Foodie Finds

Pregnancy Pack : Domino’s

Didn’t you know pizza is an essential baby registry item? It totally is – takes the stress out of making dinner for everyone and added bonus: leftover pizza is a delicious middle of the night snack.

Check out some of our delicious Pregnancy Pack essential items!

Mom Life Must Haves: Tell the world you are indeed…still pregnant, with this adorable Mom Life Must Haves shirt!

Dana’s Bakery: Founded by Dana Pollack in 2012, Dana’s Bakery specializes in creative takes on macaron flavors, like Rosé and Pink Lemonade, and cookies like a rainbow twist on the classic Black & White. Can’t decide how to tame the sweet tooth? Dana’s Bakery’s Mookies™ hide a flavored macaron baked inside a cookie so you can have the best of both.

Edoughble: Edoughble lets you safely satisfy your cookie dough cravings during the full 9 months (who’s counting?!) without the worry! With the straight from the mixing bowl taste, premium, all natural & non-GMO chef quality ingredients all made by a mom who just wanted to eat cookie dough.

Lifestyle photo via Aly Funk

Best Baby Food Processor: Mumum

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When it comes to making your baby’s food, it can be overwhelming to try to create recipes and cook healthy food for your little one, which is why we’re big fans of the best baby food processor – the Mumum baby food processor. The Mumum is the best baby food processor with 4-in-1 capabilities to defrost, steam, cook, and blend for baby. It couldn’t be easier to use and is a huge time saver for all parents. Read on to see why the Mumum is the best baby food processor to add to your registry.

The Mumum Baby Food Processor is the best baby food processor for so many reasons! Not only is it a compact device, so it would fit in a small apartment or home, but it truly takes parents through the whole baby food making process in such a simple way. It’s the best baby food processor for work from home parents as well, because it has a built in timer, so you can prep, set, and come back to the bell – voila! Baby food is done. Mumum is the best baby food processor for parents who want to ensure they know what’s in their baby’s food, even if they don’t have much time to make the food, because it couldn’t be easier to make your own baby food with the Mumum. Simply chop your veggies or fruits up, place diced food into the steaming basket, pour water into the tank, steam veggies, pour the steamed veggies into the blender and baby food is done!

One of the other reasons the Gugu Guru team thinks Mumum is the best baby food processor is that it is designed to have an open reservoir, this allows you to keep out rust, mold and any other bacteria buildups that a closed reservoir will present. It also makes it super easy to clean and put away, which means less time in the kitchen for you. The timer comes with food type examples next to it to help you set the correct time. Also included is a lid strainer to pour out excess water. A spatula to flip the steaming basket into the blender and a measuring cup. We love the compact size of the Mumum, as it can be used and kept on the counter or put away in a cabinet without taking up too much space. Plus, the ease of the whole process can actually be done with one hand, so you can safely babywear or hold baby in one arm and make their food with your other hand!

The Mumum is also the best baby food processor for baby led weaning, too. Simply steam any veggies baby likes in the steaming basket and serve when they’re cool. Baby will be able to grab the veggies with their little fingers, but they will be mushy enough for them to not choke. At a very affordable price (and on Amazon Prime), we think the Mumum is the best baby food processor to add to your registry, as it will be beneficial not only for baby food, but baby led weaning, and even toddlers, too.

Thank you to our friends at Mumum for making this sponsored post possible!

Zucchini Bread Muffins for Baby Led Weaning

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When it comes to baby led weaning (learn more about BLW here), it’s fun to try new recipes for your little one. A fantastic place to learn new and healthy recipes is Hello Fresh. Hello Fresh makes it easy to try new recipes because they provide you with everything you need, including step by step instructions (hello, mom brain). Did you know you could add Hello Fresh boxes to your registry? Today we’re sharing a delicious and healthy zucchini bread muffins from Hello Fresh’s blog ideal for baby led weaning, toddlers, kids or yourself.

One of the best ways to get colorful veggies into those tiny tummies is to bake with them. Zucchini, being the high water content food that it is, works wonders to add moisture to breads and muffins alike — which makes it our go-to veggie come dessert.

These treats are slightly sweet and incredibly flavorful thanks to the addition of cinnamon and ginger — two warming autumnal spices. If you’re in a bind, feel free to skip the butterfly decorations and just top with a slather of frosting. But if not, we highly recommend it. Plus, the kids will LOVE it.

