earths best baby food - Stuff Parents Need

How My Snack Stash Saved the Day

June 29, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 7 Comments

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:

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!

June 23, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 5 Comments

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:

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.

3 Earths Best Products I Buy on Amazon Regularly

April 14, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

I’ve been blogging faithfully about Earth’s Best products on my site for about 10 months, now. But I’ve been a loyal customer to the brand since I became a mom, and since the day that I realized we needed to supplement breastfeeding with some formula. I always love to hear about what products other moms are loyal to and how they find the best deals for them, so I thought I’d share with you 3 products from Earth’s Best that I order through Amazon.

My Earth’s Best Amazon Shopping List

1. Earth’s Best Formula. I actually buy the Earth’s Best Organic Infant Formula with Iron and the Earth’s Best Organic Sensitivity Infant Formula. I usually dump one can of each into a very large mixing bowl and combine the two powders, then put them back into their canisters all mixed up together. That is just what Layah seems to like best. Be sure to pay careful attention to the prices Amazon lists for each canister of formula. Right now, for example, it is cheaper to purchase the formula with iron 1 canister at a time than as a 4 pack, but it is cheaper to purchase the sensitivity formula as a 4 pack than 1 canister at a time. It makes no sense to me, but it must to Amazon!

2. Certain jarred foods. Recently I ordered the Earth’s Best Organic 2nd Gourmet Meals, Variety Pack. They offer a variety pack of 12, which includes Chicken Mango Risotto, Creamy Chicken Apple Compote, Sweet Pea and Turkey Wild Rice, and Tender Beef Spinach. Layah definitely loves to eat meat, and this way I know she’s getting organic goodness. And the price is right, at $10.99 for a pack of 12, shipped to my door!

3. Certain pouch foods. I always check out Amazon for the very best price they offer on Earth’s Best pouches. Right now they have a 12 pack of Earth’s Best Pear, Apricot, Barley Pouches for$14.08 for a pack of 12, which makes each pouch just $1.17. That’s a good price for an organic squeeze pouch, in my book! We often like to make our own squeeze pouches, but I have these on hand for an extra special treat, too.

That’s what I’m buying on Amazon from Earth’s Best. What about you? Do you have any favorites from the brand? Or is there anything else for baby that you love to order on Amazon? Please share!

I am an Earth’s Best Preferred Blogger, and as such, receive complimentary products as a thank you for posting. I really do purchase these items on Amazon on my own, though! This post contains affiliate links.

Yummy Tummy Oatmeal for Kids Now Has Less Sugar and More Fiber

March 30, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

I always appreciate when a company tries to improve upon its creations, and strives to make a good product even better. That’s why I was really impressed to learn that Earth’s Best has reformulated one of my daughter’s favorite products, Yummy Tummy Oatmeal, so that it includes 25% more fiber and 25% less sugar than the older version. That really shows a dedication on the part of the company to providing an excellent source of nutrition to children. This oatmeal for kids is great in theory.

But the real test is how Darah responds to it. Does she still love it????

You tell me!

If you are searching for oatmeal for kids that keeps the sugar in check and has a high dose of fiber, this is it!

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 Launches Loyalty Rewards Programs (The Prizes are SWEET!!!)

February 15, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

I know I’ve got a lot of Earth’s Best fans out there! Well, get excited folks, because Earth’s Best has just launched a rewards program!

This is an easy and fun way to earn points for those Earth’s Best purchases you are already making. Now those purchases are worth even more, as you can turn purchases into points, and redeem them for discounts and prizes. Woo hoo!

Signing up is totally free and very easy. Simply go to Earth’s Best and sign up for the program, and then check in at your local Earth’s Best retailer via your mobile device (using the Earth’s Best mobile site earthsbestrewards.com). When you check in, purchase your Earth’s Best products and then be sure to enter the UPC cods onto the site within 48 hours of returning home.

In addition to earning points for purchases, you can also earn points for reading the great articles on the Earth’s Best website (you’ll learn a lot, I promise!), sharing with your friends and more.

The rewards are really awesome. For example, every month someone in the program will win $500 in Earth’s Best products, and every week someone will win an Earth’s Best gift pack! You’ll also find discounts for shops you already love like TinyPrints.com, Celestial Seasonings Tea, Little Remedies and Spa Week.

This is a very exciting program, and it is so cool to see Earth’s Best rewarding its loyal customers this way. I encourage you to get signed up…maybe that $500 prize this month has YOUR name on it!

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.

First Finger Foods: Earth’s Best Yogurt Puffs (GIVEAWAY!!!)

January 25, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 68 Comments

Layah has been demonstrating that pincer grasp that parents should watch for as an indicator that it is time to try solid foods. She’s also been seeming extra hungry lately, so I’ve been doing some thinking about what I want to offer her as those first foods she picks up and eats on her own.

I tried mango chopped into small pieces, but she spit it right back out! Mango is my favorite fruit, so I was personally offended by her response. 😉

I decided that I needed something less slippery to grasp and very easy to “chew” once in her mouth (after all, the poor thing only has 2 teeth!).

That’s when I remembered that I had some great puffs from Earth’s Best in the pantry. In fact, I had just received some Yogurt Puffs, which is a new product in the Earth’s Best line.

Before giving them the green light, I read the back of the package to see if it was recommended for infants. Based on the feeding information it provided, it seemed to pass the test, as Layah has been crawling for a while and shows an interest and picking things up and putting them into her mouth (especially things that AREN’T edible!).

I was also a bit worried about whether or not this product would be too sugary. So I tasted them. They definitely have a sweet taste, but it is very mild. I checked the ingredient label, and organic cane syrup is ingredient number 4. I decided that wasn’t so bad, and opted to offer her the blueberry yogurt puffs along with some veggie puffs.

I really like how quickly the puffs melt in your mouth. If you don’t have many teeth and if you are still learning how to chew food before swallowing it, this is very helpful! While I always sit with Layah while she is eating, I do not worry that she is going to choke on these puffs.

Earth’s Best Yogurt Puffs are an excellent choice for a snack or even as part of a meal for your little one. I had forgotten that once babies are ready to start practicing feeding themselves that they can be quite entertained by the food on their trays. This provides me with a great opportunity to do a little bit of computer work or sorting through the mail while she plays with her food.

And cleanup is totally easy. Since the puffs are dry, I’m not dealing with nasty spills on the floor once feeding time is over. The vacuum can take care of the debris in just a few seconds.

Earth’s Best Yogurt Puffs come in two flavors: blueberry and peach. The blueberry is excellent and I’m looking forward to trying out the peach. I definitely recommend them as a great option for snack time, for self-feeding practice, and for travel, as they are highly portable. Plus, they are a good source of Iron, Zinc, six different B vitamins, A & E Vitamins and Calcium. And of course, they are made with organic ingredients. What’s not to love?

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win Earth’s Best Yogurt Puffs in Blueberry and Peach!
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

December 26, 2012 · by Tiffany Merritt · 78 Comments

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.

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!

December 11, 2012 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

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!!!)

November 28, 2012 · by Tiffany Merritt · 57 Comments

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.