Mom and baby product reviews on The Mommy Insider

WAT-AAH!

Do kids ever WANT to drink water?  When WAT-AAH!'s available mine do.  That could be because we don't have juice in our fridge very often, so the options are water and milk.  But, 9 times out of 10, both of my kids chose milk - pre WAT-AAH!. 

When I put WAT-AAH! in the fridge in cluster of milk, regular bottled water, and apple juice, Sebastian chose WAT-AAH!.  The first time he chose WAT-AAH!, he said it was out of curiosity but he enjoyed it.  I caught his enjoyment on video but for some reason I can't get some of my videos to upload onto my new computer.  Just a little while later he chose WAT-AAH! again, over apple juice.  When I asked why he chose WAT-AAH! over the apple juice, he said it was "because the bottle is cool and looks fun".   I asked him about the lack of flavor and if he felt like his thirst was quenched and he replied with a simple "It's water mom.  Water doesn't have flavor and I'm not thirsty right now, I just drank some water". That was a bit of a smart-alic answer but he was being truthful.  It is in fact water, and after drinking about 1/3rd of the bottle of WAT-AHH! he wasn't thirst anymore.

There are currently four 'flavors' (unflavored) of WAT-AHH!; Brain, Body, Energy, and Bones.  You can learn more about WAT-AHH! here.

Kids Central Kitchen baking mixes - review, coupon, and giveaway

Playing with kids can be a chore for parents.  Kids play by their own rules and often with toys that are missing pieces which gets very frustrating for me.  If you are looking for something more structured, fun, and educational to do with your young kids, look no further than Kids Central Kitchen.  My kids LOVE to help me cook and love the end result even more.

• Kids Central Kitchen has 7 different baking mixes including Flap Jacks, Propellar Energy Bars (my favorite), and Brownies. 
• You provide minimal ingredients, mostly water, milk, oil, and/or yogurt and the rest is in the baking mix. 
• These baking mixes provide an easy, fun way for older kids to work on basic skills like measuring and reading.
• Simple yes, full of yummy delicious flavor.. yes!

You'll also find kitchen utensils, bakeware, and baking supplies at Kids Central Kitchen and while you're there check out the Kids Baking Party in a Box!

WEBSITE

COUPON CODE: MOMMY15 - get 15% off your order (expires 12/31/09)

GIVEAWAY: One lucky reader will win a $25 Kids Central Kitchen gift certificate!
Leave a comment below telling me what color the BIG mixing bowl on the Kids Central Kitchen homepage is and your email address will be entered in the giveaway drawing!  GET TWO ENTRIES when you tell me a short story about a funny cooking experience you've had in the comments area below.

Vermont Nut Free Chocolates

It's a little late to enjoy Vermont Nut Free Chocolate's St. Patrick's Day treats but there are plenty of other reasons to order and indulge in a special nut-free chocolaty treat. There's Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and there's tomorrow! All great times for chocolate!

Vermont Nut Free Chocolates sent a box of St. Patrick's Day chocolate coins, miniature chocolates, and Leprechaun Pops and I gave Sebastian one of each this morning. What's really funny is that I had already sent him to school and I forgot it was St. Patrick's Day! He didn't wear green, and I didn't give him a special St. Patrick's Day treat! I felt so bad. I grabbed a green sweater from Sebastian's closet, and one of each of the St. Patrick's Day treats from Vermont Nut Free Chocolates, jumped in the car and made a fool of myself at the school's reception desk when I told them that I needed to give Sebastian a green sweater and some chocolate! I know all four of the women behind the desk thought I was crazy. What's worse is that one was the school counselor. I'm sure she thinks I'm crazy!

Vermont Nut Free Chocolates are handmade, gourmet quality candies, that provide children withpeanut and tree nut allergies a way to safely enjoy chocolate treats.They’re also a great alternative for classroom parties in peanut-free schoolsor day care centers.

Here are some fun Vermont Nut Free Chocolates facts:

• There's a fun chocolate tool set for little guys and dads
  
• You can buy chocolate for baking including chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and unsweetened baking chocolate
• A litter of 9 chocolate pigs is only $3.25!
• Perfect for class treats
• And yes, they sell Truffles!

Treats can be ordered from the company’s web site, http://www.vermontnutfree.com/

Smashies - organic fruit sauces for kids

What do you get when you smash organic apples, don't add high fructose corn syrup or sugar, and then put the smashed fruit into an environment friendly re-sealable pouch?  Smashies organic fruit sauce!