Here’s what you’ll need:

For the batter:

2 Cups Plain Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
3/4 Cup Sugar
125 Grams (8 Tablespoons) Butter
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 Tablespoons Unsweetened Yogurt
3/4 Cup Packed Grated Zucchini

For the frosting:

1 Cup Cream Cheese
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Crushed Pineapple, drained

Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with liners.

2. In a large bowl, beat together all cupcake ingredients (except grated zucchini) until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

3. Fold in grated zucchini.

4. Spoon mixture into muffin tin and bake until golden and firm to the touch, 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Meanwhile, prepare frosting by beating cream cheese, sugar, and pineapple together until light and fluffy.

6. Once muffins are cool, scoop out a shallow circle from the middle. Chop circle in half — these are your wings!

7. Fill hole with frosting. Stick wings flat side down, pointing out and up.

Healthy Pregnancy Summer Fruit Recipes

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With the temperatures heating up, it can be tempting to sit poolside with a bucket of ice cream, as it can be tiring to go to the market and pick up food to prep and cook when you’re carrying a pregnant belly, too! Luckily, Hello Fresh makes cooking easy, even for the busiest and most pregnant of mamas. Did you know you could add Hello Fresh boxes to your registry? Today we’re sharing delicious and healthy fruit salad tips from Hello Fresh’s blog for pregnant mamas!

If you’re hanging pool or beachside and you’re looking for a healthy snack, check out some of these tips from Hello Fresh’s blog to up your fruit salad game!

You’ll want to prep each fruit with the perfect tool, but a good rule of thumb is to use as sharp and thin a blade as possible. Typically, you should avoid serrated blades and peelers so that the cutting surfaces are super clean for each slice. Melon ballers and fruit scoopers are great ways to add some new shapes to your fruit salad, and you can’t go wrong with a classic paring knife for small produce.

Elevate a simple strawberry-mango fruit salad by sprinkling coconut flakes throughout to add some nutty, shredded texture to the sweet fruits. Plus, pairing the coconut flakes with foods rich in Vitamin C (we’re looking at you, mangoes) actually helps absorb the iron from the coconut. Try toasting just the coconut flakes for 10 minutes on a baking sheet at 350°F; that’ll give them a delicious, gentle crunch, so mist them with cinnamon to taste, sprinkle over the fruit, and voilà — summery snacktime bliss.
You don’t need to post on social media to make your fruit salad delicious, but there aresome ways to make it the most beautiful dish at the barbecue. Skip the standard bowl and opt for a more enticing vessel — the fruit itself. Watermelons are spacious enough to hold a big fruit salad in style, and when there’s no salad left, use the watermelon rind as a punch bowl. Watermelon mint juleps, anyone?
It may seem obvious, but refrigerating fruit salad does a host of wonders for preserving its flavor. It’ll always taste best when just-made, but popping it in the fridge should help it last for 2-3 days. In an ideal world, fruit salad is the very last dish you craft before guests arrive. Since it’s only natural for best-laid plans to go haywire, clear off your counter space and keep that baby cold for optimal enjoyment when it’s time to eat.

Since fruit inherently packs a lot of bright flavor, a dressing for your fruit salad is by no means necessary. But it does kick things up a notch in a really flavorful way. Most fruit salad dressings can be whipped up in minutes using ingredients you might have around the house anyway, like honey, vanilla yogurt, herbs, and orange juice. Whisking almost any combination of those pillars will land you in taste bud heaven, so feel free to get creative and add some minced jalapeño for a kick. If the choices are a) lime mint dressing, b) honey lime ginger dressing, and c) honey vanilla yogurt sauce, sign us up for all the above. Poppy seeds welcome.

Baby Food Recipe Books For Your Registry

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When it comes to feeding your baby solid foods, and their eventual transition to feeding themselves, we always turn to Jenna Helwig’s two baby food recipe books, Real Baby Food and Baby-Led Feeding. Jenna Helwig is not only the author but she’s also the food editor at Parents magazine, so you could venture to guess that she really knows her stuff when it comes to baby food recipe information, infant nutrition and feeding approaches. When it comes to finding a baby food recipe or two that work for your little one, Jenna Helwig’s books are a wealth of information and education – many parents tell us that even they love to eat the baby food recipe that they make for their little one!

