaching for Earth’s Best for those moments! I can’t believe it is already time to start buying these cute little jars!



		
		
			
			
		
	


 


Earth’s Best can help you get your little ones to love their veggies from the start by exposing it to them early and often! They have some wonderful vegetables that are in season right now on the shelves, and every ingredient is organic.


As your little one tries a vegetable for the first time (such as sweet potato or green beans), keep in mind that a common response is to spit it out at first. Don’t be discouraged! Simply try again the next day and the next. In most cases, your baby will be willing and even happy to eat it by the end of the week! It takes time for their palates to get on board with a new flavor.


Earth’s Best also has some great resources online to help parents navigate introducing their little ones to solid foods and how to introduce new flavors and textures in a way that will maximize the chances of you having an adventurous eater! I loved this article on infants’ unpredictable palates.


Do you have a baby eating solids (or soon-to-be eating solids?). Then I have a great giveaway for you!


Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win an assortment of Earth’s Best 1st and 2nd Foods – Seasonal Vegetables!

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Be sure to enter my other giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.


I am a blog ambassador for Earth’s Best, and as such, I have received complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own


My DIY Applesauce Disaster and An Earth’s Best GIVEAWAY!!!


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Time for an embarrassing story about myself! Grab the popcorn and plop down…this one is a doozy!


A few years ago when we lived in Memphis, we had an apple tree in our front yard. It was an adorable little thing, and it made quite a few apples in the fall of 2009. At the time, Darah was just 2 months old, or so. I saw those apples and thought, “Oh my gosh! I can make and freeze some organic apple sauce for my daughter…and for FREE!!!” I put on my Betty Crocker/Martha Stewart/Crunchy Granola Mama crown and sash and marched out to that front yard with my bowl, returning inside with quite the harvest. I was about to ROCK THIS DIY SO HARD.


I found a recipe online…it looked simple enough, and I gathered all my ingredients. Darah observed from her bouncer, fascinated, I’m sure, to see her mom making something from scratch. I followed all of the steps and before long, I had something in my large pot the very strongly resembled apple sauce. And there was a ton of it. Oh man, I was going to enough apple sauce to last Darah for several months! So exciting!


As I continued along with the process, I got to the step where I needed to add some vinegar. I added it in, and immediately thought, “Eww, vinegar stinks even more than I thought it did. Hmm…well, whatever, I’m sure the smell will dissipate soon.” And about 2 minutes later it still smelled TERRIBLE. I gave it a couple of big sniffs and thought, “I don’t know…something’s a bit….off.”


Now remember, I had a 2 month old. I was a first time mom. I was running on baby grins and games of pat a cake, and was DEFINITELY sleep-deprived. So my old noggin’ wasn’t exactly in its sharpest state.


Finally, after inhaling this noxious odor for several minutes, it occured to me to review my ingredients on the counter.


And that’s when I realized that I put AMMONIA in my huge vat of organic apple sauce. Yeah I did. I added poison to my child’s food. And then I sniffed it. And sniffed it again. It’s a miracle I didn’t eat it, myself. If I had been more sleep-deprived, I may have just kept on cooking and freezed it. Who knows?


I totally cried when I realized that I ruined every single apple I had been waiting a few months to pick. And then I laughed so hard that I cried again.



		
		
			
			
		
	


Thank goodness this isn’t the only way to get organic apple sauce! I skip making it myself now (I just can’t be trusted, friends!) and rely on the quality and goodness of Earth’s Best Organic Apple Sauce. It only has ingredients I know and trust, and it comes in the perfect size containers for Darah’s snack time, or as part of her lunch. I have gladly relinquished my ill-fitting crown as chief cooking DIY diva and given Earth’s Best the title. It’s quality I can count on!


Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win Tiffany’s homemade apple sauce! Just kidding! You will win an Organic Apple Sauce prize pack from Earth’s Best!


a Rafflecopter giveaway




Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.


Disclosure: I am a blog ambassador for Earth’s Best, and as such, I have received complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.


Quick and Healthy Lunch Ideas for Back to School!


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We have one more week until Darah goes back to school as an official pre-schooler! My eyes well up with tears at the mere thought of it!


Darah won’t be staying at school for lunch, so I don’t actually have to pack one for her, but I still have to have a lunch prepared for her when she gets home every day. I work as hard as I can on the blog and on grading work for my college class I teach, so I don’t really have much time to devote to preparing a lunch. I need to rely on more convenient options so that I can spend as much time as possible working before she gets home.


But like most moms, I don’t want my need to go for convenience to eclipse my desire to provide healthy food for my child.


Earth’s Best has got some great products that are absolutely perfect for the mid-day rush, and if you are packing a lunch, they work well in a lunch box, too!


Darah has been enjoying the Earth’s Best Sunny Day Snack Bars at lunch time and as an afternoon snack. They are naturally sweetened cereal bars filled with real fruit. They come in strawberry and apple flavors, and have Big Bird and Grover on them, which delights my little preschooler. I’m delighted by them because they are the right serving size for smaller tummies, and they provide big doses of calcium, iron, zinc and six B vitamins.


The other item in my pantry “lunch box” is Earth’s Best Kidz Organic Apple Sauce. Did you know that conventional apples are one of the “dirtiest” items of produce? The amount of chemicals from pesticides that is found on them is absolutely astounding. Going organic when it comes to apples is a very good idea, even if it is one of the only fruits for which you pay the higher price. I especially like having these individual servings of applesauce on hand for days when we might be out of fresh fruit. Darah can still get a serving of something healthy and delicious when I’m overdue for a trip to the store!



		
		
			
			
		
	


I do try to keep a specific box in my pantry for lunch staples that I can easily grab to help supplement the meal with minimal effort on my part. That is really essential so that I can be confident that I can pull lunch together for her in 5 minutes every day and not find myself spending 30 minutes of my work time in the kitchen scrambling to cook something. It’s a strategy that has served me well, and I highly recommend it!


Here are some other things I keep on hand for a healthy and quick lunch for Darah:


    

  • baby carrots and ranch dip
    • 

  • blueberries
    • 

  • strawberries
    • 

  • bananas
    • 

  • whole wheat crackers
    • 

  • slices or cubes of cheese
    • 

  • yogurt (I usually buy plain and mix in a little organic jam to sweeten it)
    • 

  • round and thin sandwich bread (it’s the perfect size for a younger child’s sandwich!)
    • 

  • peanut butter and graham crackers for a dose of protein
    • 

  • hummus
    • 



I’d love to hear what your go-to lunch and lunch box items are. Sometimes I get in a rut and love to be inspired by what other parents are doing! Please share (and remember…comments on this post earn you extra entries in the Earth’s Best giveaway I’ll hold in a few weeks)!


Disclosure: I am a blog ambassador for Earth’s Best, and as such, I have received complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.