Like most parents, I periodically lament over packing lunch and snack, especially when we’re low on fresh produce. Having a stash of Revolution Foods snacks on hand subsequently has bailed me out on more than one occasion. These organic snacks and sandwich fixings are happily free of trans fats, high fructose syrup, and other nasties, and Laurel especially digs the Grammy Sammy (whole grains + yogurt) and Jammy Sammy (whole grains + fruit spread) snack squares and squeezable fruit Mashups. And I love how easily these pieces can round out her lunchbox; both items make for an excellent snack or seem treat-like enough to pass for dessert (though admittedly, we’re those parents who don’t include dessert at lunch time), and there’s no need for utensils. Extra cool: Revolution Foods donates 3% of purchases to help feed kids in under-served schools.

Now, want to be one of three winners to receive a Revolution Foods Lunchbox Simplicity Sampler? Here's how:

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winners Debbie, Courtney, & Joan!
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Visit the Revolution Foods store locator page, then email contests@bostonmamas.com (with ‘Revolution Foods’ in the subject), and name a store where you can purchase Revolution Foods products.

One entry permitted per person; US residents welcome to enter.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, November 12, 2009.

*Three lucky winners (drawn using Random.org) will receive a Lunchbox Simplicity Sampler that includes samples of Grammy Sammys, Jammy Sammys, and Mashups + Revolution Foods’ t-shirt and secret snack selector game (fortune tellers) for kids (value: approximately $30).

As a foodie, eco-geek, and mom of a kid apparently prone to cavities, Halloween causes me some angst. I don’t want to deprive Laurel and the neighborhood kids of candy but I don't like buying the preservative laden junk; I want to purchase good stuff (e.g., organic, fair trade) and candy alternatives without breaking the bank and/or getting my house toilet papered. I queried folks on Facebook and Twitter yesterday and got some great feedback. Below are some ideas from the community on alternatives to offer instead of – or in addition to – traditional candy. See also handy back editorial including Michelle’s tips for greening your Halloween and Tracy’s tips for promoting an allergy friendly Halloween.

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Alternative Snacks:

@prillyp: “No one ever knocks, but I always have something in case. This year: Annie's Bunny Gummies because I'm OK eating them if no one comes.”

@dcrmom: “I'm doing a small bag of pretzels AND a small candy bar. So it's not ALL bad.”

@mamacooldog: “Pretzels...and candy. I don't want to be the house every kid hates.”

Susan from Boston: “We hand out UTZ Halloween pretzels packages. My son is allergic to nuts, dairy and eggs so I try to be the "allergy-friendly" house. We have also handed out small containers of play dough in the past.”

@thriftymommy: "My aunt used to teach and she had a box of new kids meal toys left from her prize box. I'm giving those out as a kid-approved alternative to candy. I also have some fun size bags of Oreos, Teddy Grahams, and pretzels."

@FairlyOddMother: "I think it would be hilarious to do jello shots for the adults. Or maybe Dixie cups of hot cocoa and Baileys. Other than that, candy! But, I've also done Halloween-size packs of microwavable popcorn and that was a hit, especially among the tweens. I got them in bulk at Costco the year we did it."

Sara from Ireland: "We're definitely doing candy - but all that gummi bear stuff because I hate it...I know I would have felt seriously cheated if I was given non-candy as a kid. We ration it out here so it lasts nearly until Christmas...I grew up near a Frito Lay factory and Halloween was the only time I ever got to eat little bags of Fritos. Mmm...Fritos (goes into greasy salty snack reverie...). Eating candy is one of childhood's great pleasures."

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Crafts, Toys, & Trinkets:

Janelle from New Hampshire: “Both of my girls love crafts, so whenever we have a gathering, my gift bags are craft related... I've given necklace making kits, birdhouses to paint, puppets to make, etc. The kids love this idea as it's something different, and the mums love it because it's not candy, and not another plastic ring, yo-yo, etc., that ends up being immediately lost or tossed. While these ideas may sound extravagant, they really aren't. I am a huge AC Moore, Michael's, and Christmas Tree shopper...you can find all the ideas that I mentioned for under $1 a piece.”

