Friday, October 5, 2012

Kitchen Gadget # 4: Snack cup

Alright so a snack cup isn't technically a kitchen gadget but I do store it in the kitchen and it does house food. So, here goes. Today is all about the snack cup which went with us on a trip to the zoo.

*Disclaimer* I know the zoo is a sore point for many vegans. I do, truly, understand your feelings and point. But, with that said, I am a stay at home mom for a very curious little 18 month old girl. She LOVES animals more than any sweets I could ever offer. She is so curious as to what they look like, what sounds they make, and well, just seeing them. So, I've chosen to continue to take her to the zoo on the premise that she is learning many different lessons while being there. She can not only learn about each animal but will have a knowledge of what being in captivity really means. And, to be honest, it's a great way to get out into fresh air and wonder. Learn. Love.


These simple little snack cups are incredibly handy with a toddler on the move. Hard plastic bottom with two handles and a soft top for easy access to the goodies inside. Less fuss. Less mess.

My little one carries these around while we're out and about. She has a sense of independence and I know she'll be able to keep things clean. I tried Ziploc bags for a bit but she was having troubles holding the bag open with one hand while trying to grab the food with the other. Not enough dexterity. These solve that problem!

You can find these nifty little cups at any baby store or at my favorite store, Target!  They even have them on Amazon.


Today these little greatness cups headed to the zoo with us. I brought two. One had the favorite, pretzels while the other had freeze dried unsweetened fruit. Both are a big hit with the little one. Both work wonders in these little cups.

Snack cup in hand
We met a friend and her daughter at the zoo today. Z is on the right. She and J are look like sisters, it's funny. J's big brother came along too. His school is out this week for fall break. We weren't able to go away, out of town, so he settled for a trip to the zoo. I'm pretty sure he too had a good time.

The elephants were out this go around. Seeing as we go weekly there are always different things to see each time.  I love the elephant family the zoo has!

Nursing baby
J's favorite, most days, animal at the zoo is the giraffe. She loves his long neck! She signs giraffe almost all the time and has several stuffed animals at home. Today I was worried she would throw her snack cup into the area where the giraffes live. She inadvertently gave a peacock a cookie. She dropped it, the peacock went after it, after moving my little one's foot out of the way. Wow, he scared me a bit.

Hello
I'm trying out a new camera and zoom lens. I was taking a photo of the giraffe in the background when this one popped up right in front of my camera. I stepped back thinking he was way too close! Funny!


Snacks are very important for a child. Actually, snacks are great for adults too! Did you know it's best to eat small meals/snacks every two hours. I try to do that as much as I can but sometimes it's just not feasible.

Great snacks for the kiddos:
Pretzels
Veggie sticks
Crackers (Nature Made has a great sunflower basil flavor, sweet potato cinnamon is great too!)
That's It fruit bars (Whole Foods. 2-3 ingredients, that's it)
Freeze dried fruits, unsweetened (Trader Joe's)
Vegan animal crackers (check the labels some contain milk, even within one brand)

These all work great in those handy snack cups.


I think J likes that she can set those cups down in her bag and come back for more later. See, independence. She loves it.

Look! A ladybug!
I don't know what I'd do without these cups. Where were they when I was little? Such a great invention!! Sometimes while driving home from an outing I even use them to snack whatever the little one didn't finish. Moma's get hungry too!


As much as the little one seems to love dirt I will not add that to my list of great snacks for kids. Luckily, today, she just played in the dirt.

The tiger J got so excited to see! Taken by my friend Kelly. She was teaching my about my camera.
What are your favorite snacks for your kiddos?

Do you use snack cups or something else?

Cheers and happy eating!



6 comments:

  1. Marsha--I'm totally with you on the zoo! I know a lots of vegans don't agree, but I just think it's a marvelous opportunity for kids to experience animals on a a more personal level.

    I love the snack cups--can you believe after 4 kids I've never invested in one? You've convinced me I need to get on it & get myself a few!

    (Your little one is a doll!)

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  2. Thank you, Janae! I haven't put many photos of her up, I'll stick with the no face shots. :)

    She absolutely loves the zoo. Today she got to pet a hedgehog. Not many chances for that.

    The snack cups are a must have. I do carry around a hand vac for messy times but there seems to be fewer with those cups. Makes life a little easier.

    Let me know what you think when you give them a try.

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  3. Great post! We have always used re-usable cups for snacks and stainless steel water bottles for drinks. My son is 4.5 now. The amount of trash and waste alone that you will save the planet (and model for other parents and kids!) is amazing. Imagine sending a juice box every day to school with a snack in a plastic bag, egats! The trash! Yet I see parents doing it all the time. Why? So much easier to use a cup and a water bottle anyway!

    Anyway, QUESTION! What is up with the lids on those snack cups? Why are they open like that? I ALWAYS wondered that. We use little bowls with clear lids that lock, air tight, just like I need them to.

    I bet there's a reason for those open tops, and likely some benefit (??), but I'm lost on what it could be. I'd love to finally find out! Enter: Vegan MoFo 2012 :-))

    Great post. We still love the zoo, too. They do a lot of rescue work as well with injured animals, so, there!

    XOXO!
    Dawn
    Vegan Fazool Blog http://veganfazool.blogspot.com
    MoFo Theme: Homesteading it in October!

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  4. Thanks, Dawn for your comment. To answer your question, the lid to these particular snack cups makes it easier for a child to get the snack out without making a mess. I do have other plastic containers in our diaper bag that keeps the food fresh. I then transfer the snacks to these cups for her to eat where ever we may be. They can reach in the soft lid get her snacks and not worry about anything spilling.

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  5. Those cups sound like a great idea for little ones and I bet they both enjoyed seeing the animals, it must be amazing at that age!

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  6. I'm with you on the zoo subject. I live just a couple of miles from one of the best zoos in the world, and they do a lot of great stuff for endangered species. It's one of my favorite places to go, and I don't even have kids. But I know a lot of vegans don't feel the same.

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