Bluum Box Review: January 2014

This is my fifth box since deciding to try Bluum. Bluum‘s pricing is very similar to Citrus Lane, at $25 per box on a month to month basis, $23 per month for a three month subscription (less than CL), $21 per month for a six month subscription (the same as CL), and even less than that for a one year subscription. Also of note is that Bluum offers more ways to earn rewards and free boxes than Citrus Lane does (which is why I’m on the month to month plan at the moment, hoping to earn a free box!). I’m still pretty impressed with the box. I was told that Bluum would primarily send samples, but I believe it to be of phenomenal value.

My box this month was the box for seventeen month olds. This box seemed to have a theme primarily of mealtime type items.

1. Organic Smoothie Fruits: The Green One from Ella’s Kitchen
Price: $1.29
Status: Great
Comments: I actually really like receiving food pouches in my subscription boxes. I have yet to feed them to Baby Girl yet, but I think she’ll really like them, and I look forward to trying!

2. Organic Smoothie Fruits: The Yellow One from Ella’s Kitchen
Price: $1.29
Status: Great
Comments: How fun to get two different flavors! I’m super glad about this!

3.Sippigrips from Booginhead
Price: $15.00
Status: Meh
Comments: These are actually pretty high quality and a nice item (plus I love that it’s a two pack!), but Baby Girl really doesn’t need these anymore. She has a good handle on her toys, cups, and other items, and she’s old enough to walk around now, so I’m not really worried about her dropping things or throwing things out of the car seat/stroller/shopping cart. These would have been awesome to have a few months ago though, and you can bet I’m going to re-gift them!

4.  Divided Plate from Bumkins
Price: $6.95
Status: Great
Comments: I love this item. I love the Bumkins brand, I love Dr. Seuss, and I love this plate! I wish it was a bit smaller, as this is quite a large plate and doesn’t fit well on Baby Girl’s high chair tray, but it’s cute, it’s durable, and it will be perfect for teaching her to eat off of a plate (she doesn’t do so well with that right now).

5. Toddler Fork
Price: $10.00
Status: Good
Comments: We can pretty much always use more utensils for Baby Girl, for sure. This one is a little odd, and I’m not sure how well she’ll do with it, and I’m skeptical of the price point, but it’s fine.

6.Waterproof Super Bib from Bumkins
Price: $6.95
Status: Awesome!
Comments: Bumkins Super Bibs really are the best bibs around for toddlers. Waterproof, food-catching pocket, machine washable, they are just awesome. I only wish we hadn’t gotten such a girly one…not a fan of the pink.

7. Oscillo from Boiron
Price: $6.99
Status: Meh.
Comments: Not a big fan of receiving flu medicine in my box, to tell the truth. Yes, it’s flu season, but this is a bit like getting a bottle of aspirin. Not cool.

So was it worth it? Definitely. The total value of the box was $48.47, compared to a $25 purchase price. After subtracting the items I will probably regift, I got around $27 worth of value, which is still above the purchase price. Plus, now I have some really high quality items to gift my mom friends with tinier babies!

Are you interested in signing up for Bluum?

Click here to sign up and receive 50% off your first box!

Bluum Box Review: December 2013

This is my fourth box since deciding to try Bluum. Bluum‘s pricing is very similar to Citrus Lane, at $25 per box on a month to month basis, $23 per month for a three month subscription (less than CL), $21 per month for a six month subscription (the same as CL), and even less than that for a one year subscription. Also of note is that Bluum offers more ways to earn rewards and free boxes than Citrus Lane does (which is why I’m on the month to month plan at the moment, hoping to earn a free box!). I’m still pretty impressed with the box. I was told that Bluum would primarily send samples, but I believe it to be of phenomenal value.

My box this month was the box for sixteen month olds. Unlike previous boxes, it did not appear to have any particular theme (strong hands, balancing act, etc).

1. Socks from BabySoy
Price: $3.50
Status: Great
Comments: Here’s a truth: I hate buying baby socks. The stores I visit on a regular basis don’t have a good selection, and they always seem so expensive. I mean, they’re still just socks. So I’m always happy to get cute baby socks that fit Baby Girl from decent, eco-conscious companies in my boxes. That said, BabySoy promotes themselves as “style + nature’s softness” selling soybean fiber baby clothing for eco-conscious parents. That’s fine in theory, based on materials, but your products are still made in China…enough said. I like the socks though.

