THE REAL {AND OFTEN TERRIFYING} SIDE OF PARENTING, AS TOLD BY THREE-TIME POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION SURVIVOR, MAMA SAIGH: FORMER TV REPORTER + PRODUCER, TURNED FULL-TIME MOM, WIFE, BLOGGER + CONTRIBUTOR FOR THE JASON SHOW. WE WERE MINNESOTA EXPATS LIVING IN SINGAPORE FROM 2012-2015, AND ARE NOW BACK IN MN AS A FAMILY OF FIVE {2 PARENTS + 3 KIDS}. FOLLOW THE EVERYDAY REALITY SHOW THAT IS OUR LIFE, ON INSTAGRAM (@MELISSASAIGH). IS IT WINE O'CLOCK YET?!
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Monday, August 13, 2012
Monday's "7 days of baby food" giveaway.
August 13th - 19th, Minnesota Baby will be doing daily reviews and giveaways of some popular pre-packaged baby and toddler foods. From Plum Organics to Target's Up & Up Baby Food, our one-year-old daughter, Linna, has been sampling seven brands for about a month, and Mama Saigh will be sharing our thoughts on each brand's packaging, pricing, taste, nutrition, and "baby-appeal". Every day this week (Monday through Sunday), we'll be giving away a food prize-pack to one of our blog followers (make sure you follow our blog for your chance to win). Details about each day's giveaway will be on our Minnesota Baby Facebook page.
Disclaimer: I am not a food scientist or a doctor (even though I'd like to think of myself as such). This is NOT a sponsored review. All of the reviews during Minnesota Baby's "7 Days of Baby Food" are our own opinions (mom and baby - yes, mom tried the foods too). All of the baby food brands we are reviewing provided us with a giveaway. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the baby foods we'll be reviewing, because as we all know, everyone has their own personal opinions. Thanks for reading our reviews, and good luck on winning one of our 7 giveaways!
TODAY'S REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: PLUM ORGANICS
Plum Organics was one of the first pre-packaged baby foods we ever fed our daughter, and they've been a hit from day one. We love this company because not only are their baby foods affordable (especially when using coupons combined with store sales), their food blends come in squeezable, disposable pouches that make eating on-the-go a breeze. Our daughter literally sucks these food packs dry! As a mom, I want my daughter eating all kinds of fruits and vegetables, but it isn't always easy to prepare spinach, barley, quinoa, etc., into a meal that she can feed herself and actually eat. Plum Organics has come up with tasty (yes, I've tried them) combinations that my one-year-old will always eat (unless she has a cold, or no appetite). Plum Organics has food products for babies, tots and kids. Their ingredients are organic, fresh (as they can be), and free of hormones and over-engineered ingredients. They also have these little spoon heads that attach onto the squeezable food-packs, to make feeding easier if your little one isn't an independent food eater quite yet. We also give our daughter Plum's Super Puffs if they are on sale, because we've found we get more out of our money buying a big box of Cheerios, and our daughter likes those just as well. We haven't tried the training meals, so I can't give you our feedback on those. However, as a mom, I would definitely recommend the food packs for babies and toddlers. The food pouches range from just over a dollar a pouch, to about $1.50 a pouch, and I find them to be less expensive than a few other name brands. We like to order over $50 worth of the pouches when they are on sale at Target, because we get free shipping (over $50), save 5% by using our Target RED card, and we don't have to worry about running out of baby food for weeks, without having to run to the store.
GIVEAWAY: We're giving away a Plum food-pack prize to one of our blog followers by 10 p.m. on Monday, August 13th. For your chance to win, simply follow this blog and answer this question (comment below). One winner will be selected at random. Good luck!
HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH BRAND OF BABY OR TODDLER FOOD TO BUY???
I wanted to start with the most simple ingredients I could find, then once we found some we liked, I moved to what I could easily buy online and have shipped to my home so I wasn't running out all the time to buy more.
