the Stay At Home Librarian

I know you’ve probably all seen it.  Some of the latest news to throw all us mamas and papas into a downward-worry-spiral… apparently even BPA-free plastics appear to have the potential to be harmful to our bodies.

“The Scary New Evidence on BPA-Free Plastics” from MotherJones.com

Alright.  Well.  Hmm.  I know that in my cupboard I have quite a few plastic cups, plates, bottles and the like that I have used with my young toddler since she was a baby.  All of it was listed as BPA-free, so I thought I was doing okay buying things that wouldn’t break when they were inevitably thrown on the floor.  And they were more readily available at Target, my go-to store.  But now I learn I was poisoning my baby!?!?

Okay, really, let’s all breathe.  We all do the best we can.  I’m going to let go of the mommy-guilt, and say that it’s okay.   Maybe I should have bought glass or stainless steel to begin with, but plastic was cheaper.  And did I really want to replace everything now??  Well, maybe not everything… but I do feel inclined to switch out some of the plastic products that hold food or drink in them for extended periods of time (such as sippy cups and tupperware), and I could work on slowly replacing other kitchen products as I had the time and money.  Also, it’s better for the environment.  So, yeah.  Let’s go plastic-free!

If you are like me and are thinking of making the switch (or if you are a soon-to-be parent, and haven’t bought anything yet, but are looking for safer products), I have found some great websites to get you started on that quest:

Healthy Child, Healthy World website – I recommend this website when you have any questions about how you can create a healthier household — from how to choose less toxic household cleaners, to learning how to read labels, to making your own naturally-dyed Easter eggs.  Really good resource.

Life Without Plastic website – Lots of good products to look at and purchase if you feel like throwing down some dough.

Mighty Nest website – More products, and a cute blog.

Gimme the Good Stuff website – She has some good guides and lists of products she recommends. (Just because your new sippy cup is “safe,” doesn’t mean it won’t leak all over your diaper bag!  She has some good reviews.  Here is her “safe sippy cups” guide)

Some of the most popular products for sippy cups, bottles and snack containers:

(Stainless steel)

Klean Kanteen

Pura

Foogo by Thermos

Safe Sippy 2 from Kidbasix

PlanetBox

LunchBots

ECOLunchbox

(Glass)

Lifefactory

Evenflo glass baby bottles – I have read that these are some of the most cost-effective glass baby bottles on the market… and Target sells them online. 😉

(Silicone)

Silikids

Kinderville

 

My personal favorites:

Pura Kiki Stainless Sippy Bottle Stainless Steel with XL Sipper Spout, 11 Ounce, 6 Months+ – They also have a variety of nipple attachments (from bottle to sippy to straw).  However, because these are stainless steel, they get very cold and collect a lot of condensation on the outside.  And while Pura also sells covers, I have found that I actually prefer these covers by Kidzikoo – Neoprene Baby Bottle/Sippy Cup Insulator – Kitties… These cloth covers fit these Pura cups perfectly, and are much easier to take on and off than the Pura silicone covers.  They also come in many adorable and fun prints!

Also, all my at-home food storage is now done in my Pyrex Storage 10-Piece Set, Clear with Blue Lids. (I actually bought a couple sets.)  Just make sure to use these properly so that they don’t shatter… If you follow the directions, they can go from fridge to microwave to oven to freezer.  All my storing and reheating needs in one!

And, finally, this is a little random, but my daughter loves eating those yogurt tubes after they have been frozen, but her little hands get so cold.  I was wrapping a paper towel around each one, but, I had such guilt over the waste (because seriously, she goes through those yogurt pops like there’s no tomorrow!)… until I found these: Kooleez – Neoprene Freezer Pop/Ice Pop Insulator 4-pack. Awesome and reusable. (Note: These are all my personal opinions. I have not been contacted by any of these companies.. I just love their products!)

 

Have any favorite non-plastic baby products? I know there are so many more out there than what I listed here!  Please, share them below!

And, as always, these are just some recommendations.  Do your research, then always do what works best for you and your family.