All the containers, bottles and bags that worked for my Bubu since he started solids!
There are some we tried and some we liked.
Since Bubu started eating, going out has two more aspects to be considered, packing food and convenience. I never knew being a Product Designer would help being a efficient shopper. There are some we tried and some we liked. Here's a list of my favorites right now.
Lunch tote
Do you need one? Putting the food in the diaper bag is an option. I feel it comes with its own challenges. To point out a few, it can spill, smaller food/boxes can gets lost, some foods need ice packs to remain fresh. So I like to have this different bag that holds the food. This bag should also hold items needed before+while+after eating like ice-pack, spoon, napkins, bibs and toothbrush. The one I personally love is Skiphop Zoo Lunchie. This handy bag is insulated. Has a mesh pouch on one side for miscellaneous items. Also a stitched on label on the inside to add your Bubu's name. The outside is a cute animal with complimentary zipper. The designs come in such a wide variety of adorable animals, it's hard to pick one.
Water bottle
I learnt this the hard way. I went for the Skiphop bottle. But in matter of six months it's lid-spring gave up. FYI, in my experience the spring mechanism to open a lid never survives more than a year even on adult bottle. With kid bottles, they fall accidentally so often it's bound to happen sooner than later. My takeaway was, buy something sturdy, built to sustain falls and with a spout that does not need a lever to operate. I like the Hydro Flask, kids version. Its capacity is 12 oz. What makes it even more awesome is it's insulated, all metal, with sweat-free power coat and anti-slip silicone sleeve. It comes in vibrant colors, we love our yellow bottle.
Silicon lid
This silicone lid set is such a handy product. The lids are made of maximum-strength-stretch, food-safe silicone. It can fit on any cup of your choice (2.5 to 3.5-inch diameter) stainless steel, glass, etc. and turn it into spill-proof sippy cups! A great product for eco-friendly and health conscious families who are trying to go plastic free. And the bonus is they come in a set of 5 different colors.
Snack boxes
I like two products in this section. Unfortunately both are plastic, if anyone knows metal or glass options please recommend. The first one is the popular ShipHop Snack Cup. I love that no-spill flexible opening under the snap-top lid. The top can be screwed open for easy cleaning later.
The other is called SkipHop Formula To Food Containers. It can be used seperately or stacked. If stacked it comes with a handle on top so it can literally be totted without the food/lunch bag.
Thermos
I went for cute, brought it on amazon, but you can go for some name brand if you fancy that. This one is compact and great for rice, khichadi, pasta. I will serve it in a plate or give a fork or spoon to eat from directly.
Bonus:
A list of products we use to have meals and snacks at home.
Sippy cup
The best product designs. Very close to how you sip from a real glass, minus the spills. We have the one that is built in steel body, Miracle Stainless Steel 360 Sippy Cup by Munchkin.What more would you ask for. We still use it when we are not around to monitor spills.
Booster seat
I know a lot of people buy a highchair, but hold on did you know a booster seat works just as well. It fits on top of your existing dining chair which means it looks synchronized with your décor and doesn’t stare like a eye sore. Traditional highchairs they take up so much real estate and I personally I feel they look out of place with your interiors, even if it’s the popular and expensive one like the Boon or Stokke.
We got Deluxe Comfort Folding Booster Seat by Summer Infant. It’s cheap, it attaches to any dining chair and it is collapsible and it's very easy to clean. We have gone to India 2 times and carried this beauty in every restaurant we went, as even some high end restaurants didn't have highchair's in India. So really, really used and loved product.
Plates, spoon, bowls, tumblers
I love to serve food in the traditional indian silver serveware, as I believe in Ayurveda. Every nutrient you add to your body adds to build a stronger healthier body and immune system. As per ayurveda silver or gold utensils are antibacterial, builds immune system, nontoxic and adjusts to temperatures. Also budget wise they are durable, one time buy, literally heirloom can be passed on to generations to follow. Scientifically are non toxic. Unlike plastics that have toxic properties because of chemical reactions if they are contaminated with heat, you do not have to worry about silver utensils. It's a win-win choice.
Would love to know what work's for your Bubu. All product are going strong for the last two plus years and still counting. Hope this was helpful and you found some things to add to your baby registry or your shopping/gift list for the holidays.
If you liked this blog post, you might enjoy other blog posts that talk about what to buy for baby, why I feel it’s a good buy, how we used it earlier and how we use it now. As there are a lot of baby product’s I have broken them down into categories and written separate blog posts on each. Click on the category you want to explore.
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