Itty Bitty Greenie

eco-fabulous finds for kids

Posts Tagged ‘BPA-free products’

Weaning, made easy

Wean MeisterFor new parents, anything that can make life easier and more convenient becomes more than a necessity – you can’t live without it. And when your child is starting solid foods it’s a messy business, so having the right equipment can make all the difference.

I wish the Wean Meister Freezer Pods were around when I was cooking, mashing and freezing my son’s first foods. I was using individual plastic containers back then, which were BPA free, but who knows what other toxins might have been leaching into his food. And when it came to feeding time, I had to run the container under warm water to loosen the block of food, which was time consuming, wasteful and frustrating indeed.

Australian mum Sarah Marriott obviously experienced similar baby-feeding frustration, and seeing a gap in the market, created the Wean Meister.

What makes these trays unique (and so much better) is they are made from a high-grade silicone, which is flexible, so it won’t snap under pressure, and the food or breast milk you freeze in them will pop out with one easy push. The trays are also extremely durable and come with a lid to prevent freezer burn or contamination, while also making them sturdy and stackable.

With nine perfect baby-sized portions (75mls each), certification that these are completely free of BPA or phthalates, and endless ways to reuse them long after your baby is past the weaning stage, these freezer pods are an absolute must-have. Oh, and did I mention they’re also dishwasher and oven safe? Yes, you can bake mini muffins with them too – how’s that for a kiddie treat idea?

Check out this video demonstration of how they work, and be sure to also visit the “recycling” section of the Wean Meister website for lots of great ideas of how to reuse them – the possibilities are endless!

The Wean Meister Freezer Pods come in three colours (Blue, Turquoise and Pink) and are available now at Itty Bitty Greenie for $24.95

Sophie’s the #1 choice

For nearly 50 years Sophie the Giraffe has been loved by babies all around the world, and she has become an iconic toy that has been passed through generations, a favourite among celebrity mums, old-school mums and modern mums alike. But what makes me love this classic teething toy so much more, is the fact it is also eco-friendly, all natural and toxin-free.

For those who don’t know her heritage, Sophie was born in 1961 in Paris. She is made by the French company Vulli, located in the French Alps, from 100% natural rubber derived from the sap of the Hevea tree that grows in Malaysia. Every morning, before the daytime heat sets in, the milky liquid latex that oozes from beneath the bark of these trees is collected. Vulli then applies a traditional process of rotational moulding to shape the rubber into Sophie as we know her. Amazingly, each Sophie is still produced traditionally, involving 14 manual operations before completion. With more than 30 million Sophies sold around the world, that’s a lot of manual labour!

Even more amazing, Sophie’s popularity grew by simple word of mouth – mums obviously know a good toy when they find one – and there are plenty of reasons why. This toy is not only soothing for teething babies, it’s great for early learning because it stimulates all five senses:

SIGHT – the dark and contrasting spots of the giraffe provide visual stimulation for young babies

HEARING – the gentle squeak of Sophie stimulates hearing and keeps babies amused

TASTE – the natural rubber is soft on gums and the all-natural food paint is non-toxic and completely safe for babies

SMELL – the singular scent of natural rubber makes Sophie the Giraffe very special and easy for a child to identify among all their other toys

TOUCH – the shape of Sophie’s long neck and legs is easy for little hands to grip; she’s also very light and soft to touch

It’s no wonder this sweet little giraffe has become the star she is today.  Soft and soothing, the perfect size to hold and chew, Sophie comforts and pacifies babies like no other toy or dummy can.

Buy Sophie here and we’ll gift wrap her for free!

 

By Donna MacMullin

Creative Communications, Graphic Design, Communications, Blogging, Copywriting, Content Management

Sweet corn

By now most of us know that plastics and melamine are poor choices for dishware, since most contain hormone-disrupting toxins such as BPA and phthalates that are harmful – especially when they can leach into food. But parents also know too well that using glass or other breakable dishware is not a safe option for kids (especially if you have a toddler like mine, who regularly makes a sport out of seeing how far he can toss his dinner bowl …)

Thankfully there is a new and eco-friendly option of tableware for children. The Dandelion brand of earth-friendly goods has an entire range of re-usable dishware that is naturally free of BPA, Phthalates and PVC, and it’s made from a renewable resource: corn.

I love these products because not only are they natural and functional, they are well-designed – taking into account the little things that can make a big difference to your little ones. The divided plate, for example, keeps foods separated and fussy kids happy. The easy-grip bowls have deep sides to keep food inside, and parents happy! The utensils are specially shaped to fit small hands and help toddlers as they learn to feed themselves. They’re also affordable, and sold in multi-packs, so you’ll always have enough.

What’s better is the Dandelion company is ticking all the boxes when it comes to being a “green” company. They use the bare minimum of packaging and its made from 100% recycled cardboard printed with vegetable inks. No twist ties, no plastics, no cellophane wraps. They have a fair trade policy and encourage manufacturers to minimize their impact on the environment by striving to reduce waste, energy use and emissions, and implement environmentally friendly technologies. They also offset their carbon emissions with carbonfund.org, a leading non-profit carbon offset and climate solutions organization, and they contribute a portion of the proceeds from sales of its corn feeding line to support organizations providing food to people living with hunger.

Now that’s eco-fabulous. Look for these items in IttyBittyGreenie’s eco-shop … we’re one of the first retailers to offer them in Australia!
Shop Dandelion Earth-Friendly goods here.

 

By Donna MacMullin

Creative Communications, Graphic Design, Communications, Blogging, Copywriting, Content Management

Everyone’s doing it…

OrganicKidz stainless-steel baby bottle

OrganicKidz stainless-steel baby bottle

Canada led the way by banning the it from childrens’ products, and now regulators around the world are starting to invest money into researching the potential health risks from bisphenol-A, or BPA, a widely used chemical component of plastic bottles and food packaging.

In a shift of position, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in January it had “some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behaviour and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children,” and would join other federal health agencies in studying the chemical in both animals and humans.

The government will spend $30-million on BPA research in humans and animals, to take place over 18 to 24 months.

Read the full New York Times article here.

In the meantime, parents are wise to choose feeding products that are BPA-free, and here are some of our favourite ones for children:

Green to Grow have award-winning baby bottles in glass or toxin-free plastic, along with some pretty cool accessories. Their packaging is made from post-consumer recycled cardboard & soy dyes. Plus, there is a lot of great information on their website about the dangers of BPA.

Goodbyn
lunchboxes are BPA-free and come with a matching drink bottle AND …stickers so your kids can personalize theirs. The bento-style design eliminates the need for extra waste (bye-bye plastic wrap!), which is definitely eco-fabulous.

OrganicKidz has made the world’s first stainless-steel baby bottles. They’re unbreakable, dent-reistant and free from BPA, PVC and pthalates – plus, the gorgeous designs (pictured) are sure to inspire parent-envy in your playgroup!

 

By Donna MacMullin

Creative Communications, Graphic Design, Communications, Blogging, Copywriting, Content Management