Five Favorite Etsy Stores- Christmas Ornaments

I want to keep highlighting amazing makers in the US, and I feel like my Etsy links can get caught in the more mainstream shuffle. So starting a series to focus on the greatest stuff we have found. 

from Fancy Face Studios

I love Christmas ornaments. We don't buy anything big when we go on trips, but we always bring home an ornament for our tree. I love receiving and giving them as gifts, because it can be thoughtful, special, and packed away for a good chunk of the year (rather than adding to the clutter). Etsy has a seemingly endless supply of cool ornaments that would make great gifts. These are some of my favorites.

Naya Studio (Colorado) uses reclaimed wood to make these sweet little Christmas trees.

Cardboard Safari (Virginia) mostly sells cardboard animal busts but their christmas pinecones out of recycled cardboard are beautiful. One of my favorite Christmas ornaments anywhere.

Drops of Color Shop (Texas) makes the cutest mobiles, but they put their felty genius to use for Christmas ornaments. So sweet and bright, we have made our own felt ornaments, but these are way better.

Schemata (New York) has gorgeous glass ornaments that look so special and colorful. These glass balls were actually one of my first Etsy purchases (the beginning of an addiction for sure).They remind me of maps of a planet I have never been to. I thought they made great gifts, so maybe you will too.

Ornaments 4 Charity (Nebraska) makes lego ornaments, which you can find plenty of on Etsy. What makes these so special is that they are the product of one family, and 100% of the proceeds go to helping women and children in domestic violence centers. The whole family does the work together just to help others around Christmas. How awesome is that!?


Want more links to awesome ornaments? Can do! 2 Chicks and a Basket, Tuscany Creative, Pegasus Parchments, Smiling Tree Toys, Just 4 Christmas, Reclaim the Shed, Nestled Pine Woodworks, Taco Explosions, A Heirloom, MC Wonderland, Little Celandine, artcrafthome,

Want even more eco-friendly and local shopping inspiration? Check out my Giant List of Ethical and Eco-Friendly Shopping Lists. 

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Green Christmas 2016: Let's Do This!

Yes, it is early to talk about Christmas.

No, I am not a person with their tree up already.

But this is a blog about living more, buying less, and spending our money on things that do some good. All of those concerns will loom large the next few months. Plus, etsy purchases can take time.

So, let's do this.

We as Christians love to bemoan the ways the Christmas message has been lost, and I can't help but agree. It has become about catching the biggest sale (ugh Black Friday- leave Thanksgiving alone!) and the visual affirmation of success through abundance. We want to see those piles under the tree, but why?

I know I love to see a mountain of presents under the tree- gifting is my love language, and I can't help but send the message "HOLY CRAP I LOVE YOU SO FREAKING MUCH" this time of year. I think that big pile can also tell people that they are doing ok, that they are providing, that their kids are happy, etc. When life gets hard, it can be a signal things can still be good. But as much as I get the instinct to celebrate this way, the way I see Christmas gifting is radically changing.

Our gifting mirrors the gifts of the Magi, but on a deeper level, it mirrors the gift God gave the Earth- his son! He did the ultimate good for the world by giving this gift, and I truly believe we should try to model our gift giving after this. Instead of looking for a deal or making sure each child has an equal pile of goodies, could we ask "How will this gift do good?"

A gift that does good changes the criteria from which we make our choices- it's no longer "will he like it?" or "will this be enough?" or "can I find this cheaper?"

Shopping to do good means paying attention to how the object was made- "was the person who made it treated with respect?" It can also refer to how it was sold- "does buying this help my community?" It could be about the environment- "Does this gift create more waste for landfills or use a ton of energy getting here?" By paying attention to these issues, we shift our gifting paradigm, and we can make a profound difference in this world and in our families.

