Ok Mamas sit down to relax with a nice hot cup of coffee while you read this post.
Or maybe not.
Lets be real, it will probably take you a few good hours to read this blog from start to finish. In between sentences you’ll probably feed a baby, or kiss an ouchy, or stop a few hundred dangerous decisions your toddler is trying to make.
I get it. Mamas are always on the move inside and out of the home.
Since week one of my son’s birth I was on the move. Visiting family, going to special events, and eventually returning to our home overseas. I quickly learned adding children to our active lives was a whole new ball park. Always having something similar to holle formula stage 2 helped a bunch.
But not impossible.
As a new mom, I learned there are clever people designing and engineering products specifically for mamas on the move! One of my favorite brands for ingenious baby gear is OXO. They create innovative products that cater to everyday living with children.
OXO makes 1,000+ products covering numerous areas of the home. There big philosophy is Universal Design; basically, creating products that almost anyone can use. The company started when Sam Farber promised his wife with arthritis he would create a better peeler for her to use.
Precious, right?
Sam worked through hundreds of models and did extensive research until in 1990 he invented the first OXO Good Grips kitchen tool; the iconic peeler. So we can all thank Sam, a trusty husband, for making “Women’s Work” just a tad bit simpler.
But the good doesn’t stop there, OXO is dedicated to fighting against pediatric cancer. They are a corporate partner with Cookies for Kids’ Cancer by matching proceeds from bake sales.
OXO tot brand was inspired after a baby boom in the office. When their employees faced parent pet peeves firsthand, they decided to start problem solving. OXO tot line covers a number of products such as feeding, seating, and on-the go for your littles one.
My first experience with OXO tot was when I purchased the Travel Drying Rack for our many travels in China. I remember appreciating how well thought-out its compact design was, and how it proved its durability over and over again. It came with us on every trip and was used for bottles, sippy cups, and teethers. I always had mamas asking me about it and where it could be purchased. Needless to say, I had a great start to my OXO experience.
Recently, I tested a number of feeding and on-the-go systems by OXO. I am a mama of two under three, and I can attest that I am always moving. Someone is always hungry, there is always somewhere to be, a mess to be cleaned, and a diaper to be changed. Overall, I appreciated the well thought out engineering of each individual product. It honestly felt like a mom had invented each one after facing some kind of catastrophe with their little. I hope I can give you a helpful and honest review of each individual product.
On-the-Go Gear
Pretty self-explanatory, it’s a toddle fork and spoon in a travel case. The stainless-steel tableware is perfectly shaped, sized, and weighted for little hands.
Did I say weighted?
Yes! They are strategically weighted which gives them a much more durable feel. Not to mention, it assists in helping your little one dig into foods with ease. The travel case is durable and keeps the utensils securely in place when being jostled in a diaper bag. They are dishwasher safe and meet the mama standard of no sharp edges. An added bonus is any OXO Tot Fork & Spoon set can fit in the On-the-Go case. Which means you can have more color options than just the green and aqua. But knowing my whole kitchen is decorated in that exact green and aqua, I was pretty pleased with the colors.
I don’t know about you but I NEVER leave my house without snacks. Snacks are my saving grace when it comes to stalling or keeping my kids entertained. Since the time my son was old enough to snack, I had snack cups. The top is made of soft flaps that let little hands in but prevents snacks coming out. The flaps are definitely the highest quality I’ve ever used and don’t seem to lose stiffness over time. The handle conveniently doubles as a hook for hanging onto strollers and the twist on lid doesn’t pop off with impact.
Trust me, we’ve tested it.
My favorite feature of the Flippy Snack Cup, making it preferred over similar products, is the travel lid. No more cheerios at the bottom of the diaper bag or stale snacks at the end of the day. I do wish the lid was hinged on the top and not completely removable because I know sooner or later I’m going to be digging through the diaper back for the impossible to find clear lid. Overall, I would award this my favorite brand of snack cup.
Feeding Gear
The Mash Maker is designed for maximum ease in pureeing food for your little one starting solids. To be honest, I have a few mixed emotions about this product. It started out rough as my mom and I confusingly struggled to get going. I would highly recommend reading the directions thoroughly and maybe even watching one of their instructional videos on amazon before getting started. After watching the video short, we had a real “ohhhhh” moment and realized how much sense it actually made.
Once we did get going I was trying to steam and puree everything in sight. The non-skid base and grip was comfortable and stable while grinding food. It worked really well for soft cooked fruits and veggies. I tried steamed zucchini, sweet potato, and squash and they all worked well. What makes this more innovative than just a blender is its ability to separate excess liquid. I would highly suggest grinding juicier foods on a plate or in the sink. We had a flood of juice out the bottom of our mill during our zucchini mash up, but great news is our puree was an excellent texture.