@MoreThanMommy: “I thought about doing temporary tattoos, but we have too many older trick or treaters. Really they just want candy…[Also] I have given out glow necklaces in the past. Michael’s has 12 glow necklaces for a dollar."

@WhollyMothers: “Mini-playdoh is on sale at Target now.”

@the3Ts: “Halloween stickers for the young kids and sugar free gum for the older ones!”

@seaweedgirle: “Halloween-themed pencils, stickers, tattoos, and eraser puzzles.”

@beclarke: “We have a bowl of candy and a bowl of little toys (inexpensive goodie bag toys). Kids opt for the toys.”

Judi via Facebook fan page: “We hand out stickers, since we are gluten free (which, btw, pretzels are not). Oriental Trading all the way!”

Vanessa from Boston: “I'm doing plastic fangs.”

@rookiewhitney: "I bought non-candy stuff and my husband said ‘Don't hand that out.’ We live on a busy street and get very few trick or treaters, and will probably not be home for them anyway, so I will likely leave a bowl of the skull rings and plastic spiders I bought and not worry about it."

@rookieheather: "I bought candy but also pencils and superball-eyeballs. Rumor has it that sometimes kids pick the pencils. I will test that rumor."

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Bonus Points For Encouraging Good Deeds & Habits:

Susan from Vermont: “Don't forget change for UNICEF! Folks can still get boxes at Hallmark stores.”

@LizPW: “All the kids hate me…seed packets. They want candy, I want them to grow veggies.”

@WellesleyDental: “We're handing out toothbrushes and also collecting unwanted candy for troops Nov. 2 - 13 at our office.”

@pumpkinpetunias: "Always stickers for the little ones; also have done Halloween-themed yo-yos, toothbrushes (my fave), and glow sticks along with candy."

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Other advice:

Joan via Facebook fan page: “Have you heard of the Switch Witch? She's sort of like the tooth fairy. The idea is that a kid can leave all his/her candy on the doorstep when he/she goes to bed, and that night, the witch takes the candy and leaves a toy in its place. I'm thinking about trying that idea out on my kids.”

Kim from Boston: “Oh, if you're watching your girlish figure - do not buy any candy until the 31st AND buy the kind you do not like so you won't be tempted to indulge! So for me, I never buy chocolate - I buy Dots and Sweet Tarts that the kiddies like but I don't waste my time on!”

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Thanks everyone for these great ideas! Since we'll be out trolling the neighborhood so Laurel can show off her spectacular mermaid costume (generously sewn by her aunt Stephanie), I'll probably leave out a basket with a mix of organic candy, candy alternatives (e.g., pretzels), and small toy/craft items (e.g., stickers) and see what takes. Ultimately I'll buy things that I'm OK having around the house afterwards (so, yes to crafty items and no to tchotchke). We also will keep to our 1-2 piece of candy per day rule + brushing immediately following (due to aforementioned cavity issues). We've found that the nuisance of brushing often curbs Laurel's desire for sweets.

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Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Today, April shares a review (and some amazing results!) from Petit Appetit: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: Easy, Organic Snacks, Beverages, and Party Foods for Kids of All Ages:

“What to have for snack? It's the eternal culinary question for a parent who wants choices that are fun, tasty, and reasonably healthy. What about lunch, little gatherings, and festive moments that call for creative bites, drinks, and goodies? It's easy to run out of ideas and get stuck in a rut of cheese sticks, juice boxes, and yogurt tubes.
Lisa Barnes, who wrote The Petit Appetit Cookbook: Easy, Organic Recipes to Nurture Your Baby and Toddler is back with Petit Appetit: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: Easy, Organic Snacks, Beverages, and Party Foods for Kids of All Ages. This cookbook is focused on those little meals, gatherings, and ‘everyday holidays.’ You'll get kicked out of the routine with a collection of ideas that include lunch roll-up sandwiches, crunchy snack foods, sparkly beverages, and special celebration foods to mark things like the first day of snow.

