When I’m an old lady, the way 80-year olds will be able to tell that I’m 90 is because I’ll mention that when I purchased baby food, it came in jars.
“Jars?” they’ll say, “No. When we were young mothers, baby food came in pouches!”
“Not until 2009,” I’ll remind them. Back then, baby food was in glass jars and cell phones were for calling people. (Kidding!)
Now that pouches are the norm and reusable versions have hit the market, enabling DIY baby food makers to enjoy the convenience of a pouch, what will become of these kids who suck all their food through plastic spouts? I know Heather worried about this when Sawyer refused all non-squeezable eating experiences.
As I was learning about Squeeze Ems, a reusable pouch whose entire top screws off to make cleaning slightly more bearable, I noticed that their marketing materials showed pictures of school aged children using the product.
“What are those big kids eating?” I asked the salespeople. I was trying to understand why 1st graders needed pureed food in a pouch.
The answer is one that I actually got excited about. An employee I spoke to suggested that a smoothie could be poured into the pouch, frozen, and then would thaw out for consumption in the lunchbox.
I do make frequent smoothies, and much like those baby food combos that sneak kale or spinach in amongst the peaches and berries, the drinks I make at home are designed to deliver salad ingredients into my kids systems without protest. I haven’t tried this yet, but I think it’s a great idea: I’ll make a smoothie for myself, pour two portion into reusable pouches, and toss them in the freezer. The next day, my husband will pack them in the kids lunches.
Do you think it’ll work? Should I order a set of Squeeze Ems for smoothies?
I bought some that look so much like these but I can’t remember the name of the brand mine were. Anyhow,…my kids liked them but I felt like I couldn’t get them completely clean. We used ours for applesauce and I would often find crusty applesauce on the inside after they had been cleaned and put through the dishwasher:/
Smoothies are a guaranteed way to get ordinarily “gross” veggies (and even beans) into my son’s diet. But I admit that my hesitation in buying a pouch is that I don’t think I could possibly clean it properly.
So, for now, smoothies are a much-sought-after dessert at home!
Please let us know how they work if you do buy them, Whitney!!
I have always wondered, how does one reliably WASH a reusable pouch like those? Clearly, I am not alone in this concern.
@Amelia, I don’t have any of these products at home, but the Squeeze Em one looked like it had the best chance of being cleaned because the top that screws off has a wide mouth. Heather has a set that open from the bottom, but I’m guessing it’s hard to get in the grooves of the spout part.
I am a person who regularly packs smoothies into reusable squeeze pouches, freezes them and sends them in my kids’ lunches to their utter delight. I use the Yummy Pouch brand and if I rinse them in the afternoon or evening after they are used then put them in the dishwasher they get clean. The only time I had a problem with the cleaning was once when I included chia seeds in the smoothie and they got all sticky and gelatinous and got stuck in the seams, so don’t do that.
@Wendy, Chia seeds are a nightmare in the blender as well. Does the smoothie maintain a good texture after re-thawing? Or maybe the act of squeezing/sucking helps it stay mixed well?
Oh, also — I don’t see any problem using these for foods that are meant to be pureed like smoothies and applesauce and what not. If you are pureeing your 6 year old’s roast chicken and carrots that’s problematic, I think.
Go for it!
My daughter hates dinner. It doesn’t matter what’s made, if it’s “dinner” she doesn’t want it.
When I started making baby food for my little guy and putting it in the squeeze pouch, she finally started eating “dinner” again – she stole absolutely every healthy thing I made for my son and put in there.
I have this version: http://thesilico.com/ It’s remarkably easy to clean. It’s dishwasher safe, the top unscrews, and the part it screws onto is removable as well. You can also order replacement nipple spouts (when your children inevitably chew them to death), in either an x-cut or open variety.
I have to confess…sometimes I steal it myself for my own smoothie.
@tinabot, I think my daughter hates “dinner” too. So frustrating!