Product Review: Sprout Organic Baby Food

I know, I know-you're wondering why I'm reviewing baby food when I make my own. Well, truth be told, I often use commercial baby food when we travel. It's easier on so many levels. Plus, there are so many great combinations that I would never think to put together (roast bananas and brown rice, roasted apples and blueberries, etc). Since I still want the food I give my little guy to be healthy and ecologically responsible, I was ecstatic to find Sprout.

First of all, Sprout was co-founded by Chef Tyler Florence. If you have ever tried any of his recipes, you know that this means you're getting a good-tasting baby food. And it is. I tried some. Have you ever tried regular commercial baby food? Not yummy. But this stuff is! Next, it's organic. This makes it better for my baby and better for the environment. The packaging is BPA-free, takes up less room then other methods and can be upcycled by crafty folks (craftier than me...). 

Now, Sprout is a bit more expensive than other traditional brands. It's a bit more than $1 per pouch, which is one serving for my little guy at this point. However, I would point out that you get what you pay for. And, I can't think of anywhere else that you can get healthy, organic, prepared food for around $1 a meal.

Whether you feed prepared baby food exclusively or are looking to supplement homemade, check out Sprout. It's available in stores or online. I think your baby will love it!

Product Review: Oxo Cherry/Olive Pitter

Did you know that Michigan is one of the world's top cherry producers? Lucky us! I can remember my grandma, aunt and mom using hairpins to pit bazillions of cherries back when I was a wee girl. That was a nice, simple method. It was also messy and time consuming. Now, normally I'm not a gadget girl. The exception would be kitchen gadgets. I picked this one up earlier this winter while I was dreaming of cherry season. I used it to pit the olives when I made the chicken tagine a while back. It's easy to use and relatively neat. It only does one at a time, so it will still take some time, but I really think it will make prepping cherries much easier.

As I look out onto the frigid landscape of March in Michigan, I can't help planning my cherry projects for the year. This little gadget will come in handy as I attempt homemade maraschino cherries (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), cherry jam and cherry pie filling. Yum!

**The legal stuff: I am not being compensated in any way for this review. I bought the product and have enjoyed it so I thought I'd share.**