Honestly, the idea of feeding a play group, adding something fun to a meal, or celebrating something almost ordinary (Cinco de Mayo? Losing a first tooth?) can make any parent retreat to manufactured snacks that are wanting in nutritional value—not to mention variety.

Barnes talks about food choices (organic vs. not, eating seasonally, ‘green’ habits, etc.), but does it in a friendly tone, which is so important. She offers up information and point of view the way an informed friend might when you're talking about issues that affect our families and our food. Because of that, the book is a good overview of some food issues, like refined sugars, outside food influences, and instilling good eating habits. She also talks about ways to make food eco-friendly, tasty, packable (for lunch boxes and potlucks), and coveted by everyone nearby who wants a snack.

The recipes are true snack foods, and mighty tasty. Barnes splits the book up into sections like drinks (by kind: juicy, frosty, warmers, etc.), snacks (by texture: crunchy, chewy, salty, etc.), and celebrations (by type: birthdays, holidays, everyday celebrations). For each recipe, she offers nutrition facts, like you'd see on the side of a package—making it all the better to compare a snack made chez vous to one found in aisle 7. We all buy some snacks from the store, but it's a great reminder that each serving has a potential for good and not-so-good. Just seeing the difference in fat and fiber content is interesting. She labels each recipe with icons that make it easy browsing for parents who need allergen-free foods or lunchbox-friendly snacks. But don't get too concerned about "healthy" snack food. In this case I mean "healthy" as opposed to chemical-laden packaged foods that we sometimes feel are the only option.

I like creative snacks, and I never would have figured out how to make chewy granola before reading Barnes' book. Had I tried from another book, I wouldn't have been sure if it was healthier in terms of sugar or fat content than the store-bought kind. I did make it (page 73; see my personal photos below) and it was stellar. Everyone loved it. Everyone. It's so good. Instead of refined sugars and high fat content, she uses brown rice syrup and turbinado sugar—ingredients that enhance the recipe flavors and needs. I changed her recipe a bit—dried cranberries weren't going to fly with some designated eaters, so I used dried cherries and freeze dried raspberries along with her candied ginger. I also found that it needed a bit more liquid than the recipe called for, so I adapted that on the fly. That might be my only quasi-criticism: The recipe ideas and flavors are excellent, but you might need to tweak them a bit, perhaps based on the ingredient brands and humidity differences. So get cooking, but keep an eye on how it you think it should look, keep tasting it, and play with it along the way—it's not hard.

I also made ginger ale from the beverage section. My daughter sees other kids her age drinking soda, and it's not something we give her. But I made Barnes' ginger-agave syrup with fresh ginger. Just add some soda water to make a spicy and perfect drink. It was so good that I think my husband and I drank most of it, but our daughter clamored for it. The book is full of ideas that are new, as well as foods that remake and revise the standard store-bought options.

I like my daughter to take part in wonderful tastes—and I would like it if she craves foods and flavors that are made from real ingredients. To make that happen, we have to give her tasty foods that are, in fact, made that way. Cakes and cookies are no problem, but snacky, chewy, crunchy foods have been a bit of a challenge up until now. Barnes just made it a lot easier. Snack time is exciting, tasty, and a lot better than mass-produced.”

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Awesome granola photography courtesy of April Paffrath. For more foodie awesomeness from April, check out her blog Wicked Tasty Harvest.

