Ella’s Kitchen is a new line of Organic Baby Food made of 100% pure organic fruits and vegetables with nothing diluting them, not even water. They are available in Smoothie Fruits and Stage 1 Baby Food, which is yummy things like Broccoli Pears & Peas, Strawberries & Apples, and Peaches & Bananas. The company was started three years ago in the UK by Paul Lindley, a dad who wanted his daughter Ella to eat foods that were healthy yet tasty and fun. Now available in the US, you can purchase Ella’s Kitchen Organic Baby Food at BabiesRUs.com, where they sell for just $1.79 for a 3.5 oz package. They look delicious!

My baby has been eating freeze-dried yogurt lately, and it made me think about the Astronaut Ice Cream I used to get on trips to museums as a child. I don’t recall ever having noticed this anywhere that I have taken my own children, but once I started thinking about it, I decided it would make a perfect stocking stuffer or other small treat/gift. So, I searched it out online and, voila! I discovered that you can purchase several different flavors, all for $2.50 or less each at  funkyfoodshop.com. I always remember having neapolitan as a child, but now you can try chocolate chocolate chip, mint chocolate chip, or even an ice cream sandwich. This is sure to create a lot of fun memories even if, as I recall, it doesn’t really taste that good!

Just for fun, I like the idea of using the Friendly Frankenstein Mini Treat Bag in my child’s lunchbox on Halloween. It’s 5” wide and 6” tall so big enough to put a pretty great treat into. I’d probably put a bag of chips or a rice krispie treat or something about that size inside to surprise my son with. Made by Etsy seller makingcents, it’s $6 and very nicely made with an adorable appliqué sewn on a drawstring pouch that can be used over and over.

If  Frank’s not your spook of choice or you want a Halloween treat bag collection, you can get an owl, a cat, a pumpkin, or a leaf (for use all of the fall season.)  You could even  have an Easter-esque treat hunt by filling a bunch of these with treats and hanging them on doorknobs all over the house (inside the closet, outside on the front door, on the kitchen cabinet knobs) for the kids to find. The best thing of all? They can be used year after year, time after time.

As my littlest one eats more and more table food, puffs have become a routine part of her diet. I have tried just about every brand on the market, and was glad recently to find these organic puffs from Happy Baby. Though just slightly more expensive than competing brands, these are made from organic ingredients and use less sugar than others on the market. They also come in environmentally-friendly packaging. We got the apple flavor, which has been a hit so far. You can check them out online at happyfamilyshop.com, where a 2.1 oz bottle retails for $3.39. I paid $2.99 at my local Target store. Of course, if you are looking for a cheaper alternative, you can always purchase organic puffed cereal or Cheerios.

Remember when you came home from the hospital with your newborn to a shower of flower bouquets and cards? I know, that memory is a bit fuzzy for me as well, with all the sleep deprivation going on during that period of time. I think I would have really appreciated this It’s A Boy Cookie Bouquet by EdibleGiftsPlus.com. First, it’s not the same old flowers or fruit you receive from well-wishing friends and family. Second, it’s made entirely of cookies, which are welcomed in most houses at any time! This would be a thoughtful new baby gift for friends or family. You can purchase this bouquet for $53.95 (7 cookies total) at EdibleGiftsPlus.com. While you’re there, look at their vast array of edible gifts for many occasions. (Just browsing their website has my stomach growling!)

Here’s a great idea for busy parents who want to feed their babies organic food. HappyBaby sells frozen organic meals, designed for babies age 6 months and up, that provide protein and many of the vitamins and minerals that growing babies need. Developed in conjunction with noted pediatrician and author Dr. Robert W. Sears, HappyBaby Fresh Frozen Organic Meals are available in a variety of flavors, including carrots and peas, sweet potatoes and pears, and squash and apple. You can view the array of meals available at happybabyfoods.com, and they are available for purchase at stores such as Babies r Us, SuperTarget, and Albertson’s.

When my son was a baby, organic baby food wasn’t found in stores. I didn’t know to look online, however, as I was not quite as Internet-literate as a new mom as I am now that I’m the mother of a preschooler. If I had found Petite Palate’s Organic Baby Food back then, I might have given it a try. Recently I had a chance to “sample” their variety pack, and my “test group” found it to be highly palatable! Consisting of my 5 year old son, my friend’s one year old, my three year old nephew, and myself, the test panel sampled Petite Palate’s Variety Pack: Banana Peach Blend, Apple Pear Blend (a favorite of everyone in the group), Spinach Potato Puree, Split Pea, Garnet Yams, and Lentil. While the fruit flavors drew high marks from everyone, even the vegetable purees were easy for kids who are not usually veggie lovers to eat. I like the fact that everything in Petite Palate’s food is organic and nutritious, and that it’s packaged in eco-friendly sustainable 4 oz. paper cups. Created by moms who are also chefs, Petite Palate is a great way to start baby on a nutritious road that will last for the rest of his life. You can purchase the Variety Pack for $20.88 at Amazon.com.

