Kangaroo Snacks

Kangaroo snacks are snacks that can be put into a handy pouch and easily consumed without a spoon. They are great for feeding baby in restaurant and in the car, among many other places. But they aren't just for children. These heavy duty pouches are great for feeding adults too. These pouches are handy and nutritious and they are super easy to bring in the car or on a hike because they aren't bulky and there is little to no waste. Of course, the ones in the grocery store aren't quite geared for adults, and surprise surprise, the grocery store pouches are full of sugar, chemicals, and who knows that else.

There was recently a recall on one brand of squeeze pouch, and it isn't the first time it has happened. In some homes, the child has direct access to these snacks and is allowed to have them whenever they'd like, it would be horrifying to see that my child (or me for that matter) has been ingesting mould.

So, how best to combat the issue of knowing what's in your pouches? Make them yourself! Then you know what is in the product, when it was made, and when it is best before. You don't have to question how long it's been sitting on the shelf or if the packaging/equipment used in processing has been properly cleaned and sanitized. Oh, and it's cheaper to make them yourself.

First, lets start with the pouches themselves. There are many different styles available: ones that zip at the top, ones that zip at the bottom, ones that stand up, ones that don't, ones with spouts at the top, ones with spouts out the side, ones with square corners, ones with rounded corners, ones with double zippers, ones with single zippers, ones that are clear, ones that have windows, ones that are opaque, ones that are dishwasher-safe, and ones that are hand-wash only. You'll also need to decide what size you want, some are huge (+9oz), some are tiny (4-5oz), others are in between. Most grocery store pouches are 4-5oz.  Once you've narrowed down what features you'd like, it's time to go shopping.

This one holds 9oz; a little too
much for little hands.

Keep in mind, the ones that zip at the top have the spout at the side and often are able to stand up independently to fill. I was concerned with the many crevices that food could get trapped in with this model. It also seems a little awkward to hold on to and eat from. I assume you'd eat it while holding on to it flute-style… but I figured that would be awkward for little hands that are just learning to eat.

Healthy Planet Solutions is a
Canadian company!

Ones that fill at the bottom often have the spout at the top (but not always), and must be placed upside down in a glass to fill. There were many reasons we went with this model (which we purchased from Amazon.ca). First, we liked that it was dishwasher safe and the water flowed right through. This made us think that there would be little chance of food getting caught or stuck in the corners or the spout, and so far, we haven't had any issues. Second, we liked the size, they hold 6oz, which is more than the tiny grocery store pouches, but less than the jumbo ones above. If we want to put less, we can, if we want to put more, we can do a second pouch. Third, we liked that it was mostly see-through so you can clearly see what's in each pouch, although there is also space on the back to write the contents and date made. The zipper on the pouch is also fantastic, in fact, it's downright difficult to open. I would much prefer this rather than it being an easy to open zipper that the Little Man could open and make a big mess with.

All I see is dishes and clutter.

There are also some very fancy contraptions or gadgets that fill the pouches for you. This just seemed excessive and looked like it would amount to a lot of dishes and extra stuff cluttering up our tiny kitchen. In concept, it's a good idea, and I know someone who has one of these apparatuses and loves it, but I think, depending on the type of pouch you buy, you can easily do it yourself. Infantino's Squeeze Station (the one pictured to the left) is just one example of these types of machines and fills disposable pouches, although you can buy a reusable silicone one from their website. Babies R Us sells the 50 disposable pouches with 25 caps (I just find this funny, because what are you likely to lose, or accidentally toss out?).



What can you put in the pouches?  Yogurt, applesauce, purée, sauces, the options are almost limitless, although anything chunky will get caught in the spout.

What type of pouches have you tried? Store bought or homemade?

Stay tuned for some pouch filling ideas in the future.

The images belong to the respective link holders.

Pass the Polenta Please

Polenta, Broccoli, and BBQ chicken (recipe to follow)

Polenta. It's something I've seen in magazines but by just looking at it, I couldn't really tell what exactly polenta was. Fast-forward to cooking for a 14-month old who no longer wants to be fed by Mom and Dad, but wants to eat his entire dinner himself (I guess soup's off the menu for now). This recipe is great because it can be eaten hot, warm, or cold. You can make the pieces as big or as small as you'd like. You can also add different spices to change the flavour to better coordinate with dish you are serving with it. I also like it because it's easy to make, and it's a very inexpensive side dish that uses ingredients that I already had at home.  If you have older children at home, they can also help to make it!

Ingredients

½ cup cold water

½ cup yellow cornmeal

1⅓ cup water

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

Lightly grease a 9x9 inch baking pan or dish. 

 

Stir cornmeal and ½ cup cold water in a medium bowl until blended to a thick paste.

In a large saucepan, bring 1⅓ cup water and the salt to a boil. Stir in the cornmeal paste and return to a boil, stirring frequently.

Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the polenta thickens enough to hold the trail of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. (It should resemble soft mashed potatoes.)

Remove polenta from heat and add the butter and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, stirring until the butter is melted.

Working quickly, pour the polenta into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmesan.









Let it cool, then cover pan and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the polenta is chilled through and firm.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. 

Press small cookie cutters into the pan of chilled polenta to cut out shapes.  Or, use a knife to cut bars/strips. Use spatula to transfer the shapes to a lightly oiled nonstick baking pan. 

With a pastry or basting brush, paint the top and sides of each shape with the olive oil. 







Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the polenta shapes are lightly browned, crispy around the edges, and soft inside. Serve warm.

My initial recipe said to use shapes which I did try once, but I found that there was too much waste and the Little Man doesn’t really care what shape his food is right now. Once he’s older, fun shapes might be appreciated more, but for now, polenta bars are what we serve.

You can get your children involved in this recipe too. Let them help to measure out the polenta (tip: put the measuring cup on a cookie sheet to catch the spill over and reduce waste), have them help to sprinkle the Parmesan cheese, let them use cookie cutters to cut out the shapes.  Children who spend time in the kitchen and help cook are less likely to be picky eaters, and will be more aware of how to pick healthy choices.

You can dip the polenta into anything really, marinara or pizza sauce is our favourite. You can also change up the flavour by adding different herbs when you’re cooking it. What flavours have you tried?

Bonjour and welcome back! Although it is not so much you that has been MIA, it's been me!

A lot has happened since 2013 (I still can't believe it's been that long since I posted). I've switched back to teaching, had a baby, and now I am a stay-at-home mom.

With that out of the way, I plan to take this blog in a slightly more family/baby oriented direction. I plan to tidy up the previous posts and will continue to add new recipes that are good for babies, toddlers, kids, teens, and adults alike. I will try to include portions when possible, along with storage tips and modifications and substitutions that can be made. I will do my best to post photos, but it might not always be of each step (sometimes I just get going and forget), but always of the end product.

So, stay tuned! A new post is just around the corner!