Today, April shares her two favorite plastic bag alternatives: snackTAXIs and Lunch Skins. Read on for more information about these fabulously stylish and eco-friendly lunch and snack packing solutions, as well as to learn how to win a trio of snackTAXI and Lunch Skins products (entry closes at midnight, October 21):

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From April:

“Before I had my daughter, I didn't use many Ziploc bags. I had always been conscious of the plastic waste before parenthood. But the pacifiers that must be kept clean, the tidbits and snacks for every trip out of the house, and the sandwiches and munchies that can overrun the life of a family with a child are staggering. I simply had no clue that we would contribute such a hefty amount to the 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags discarded globally every year. I cringe thinking about it. I had always been so careful before, but when I had my daughter I didn't feel I had options that let me curtail our usage while still doing what we needed to get out of the house.

When I came out of the fog after her first year, my more alert self was beyond a little horrified and we did some quick changing to more reusable containers. Thinking ahead a few years, we'll be staring daily school lunches in the face and after-school snacks on the go. Even now, our every outing requires a bag of snacks. That would be a lot of plastic if we didn't have an alternate plan. Thankfully it was easy to reign it in right away, especially since there are the wonderful reusable bag products by snackTAXI and Lunch Skins. Reusable containers are nice, but sometimes you need a bag -- something that folds flat and takes up no room when empty, something that fits the space you have available. And, as I found out, sometimes you need several kinds and sizes.

I still use plastic bags on occasion, but not without thinking if a snackTAXI, Lunch Skin, or reusable container would work better. It's really cut back on our use of disposable bags. It may not feel like a dent in the 500 billion, but at least we're contributing to the problem less than we were, and that makes a difference. As it is, we have several of each brand, so we usually have the right combo for what we need. I save the plastic bags for when I need their benefits the most—like transporting spill-y, gooey shampoo in my luggage. The rest of the time I go for the reusable as often as possible. Even if it's not 100 percent, it's an easy improvement on a huge global problem.

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Here are our two go-to reusable bag brands:

snackTAXI

This hand sewn bag (made in nearby Plainfield, MA) has a vertical Velcro closure, so you can fasten it tighter or looser, depending on the contents. I like it for all kinds of things, but especially for Cheerios and Rice Krispies and other little foods, since I can fasten it tighter and there's no gap for the contents to rain all over the inside of my bag. The outside of the bag is 100% cotton and the inside has a polyurethane coated nylon that is free from heavy metals and pthalates and other bad things. They have plenty of different designs, so each person can pick their own lunch or snack bag for the day.

Snack Taxis come in 6" x 4.5" (snack-sacks) and 7.5 "x 6" (sandwich-sacks).

Lunch Skins

This stylized bag is made from a printed white fabric that feels like smooth sail cloth. The white makes it easy to see if it's really clean or not. It has a horizontal Velcro closure. You can't change how loose or tight it is, but it's a very sturdy hold with a structured shape. It's not so great for tiny items (the aforementioned Rice Krispies that are a favorite for my daughter) that might want to sneak out of the fold-over top, but most food stays put. It's ideal for sandwiches because it fits them so well, a bit better than the snackTAXI. It's a snug but easy fit, so the sandwich is held together by the shape of the bag. No more sliding ham and cheese, or half-opened PB&J.

Best of all from Lunch Skins is their new snack size bag. It's the same size as the plastic Ziploc snack bags—a size we use often for quick trips and little munchies. This bag alone makes a major play in our lives. When you have 2 cheese sticks and a handful of crackers, you don't want to have to use a big bag. Or perhaps two chocolate chip cookies? They don't look so lonely in this small bag. These smaller bags are the perfect complement to their larger size.

Lunch Skins come in two sizes: 6.5" x 6", 6.5" x 3.5"

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A couple of final comments:

First, regarding food quality, one thing that I have always hated about plastic bags is the general smoosh factor. You can have a gorgeous sandwich and in a plastic bag it's completely unprotected from its surroundings. The only thing it does is protect the surrounding from the inevitable mess. Both the snackTAXIs and Lunch Skins are slightly thicker and add a bit of armor to the food, without adding bulk or weight. The food is more intact. The cookies are less crumbled. And the sandwich? Well, it's far less demolished and dense, and therefore far tastier.