Consumerism in America is out of control. In 2012, they estimated an average American spends 846 dollars on gifts for Christmas. That's a ton of money! This means, Christmas is one of the most important times to think about making a positive difference with your shopping. People have too much stuff already, and it takes away from our lives. It also destroys our landscape. Our gifts create landfill waste and use tons of fossil fuels. Committing to buying less but better, less plastic, practical, and more local gifts can change the world. Especially if we all make this change.

Your shopping can do good if you think about it this way- 

We often hear cliched statements about how Christmas isn't about gifts or spending, but that is honestly easier said than done. This blog aims to give some actual strategies about how to make Christmas great without so much stuff.

Buy Less. Don't buy 3 cheap gifts. Buy 1 good one. Don't get stuck with that picture of the tree in your head, and spend money on non-physical gifts like gift cards for dinner out or tickets for a cool experience. Make something yourself.

Buy Used. Fight the stigma against used items. You can find an amazing pair of boots or kitchen items at a steal just by starting at consignment shops first. Check you Buy Nothing Project. Look for toys or items that use post-consumer recycled materials.

Buy Local, Buy American. Support your community and your country by shopping at locally-owned stores instead of Walmart and Made in America items instead of things made elsewhere.

Is local and American more expensive? Yep. But if you buy fewer gifts and fill in the blanks with used items, it can add up to about the same. You are just spending your money in a different way.

This is a huge commitment, but you can break it into sizes that don't overwhelm.

I am not suggesting you have to do this for every gift (even though it would be cool if you did). Make a plan, make a list, and figure out which things you can do this for. You can even think about how to change what you ask for when people ask. This is all about baby steps, and if you think about it at all, then that is pretty damn awesome.

You could try making part of your gift this year. Or just start your shopping at local businesses and thrift stores. You could rethink what you really need and will ask for yourself. Every Christmas season, we shell out oodles of money to buy gifts for all our loved ones. If we all did commit 100 dollars to local businesses, or things manufactured in America, or recycled/ used gifts, we could make a HUGE difference!

So the blog in November and December is all about inspiring a new approach to Christmas shopping. One where we can finally accept it really is the thought that counts, not the money spent.

Most importantly, this is totally doable. I am going to post more friends and family wishlists (throwbacks from last year and new ones- people send me your lists!), so you can see that you can get almost anything recycled or Made in America. I am going to post ideas of how to wrap in a more eco-friendly way (how can we wrap creatively to make the wrapping part of the gift?), and even more stocking stuffers Made in America (therefore, using so much less fossil fuel!). I am going to research Christmas pajamas and where you can get local, American-made candy all over this country. I have some awesome Etsy lists for you (I do love some Etsy).

Now, I know my Dad is pulling his hair out at the thought of me writing these Christmas lists through 2 months (he hates the skip over Thanksgiving), but hear me out. I cannot in good conscience encourage last minute Etsy shopping, because that is a fool's game. When you are buying things from people, not giant corporate machines, sometimes part of what you are investing in is a slower  process. It does not mean that you should let consumerism take over your season starting today, and PLEASE save the Christmas music until after Thanksgiving!

I am also really into the idea of giving as a family tradition, so look out for Advent giving plans and ideas of where and what to donate this Christmas (some of the big organizations, like Operation Christmas Child, have major problems, but that doesn't mean they all do).

So, join me in setting some new goals this Christmas- if you care about stewardship and you want to make your Christmas about more than sales at the mall, resolve to only buy things Made in America or fair-trade.

If you care about the environment, think about how you can create less waste this season! There are so many great ideas out there.

The amazing thing is, if you care about one of these things, you will make a positive change for all of them. If a company cares about these things, not just about making the most money possible, they often attend to other ways to do good as well. Putting your money there sends mainstream companies the message that if they want your money, they have to do better too, which is a pretty awesome message for us to send (over and over).

You don't have to make it impossible for yourself, just join me in trying to do better this Christmas. And let me know about what you are finding, what you are looking for, and what purchases you are most excited about!