These are such a great idea and are are sure to be very appreciated by parents. These single serving fruit sauce pouches are just the right size to put in your child's lunch box.  Got errands to run?  Grab and pack a couple of Smashies in your diaper bag so your toddler (and you) will have something to snack on while you're out.  No more greasy chips, or chocolate candies that are going to melt all over your child's (or your..I'm just saying..) fingers. 

Smashies are kosher, gluten-free, and BPA free so there's no guilt involved in giving your kids this delicious snack.  My kids think it's so cool to squeeze the fruit sauce out of the pouch just like they would with a juice pouch.  Madelyn, two years old, was pretty surprised when she tried a Smashie for the first time.  I think she expected juice to come out and not fruit sauce!

Smashies are available in one flavor now with three more to come by year's and three more next year.   

Try Smashies!  Just pay shipping & handling and you will get Smashies free until they hit store shelves.

Website: Smashies

WrapMaster plastic wrap and aluminum foil dispensers

At the beginning of the school year, kids like to think that they will buy lunch at school but it never fails, after the first couple of weeks they are begging mom to pack a lunch so they don't have to eat the yucky meatloaf and green beans served by the school. I don't blame them. What is the primary food that moms pack in their kids school lunch? A sandwich. Where there is a sandwich, there is plastic wrap. That is where WrapMaster comes in.

The WrapMaster is an inexpensive, easy to use and safe plastic wrap and aluminum foil container and dispenser. These neat little dispensers make it easy to store and use plastic wrap or foil without getting yourself wrapped up in plastic wrap or cutting your fingers on the sharp edges of the box.

WrapMaster dispensers are easy to use. Just pull out what you need and push down the lid and you get perfectly cut plastic wrap or aluminum foil every time. No fighting with the box, the wrap or sharp edges! The safety shield protects little fingers from the blade and the WrapMaster snaps shut when not in use.

Available as single units or combo packs, WrapMaster can be purchased online at http://www.wrapmasterusa.com, QVC, and Linens N' Things retail stores.

Yummy strawberry lemonade recipe

Before I had children, when I worked away from home, I would grab a smoothie almost every day on my way to work.  I always got the same strawberry, blueberry and banana smoothie. It was so good.  I tried to make the same smoothie for my kids, but I just can't do it. 
I have however, found a drink that I can make for the kids that doesn't require a lot of time, effort, or ingredients which are three things that I don't seem to have enough of.   Strawberry Pink Lemonade.   Just saying it makes my mouth water.  I know.. you can buy it already made at the grocery store, but it's not the same.  Toss one bag of partially thawed frozen strawberries in a blender, add one can of frozen lemonade and blend.  Put in a glass, sit outside on the front porch and enjoy.   You can add ice cubes and soda water for a little pizazz, but I like it just the way it is right out of the blender.

Here are some interesting facts.  Did you know that one serving of strawberries provides more Vitamin C than an orange?  That is good news for me because I don't like eating oranges.   Nutrients and benefits of strawberries are potassium, folate, fiber, and antioxidants.

The California Strawberry website has dozens of printable strawberry recipes including appetizers, desserts, and soups.  Strawberry lovers, ages 5-12, can go to Strawberryville.com to play online games, print recipes they can make themselves (with parental supervision) and download screensavers.

Go buy some California strawberries and enjoy!

Playskool Wash or Toss Cups

A few months ago I made the mistake of giving Madelyn milk in a regular cup, not a sippy cup.   You don't need me to tell you about the mess that followed.. and the drama.   The mess is obvious but the drama was a little unexpected.   I forget how good of a memory babies and kids have.  After that one time Madelyn wanted her milk in a regular cup all of the time and we all know how toddlers act when they want something really bad.  Such fun!
I tried and tried regular sippy cups, but she wasn't having it and quite honestly, I've been a little more stressed than usual lately so I gave in and let her drink out of regular cups but in the kitchen only. 

A few weeks later I received Playskool's Wash or Toss Cups in the mail and things have changed a bit.  Madelyn really likes the Wash or Toss Cups.  I think it's because they look more like real cups than regular sippy cups so she feels like a big girl.  One thing that I love about these cups is their size.  A little smaller than her old sippy cups, these hold just the right amount of milk.  I don't find cups lying around the house with old milk in them anymore.  Yeah!

