If there is something in the house of toddlers we cannot ever seem to have enough of, it would be sippy cups! (Ok, fine, snacks too…but we definitely are always in need of proper sippy cups) I know there are mamas all over the country refilling the cups of constantly dehydrated toddlers, nodding their heads in agreement! 😉 We certainly, as a family of four kiddies, are always on the look out for a proper sippy cup that ticks all our boxes of what makes a great and practical cup.
So when Freebees PR and Marketing offered us a test run of the Vital Baby Hydrate Free Flow Cup, for us to review, along with the Vital Wean and Store Pots, I was in! We gave it a solid test run – from in car picnics to on the go snacking and drinking, and even park time snacking, I think we gave it a pretty good go. And here’s what we think…
Vital Baby Hydrate Free Flow Cup
Now we generally get our kids to drink from normal open cups or glasses pretty early. (some of our kids were given breastmilk from a glass in their early newborn days even ;)) However, in travel, and being on the go, as well as just the general busy nature of toddlers, we know that we need kiddy cups that support their independance (“I do it by myself!”), as well as support our need as parents to limit the mess and spills. So personally, after years of trial and error using different cups with all four of our kids, we’ve essentially developed our own little person check list for what we need in a kiddy.
And here’s how the Vital Baby Hydrate Free Flow Cup held up:
-
1. The materials used in the cup
This cup is made from safe BPA free materials (The brand touts the fact that they use materials that are 100% BPA free across their range)
2. The spill proof and leak factor
Guys, this one is an important one. I certainly am not up for cleaning any MORE messes than I have to. And good Man above knows I change my kids clothes enough times in one day due to their self-directed messy play ,that I don’t need another reason to change clothes with messy spills.
So first up, if the spout is down, this cup does not leak. Meaning it stored nicely in our snack bag in the car rides and handled well being knocked over while closed in our backseat car picnics. It seals perfectly.
However, if that spout is up, it obviously did leak (from out of the spout) when knocked over or turned upside down or the like. So I definitely have to watch them closely while they’re using it, and seeing where they put it as they move and play, lest I want a mess in the car or all over our picnic blanket.
3. The ease of holding and use by baby/toddler
The cup size is small enough for little hands to hold comfortably (200ml capacity), and because of it’s size, it only holds enough liquid that the cup won’t become too heavy for littles to hold up. The handles make it easy to grip as well. However, I found that its not easy for all littles to flip up the straw/spout to use. Also, if your little one is reclining while drinking (as some kids do), and the liquid inside has been drunk below a certain level, they will have to learn to rotate the cup in order to make the liquid come out. (unlike other cups that you can drink from anywhere around the lip of the cup.) This of course is not a train smash, but worth noting if your little gets frustrated quickly.
4. The ease of cleaning
Because of the wide mouth, and straight lines of the design of the cup, the general cup is super easy to clean and dry. However, the spout is one place that is too small to truly get in there and clean – which has always been one of my gripes about spouts in kiddy cups.
5. The oral and dental impact
Now the brand says that the free flow is kind to teeth and gums, and Im assuming that’s because the liquid in the cup readily flows out, and thus, the littles don’t have to suck hard to get the drink out of the cup, (sucking from spouts or straws has ben linked to aiding enamel erosion specifically when the drink is of a sugary nature (like in formula milk or juice), as the straw or spout put the teeth in direct and constant contact with the steady stream of sugar.) And yes, the water/drink does flow out easily once that spout has been flipped open.
Also to note, sippy cups with spouts have been linked to improper jaw, airway and dental development. So this is definitely important to keep in mind if your child often drinks habitually from that sippy cup.
I personally found this particular cup in their range to be fairly basic in their offering. It still is useful though, and will serve nicely as a back up cup in our house. I must mention that Vital Baby has a bigger Hydrate range with cups if you’re keen to see more, and I encourage you to go check them out here) 😉
For more information, see here on Vital Baby site.
Also note these Vital Baby Hydrate Free Flow Cups are going for R69 on Takealot (see here)
Vital Wean and Store Pots
These come in a pack of 4 brightly coloured pots that have a capacity of 120ml, and are made from safe Phthalate-free, Latex-free and BPA-free materials. They have secure lids that have managed to keep our snacks nicely tucked in during travel and whilst put out ready & waiting for baby/toddler to consume.
Now we didn’t use our for storing baby food (weaning purposes) nor did we use it to store any liquids like breastmilk, as we’re past those stages. However, these pots come with soft rubberized bottom and sides that promise for easy release of frozen goods inside by simply turning it upside down and squeezing it.
I have to mention that it has a great stackable design – both for when storing out of use, as well as in fridge or freezer during use, or in snack bags on the go. So, it promotes better use of your space available.
As I said earlier they are freezer friendly. And what’s more is that they are a neat little size for little hands to manage and help themselves to the snacky goodness inside. We’ve used these both on the go in the car as well as for the quick picnics I’ve mentioned previously, and the kids (both the 1 year old and 2 year old) could use them with no problems. (no slipping, and no struggle to get their hands in)
They are dishwasher and microwave safe, and so all in all have my two thumbs up. I love them as pretty and very practical additions to our snack on the go storage tools.
A quick squizz online and it seems they average at a retail price point of R120 for that pack of 4. Now they still have to stand the test of time with me, as I’ve found that some storage systems don’t last as long. But judging from the quality and feel of the materials, these look like we could still be using them 2/3 years or more from now with the same kind of tight seal, and storage safety. (will keep you posted) 😉
Thanks to Vital Baby and Freebees PR and Marketing for asking for this review. Please remember I always provide unbiased and honest opinions, and the wording as such are all my own, in an effort to help you as the consumer with your decision-making.