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Eco-Friendly Christmas Cards

the card is from etsy and the picture is from the amazing and talented Jenny GG

At this moment in the year, we start shopping for our Christmas card. Many of us send each other Christmas cards to wish friends peace and joy, to celebrate the holidays, and to show off their family in totally not posed pictures of family togetherness. I can joke, but I am as guilty as anyone of sending these cards and being so happy to receive them. It is equally nice to be wished happiness and to see how happy people I care about are. Christmas cards may be cheesy, but they are also awesome.

Even better, if you are trying to have a more eco-friendly holiday season, then the Christmas cards create a pretty obvious opportunity to make some positive changes! This is an opportunity to save trees, that keep our Earth cooler, our air cleaner, and our view prettier.

Think about how many trees must go down for all that holiday cheer in the mail- probably more worth it than the trees that come down for toilet paper. But if you can celebrate the holidays by being a steward and preserving God's creation, why wouldn't you do it? If the holiday really isn't about consumerism, we need to approach it with the spirit of stewardship first.

I know I as a Christian think even more about my role as a steward this time of year- how can I approach giving gifts in a way that pleases God? If giving gifts to each other is a symbolic repetition of God giving us the gift of his son, how can we do it in a way that takes care of his creation? Those questions resonate even when the gift is as small as a card.\

If you want to be a good steward this Christmas, recycled cards make so much sense. You can save trees from being cut down while still sending your love to others. The answer here is simple, though it might cost you more money.

The good news? Recycled card options are EVERYWHERE, they just may not be where you would look first. Skip Shutterfly and Tiny Prints. Tiny prints weirdly comes up when you search for eco-friendly Christmas cards, but they aren't, so that is an infuriating scam. They don't use any recycled paper as far as I can see. That being said, so many other places do.

Let's do this, people! Enough of these virgin tree shenanigans:

Green Field Paper Co

Green Field Paper Co is now my first stop for paper good browsing. Not only do they have great designs, they also feature more types of eco-friendly statonary than anyone. When you see just how many creative and eenviromentaly responsible options are out there, it's hard not to question why all paper companies don't try this route.My favorite- cards specifically made out of recycled junk mail! That is genius. All the other cars need to step it up. They also have plantable cards, ornaments, and gift cards (these are made of recycled paper and have seeds in them- bonus, they are all made in San Diego). Seriously, look here before you buy a box of cards anywhere else.

Paper Culture

Paper Culture is another gem- a perfect first stop if you want a cheesy/wonderful photo card (don't be ashamed; I love them too). Paper Culture recognizes their carbon footprint, and they try to offset it by using 100% post-consumer paper for their cards and by planting a tree for every order they sell. The Arbor Day Foundation does it for every card (so significantly more depending on your order), but these cards gave a little more design to them and have photocard options, so they may better fit your vision. Their designs vary from bright and busy to minimalist and chic, so you are sure to find something you like. Plus, they don't cost any more than those photo cards from Tiny Prints. How did we not all know about this before?!

Minted

 I have a lot of loyalty for Minted cards; we got our save the dates and birth announcements from them, and their cards always look great and modern. They are pretty comparably priced to Tiny Prints, just a little more expensive, but they offer 100% recycled paper for 15 dollars more. To me, that's worth it, and I will just buy fewer cards to cover the cost.

 Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation sells 100% recycled "Give a Tree" paper cards as a fundraiser. Every card you buy puts money towards planting trees, so not only are you preventing more trees from coming down, you are also helping plant more! I love this idea so much, though I can't really say that the designs are anything to get excited about (some designer- volunteer your time). Definitely less stylish, but think, if you did this every year at Christmas, how many trees you could help plant in a lifetime. What a sweet addition to your holiday traditions.

Etsy

We all knew I was going to say it- you still have time to buy your cards from etsy, so you can start with this search to find eco-friendly options on there as well.

A Few Other Thoughts to Keep Things Eco-Friendly (No matter where you buy)

Skip the Foil- Foil pressed cards are really pretty, and they are super popular right now. Skip them. You can't recycle them and they won't biodegrade.