Playskool Wash or Toss cups are dishwasher safe, and can even be put in the microwave.   These cups are great for travel and I personally don't see a need to 'toss' the cups as they wash and hold up well.  I have noticed that when Madelyn shakes the cup really hard some milk may drip out out of the spout holes, but I think that is the case with any cup like this if you shake it hard enough.   The tops have a little 'grab tab' for easy removal and snap on to be very secure.  When Sebastian used cups like these about 6 years ago, he would push on the outer side of the spout so the top would come off.   The lids on these cups don't come off that easy, thank goodness!

Available exclusively at CVS stores and CVS.com.

Ali-Oops! Toy Clips

Madelyn has had a pacifier clip since the day she was born and still uses it at 2 years old.  Little did I know that the same 'clip' idea could work on toys and sippy cups as well.  Once Madelyn hit the stage when she  was very entertained by the 'drop it and mommy picks it up' game, I knew I had to do something.  I am a 'germaphobe' and can't stand it when toys, cups, and pacifiers touch the ground.   Toys that touch the ground at restaurants, shops, playgrounds, etc.. are immediately removed from the children's reach until I can sanitize the item properly.  I know that sounds a little serious but yuck, can you imagine what kinds of germs get on toys that touch the ground?

I was recently introduced to the Ali-Oops toy clip and now Madelyn is minus one game.  She tries with all her might to get her toys of off the Ali-Oops toy clip and to get the clip off the stroller but the strong button snaps make it really difficult.

Ali-Oops toy clips are available in two sizes, small and large.   There are 10+ classic and trendy design choices and at just $10 for the small size or $12 for the large size I think these would make great baby shower gifts.

WEBSITE: Ali! Oops Toy Clips

COUPON CODE: Use this link to get 10% off your purchase!

Ocean Spray Cranergy™ energy juice - I love it!

I love Ocean Spray's new Cranergy energy juice drinks!  Like most moms, I hit an energy low at about 2:00 every day. After everything mom's (and dads) it's no wonder.  I used to turn to a diet soda when I needed energy, but stopped a few weeks ago because of the aspartame.  Now I enjoy Cranergy energy juice when I need a boost.  I have six in my refrigerator as I write this and will probably have four tomorrow. 

With only 35 calories per 8 oz. serving I don't have guilt issues when drinking Cranergy energy juice.  Cranergy energy juice is available in two flavors; Cranberry and Raspberry Cranberry which is my favorite.   Cranergy energy juice supports healthy energy production with B vitamins.  Did you know that some celebrities actually give/get B-vitamin shots help with their energy levels?   I'm not saying you should do that, but I didn't know  that B-vitamins helped with energy until I saw a report about the shots on a pretty credible news show. 

In addition to energy boosting B-vitamins, Cranergy energy juices have vitamin C which is well known as an immune booster.  And most importantly the cranberry juice and green tea contain high levels of antioxidants that help fight free radicals while the green tea offers a natural source of caffeine. 

I drink hot green tea in the winter but can't bring myself to drink a hot beverage on warmer days.  Drinking Cranergy energy juice is a great way for me to enjoy the benefits of green tea that I'm used to but in a colder, more delicious drink.

You can find Cranergy energy juice at your local grocery store and can get a $1.00 off coupon on the Ocean Spray website.

WEBSITE: Ocean Spray Crangery

Enjoy!

Capri Sun, now with 25% less sugar! Every mom's dream.

When we recently asked 20 parents what kids beverage they have in their refrigerator, 16 of them said Capri Sun.  When we asked 25 children what their favorite drink is, 19 of them said Capri Sun, 2 of them said milk (huh?), and the other 4.. well, we won't go there.

Capri Sun has been a staple in our fridge for going on 8 years and I am SO thrilled that all 14 Capri Sun flavors now have 25% less sugar than other leading juice drinks and pulled this off without the use of artificial sweeteners or flavors.

When we received samples of the new 25% less sugar Capri Sun, I gave them to my two kids without mentioning the difference.  Both kids drank their Capri Sun in about 2 minutes flat and neither noticed a difference.  What a relief!  I assumed that less sugar = less flavor.  I was wrong.

I appreciate that my kids are getting a good source of antioxidant vitamin E to help support/maintain healthy cells and tissues and are not getting artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Each thirst satisfying pouch is 6.75 fl oz., enough to tame Sebastian's thirst after a baseball game. In fact, I didn't hear one peep when I brought these for the after-game drink a couple of weeks ago.

Already green or going green?  Eco-friendly innovator, TerraCycle converts your used drink pouches into unique fashion bags, tote bags, and pencil cases for kids and adults!  For every pouch you send to TerraCycle they give $.02 to the charity of your choice.  Simply sign up at TerraCycle.org to get started.

WEBSITE: Capri Sun