Jenna Helwig’s first baby food recipe book, Real Baby Food, is a must-have for new parents (and one of our favorite gender neutral baby shower gifts), and even gets the seal of approval from chef and mom, Nikki Dinki. Real Baby Food makes the art of creating a baby food recipe so simple, even for busy moms and dads. Jenna Helwig guides you through the early days of simple foods, to adding spices to your baby food recipe, meats, flavors, and even multi-flavor blends like Salmon, Kale, and Sweet Potato Smash. With over 100 baby food recipes in the book, your little one is sure to have a head-start on their culinary palate!

Jenna Helwig’s second baby food recipe book, Baby-Led Feeding is a must have essential to help you plan your baby’s transition into finger foods; Baby-Led Feeding helps parents navigate the way to naturally raising happy, independent eaters, and working together to make mealtime a happy and joyful time. Gugu Guru’s founder, Monica, did a video overview of Baby-Led Feeding, where she shows off some of the gorgeous baby food recipe photography, ideas, and discusses the helpful guidelines Jenna includes, as well.

With more than 100 ideas and baby food recipes, Baby-Led Feeding is a must have for any foodie mom or dad. One of the things we love about Jenna’s books is they’re beautifully designed, and Baby-Led Feeding is no exception. This bright, photo-driven book includes chapters on the benefits of this approach, when and how to get started, essential safety and nutrition guidelines, frequently asked questions, basic fruit and vegetable prep, more complex finger foods, and family meals. Plus, all recipes in Baby-Led Feeding have been reviewed by a registered dietitian and include nutrition information to ensure a healthy mealtime.

Set yourself up for success when it comes to creating and making a baby food recipe that your little one loves, as Jenna Helwig helps parents navigate this new journey of helping your baby learn to not only love food, but love the process of cooking, and eating together, too! We love giving Jenna Helwig’s baby food recipe books for baby showers, as they become a cookbook staple for your family.

A Full Plate: Convenience Food Hacks

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In this week’s Convenience Food Hacks episode of A Full Plate, mom and Chef Nikki Dinki brings us ways to make convenience foods (think mac ‘n’ cheese) a lot healthier.

For more fun food hacks, check out Nikki’s Ultimate Healthy Meal Hacks here.

By the way, these awesome food and nutrition tips from Nikki are brought to us by our friends at VeeTee Dine In Rice.

About VeeTee Dine In
Five Star Taste in Just 2 Minutes
VeeTee Dine In rice is delicious, microwaveable rice ready in just 2 minutes. VeeTee uses only real ingredients and contains no artificial flavorings, colors or preservatives. All Veetee Dine In Rice products are gluten-free and suitable for ovo-lacto vegetarians.

(Featured image: Nikki Dinki’s KRAFT-STYLE MAC + CHEESE WITH CAULIFLOWER + SWEET POTATO)

Ultimate Healthy Meal Hacks

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Don’t forget to eat! In this week’s Ultimate Healthy Meal Hacks episode of A Full Plate, mom and Chef Nikki Dinki brings us delicious and nutritious meal prep short cuts for busy parents. After all, it is national nutrition month and it’s important for time-crunched families to eat healthy – especially you breastfeeding mamas. By the way, these awesome food and nutrition tips from Nikki are brought to us by our friends at VeeTee Dine In Rice.

About VeeTee Dine In

Five Star Taste in Just 2 Minutes
VeeTee Dine In rice is delicious, microwaveable rice ready in just 2 minutes. VeeTee uses only real ingredients and contains no artificial flavorings, colors or preservatives. All Veetee Dine In Rice products are gluten-free and suitable for ovo-lacto vegetarians.

Introducing A Full Plate with Nikki Dinki

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When it comes to making healthy and delicious food for your family, we always turn to one of our favorite chefs (and Gugu Guru mamas) Nikki Dinki! Nikki is a cookbook author, radio host, and voiceover artist. This New York based chef rose to fame by hosting a cooking show on YouTube, and the nation got to know her on Food Network Star – we are thrilled to announce that Nikki will be sharing some fun food tips and life hacks for your family in a new series with Gugu Guru and VeeTee, A Full Plate! Check out the video below for more info and stay tuned for all of Nikki’s hints and tips to make life easier when you have a full plate.

Check out Nikki Dinki’s Foodie Mom’s Registry, city living baby registry picks, and baby food cube life hack!

Cover photo via Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times

Foodie Find: Baby-Led Feeding

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Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month? It is the perfect timing to talk about the release of a book we have been so excited about here at Gugu Guru: Baby-Led Feeding by Jenna Helwig!