Buy Less- Pick a smaller than regular number to send and just don't send them to those people on the list that feel like a stretch. It can make a big difference to just cut down your numbers to the people you really care about.

Above all, Save the Trees- With so many recycled paper options out there, it really doesn't make sense to send a card on virgin tree paper.

That's it! Christmas is kicked off and I will have a ton of ideas for how to make tiny changes to your Christmas plans that will have a big impact on the Earth. Have specific questions? Let me know and we will try to address them. In the meantime, check out the Christmas lists from last year on The Giant List of Shopping Lists.

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4th Trimester Update- 8 Weeks and it is Getting Interesting...

How Far Along- 8 weeks! Moving right along.

My Weight-  About the same. Definitely we are past the point where weight just coming off is long forgotten. Started exercising again, and I have been trying to eat right, but trying is the operative word.

Baby Cuteness Rating- So cute! I usually think babies at this age are in the awkward puberty of infancy, because they are more crazy-eyed than cute. I look back on The Bub, and he was not super cute yet. But this baby is so darn smiley and cute already. Motherly love talking? Maybe. But you can't fight with baby rolls.

You Breastfed Where?- A fancy restaurant? While dressed as a Pokemon? Life is full of so many possibilities when it comes to whipping out your boobs.

And I am Feeling- Scared. This is the first week where I am really on my own- all the grandparents and paternity leave cushion has run out. I did my first day of two bubs today, and we survived. That seems like a solid start to me. It will get better, but first it will suck, and I am not excited to be in the suckiness phase.

Most Bizarro Quirk of the Week- Apparently my hormones think my baby is blind, because I have saucers on my chest. Maybe they were like this before, and I was too busy with other things to notice. But wow, body, we get it, you can nipple. Let's turn the volume down on that now.

Best Moment of the Week- We are running on empty, and it feels like we are surviving moment to moment. We thought we were completely out of The Bub's diapers, and we were debating who was headed back to the store. It just felt like adulthood was back to ruin an already iffy day.

Then, like a gift from heaven, a UPS-driving angel dropped off the Bub's box of diapers a day early. I may have danced with the box through the living room. These are not the days where you get a lot of wins, but man, a diaper subscription, two chocolate chip cookies, and a documentary about the Shining may have just saved house morale. 

Having my cousin visit this weekend was also amazing. We had trick or treating, and having her there made the whole thing more fun and less stressful (because adults again outnumbered babies). I am so lucky to have her as a friend and cousin- is there anything better in the world than having someone love your kids? Plus, I really like having a full house of people. 

Favorite Tool in my Arsenal- Reusable Nursing Pads (I have these ones from Love Your Reusables on Etsy). Why did disposable nursing pads even become a thing? These are easy to throw in the laundry, and I have saved so much money (and prevented waste!) by going this route. If you are a new mommy, consider it!

And We are Watching- Nothing interesting. I mostly watch food shows at night, but I have actually been avoiding it to try to keep the Baby Bear sleeping. I have been working on Shutterfly projects on a dim computer. My goal is to have an awesome playlist for November so we mostly use music to fill the house.

And the Boy?- Back to work and I think in total fear I will have a break down from the challenge of getting everyone enough sleep. I am hoping he will be pleasantly surprised. I miss having him around all the time though.

Looking Forward To- Getting everyone back on schedule! 2 months of upheaval since we had a "normal," so I am looking forward to having a "normal" again. Plus, we have more visitors coming this weekend! Excited to spend the weekend with the Boy's brother and sister-in-law. So fun, and it is always happy to introduce our baby to his family. 

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Five Favorite Etsy Stores- Stranger Things Goodies

I want to keep highlighting amazing makers in the US, and I feel like my Etsy links can get caught in the more mainstream shuffle. So starting a series to focus on the greatest stuff we have found. 

