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Green Toys
Made in California from recycled plastic milk jugs—high-density polyethelene, or HDPE, considered one of the safest, cleanest plastics—these simple, retro toys (stacking cups, cars and trucks, play kitchenware) are sturdy, fun—and vastly more gratifying to buy than new plastic junk! I love the Wallace-and-Grommit-esque styling of the chunky vehicles, especially the fire truck.
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NurturMe baby food
Here’s a great new option from a mompreneur: dried, certified organic baby food in convenient, feather-light pouches. Quick-drying fruits and vegetables (peas, butternut squash, apple, and sweet potato) preserves more phytochemicals and other nutrients than the sometimes high heat used for cooked jarred foods. The single-serving pouches are eco-friendly to transport to stores (a box of eight weighs less than one jar of baby food)—and easy to throw in your purse for a trip to the playground or the airport. Mix the powder with water, breast milk, or formula; for older kids, stir a bit into yogurt or pasta.
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Green babies baby body care
Pure, safe ingredients—at an affordable price. Debuting in April, longtime green advocate Lynda Fassa offers chemical-averse parents baby body care products that bring peace of mind at a reasonable price—hypoallergenic, tear-free, vegan, packaged in postconsumer recycled plastic, with pure, natural scents. Plus, it’s free of all the nasty stuff: synthetic fragrances, phthalates, parabens, sulfates, and petrochemicals. Fave pick: Smooth Me Detangler.
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Tastybaby Organic Superfruit Snacks
If your kids have pleaded for gummy "fruit" snacks, here's a much better alternative. Packaged in an eco-friendly way, these yummy treats are made with organic fruits that are "blast" frozen to preserve nutrients and enzymes, and "boosted" with acai and superfruit powder.
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Earth’s Best Organic Fruit Yogurt Smoothie
I saw lots of baby food pouches at Expo West—Happy Baby pioneered them and UK brands Peter Rabbit and Ella’s were there this year. They are all nutritious, convenient options for busy and out-and-about moms. Earth’s Best is the only one adding yogurt to fruit to make a portable smoothie for the toddler crowd. At 4.2 ounces, it’s a full serving as defined by the ADA, and is an excellent source of vitamins C and D and calcium.
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Children’s Oxylent
My kids love this multivitamin powder—and I love dumping it into their water bottles as we head out the door for school. Also available in as an adult or prenatal formula, Children's Oxylent provides 800 IU vitamin D, zinc, and vitamin C for a solid immune boost, and bioavailable, chelated calcium and magnesium for growing muscles and bones.
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Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Effervescent
This is a high-quality companion to a good multivitamin for kids older than 4. An effervescent creamy-orange flavored powder you add to water, it’s an easy sell with kids who eschew soft gels; it’s shelf-stable and convenient when you’re on the go. Best of all the ingredients: purity-tested cod liver oil (a healthy, more effective dose of 240mg EPA and 260mg brain-supporting DHA), immune-boosting vitamin D3, herbal stevia sweetener, and no gelatin or artificial additives.
Parents had plenty of new, healthy foods, drinks, and baby and kid products to choose from at Natural Products Expo West 2011. From dried baby food to recycled plastic trucks, here are seven favorites.