Baby-Led Feeding (also known as baby-led weaning) explores the concept of focusing on feeding your baby a variety of healthy, wholesome solid foods, rather than relying solely on purées or finely blended, mashed food. The Baby-Led Feeding approach is thought to promote motor skills and establish lifelong healthy eating habits. For example, benefits such as easier integration into family dinner since babies can eat modified versions of what the adults are eating, which translates to less stress for parents and caregivers because there are fewer meals to prepare; baby’s recognition of and reliance on his or her own hunger cues and; a more traditional way to feed (the cavemen weren’t opening jars of baby food as far as we know.)

Jenna Helwig is not only the author but she’s also the food editor at Parents magazine, so you could venture to guess that she really knows her stuff when it comes to baby food, infant nutrition and feeding approaches. Jenna’s first book, Real Baby Food is one of our must-have essentials for starting solids, and a favorite of Foodie Mom and chef, Nikki Dinki. (Hint: It is also one of our top gender-neutral baby shower gift ideas.)

With more than 100 ideas and recipes, this book is a must-have for all parents who love to cook. One of the things we love about Jenna’s books is they’re beautifully designed, and Baby-Led Feeding is no exception. This bright, photo-driven book includes chapters on the benefits of this approach, when and how to get started, essential safety and nutrition guidelines, frequently asked questions, basic fruit and vegetable prep, more complex finger foods, and family meals.

All recipes in Baby-Led Feeding have been reviewed by a registered dietitian and include nutrition information to ensure a healthy mealtime.

We’d like to thank our sponsors at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for making this post possible.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links.

A Day in the Life of Mom with Neat Solutions

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Neat Solutions – have you heard of them? That’s the brand name but “neat” is the perfect word to describe this innovative portfolio of products that have been designed to help parents out throughout the day. These products are truly “neat” because they’re neat-o, cool and “that’s exactly what I need” kind of “neat.” And also “neat” as in the other meaning of the word: simply keeping it nice and clean. In this post, we’re pretty excited to show you how five real moms from the Gugu Village community use Neat Solutions and share how these products make life with baby much easier. Once you learn more, you’ll see why these might be better named as “Lifesaver Solutions.” From feedings to on-the-go to bath time, here’s a round the clock round-up of Neat Solutions products. (Spoiler alert: our Gugu Village moms say that the Sili-Stick Table Topper is now the one product that they can’t live without.)

7am Feeding Time

Mom of twins, Abby L., tries Neat Solutions’ Paw Patrol Bibs – These are an adorable way to keep your little ones clean while letting them “wear” their favorite characters. They clean up well with just warm water, but you can throw them in the washing machine as well. Also, my little ones have extremely sensitive skin and they did not seem to be too tight around the neck/chin area, which often causes rashes for us. We also tried a toddler bib, which has an extended covering on top of each shoulder. It is a bit longer also, which helped keep our laps clean during lunch. After we were done eating, it was really easy to wipe this bib clean and it dried within minutes.

Mom of 2-year old, Shana S., tries Neat Solutions’ Sesame Street Bibs – Like most 2-year-olds, my daughter is currently obsessed with Elmo and Abby Cadabby. She also isn’t very keen on wearing bibs anymore either, even though mealtimes can still get pretty messy. This bib solves both problems – it goes over her head, so it can’t be pulled off like her velcro closure bibs and it has very wide coverage, so it helps keep her clean better than smaller bibs. The best part, since it has her favorite characters, I don’t have to convince her to put it on!

Mom of 10-month-old, Lori W., tries Neat Solutions’ Bib & Burp Products – My initial thought when I unpacked it was that it is quite small in size. However after using it I actually like how compact it is without extra fabric, which my baby usually paws at. The pocket is great too.

Mom of 1-year-old, Alyssa J., tries Neat Solutions’ Printed Coverall Easywipe Bib With Clear Crumbcatcher – This is super cute and generously-sized to cover more of my baby’s clothes while she is eating. I appreciate the extra coverage for my messy eater! The clear crumbcatcher is really useful for seeing right away what has been caught in the pocket so that I can clear it out after the meal without finding any squishy surprises later. I love how easy it really is to wipe the bib down, and the hook and loop closure is a lot easier than tying string too.

Mom of 3-month-old and 1-year-old, Sunny L., tries Neat Solutions’ Bib & Burp Products – The biggest positive for me is the velcro fastener behind the neck. It doesn’t have any of the scratchy, coarse velcro, keeping my daughter from grabbing/itching at the back.