Second, the question I get the most from other parents and babysitters is how to clean them. It's the same for both: EASY. Reusable is nice as long as it doesn't get disgusting, right? Most of the time, a rinse out at the sink with warm water will be all they need. Every now and then, they need s little scrub to get a spot of melted chocolate off. When it's really bad, like after a fully loaded PB&J has stuck to the edges a bit or chocolate chips have melted from a cookie all over it, I just rinse it once or twice and put it on the top shelf of the dishwasher, opened over the spokes like a glass. Easy breezy. I do it without even thinking about it.”

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Amy!
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Now, want to win a trio of snackTAXI and Lunch Skins products? Here's how:

Rules:

Leave a comment below about this giveaway to enter to win. Be sure to include your name and email in the appropriate fields so we can contact you if you win (including just first name or first name + last initial is OK).

One comment permitted per person; US entrants welcome.

Anonymous or SPAM-like comments will be discarded.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Wednesday, October 21, 2009.

*One lucky winner (drawn using Random.org) will receive one snackTAXI sandwich-sack + snack-sack, and one Lunch Skins snack sized sack (set gender neutral patterns; $24 value).

There’s no denying the abundance that is summer’s fresh fruit, but if you’re looking to tote a healthy, drip-free fruit snack, FruitaBü is a fine option for kids and grownups alike. Today, FruitaBü contributes to our online birthday party with a Sploooshers & Twirls Gift Pack, including 3 boxes each of their organic unwrap and unroll Fruit Twirls and their squeeze tube Sploooshers. Simply check out the rules after the jump and leave a comment on this product to enter to win.

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Suanne G.!
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Rules:

Include your name and email in the appropriate fields so we can contact you if you win (your name but NOT your email will be published with your comment. Including just first name or first name + last initial is OK.)

One comment permitted per person; US entrants welcome.

Anonymous or SPAM-like comments will be discarded.

Entry period closes tonight at midnight EST, Tuesday, July 8, 2008.

*The winner will receive one box of each of the three flavors of Sploooshers and one box of each of the three flavors of Twirls for a total of 6 boxes (value: $24).

Today, Carole Arsenault of Newborn Nurses offers breastfeeding basics for baby’s first two weeks:

“Many women read several breastfeeding books and take at least one breastfeeding class during their pregnancy. However, once baby arrives many women forget some important basic information, especially as it relates to the newborn’s first two weeks of life. Here are breastfeeding basics to keep in mind during the first two weeks.
Day One: The first few hours

Try to nurse the baby as soon after delivery as possible, once mom and baby are stable and the delivery is complete. When a baby is first delivered they are usually wide awake, alert and eager to suck. Go ahead and try to latch baby to your breast yourself or ask your nurse to help. Some babies latch on with little assistance while others require a bit more time. Whether or not your baby actually feeds is not as important as the attempts. Even if your baby has just a few sucks, he will get some colostrum in his tummy. The baby’s stomach at this time is the size of a marble so it doesn’t take much to fill.

Several hours after birth your baby will be very tired and will usually sleep for most of the next 24 hours. You will need to attempt to feed him at least every three hours. During the first 24 hours a few sucks are OK.

Day Two: Baby is 24 hours old

Once baby is 24 hours old he needs to get serious about feeding. A few sucks at the breast will not be enough food to feed the baby. Put the baby to the breast every 1.5 – 2 hours for at least 10-15 minutes (within a week he should be feeding between 15 -20 minutes).

It is recommended that babies feed on one breast at a time for up to 20 minutes to ensure that they get both the foremilk and hindmilk. At that point, if baby is still hungry, put him to the other breast. Most babies this age will only feed for a few minutes on the second breast. If this is the case, begin nursing on the second breast at the next feeding. Getting into a pattern of switching sides will prevent engorgement and encourage supply.

