The newly released Sili Squeeze is a simple concept but ingenious! Olympia moms will love being able to easily transport their children’s favorite homemade fruit and veggie purees in a spill-proof, infant and toddler-friendly way. I predict this new product will be an extremely big hit with both moms and their kiddos!
For months I have been reviewing the growing number of infant, toddler and preschooler pureed fruit and veggie pouches that have been popping up on grocery shelves everywhere: Plum Organics, Revolution Foods, Ella’s Kitchen, Earth’s Best and more.
I am the first to admit, my toddler is absolutely in love with “squeezing” her food. As a mother, I too have been enthralled with these pouches as I find them almost magical. My picky eater will eat almost anything that comes out of a pouch including spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, rhutabaga, etc.
Over time though, I have had two concerns with the growing hype of disposable food pouches. First, they do produce quite a bit of waste that is not easily recyclable. (Yes, some of them can be recycled but usually not in basic curbside recycling.) Second, if you want organic purees, the pouches are not especially cheap. Sure, you can sometimes find them on sale, but in general you are shelling out $1 to $2 for every pouch. Depending on how many your child eats, this can add up fast!
Enter, The Sili Squeeze. The Sili Squeeze is a reusable, spill-proof squeeze bottle that allows babies and toddlers to enjoy delicious blends of freshly pureed food, in addition to ready-made favorites like yogurt and applesauce, while on-the-go. Basically it is a reusable, refillable, easy to clean alternative to the disposable pouches. Better yet, it is completely spill-proof and therefore mess-free. You can take it in the car, in a restaurant, to the park or anywhere else for that matter. A huge selling point if you ask me!
According to thesilicompany website, “the nipple valve of The Sili Squeeze is a "purge valve" (this is part of the spill-proof design you will appreciate). Your child will soon discover that by gumming/pinching the nipple valve with their mouth, while simultaneously squeezing the soft, silicone body of the Sili Squeeze will give them the results they want: food!”
The Sili Squeeze was developed by Kristin Ahmer out of the “desire to feed my growing baby nutritious food on-the-go whether in the car seat, stroller, or shopping cart. The squeeze is “mommy hands free,” so your little ones can squeeze themselves silly, without the mess and wastefulness of a disposable squeeze.”
My 20 month old toddler loves the new Sili Squeeze. She had absolutely no problem learning to use the patent-pending “purge valve” on the pouch. I made up a batch of fruit and veggie smoothies (for the recipe click HERE), poured it in and within minutes she was happily squeezing and sucking away. Her eyes light up when she sees me get the Sili Squeeze out of the cabinet. Applesauce, yogurt, veggie and fruit purees. It doesn’t matter what I put into it. She likes to squeeze it all!
As a mom, I love the Sili Squeeze because it is an easy, convenient, inexpensive way to give my toddler healthy purees in the car, at Stroller Strides of Olympia and at home. Plus, because of the spill-proof nipple, her clothes stay clean! I take all those veggies she turns her nose up at, toss them into the blender with some fruit, yogurt and milk and behold, a yummy snack she gobbles up. The product is PBA and phthalate free so I know it is safe for my children. I also love knowing I am supporting a mom-owned company.
So far, I have found The Sili Squeeze to be easy to clean. The website says it is dishwasher safe, but I have only hand-washed it at this point. If I put it in the dishwasher it is out of commission for too long! I guess we are going to have to buy some more!
For moms with older kiddos, I should note my preschool-aged son had a bit of trouble with The Sili Squeeze when he tried it. He had a hard time getting the liquid to come out of the nipple. After discussing this issue with Ahmer, I agreed with her assessment. Older children probably struggle more with the tightness of the resistance valve on The Sili Squeeze nipple as they are used to getting their food and liquids from straws, sippy cups and the disposable pouches which all flow a bit faster. The resistance, however, is part of their patent-pending, spill-proof design and allows the pouch to be completely mess-free.
My son finds the Sili Squeeze fascinating though (probably because his sister loves it) and seems to want to keep trying. I will also point out that the Sili Squeeze is primarily marketed to younger children, and my older son is not their ideal demographic. This product is targeting babies and toddlers, and for that age-group The Sili Squeeze works amazingly well!
Thesilicompany does have a new nipple spout in production, The Squeeze With Eeeze, that will not have a resistance valve. While this new nipple will no longer be spill-proof, it will be easier for older kids to use. Look for The Squeeze With Eeeze to be out sometime this Fall.
The Sili Squeeze requires a bit more forethought and preparation than the store bought pre-made pouches, but with a little planning ahead your kids can be “squeezing themselves silly.” Try making large batches of purees ahead of time and freezing them, just like you do with baby food. Simply defrost the frozen purees and then pour into the Sili Squeeze.
You can also make a large batch of smoothies in the blender or food processor. Keep it in the refrigerator for the next day or so, and it is ready-to-pour when you need it. When you are in a hurry try using pre-made yogurt or applesauce. Simply pour it into the Sili Squeeze, screw on the lid and go.
I made my toddler this quick and easy puree in The Sili Squeeze today. She loved it!
- 1 cup all-natural organic applesauce (I love the Treetop All-Natural Organic Applesauce available at the local Olympia Costco)
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
- 1/2 cup veggies (You can use any vegetable you have on hand including cooked sweet potatoes, peas, squash or carrots. Fresh baby spinach works great as well)
Toss all the ingredients into the blender and puree. Makes enough for two servings.
You can order a Sili Squeeze on thesilicompany website. Four ounce pouches, six ounce pouches and a combo pack are now available.
From one mom to another, the concept of the Sili Squeeze just makes sense. In fact, I’ll be honest with you. I am pretty much kicking myself that I didn’t think of it first!
*Disclaimer: The Sili Company sent me a Sili Squeeze for the purpose of my review, but I was not paid for this review. All opinions and observations are mine and mine alone. My daughter really does love to squeeze her food from the Sili Squeeze!
More great parenting tips, advice, product reviews, recipes, art activities and local events join us on Facebook at the Olympia Washington Moms page.
Feel free to leave any comments below. I’d love to hear from you.
Get FREE email updates of all the new articles posted by this Examiner by clicking the SUBSCRIBE button above this story. Don't worry, you won't get ANY spam!
Comments