We may be slightly obsessed with this show in our house (especially a national treasure named Barb). It turns out, we are not the only ones, because there are so many cool and hilarious Stranger Things goodies on Etsy. How can you not feel good about a world where people are making Barb stickers? These might make fun Christmas gifts, or just cute things to look at.

from Strangeways Studios

Strangeways Studios (Utah) has all sorts of pop culture t-shirts, totes, and onesies. I love their simple contour-line designs, and they have a couple of Barba and Eleven designs I am totally in love with. It makes me laugh that they use the same waffle design for Leslie Knope and Eleven (they have so much in common). Love this store!

from Concepcion Studios

Concepcion Studios (California) makes beautiful and minimalist "retro-modern" posters, ncluding this one for Stranger Things. Plus, they aren't all that expensive, so they might make a perfect gift for the movie lover you love.

from dreamlikefilm

Dreamlikefilm (Chicago) makes vinyl stickers with great style and pop culture (mostly film) references. I love their choices for Stranger Things references too- who doesn't need an eggo sticker! This store might be a great stop for stocking stuffers.

from Wooteewoot

Wooteewoot- Has any one shirt ever contained so much truth? They have lots of cool ones.

from Big Yellow Dog Designs

Big Yellow Dog Designs (Atlanta)- The Lights with the alphabet has to be the most iconic image in the show. Making Alphabet magnets with that image? Totally genius.

from Smart Lamb Shop

Bonus- I try to feature all American shops, because I really believe that buying locally is better for the environment, but this was too cool to not include. Smart Lamb Shop recycles old VHS tapes into table lamps, and the bizarre anachronistic combination of a modern nostalgia tv show on a medium it will never actually BE on is just too good. You, my friends, are some Brazilian Winners.

Ok, there are so many cool things, so if you are interested, check these stores too- Dainty Dirtbags, Jenny's Sweet Tees, Cately Designs, The Exploding Awesome, jeddlangevin, Abbie Illustrations, Weirdo Weapons, Tokyo Electrick, and Deep Fried Art.

Want even more eco-friendly and local shopping inspiration? Check out my Giant List of Ethical and Eco-Friendly Shopping Lists. 

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Greening Halloween- Treats to Feel Good Handing Out

After mostly living way out in the country as a kid and in really cold apartment complexes as a young adult, I am still giddy excited when we have trick or treaters come to our house. Ecstatic. It is so cute to see them, and it makes me feel like we live in a real neighborhood (as opposed to the endless strip mall we lived in before).

This year, I was thinking about how we would manage trick or treating when I was hit with a lightning bolt of bougie environmentalist doom.

Halloween candy is super bad for the environment. Crap!

This happens for a number of reasons. The biggest is that candy "has" to be individually wrapped. I have spent some time thinking about this fact, and honestly, it is super depressing (we trust corporations and plastic covering more than we trust our neighbors... blech). All this individually wrapped candy creates so much plastic waste. Think about just how many candy wrappers must land in the garbage this week. It's a bummer.

Also problematic, these candy companies are often shipping their candy shockingly long distances to take advantage of cheap labor. Hershey's makes a lot of their chocolates  (including Reese's and Kitkats- try the Boyer's peanut butter cups) in Mexico now. Nestle makes their pure evil candy bars (crunch, 100 grand, etc) outside of the US as well.

I have reached the point where I just won't give these companies my money. Screw those guys, especially Nestle, because they are essentially cartoon villians. That being said, I just can't be the parent on the block that hands out toothbrushes or apples or something. I have children, and I just cannot bear to embarrass them that much.

So what is a person to do if they want to do something a little more environmentally-responsible but don't want to hand out something the kids will want to give back?

I have figured out some solutions, if only so I can go get candy without feeling crippling guilt. Honestly, none of these are perfect. If your first priority is the environment, you should probably make the treat yourself, but that only works if you know all the kids that will stop by.