Mature milk supply is not yet established; your baby may be hungry so it is important to feed him frequently. Most babies are still sleepy – so mom will have to continually wake baby during the feeding session. Tickle his toes and fingers, undress him, and take his hat off, rub his back or burp him in an upright position – these actions will usually help to arouse a sleepy baby. Very few babies will be able to feed long enough without being woken several times.

Days Three and Four

Under normal circumstances, mature milk will come in within the next few days. You may notice a change in the color of the milk from yellow to pale white, which is the color of mature milk. Baby's stools will also start to become yellow instead of the dark meconium that you see on day one and two.

When mature milk comes in your breasts will feel heavier and full. When your breasts are producing milk they are about four times heavier than normal. Keeping you baby on the breast frequently will prevent the breasts from becoming too full (engorgement).

When your baby feeds now you may hear swallowing and gulping as baby nurses. Count your baby's wet diapers to make sure that he is getting enough milk. Once the mature milk is in the AAP recommends that your baby has a minimum of 6 wet diapers per day.

Your milk production will match the amount of food that your baby needs. Avoid giving supplements of formula (if you can) during this time. If for some reason your baby needs supplements, though, do not panic or worry. Sometimes this is necessary during the early days before the milk supply is fully established.

Day 5

By now, baby should be latching on to the breast well and feeding every 1.5 – 3 hours. If not, get help right away from your health care provider or lactation consultant.

Days 6 – 9

Your daily routine of feeding the baby should now be established. You should be feeling more comfortable with latching and positioning of your baby. Tender nipples and the minor discomforts from the first few days are starting to disappear. If you are experiencing pain during the breastfeeding session and your nipples are so sore that you are dreading the feeds call your health care provider for support. Lactation consultants can usually provide the assistance you need to fix the situation – most of the time it is the baby’s improper latching technique.

Continue with frequent feeds and diaper counts. Because many babies can lose close to 10% of their body weight during the first two to three days you are trying to help him regain this weight by the two week mark.

Days 10 – 14

Your breasts will suddenly feel softer now and not quite as full. Do not worry – this is normal. Unless it is time for a feeding your breasts will not be full and swollen like they were a week ago. Your baby is much more awake now and not sleeping as much. Feeds are becoming easier and baby is staying at the breast longer.

Breastfeeding is an experience you will always remember. The first few weeks can be very difficult but try to stay calm and relaxed, and be sure to seek support if you need help."

Today, Sara Cabot of Little Lettice offers a primer on “that nitrate thing” - the issue of when it's safe to present vegetables such as spinach and carrots to babies. Sara also includes a spinach, zucchini, and potato recipe for babies and toddlers.

“Carrots, beets, and spinach are some of the first veggies to be in season on our Massachusetts farms. When cooked lightly or steamed, these veggies can be very palatable and delicious for our young children. They’re full of great vitamins as well!

However, moms with young babies just starting out on baby food ask me all the time about “that nitrate thing” with these vegetables. What these moms mean is something called blue baby syndrome, which can be caused by nitrates being turned into nitrites in the baby’s stomach. I never knew about this when my kids were babies, and so it never stopped me from giving them carrots at 6-7 months and broccoli and spinach around 8 months. But we are so unsure of our food systems nowadays – spinach scares, tomato scares – that we consumers have to find out the facts for ourselves. This is what I found out:

1. The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) states, “Because the intake of naturally occurring nitrates from foods such as green beans, carrots, squash, spinach, and beets can be as high as or higher than that from well water, these foods should be avoided before 3 months of age."

At around the age of 3 months your baby starts to produce more hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which fights the bacteria that turns nitrates into the potentially damaging nitrites. In the US, we don’t even start to give our babies solids until 4-6 months so we should be OK. However, because nitrate levels specifically in spinach can increase depending on storage, the AAP recommends 8 months as the age to give children spinach. For best results, cook spinach right away or freeze.

