We’ve talked before about the transition from a liquid diet to solids for your babe. It can be a difficult terrain to navigate and whilst there is alot available to read on the subject sometimes when you’re time poor and have set yourself some expectations you need a one stop shop to help you achieve them! The Mumi and Bubi Solids Starter Kit will not only put you in the know, but equip you with how to get there!

This neat little kit includes a recipe book with 27 recipe ideas (surely even the fussiest of first time eaters will find something in there that they like!!) that are designed not only to tempt your little ones taste buds but also teach the chef (that’s you!) how to cook the optimum way to ensure you retain all the goodness and nutrition of the ingrediants you are working with. Did I mention one stop shop? But wait there’s more! The starter kit also includes 2 BPA free, dishwasher safe, portioned freezer trays. That come with a lid to prevent freezer burn and maintain hygiene. Over at Mumi and Bubi I think they’re onto that weaning can be a difficult time so they’ve thought of everything to make it easy for us! SO they’ve rounded the trays on the bottom so you can leverage out however many cubes you need at the time and not have to empty all the other filled cubes.  

Not sure on how much to cook to fill them? Leaving no stone unturned the recipe book also includes a shopping list of what to buy to perfectly fill the 2 freezer trays so there is no wastage!

**HIP OFFER ALERT** At just $34.95 the Mumi and Bubi starter kit is a great investment. But for the next 24 hours in celebration of yet another Recipe Tuesday we’re offering all Hip Infant Blog readers a 15% discount off the purchase price. Simply enter the code YUM at the checkout to recieve your discount.

Happy Recipe Tuesday! Enjoy!

I’ve talked before about how I’m not a huge fan of ‘gadgets’ and ‘paraphanalia’ but it seems to come with the territory of having a child. I’ve learn’t that there are a few ‘must haves’ and I think I’ve been persuaded to add the Boon Inc Squirt baby food spoon to my ever growing list!

At $19.95 this is a great gadget that is definitely worth a try! Let’s face it. Getting a child onto solids is a messy process, this great little spoon dispenses one mouthful at a time and holds up to six tablespoons. It has a cover to keep it clean and germ free in between use. It makes one handed feeding a snap and is great for when you are out and about.

Most importantly it’s dishwasher safe and BPA and PVC free.

Pull out the Squirt baby food spoon and I can promise all the other carers will be jealous of such a handy and useful product!

Hopefully you checked out our blog yesterday on the wonderful Wean Machine. In the spirit of all things mush today we’re bringing you some great recipe ideas for when introducing your littlest loved one into the world of solid food.

Weaning a babe is a slow and steady process and one that should not be jumped into without adequate information, ensure you consult your GP, local early childhood centre or a reliable to text with help on what to introduce when in order to ensure your baby has no allergic reactions.

Very first foods should be easy to digest. Root vegetables such as carrots, sweet potato and parsnip are all good starters, as they have a naturally sweet flavour. Apple and pear also make great fruit purees (I wasn’t opposed to mixing a bit of pear in with veges in order to get Goldilocks interested, particularly in the green ones!). Avocados and bananas make great foods for out and about as they don’t require cooking and with The Wean Machine they will be mush in seconds!

As with the wide variety of fruit and vegetables available there’s also a wide range of cooking methods for when weaning your baby. Baking (don’t be afraid to pop an extra sweet potato in the oven if you’re making a roast dinner), boiling (be careful not to overcook for too long or the nutrients will be lost), microwaving and steaming (probably the best way to preserve nutrients and vitamins). No matter what cooking method the main aim is to slowly introduce a wide variety of foods to ensure your baby gets used to a wide variety of tastes, this will also ensure a balanced future diet and hopefully not too much of a fussy eater!

First Puree Ideas…both vege and fruit!

Sweet potato and carrot

Pumpkin and Broccoli

Carrot and Peas

Banana and Pear

Apple and Pear (add a pinch of cinnamon if you are feeling adventurous)

Sweet Potato, Pumpkin and a leaf or two of English Spinach

Peach and Apple

Apricot and Apple

Cauliflower and Sweet Potato

Really the combinations are only limited to your imagination. So be adventurous together, start your baby off on an exciting introduction to the world of solids and most of all have a bit of fun with it! It’s a messy process whichever way you look at it, so have the camera ready, some old towels to wipe up the mess and a run bath just in case a full wipe down won’t cut the mustard!!!

Enjoy Recipe Tuesday!

We are super super excited to bring you this fabulous new product! Drumroll please…………………The Wean Machine!

I can still clearly remember introducing Goldilocks to solids, at the time it was recommended you introduce at 6 months (this has since changed to 4 months) but she was big and a piggy so I started at about 17 weeks. My GP told me not to rush it, stating that once you start there really is alot of preparation and carry on involved. I ignored her advice and loving mixed up rice cereals with ease. It was only when I started on the vege purees, the peeling, the blending, the freezing in little containers, the defrosting and so on and so on that I realised what she was talking about. Gone where the days of whipping out my boob or a bottle with ease, minimum mess and minimum tidying. All of a sudden I was blending and mashing and washing tiny little containers. It was timely and well….to be honest not that exciting wondering which vegetables I should mix and match. This gadget takes the stress out of the weaning experience producing maximum results for minimum effort and mess!

Let it be said straight up I’m not a huge gadget girl or as I like to call it ‘paraphanalia’ girl. In my experience, particularly in the kitchen you can get by on a few decent pots, pans and utensils. I’m of the school where I don’t have good glasses, china or serveware. I like to use everything all the time. You never know what’s around the corner and it makes me happy to drink out of nice wine glasses rather than save them for special occassions. I’ve found this philosophy also translates to having a child. You start out kinda like when planning a wedding, thinking you need all the bells and whistles and then realise that most loved things turn out to often be the most practical. Well here is one such piece of ‘paraphanalia’ that would be TOP of my wish list if I was introducing a child to solids.

This easy to use Wean Machine contraption makes baby food wherever you are in three easy peasy steps.

1) You simply fill the bowl to the recommended amount

2) Squeeze the handles together

3) Spoon feed your baby (with the included spoon of course) straight from the bowl!

Voila! It couldn’t be more easy!

Best used on ripe fruits and well cooked vegetables, really the options are only limited to your imagination and what is ‘squidgeable’ ie you can’t go feeding a t-bone steak or piece of uncooked apple through The Wean Machine, but cooked pumpkin, potato, pasta in sauce, broccoli, strawberries, bananas and avacados will all make scrumptious mush for your new little eater (not necessarily mixed together!).

The product includes 2 grill covers for the different stages of weaning, is top shelf dishwasher safe and of course it’s BPA and PVA free…one can only ask what’s not to love? Top marks to the inventors of The Wean Machine and…thankyou for making life easier for us!

Check out our weekly Recipe Tuesday blog tomorrow for some exciting weaning puree recipe ideas!