But just because there isn't a perfect solution doesn't mean we all couldn't do a little bit better. All candy is not made equal, and if the company is flippant or even problematic, you can bet they also use sketchy practices in what is actually in the food (you can look at palm oil and preservatives as obvious signals of a company's values). All the choices may seem bad, but some are definitely better than others. Let's get started.

I have 13 options to hand out this year. I'll try to organize them by easiest to the most time-consuming. Because it's a few days before Halloween, let's not pretend you have time to search for the perfect candy.

Snickers (or variety bags with Snickers in them)- If you are picking something up at Target or your regular grocery store (which is how most of us do it), pick the Mars bag over the other mixes. Snickers and the rest are still made in New Jersey. You may not cut down on packaging, but at least your candy has only moved a short distance. Probably the easiest option for last minute shoppers (avoid the other chocolate bags! Trust me)
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Alright, i have taken some solid criticism about this choice and want to make sure to include it. Ill start by saying i pointed out in earlier in the post that none of these choices are perfect, but they do generally raise fewer problems as you go down the list and get to less easy to find stuff. At the same time, i wanted to point to the even slightly better options in a regular aisle, because most of us aren't going out of our way for halloween andy.

 mars chocolate, like most mainstream chocolate, is not fair trade. the enviromental and more importantly labor costs f chocolate that isn't fair trade is extremely steep, potentially ncluding child labor and slave labor. not good- if this is really important to you, check out unreal candy and bug bites (the other two chocolate choices on this list). they are both fair trade. also, check with your local chocolate shops, they can probably speak very specifically o where their coco or cacao beans come  from.

The other charge against mars is that they participated in animal testing. this was revealed back in 2007, and it was reported on until 2009. no one talks about it now, but that doesn't mean it isn't going on. if that is important to you, this may not be your pick.

So yes, mars is a mixed bag, and you may be better off picking up dum dums or blow pops, but if chocolate bags are your last minute option, i would till go with snickers over the others.

Dum Dums- This was the winner in our house this year. They are a reasonable size, and at least half of their packaging is paper and biodegradable. Plus, these little lollipops are made in the United States. Bad side, they do have chemicals in them for coloring.

M and M's- Also made by Mars, and also made in the USA. My mom's favorite, so if she comes trick or treating at your house...

Tootsie Pops, Tootsie Rolls, and Blow Pops- I am not a tootsie pop girl, but blow pops were the business when we were kids. Candy and gum in one. The packaging is not great (minus the lollipop stick, which will at least biodegrade), but they are made in the US, so

Cow Tales- They don't have especially Halloween-themed packaging, but I have never turned down candy on that account. Made in the USA.

Jelly Belly Jellybeans- Made in the US, can get individually wrapped bunch in many Halloween sections. Jelly beans are gross, but if they are your deal, no judgement for liking the grossest stuff.

Annie's Fruit Tape- Has better ingredients for the kids, is made in the US, and still comes in individual packaging so no one suspects you are a murderer.

Stickers or temporary tattoos- My son absolutely loses his mind for stickers right now. Stickers and temporary tattoos keep you out of the plastic covered candy territory without landing in toothbrush land. Still not a perfect solution, but you can find recycled stickers and domestically-made temporary tattoos. You can find cool temporary tattoos on Etsy too.

Go local! Does your local candy company make something individually wrapped? It doesn't have to be fancy or overblown, but every state in the US has at least one brand of chocolate all their own (off the top of my head, Western Seattle has 5). Stores like Daffins will have individually wrapped chocolates that will be delicious. Are they slightly smaller? No big deal! You are doing good, and the kids probably won't care in the end. Take this opportunity to check out a local candy shop.

Unreal Candy- Unlike almost anything else mentioned, these candies are fair-trade and at least actively trying to think about the environment. You can find them at some targets and whole foods, but check out their website if you want to learn more about them.

Yummy Earth Lollipops- They sell organic lollipops made in America. We have had them in the house, and honestly, they were pretty good. I don't know that the packaging is any better then anything else in that way.

