This week’s “Ask the Mompreneur” features a product review from Cassandra Hutton, a member of The South Charlotte Playgroup, a local mom’s club with over 700 members.
Ask the Mompreneur:
As a business owner and mother of two, I find myself doing things like feeding the baby with one hand while I check email with the other. So I love the idea of helping my toddler eat more independently. Thanks for sharing such a cool gadget and also a great gift idea!
Cassandra Hutton:
Those of you who know me, know my 1-year-old daughter is a picky (more like impossible) eater. We’ve tried every type of baby food, as well as finger foods, and we just haven’t had much luck. However, we did go through a brief phase where we could get her to eat directly from the squeeze-style pouches.
After loading up the cart with a variety of fruits (veggies were just NOT gonna happen), I realized I was going to be spending a fortune on baby food if this was the only way she was going to eat. Plus, I like being able to make some foods, and wanted to be able to give her yogurt and other things that just don’t come in pouches. So, I headed on over to Google and started to search for a reusable squeeze pouch – I figured that I couldn’t be the only mom who had thought this might be a good idea.
That’s when I found the Sili Squeeze. It is a reusable squeeze container made out of food-safe silicone, designed by none other than a mom looking for an alternative like I was (boy do I kind of wish I had come up with this first…). The Sili Squeeze is actually spill-proof and has a valve that requires your child to both pinch the nipple with their mouth and squeeze the pouch at the same time in order to get food. So, not only is it a reusable pouch, it allows you to hand it over to your child without the fear of sweet potatoes covering your car, kitchen, etc.
After receiving my Sili Squeeze, I was impressed with the design and quality. The spill-proof nipple is a little tricky, and as their website mentions, it may take your child multiple tries to make it work. My daughter wasn’t sure she wanted to actually “work” for her food, so it took a few days, but she finally figured out how to get the yogurt out so she could eat it.
It definitely is a great alternative to buying the expensive pouches at the store, and while we are sadly out of the squeeze phase (it lasted maybe 2 weeks…), I would definitely recommend the Sili Squeeze. Check out their website for more information and to purchase (I don’t think you can buy them anywhere else). They currently come in 2 sizes, 4 oz and 6 oz – and are $11.25 and $12.75, or you can purchase both for $22.00.
To get your business featured in this column, please email your entrepreneurship, parenting, or work life balance questions to Charlotte executive coach Dr. Jennie Wong.
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