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.

Mmm-Mmm-Muffins

When feeding babies, toddlers, kids and adults, it's important to be aware of how much sugar is in the food being consumed.  So many snacks designed for children have sugar and sweeteners added to them. Manufacturers have become clever when listing ingredients on food labels, so it's up to us, as the consumer to be knowledgeable enough to see what kind of sugar is being added to our foods. According to Prevention.com, there are 57 Names of Sugar.  But, are all sugars bad? No way! By reading the labels of the foods you eat and serve you then become a responsible consumer. Another way to avoid added sugars, is to make your own snacks.

These muffins are naturally sweet and are packed with essential nutrients. Even better, is that you have control over the flavour.

These muffins were designed with babies and toddlers in mind, but they are so good that you could double the recipe and make adult sized muffins too.

Mmm-mmm-Muffins

Makes 24 one-bite muffins

¾ cups flour

½ cup quick oats

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

⅛ tsp salt

⅔ cup mashed overripe banana (about 1½ bananas)

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

¼ cup milk

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

Plus up to 2 of the following

¼ cup grated carrot

¼ cup grated apple (squeeze out juice)

¼ cup grated zucchini (squeeze out water)

¼ cup raisins (chopped)

¼ cup dried cranberries, cherries, apricots, or other fruit (chopped)

½ cup blueberries (halved or quartered)

½ cup chopped walnuts

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease muffin pan with butter or non-stick spray.

Combine all dry ingredients.

Mash banana and stir in applesauce, milk, lemon juice and vanilla.

Fold in 2 extra ingredients. I did ¼ cup of carrot, ⅛ cup apple, and ⅛ cup raisins. In the past I’ve done apples and dried cherries, and apples and raisins.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. It really depends on how watery your bananas, applesauce and add-in fruit is. If you’re using a lot of moist fruits, it will take longer, if you are using more dried items it will take less time. It’s okay if they are a little gooey inside; there is no egg, so there is no risk of salmonella. Careful not to over-bake them though, you don’t want them turning out tough and chewy.

Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove and place on wire rack to cool completely.

Mmm-Mmm-Muffins with poached nutmeg pears

I toss them in the freezer and take them out when needed. Two one-bite muffins are equal to a ¼ cup. I usually serve them as a snack with a side of fruit.

The joy of this recipe is that the possibilities are endless. If you, or baby, are lactose-free, you can use almond, soy, coconut, or whatever milk-substitute you want. If you’re gluten-free, go ahead and use your regular gluten-free flour (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour). Don’t be afraid to experiment with different add-ins.

Let me know what combinations you try!

Update: I've since tried Strawberry-Blackberry muffins too!

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!