I look at ingredients, price, packaging and even take the company into consideration. We only buy two brands of baby food - Plum Organics or Ella's Kitchen. kate623@aol.com
I try to make the majority of my babies food myself using fresh or frozen fruits, vegetables and meats. I find it is not always the most convenient to use the homemade when we are out and about, so that is when I use the commercial products. I usually match up coupons with a sale and keep a small stash for those times when convenience is key. - Lisa
I usually go with a brand I trust or I have seen other moms use along with if I know my little guy will like it. It isn't worth buying if he won't eat it! I also try to look for the most simple ingredients with no sugar added.
Congratulations to Gwen Kocher! You're the winner of a Plum Organics food prize-pack. Please email me your address by this Friday so we can ship you your prize (info@minnesotababy.org)! Stay tuned for tomorrow's giveaway for another chance to win everyone:)
We will be leaving for singapore in a couple of days. Do you know where can we get Plum Organics or similarly packaged baby food in Singapore? Are they expensive? Thanks!
Hope and Mike: I'm not sure if you can get that specific brand (Plum), but they do have similar brands here. However, they are VERY expensive! My advice would be to pack a carry-on bag of the brand you like from home (that's what we did when we first moved here), OR invest in reusable food pouches such as The Little Green Pouch or Yummi Pouch (our favorites) and make your own fruit/veggie blends with local produce in Singapore. The Plum-type fruit/veggie pouches run about $4-$5 a piece in Singapore:( Good luck!
Thanks for the info. We will pack as many as our bags allow. There's a lot of good information on your blog. We take our little girl to the Bird Park and check out some of the dining establishments you mentioned. Thanks!
Value and what baby will eat. We usually just blend whatever we are eating for him to eat.
ReplyDeleteI go by the ingredients list. If I can't find it at a farm, he doesn't eat it.
ReplyDeleteCost is key for us when we actual buy baby food instead of making it.
ReplyDeleteIngredients, flavors baby likes, and good price point!
ReplyDeleteIngredients. I make a lot of baby food but we are gone so much that having pouches to travel with makes things much easier. I only feed him organic.
ReplyDeletePrice, ingredients, and packaging. The pouches make feeding so much easier for my 13 mo. Mommy actually gets to eat a hot dinner! Lol
ReplyDeleteI look at ingredients and price. Unfortunately, price usually wins because I have 3 children 3 and under.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to start with the most simple ingredients I could find, then once we found some we liked, I moved to what I could easily buy online and have shipped to my home so I wasn't running out all the time to buy more.
ReplyDeleteI look at ingredients, price, packaging and even take the company into consideration. We only buy two brands of baby food - Plum Organics or Ella's Kitchen. kate623@aol.com
ReplyDeleteI try to make the majority of my babies food myself using fresh or frozen fruits, vegetables and meats. I find it is not always the most convenient to use the homemade when we are out and about, so that is when I use the commercial products. I usually match up coupons with a sale and keep a small stash for those times when convenience is key. - Lisa
ReplyDeleteI usually go with a brand I trust or I have seen other moms use along with if I know my little guy will like it. It isn't worth buying if he won't eat it! I also try to look for the most simple ingredients with no sugar added.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Gwen Kocher! You're the winner of a Plum Organics food prize-pack. Please email me your address by this Friday so we can ship you your prize (info@minnesotababy.org)! Stay tuned for tomorrow's giveaway for another chance to win everyone:)
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteWe will be leaving for singapore in a couple of days. Do you know where can we get Plum Organics or similarly packaged baby food in Singapore? Are they expensive? Thanks!
Hope & Mike
Hope and Mike: I'm not sure if you can get that specific brand (Plum), but they do have similar brands here. However, they are VERY expensive! My advice would be to pack a carry-on bag of the brand you like from home (that's what we did when we first moved here), OR invest in reusable food pouches such as The Little Green Pouch or Yummi Pouch (our favorites) and make your own fruit/veggie blends with local produce in Singapore. The Plum-type fruit/veggie pouches run about $4-$5 a piece in Singapore:( Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. We will pack as many as our bags allow. There's a lot of good information on your blog. We take our little girl to the Bird Park and check out some of the dining establishments you mentioned. Thanks!
DeleteHope & mike