2. Cuddle! from Parragon Books
Price: $9.99
Status: Pretty Great
Comments: Always love getting books in the subscription boxes! I feel like you can never have too many. This is a sweet book about cuddling animals, and it fits right in with where my daughter is mentally and developmentally with hugs and cuddles. It’s a sturdy board book, so she can “read” it herself, and I know it will be treasured.

3. Soft Spout Cover from Dreambaby
Price: $6.67 (Amazon)
Status: Meh
Comments: An inflatable spout cover? Nah. We actually have the Boon spout cover and love it, and I actually dislike almost everything inflatable. Inflatable stuff never seems to last or do that great a job. Plus, unlike other spout covers, this one has to be removed when adults want to take a shower, so it’s one more thing to store. Much prefer my Boon flo. Guess this will go in the re-gift box!

4.  Pacifier Wipes from Dapple
Price: $2.99
Status: Not so much…
Comments: Too young! Too young! While Baby Girl still uses her pacifier at night and for naps, when they aren’t using it around the house or out and about, it rather negates the need for these wipes. They look like a great product, and would have been awesome to have in the diaper bag for those trips to her uncle’s swim and wrestling meets when you inevitably drop the pacifier in the stands and have to run to the bathroom to rinse it off…we have outgrown their usefulness. Time to pass them on to someone else.

5. Sensitive Baby Foaming Shampoo and Body Wash from Susan Brown’s Baby
Price: $13.50
Status: Meh…
Comments: While I appreciate always having tear free, ph balanced, “free”, sensitive skin shampoos, body washes, and lotions around, they’re starting to take over my closet! I’m always getting these things in my subscription boxes, and I just don’t go through them that quickly. Baby Girl isn’t big enough to use up all of this! I’ll put this in the closet with the rest, but chances are good if it doesn’t get used soon (we’re still using the same bottle of body wash I bought when she was born…sixteen months later) I’ll re-gift it.

6. Strawberry Preserves from Bonne Maman
Price: $0.69
Status: Awesome!
Comments: We’re already lovers of Bonne Maman fruit preserves (I actually just bought a jar for a holiday gift basket), so it was fun to get a mini jar of strawberry preserves this month. While it would have been cooler to get a full jar, we’ll put this one to good use!

So was it worth it? I think so. The total value of the box was $37.34 (so down a little from previous months), compared to a $25 purchase price. After subtracting the items I will probably regift, I got around $28 worth of value, which is still above the purchase price. Plus, now I have some really high quality items to gift my mom friends with tinier babies!

Are you interested in signing up for Bluum?

Click here to sign up and receive 50% off your first box!

Baby Food: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Who doesn’t love oatmeal stuffed with the yummy goodness of apple and cinnamon? This is suitable for babies nine months and older, and is super simple to make!

Equipment:
Saucepan and Stove
Box grater

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 apple
1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
1. Put water in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.
2. While the water is heating up, core the apple and shred on the large holes of a box grater.
3. Once water is boiling, add oatmeal, apple, and cinnamon. Return to boil, then reduce heat to medium high and simmer about five minutes or until the oatmeal begins to thicken.
4. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit about 10 minutes. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for three days or in the freezer for three months.

Double the recipe and have breakfast as a family!

Baby Food: Amaranth & Plum

Yummy, fruity, and delicious, Baby Girl loves this one, and it’s super easy! Suitable for babies aged seven months and up!

Equipment:
Saucepan and Stove
Blender or Food Processor (used my Cuisinart Mini Prep this time)

Ingredients:
1 ripe plum
11/2 cups water
1/2 cup amarinth

Directions:
1. Bring water to boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add amaranth and return to boil, then lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. The amaranth will me transparent and sticky.
2. Pit and chop the plum. Put in the blender or food processor and pulse until suitable for your baby’s age and chewing ability.
3. Stir plum into amaranth. Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days.

Easy Peasy, lemon squeezy!

Baby Food: Zucchini Medley

Now that Baby Girl is getting more adventurous with her food (a bit), I’m finding it a bit easier to make things that she likes. Here is an easy thing to whip up that might get baby to eat her vegetables! It is suitable for 7 months and over.

