How to Make Mealtime Functional and Fun

Life with little ones is messy and chaotic, and never is that more true than at mealtime, at least in my house. It’s a constant battle to get my kids to actually eat their food instead of throwing it at each other, dropping it on the floor for our dogs or trying to stick things like peas into places they most definitely don’t belong. So needless to say I’m a huge fan of products that streamline the process of preparing and serving meals and keep the mess to a minimum. Mastrad is a French company that offers culinary accessories designed to making cooking more functional while still maintaining a dose of style, and in 2015, the company expanded its line with storage and feeding products for babies, and, mamas, they did it right.

Let’s start with the basics—the plate and the cup. I don’t know about you, but I have a cupboard full of plastic plates that my one-year-old loves to slide across the table as hard as he can when he’s done eating—I can almost see him giving himself a mental high-five when I don’t catch it in time and it crashes to the floor. Sliding game no more with the LIL’ PLATE, thanks to its nonslip base! I love that it’s made from BPA- and Phthalate-free materials and that it’s dishwasher-safe, my daughter appreciates the two sections that keep her foods from touching thankyouverymuch, and if he could talk, I think my son would say that he likes the fun shape and the pop of vibrant color.

What’s even more frustrating than my stack of toddler plates is the ever-growing collection of sippy cups and water bottles that spill out of the cupboard every time I open it. I can’t wait until our sippy cup days are over, but until then, I was super happy to add a set of BABYCAPS SPOUTS to our rotation. These amazing little silicone caps fit over any cup with a 2-2.5″ opening, turning it into a sippy cup. They’re stretchy, ensuring a tight seal to prevent spills, and the soft spout makes it easy for my little ones to stay hydrated. I love that the SPOUTS come with a carrying case, making it easy to toss them in my diaper bag for impromptu lunch dates when we’re out and about. BPA- and Phathalate-free, safe for hot and cold beverages and dishwasher-safe, they’re a welcome addition to my kitchen.

Now that we have mealtime covered, let’s talk food storage for little ones. Mastrad offers a stellar collection of storage solutions, including the multi-functional BABYPODS. Available in three sizes (small, medium and large), BABYPODS are the perfect way to store meals for little ones. Just like the SPOUTS, they’re made from BPA- and Phathalate-free silicone, allowing you to safely keep food in either the fridge or the freezer. There are individual airtight lids that keep the food fresh, and the silicone makes it so easy to remove it when you’re ready to serve. I’ve found BABYPODS especially useful when we’re planning meals on the go—I just fill up each pod with various foods, snap the lids on and we’re ready to go with a healthy, kid-friendly and easy-to-transport meal.

The LIL’ PLATE retails for $8.99, the BABYCAPS SPOUTS retail for $7.99 and the BABYPODS (large) retail for $19.99. Check out these products, along with Mastrad’s entire collection on their website.

Products and/or samples were received
but all the opinions are my own.