12pm and On The Go

Mom of twins, Abby L., tries Neat Solutions’ Sili-Stick Table Topper – The Sili-Stick Table Topper is hands down my favorite new product! I have never seen a silicone table mat like this, and it stays put on every surface I tried! My boys could not lift it up and it was so easy to clean. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe for big messes! I am definitely going to add this table topper to my new list of must-haves for parents with toddlers who like to eat away from home.

Mom of 3-month-old and 1-year-old, Sunny L., tries Neat Solutions’ Sili-Stick Table Topper – My favorite item from this bunch! It’s super sticky and says put. At home, it keeps my tabletop clean, because my older child is really into smearing things around. I love the size of this mat, and after meals I just peel it up and dump in the sink. So great for eating out, too. It rolls up pretty small, and could also be folded to make it more packable. I am always scrubbing restaurant tables when I get there to try to get them cleaner for her food to sit on, and this makes the process so much easier. It’s big enough to cover any area in public her little hands could reach and keep her food germ-free.

Mom of 1-year-old, Alyssa J., tries the Neat Solutions’ Sili-Stick Table Topper – This is my new best friend for meals out of the house with baby. I don’t have to worry about the cleanliness of our dining table when I can make sure the Sili-Stick is a clean surface for baby to eat off of. I also don’t have to feel guilty about baby making too much of a mess at the restaurant. All I need to do is wipe it down at the end of the meal and be on our way!

Mom of 2-year old, Shana S., tries Neat Solutions’ Potty Toppers – If you’re like me, the thought of your little one sitting on a public toilet makes you a bit squeamish, to say the least. The Potty Topper is the perfect solution! These plastic liners adhere to the seat, keeping wetness and germs away. Plus, they’re oversized so little bottoms and hands stay well protected from any yuckies that might be lurking. (Editor’s note: we love that these Potty Toppers are eco-friendly too!)

Mom of 10-month-old, Lori W., tries the Neat Solutions’ Neatnik Saucer – This thing came out of my dreams. We had lunch with a friend and her baby this weekend and I used this with the high chair the restaurant provided and it fit perfectly. We are a baby led weaning family so things typically get very messy at mealtime and I loved being able to contain everything. It was also easy to fold up and clean when we were finished. I love love love it. My friend asked for the link so there’s another fan too!

6pm Bathtime (and bedtime prep!)

Mom of 3-month-old and 1-year-old, Sunny L., tries Neat Solutions’ Bath Robe – in the picture, my daughter is petting the robe and was thrilled to put on something soooo soft after her bath! She would pat/pet it and then smile at me. It’s so cozy and warm, and perfect for wrapping her up to get from the bathroom upstairs to her room downstairs, rather than carrying her in a damp towel. The design and color is very cute and dark blue suits her! It had enough fabric to cross in front and tie without leaving a drafty space.

Mom of twins, Abby L., tries Neat Solutions’ Bath Robes – We tried on our bathrobes both before and after bath time. They were super soft and added in a warm change of routine after bath time. Plus the adorable animals/patterns just added to the cute factor.

Mom of 2-year old, Shana S., tries Neat Solutions’ Bath Robe – There’s nothing cozier post-bath for your little one than a snuggly hooded towel – until they hit toddlerhood. When my little one kept sprinting from the bathroom wearing her hooded towel like a superhero cap, I knew it was time to switch to bath robes. I love the Fleece Bath Robe. It’s super soft, cozy, and comes in four different designs. Plus, there are also coordinating washcloths, hooded towels, and bath wraps.

Mom of 1-year-old, Alyssa J., tries the Neat Solutions’ Whale Applique/Print Coral Fleece Bath Robe. This is super cute for both boys and girls. It’s very soft and fluffy! It kept my baby nice and warm after her bath. The robe is generously sized for younger infants, so they won’t be growing out of it too quickly!

Mom of 10-month-old, Lori W., tries Neat Solutions’ Hooded Towel in Friendly Elephant – This hooded towel is so cute and does the job.

Want to discover more must-have products? Be sure to check out these other Gugu Village reviews:
The Village Reviews: bloom BABY All Natural Wipes
The Village Reviews: Gunapod Bamboo Duvet Sack

Thank you to Neat Solutions for making this sponsored post possible. Although the Gugu Village moms received products in exchange for their respective feedback, all opinions are their own.
Note: This post contains affiliate links.

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