Equipment:
Steamer (or pot of water, stove, and steamer basket)
Saucepan and Stove
Blender or Food Processor

Ingredients:
1 small zucchini
1 cup water
1/4 cup millet
2 Tbsp. applesauce (I use the natural kind)
4 tsp. basil

Directions:
1. Slice the zucchini and steam it in your steamer (or over boiling water in a steamer basket) for about seven minutes until tender.
2. Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil on the stove. When boiling, add the millet and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the millet is soft, about 10 minutes.
3. Add zucchini, millet, applesauce, and basil to the blender or food processor and blend until it is the consistency preferred by your little one according to their age. Add water if needed for a smoother consistency.

Easy Peasy!

Baby Smoothies

So it turns out that Baby Girl is a fruit addict. She pretty much hates every vegetable I try to give her unless I mix it with a little fruit. Doesn’t matter how I season it. I’ve run out of single ingredient purees to make, so I decided to start making her the occasional baby smoothie. If you’re making your own, you could substitute pretty much any fruit your baby is old enough to have for any of these. I just used what I know she likes.

Ingredients:
1 banana
1 nectarine/peach (fresh or frozen)
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup apple juice

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. It’s that easy.
2. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to three months.

Here’s To Baby Food: Prunes

Everyone always complains that prunes are too hard to make from scratch and that you’re better off buying them…I disagree. These were simple.

Equipment:
Food Processor OR Blender
Colander
Stove and saucepan

Ingredients:
1 cup prunes
1 cup Water

1. Add prunes and water to the saucepan. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer about ten minutes until prunes are tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Let cool.

2. Puree prunes and reserved liquid in the food processor or blender until smooth, adding additional water if needed.

3. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.

If your baby constipates easily, this is a good puree to have on hand in the freezer.

Here’s To Baby Food: Minty Green Beans

I’m starting to think I have a baby that just isn’t a fan of vegetables, because she isn’t a fan of this either. She’ll eat it mixed with stuff, but not on it’s own. I think it was delicious.

Equipment:
Food Processor OR Blender
Steamer OR Steaming basket, Stove, and Saucepan

Ingredients:
1/2 pound frozen cut green beans
1 Tbsp. fresh mint leaves

1. Steam the green beans in a steamer appliance or over boiling water for 14 minutes or so.

2. Add green beans and mint to the blender or food processor.

3. Puree in blender or food processor until smooth, add water as needed to make a smooth puree. I needed about 3 Tbsp.

4. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to three months.

It really smells great! This is suitable for babies 7 months and older.

A Word on Yogurt as Baby Food

Okay, so if you didn’t know this already (hopefully you do), infants aren’t supposed to have cow’s milk until they are a year old. Don’t jump down my throat about it, I’m not trying to start an argument. Whatever choice you and your family have made about this is fine. That’s not really what I want to talk about. When your infant hits the nine month mark, they are now allowed to have other dairy products. Cheese and yogurt, for instance.

Can I just say that yogurt is one of the best baby foods ever? As long as it is the plain, no sugar added, full fat yogurt (you know, the stuff that just says “plain” on it. No flavors, no “light”, no “low fat”, what have you.), they can have it. If you cringe at the idea of feeding your baby plain yogurt, stir some of that puree into it that you’ve been making. If you wonder how you’ll ever go through a 32 oz. tub of yogurt, stir some of your favorite fruit into it (crushed pineapple, for instance) and eat it yourself. In our house, we love yogurt. We eat a lot of it. I mix it with frozen or fresh fruit and nuts, use it in smoothies, and I just eat it. I love baby food that doubles as real people food, and I’m not afraid to say so.

Being able to open the fridge and say “well, I don’t have any puree thawed, but I have a tub of yogurt!”, is almost as good as having a banana above the fridge or a can of pumpkin in the pantry (or fresh sweet potatoes, or avocado…anything that I can pretty much just mash and serve without getting out any appliances). So, here’s to yogurt. Greek or regular, I love you the same.

Here’s To Baby Food: Asparagus

Baby Girl doesn’t particularly like this asparagus puree, but mix it with pears, and she’ll eat it.

Equipment:
Food Processor OR Blender
Steamer OR Steaming basket, Stove, and Saucepan

Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 lb.)

1. Cut woody, tough ends from the bottom of the asparagus. Steam in steamer appliance (I use an Oster) or in a steamer basket over boiling water until bright green and well cooked, about 10 minutes.

2. Run hot asparagus under cold water to stop the cooking.

3. Puree asparagus in blender or food processor until smooth, you shouldn’t need any additional water.

4. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to three months.

If your baby is old enough for spices, you can add a little garlic, basil, dill, or pepper for a little flavor.