2. Nitrates occur naturally in the soil. But nitrates also occur in artificial fertilizers that are used (unregulated) to promote plant growth. Nitrates are also present in our drinking water.

3. This problem with nitrates in vegetables such as spinach and carrots is not an issue with organic food that does not use the nitrate-dense, artificial fertilizers that farmers add to their crops. Don’t forget, these ‘conventional’ farmers are not regulated in terms of how much and how often they can fertilize. So if in doubt, buy organic. Even better, buy organic and local.

4. Nitrate poisoning is very rare; when it does occur it is usually traced back to ground water contamination.

5. Commercial baby food companies may “screen” for nitrates, but they don’t have to and they don’t remove them.

My advice to moms is this: Please don’t let all this concern stop you from giving these important leafy green and vitamin A rich veggies to your kids. You can feel secure giving your babies these veggies organically. Just follow the correct stages: i.e., carrots around 7 months, broccoli and spinach around 8 months.

For more information about when to give what, see my previous post on First Foods For Baby.

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SPINACH, ZUCCHINI, & POTATO RECIPE
Suitable for babies 8 months and up

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil

½ onion, chopped

1 large zucchini, washed and cut into ¼ inch slices

1 small potato, washed, peeled, and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 8-oz bunch spinach, washed and roughly chopped

1 cup vegetable stock

1. Heat oil and fry onion gently until softened; add potato and zucchini and stir. Add vegetable stock. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Add chopped spinach and stir. Simmer until veggies are soft but still bright green (don’t over cook to olive green color).

3. Puree in a food processor and serve. Freeze leftovers in covered ice cube trays or 4 oz. containers.

Variations

Mix in some grated cheese for added flavor.

Mix with small pieces of pasta for more substantial meal.

When baby is 1 year, serve with white fish and grated cheese for a delicious fish Florentine.”

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Image credit: FreeFoto.com

And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:

Weekend reading: Car & Caboodle highlights a feature on learning to improve your gas economy. Clever Parents encourages readers to support Ella’s Miracle Fund, and/or attend the Ella’s Miracle Fundraising Event in Raleigh, NC. Coochicoos reports that the Beaba Babycook has hit the US market, but is not BPA-free.

Goods & giveaways: One Chic Mama reports that the Schick Quattro gives you a perfect summer shave. And you could win: a $150 Shopping Spree at BeanNewYork.com from MomFinds, the Microsoft Zune 30GB bundle at Moms’ Buzz, and a Retro Stripe diaper bag from The Nest Baby.

During a recent interview with About.com’s breastfeeding expert Melissa Nagin, I was excited to learn about the Playtex Embrace Double Pump - a hospital grade breast pump that retails around $170 (a relative bargain in the pump domain). Playtex was kind enough to provide the Embrace to our pregnancy and postpartum expert Carole Arsenault of Newborn Nurses for evaluation. Read on for Carole’s thoughts on the pump:

“The Playtex Embrace Double Pump is a good option for working moms in that it is very lightweight, and is easy to assemble, take apart, and clean. The drop-in liners are fantastic and make cleaning that much quicker. There also is less chance of contamination and spilling with this system. The carry bag is stylish and easy to organize.

The moms who tested the Playtex Embrace pump with me stated that the shields are more comfortable than the pumps they were used to. The soft shields press on the areola, which is very similar to how a baby nurses. This construction is beneficial because stimulation of the areola, not just the nipple, will help keep milk supply up.

In regards to the actual pumping output, both moms reported a decrease in the power of suction with the Playtex pump, even when set at the highest level. Instead of taking 10 minutes to pump 2 ounces (the approximate output with their current pumps) it took between 15 - 20 minutes. Also of note is that the pump is louder than the Medela pumps. This could be a concern for moms who are trying to pump discreetly at work.

For the price of $170 for the entire Playtex Embrace pump kit, this system is a good value.”

Editor’s Note: Playtex currently is giving away free samples of their Drop-Ins Original Nurser System. Click here to sign up for a free sample.