Milk Chocolate Bug Bites- These fair trade chocolates, the mini version of endangered species chocolates. The chocolates are partnered with the Xerces society, so the proceeds go towards the conservation of endangered bug species. Plus, they come with bug trading cards. I love them.

Make Something- Popcorn Balls, Caramel Apples, Fudge. Unwrapped treats may be verboten, bu it might be worth trying where you live if you know most of the  people!

Enjoy your trick or treaters and I hope this helps the last minute shoppers like me! If you want more shopping inspiration, Check the Giant Lists of Shopping Lists!

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Don't Buy Babyfood Pouches, Instead Try...

from babyrecs

"We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children."

When you are in the thick of parenting a baby or toddler, the last thing you can even imagine, much less plan for, is their future as adults. I know I have plenty of moments where I am just trying to get through the day. The years may go fast, but the days are a long string of chaos.

For that reason, lots of parenting shortcuts exist- tv shows to keep them occupied for a minute, a bumbo to keep them immobile, and pre-made baby food so you can feed them quickly. These things can be counted on to come with some kind of judgement call- we are all supposed to be constantly present, never need a minute to answer a phone call or pee or be a human being. Current "expert" opinion turns against anything that might make life a bit easier. I'm no expert, but I think all of those things make sense, and in the right moment, they are a lifesaver. 

That being said, there is one mommy shortcut that really burns my toast. I don't understand why people go out of their way to talk crap on Daniel Tiger but this nonsense goes unnoticed. 

The Babyfood Pouch. 

Now, these one time use pouches look innocuous enough, and they are perfect for a diaper bag, right? 

False, my friend, and they have to go. 

We may save a minute or two of our time by giving these to our kids rather than taking the time to serve them with a spoon, but they are bad for our kids now and even worse for their future.

Baby pouches are relatively new, started by Plum Organics this decade and immediately catching on. They took off almost immediately because we as parents are always on the run and what a great solution! Babies and toddlers could eat on the road or out of their chair. You can keep them in purses, etc. But soon after they took off, writing on the pouch began to question them. Even the New York Times was questioning some of Plum Organics' claims.

Why are they bad for them now?

First, there is solid evidence that the pouches are bad for teeth and teeth development if they go on too long (and right now it seems that the crutch lasts a long time- well into toddlerhood). It also creates long term sugar exposure to their teeth and could cause decay. All in all, bad news for teeth.

Second, in this phase of life, a baby isn't just eating for nutrition, they also are learning skills and building habits that develop into healthy eating habits in children. In other words, you are setting a stage, and they need to be starting to work on moving the food around in their mouth and chewing, so if you are still giving them apple mush in a pouch when they should be eating chewy apples, those skills might be stymied. 

My experience as a mom (to the world's least picky eater, so grain of salt this), is that the best way to encourage a variety of eating is to make your own food with flavor or to mix spices or herbs into the jars. You can't do that with pouches.Our bub eats what we eat, first as a puree and now about 40-50% of every piece of food we consume (more if I really want to eat it).. I know this won't work for everybody, but it might be worth giving a try, and the pouches serve as a stumbling block instead of a help.

Third, eating can be a meaningful and fun social interaction between you and your kid, and even if that doesn't play out every time, just handing off a pouch and sending them on their way cuts off that time at the table for building family culture and social bonds that are consistently heralded as crazy important. That whole "eat dinner as a family" thing starts now, and when you have the time to do it, it's probably worth it.

Fourth, you spend all this money on food for your baby that is organic, nutritious, and usually has some allusion to nature in the title. Then, you have stuffed it into a carrier jumping with chemicals. The truth is, they still don't understand all of the things leeching out of plastic food containers, and in some of the cases where they have tried to eliminate dangerous chemicals like BPA, the substitutes have turned out to be just as bad. In other word, wha!?!?!? No matter how many plants or suns are on the label, that pouch could be causing actual damage to your child's system or hormones. They just don't know enough, but there is good reason to be suspicious that your wholesome food is being covered in chemical nastiness.