The blades are stainless steel, however at times it was quite difficult to forcefully push downward while cranking. My experience pureeing a mango did not go as smoothly as I’d had hoped.
My favorite feature overall was the ability to dissemble and clean the Tot Mash Maker. After each vegetable I did a quick rinse and then finally a full handwashing at the end. It came out stain free and looking like new, even after mashing sweet potato and mango. It also did great in the top rack of the dishwasher. Even with some slight difficulties, I enjoyed having a small, manual, easy to clean tool that was just meant for baby food.
With my first little I did all the fun baby food prep using my everyday kitchen tools. We literally sacrificed having ice for months because our ice trays were full of baby mush cubes. I struggled a lot with keeping the trays covered, food free from freezer burn and odors, and popping out individual cubes at meal time. What makes this freezer tray unique is the multipurpose patented cover. It slides which allows releasing one cube at a time easy. The design is made for easy stacking and is of course, its dishwasher safe. When it came to meal times, each cube popped out easily and was nice and fresh.
Again, this is another product most of us mamas have seen. An easy to clean bib that includes a food-safe pocket for catching those pieces that don’t quite make it into baby’s mouth. However, there are two things that make this universal design more unique. First off its made of a combination of soft fabric, on top, and durable silicone, on bottom. Both materials are BPA, PVC, and phthalate free. My daughter was not bothered by the comfortable Velcro strap around her neck and happily wore her bib through all of meal time.
Cheers to no bib ripping off battle!
Meal time was simple to clean up as my daughter stayed dry and clean under her waterproof, well fitted OXO bib. As for the bib itself, it both wiped clean and washed well without staining. The other unique design of the Roll-Up bib is it being travel friendly. The fabric rolls into the silicone and securely closes. I went straight for the two pack so that I could consistently have one in the diaper bag and one at home. A definite must have for the mama on the go!
As my family moves farther and farther away from having plastic in our house, I am always looking for good solid glass containers. These durable BPA-free containers worked great in the freezer, microwave, and oven.
On those very rare days where I am actually prepared, I love having the choice of heating in the oven.
The snap lids proved to be very air tight giving me confidence to throw one in my diaper bag, not to mention keeping food fresh and odorless.
Measurement markings are great for portioning and the stackable tray helps keep my baby food organized and together
That means no more hidden food wasting away in the corner of your fridge.
This soft silicone spoon worked great during feedings and the stainless steel made it feel extra sturdy. The spoon shape made it easy for wiping excess food off her face and regulating the amount given to her at a time. Since my daughter is in that fun handsy stage, she consistently grabs the spoon before it gets to her mouth. I eventually gave up and started putting food on the spoon and letting her feed herself. The contour handle worked great for her little hands and she was one happy independent baby!
Drinking
Transition Straw Cup with Handles
The minute I opened this cup it was fought over between my 2 year old and 9 month old. Not sure if it was the bright color, cool handles, or fun hinged cap that made it so appealing. I let my 2 year old try it out first and that immediately hooked me. Not sure if you have this problem, but my son is a mega water bottle stealer and hider. He attempts to drink from any cup in sight and then carries them away to a black hole where they seem to be gone forever. 
Until I find a giant wet puddle leading me to the loot of water bottles.
However, this cup has proven to be completely spill proof. The straw has a valve that opens as soon as a tot drinks, minimizing messes.
It also includes a hinged cap that is leak-proof, yet easy enough for my toddler to open and close.
When I finally got it out of my son’s hands I really appreciated the ability to disassemble the cup for a good thorough cleaning. I then let my baby take it for a spin during meal time.
She did great with the comfortable grip handles and I was able to see how much she drank with the printed ounces down the front. Another OXO clever design is the almond-shaped straw that conforms to baby’s mouth. Its intention is to ease the transition from bottle or nursing into cup. And if you haven’t heard, straws are the new alternative due to orthodontic and speech issues associated with sippy cups. Also an added bonus is you can purchase replacement straws, because we all know the dishwasher needs a monthly sacrifice or your toddler decides to dig a hole to China using his cup. Overall, I appreciated the universal design of this cup and how it worked from infancy to toddlerhood. I’d even go as far to say it would be an awesome baby shower gift!
So there you have it.
Mamas on the go you are not alone in your daily battle to get out the door with everyone clothed and fed. Just know there are creative folks out there, like OXO, who have your back by working hard to provide you with innovative products that meet your every day needs.
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