I feel that one of my great failings as a mother is that both of my older daughters were fed jarred baby food almost exclusively. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I made baby food for them. I really do believe in healthy eating and using fresh, local ingredients, so there is really no excuse. I even got a beautiful food processor as a gift last time around exactly for this reason, and never used it. The problem for me is always time–time to shop for ingredients, time to prepare, time to make, time to clean up… So when this So Easy Baby Food Kit was brought to my attention, I decided it was time to learn a bit more. While you can make your own baby food without a kit, a kit offers a quick way to get started, eliminating the procrastination angle that always holds me back. The set offers everything you need to get started, including a how-to DVD. Its trays are BPA and phthalate-free. You can purchase the set for $37.95 at freshbaby.com. We’re still several months away from solids, but I’m definitely thinking about this.

Here’s a great little addition to your child’s play kitchen.  This Market Fruit set from Lilly Bean features some of the cutest little toy fruits you will find anywhere.  Included are a banana, apple, pear, and strawberry, all made from hand-sewn felt.  Your child will no doubt have tons of fun preparing meals with these great little toys.  You won’t have to worry about toxic paints or hard edges.  You can purchase the set for $24 at NinaAndTom.com.  It would make a great gift for a birthday or holiday.

The Munchkin Snack Catcher was designed for the way toddlers eat. This unique snack holder keeps snacks in the container until you want them to come out. It features a domed lid to hold more snack, soft flaps so your child can easily open his own snack container, a rubber bottom to prevent damage to furniture, and special “bumps” on the outside to help clean a child’s fingers.

Even if the container tips over, the snack won’t spill, according to the manufacturer. This would come in handy if you’re carrying the container in a diaper bag, or even in the back seat of a car. There is also a place on the bottom of the container to write your child’s name, so the snack catcher won’t get lost in daycare or on a trip. Each container holds 9 oz. of dry snacks.

Go to Amazon.com to view the Munchkin Snack Catchers, which come in various colors and cost $7.95 for a pack of two.

“Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food” is a book I’ve been searching for in local libraries and bookstores. Jessica Seinfeld, wife of comedian Jerry Seinfeld and mother of three, has written a book of traditional recipes that children love. However, hidden within these child-friendly recipes are vegetables. One example is pureed cauliflower hidden in macaroni and cheese.

In addition to these recipes, Seinfeld has included hints and tips on how to get children not to want sugary junk foods. She also features discussions about childhood nutrition and obesity, portion sizes, and what foods, vitamins, and minerals children must have at certain ages in order to develop into healthy adults.

Like many children, my 4 year old son hates most vegetables and prefers to eat tater tots or french fries as a side dish to a meal. In my quest to get him to eat more healthy foods (and not even realize it) I’m going to purchase Deceptively Delicious at Amazon.com, where it sells for just $16.47. It would also make a great gift.

Here is an ingenious idea that any busy parent will appreciate.  The DaysAgo Digital Day Counter is a small digital stick-on device which displays the number of days since you opened a product or prepared a dish.  This way, you will always know whether your baby food, leftovers, etc. are safe for your children to eat.

You can purchase a set of two of these for $12 at BloomMaternity.net.  They are available in a number of fun colors, and you can choose whether you prefer a set that attached by magnets or suction cups.  Sure, you could just write on the jars with a permanent marker, but these gadgets are a lot more high-tech and attractive.  They would make a fun gift for new parents, too.

Everyone has a family member or friend who enjoys eating sushi (if you aren’t a sushi lover yourself, which I definitely am not). Some people are even able to entice their children into trying this delicacy. I’ve actually seen some children in Japanese restaurants eating sushi, to my amazement.

My husband is a sushi lover, and my son has started to show an interest when the food is lined up in a row all ready to consume. He might enjoy this Melissa & Doug Sushi Wooden Play Set. It comes in a painted bento box, with three types of sushi rice pieces with shrimp, tuna, salmon, and roe pieces. Ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce are also included, as are chopsticks, a play cleaver, and a play menu. (When the child slices into the velcro sushi with the cleaver, it makes a chopping sound.)

This would make a unique Christmas gift for the right child. And with Melissa & Doug wooden toys, you know they are safe for your child to play with. It’s recommended for kids ages 2-4. You can purchase this at Oliebollen.com, where it’s on sale for $15.95.

What a neat idea for a fun, educational gift for a young child. The Grow & Gobble Edible Seed Sprout Kit by HSP Nature Toys allows your child to plant his own seeds, watch them grow into sprouts within 2 to 7 days, and then eat the sprouts.This not only teaches your child about science and nature, it also gets him to eat healthy sprouts without him realizing he’s eating healthy.

The kit includes multi-tiered sprouting trays that lets your child grow Sunflower and Chinese Mung Bean sprouts simultaneously. Sprouts can be grown any time of the year. Also included in the kit is a sheet with facts, recipes, and projects for scientific study.

This is recommended for children ages 4 and up, and would make a wonderful gift. You can purchase the Grow & Gobble Edible Seed Sprout Kit for $19.99 at InsectLore.com.

This is a very sweet little set of dishes that would be perfect for a toddler who is just learning to eat independently or for a slightly older child.  This Dish & Cutlery Set is decorated with fanciful illustrations from the book Children of the Forest by beloved Swedish author Elsa Beskow.

The set includes a plate, a bowl with a suction cup bottom, a mug with a lid, and matching cutlery.  The set is completely dishwasher safe for easy clean up, but it cannot go in the microwave.  You can purchase the set for $39.95 at ThreeSistersToys.com.