My sister is encouraging me to write in my blog some of the advice I give her in our phone conversations, which she says are helpful and practical. Indeed, this blog is intended for all moms, especially those who may not have a sister, parent, or other relative or close friend to give her the myriad "tips so you don't tip" as a mother.
The story is familiar to all families: at some point, your kid needs to head to school/daycare/camp/activity with a snack. And many of us want that snack to be healthy, easy, and not too pricey. Here is my advice to her, mother of a 13-month old heading to daycare:
1) Smoothie Pouches. These are the worlds.greatest.invention.for.moms!!! You can get the original GoGoSqueeze brand of applesauce with or without a zip of cinnamon, strawberry, or other flavor, or you could opt for one of the new mixes coming out by new brands (seemingly daily!) - I recently bought an apple/mango/kale mix which was fantastic and filling (even for my husband on-the-go - shhhh don't tell anyone but they can be a quick-fix for adults too). If you shop around, you can find specials, sales, and jumbo packs to make them a bit more economical, since some of them run upwards of $2/pouch.
2) Cheese Puffs. Like Cheetos but much healthier without the artificial colors, flavors, etc. They've got lots of crunch, without the calories and artificial colors, flavors, etc.
3) Cheerios. Old Standard. Don't we wish they made single-use packs for those of us working-moms? Hmmm.... maybe I'm onto something here?! Meanwhile, you can quickly stuff a handful in a baggie or any reusable container (they aren't particularly messy, just a bit of wheat-dust to wipe down after use).
4) Fruit Leathers. Just like the fruit roll-ups which were so popular when I was growing up, fruit leathers are thicker and smaller, easier to manage as long as your kid is old enough to bite and chew well.
5) Cheese Crackers. There are lots of organic, multigrain, and otherwise healthier alternatives to cheezits nowadays. But if you go for the original brand, try the white cheddar flavor which at least doesn't contain the added food colorings.
6) Yogurt Tubes. Another great concept in packaging for kids... although they aren't so easy for little tots to manage, they are definitely less mess and smaller quantity than a cup of yogurt. And the organic brands all have their own flavors and packaging.
...of course, steamed veggie cubes or cut up fruit are great to throw into a container, but some days (and some moms) just won't be able to fit that into the schedule. So give yourself a break and head for some of the items I mentioned - your child will be eating full, balanced snacks/meals without a lot of work for you.
Note on drinks: you can send your child with a sippy cup or a water bottle virtually anywhere these days, but you'd do well to clearly mark if the product needs to be refrigerated, and/or the contents inside. If you opt for drink boxes instead, you'd be wise to teach your child to hold it "by the wings" by pulling up the side corners of the box so that it doesn't spill when (always accidentally) squeezed for the first sip.
Note on clean up: I'm a firm believer that the chemicals in diaper wipes are NOT meant to wipe faces, mouths, or hands. In fact, they work great as stain-lifters on your clothes, so you gotta wonder if that's what you want your child wiping her mouth with for quick clean-ups at daycare or summer camp? I'm a big proponent of constant hand-washing with old-fashioned soap and water, instead. When sending your child away, find out what they use to clean hands and faces and make sure you are comfortable with the answer. If not, you can provide your own wipes of water with a little dish soap (easy to make with paper towels and a baggie) or go ahead and splurge on Sani-Hands for kids. It's worth the peace-of-mind.
As always, I welcome your thoughts/feedback - what else do you think is helpful advice for a mom & child on-the-go?!
When my boys were little, to save on the cost of wipes, I made my own. I used a flip top Tupperware container to hold them. In the bottom of the container I would put a squirt of baby shampoo or liquid soap, along with maybe half a cup of warm water and stirred until well mixed. Then I used to use a serrated kitchen knife to cut a roll of paper towels in half so the roll was now the size of a big roll of toilet paper. I dropped it into the container and let it sit, with the lid closed for a few minutes. It would absorb the cleansing solution and all the towels now became wipes. When it was soaked through, I pulled the cardboard center tube out, and that would pull the last towel up through the hole in the top, making them "pop ups!" If they dried out before I finished the roll, I simply added a little more water. No need to wonder what chemicals are in the wipers you're using!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe! Nice idea.
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