PLEASE someone explain to me how this is any easier. What the hell.

Lastly (and maybe the most important point I have ever made), I have watched people squeeze those things on to spoons too many times. How is squeezing onto a tiny spoon easier than just spooning it out? Mysteries of the universe. 

Even worse than teeth, taste, chemicals, and family time is the effect these pouches will have on your little one's future. 

In fact, these plastic bags of purees have a downright awful environmental impact. One of the worst of anything in your kitchen right now.

The pouches are mostly one time use plastic waste, just like plastic bags, plastic straws, and plastic water bottles. This means that after your child's 2 minute snack, they will linger in the soil or water long after you are gone. Plastics are set to outnumber fish in the oceans by 2050, so well within your baby's adulthood. Your child will not be able to safely eat fish or go to the ocean without running into mountains of debris.

The only part of these pouches that are recyclable are the lids, so that whole pouch is absolutely garbage waiting to happen. I heard a mom try to justify these pouches as "creating less waste" but that is the opposite of the truth. These pouches are designed to be polluting our land and water.

But they are tiny right? This may not seem like such a big deal, but imagine if you weren't allowed to throw those suckers away, you had to keep them in your house. Now how long before they fill the space up? Now multiply that by all the moms you know.

This is a huge and completely avoidable problem. 

Baby food pouches perhaps burn my toast the most because they were basically non-existent ten years ago, and now they are treated as indispensible. I have had more than one girlfriend claim this is the only way they can get their baby (or toddler) to eat veggies and fruit. If you are one of those moms, I still love you and think that you are a kickass mom, but that is crazy talk. Don't feel trapped by the pouch. 

Trust me, no matter how many suns, leaves, or other symbols of earthiness are on the package, whoever made that pouch does not care about the environment or your kid. They care about making money only, so it is up to you to change the momentum and show baby food companies that such unethical (and expensive) packaging is unattractive, unecessary, and not getting your money. It may feel like swimming against the mainstream current (because it is), but you can do it.

Here's how: 

1. Give your baby something fresh- Sure, a pouch with apple might be healthy, but you know what is healthier? An apple. It doesn't have anything in it to keep it "fresh" and it comes in it's own biodegradable container. Shop the outside of the grocery store, and check out that managers' shelf for deals that will still make perfectly good baked apples or applesauce.

from Amazon

2. Reusable Pouches- THIS. You can control the content of the food better and you will create so much less waste. Sometimes you will still be on the go, but with good planning you can make your own puree or just put baby food from a jar into it. If you use the same pouch even 5 times, that's 4 fewer pouches in your child's water later. Plus, you will save a ton of money- when you pay for pouches, you are paying for the plastic. Try Squooshi, Nature's Little Squeeze, or a silicon pouch from Squeezy Gear. Nourish with Style is an amazing Etsy store to check out too.

from Abi and Sue

3. Put your food in another container- Once you hit that toddler phase, a handful of raisins or blueberries in a snack pack can be just the ticket. Etsy has tons of options in all sorts of styles. Re-play Snack Stacks are my absolute favorite- convenient, easy to clean, made in America, and recycled! Kids Konserve also sells a set we use all the time. There are so many easy options for this- garbage packaging is not needed!

I know with picky eaters this can be especially tricky, but consider trying juices with veggies or things toddlers can dip (why do they love dipping so much?) as a transition out of the pouch. This isn't about only eating nuts in the woods, it's about finding other solutions that make sense, and even if it isn't perfect, almost anything beats one time use plastic.

You can do this! Even if you need the pouches, you can take a reusable option and make your child's world that much cleaner and happier for the future. I get it, sometimes you need the shortcuts to just survive, but I am just saying this might be a battle worth picking and save the pouches for emergencies.

Want more ideas for how to green your regular shopping habits? I got you! Check out my massive list of shopping lists and ideas!

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