After my recent post on Hint, several readers emailed me with further suggestions for healthy, kid-friendly beverages. One reader recently sent me a link to Wateroos, plain and naturally flavored water in juice boxes.
They sound very similar to Hint, but in a smaller package that would fit in with the Juice Box Crowd at preschool and the playground. Again, I hate to see the wasteful packaging; at least with Hint we are refilling the plastic bottles several times (and still get a tiny "hint" of flavor) before we recycle them. Juice boxes are not even recyclable in some areas.
But still, it's a product I wanted to share for those of you in the midst of the Sweetened Beverage Battle. If it helps your child feel good about drinking water while those around them are sucking down Kool-Aid Jammers, I'm all for it.
I think perhaps the best choice is a cute refillable water bottle, like these SIGG Kids Bottles and Klean Kanteens. We like our Klean Kanteens, but I've heard that the SIGG bottles chip and dent easily. Anyone want to share their experience with SIGGs?Also, I've been looking for for a long time is a juice box-shaped refillable water bottle. Anyone?
I know there is tupperware that is around the same size and shape as a juice box, with a screw on top. But the straw always got lost, haha.
ReplyDeleteI use a SIGG bottle every day, and although it's possible to dent them by banging them on corners and such, the interiors of mine are all fine and their performance hasn't been affected. I use sport tops on all of mine, and especially love that you can put hot liquids in them as well!
ReplyDeleteRubbermaid makes one too, and you can buy replacement straws.
ReplyDeletehttp://rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid/product/product.jhtml?prodId=HPProd210003
Oh, excellent! That's just what I was looking for.
ReplyDeleteToday I came across mention that coconut water is nature's sport drink - electrolyte balaced etc... The article had a link to product: http://www.zico.com/ - but, it has the same problem in that it is juice box sized and not a cool as a sport drink bottle. I may give this a try though.
ReplyDeleteI have a Sigg bottle and don't really like it so much. The screw open sport isn't easy for my toddler to open and close, and the sport top has to be closed for the cap to close--a few too many steps for the toddler (2 yr).
ReplyDeleteHey, Walmart sells that rubbermaid one for 2.47. It comes in blue, red with an outside cover. Fits perfectly in my daughters lunchbox
ReplyDeleteI found a pitcher made for infusing flavors into water. Perhaps that would be helpful?
ReplyDeletehttp://marketplace.hgtv.com/Product.aspx?Lid=373-HGTVEAD800
My daughter loves flavored sparkling mineral waters. We actually pick up a large bottle for a dollar at Wegman's. Her favorite flavor is lemongrass :-)
There is also FlavH2O.
ReplyDeleteI love it! Harry and David's sells single cans in their stores, if you want to try it, first.
http://www.najaro.com/FLAVH2O.htm
I just wanted to say...I'm not vegan, but I was browsing your site and your vegan meals look better than most of non-vegan meals I eat...for pretty much every meal. I'm starving now! Can I come live with you? I think I could do the vegan thing if I had you to cook for me!
ReplyDeleteWe've used the Rubbermaid one (love that you can replace the straws) for over 3 years now, with our 3 kids. We LOVE them and use them every day. They fit in the Laptop Lunch bag with the lunchbox perfectly!!!! Someone at preschool ordered her son a Laptop Lunchbox system and was mad that it didn't come with it! hee.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review!! My son was a big Gaterade junkie before Hint.
I adore my Sigg! Never had a single problem with mine, have had it for months and there's not a single dent on it. I love drinking water that doesn't taste like plastic - And it's way cuter than the plain Klean Kanteen ones.
ReplyDelete>>Aren't the SIGG bottles aluminum?
ReplyDeleteI've never used SIGG bottles myself, but I'm under the impression that they are aluminum with an interior coating that keeps the aluminum from coming in contact with the water. Here's a lot more info on the bottles and the safety of the lining:
http://www.reusablebags.com/help.php?id=2&osCsid=cf8ecc7da42ee140cf0b88c2c956a85c&fID#help36
Sigg waterbottles are made of alluminum. I love mine. It dents somewhat easily but like said previously, it doesn't affect performance. I bought my SIGG bottle after reading about the leaching properties of most plastic bottles.
ReplyDeleteI also use the Rubbermaid ones with the straw. Square has never been a problem- fits the lunchbox and carseat cupholders fine. I almost never buy juice boxes as they are too expensive and my kids will drink 3 in a sitting!
ReplyDeleteSigg bottles dent VERY easily. All it took for my 1L one to have two huge pockmarks in it was to be dropped once by my well-meaning preschooler. Her 0.4L is faring much better, with no dents despite constant use.
ReplyDeleteMy experience is also very bacd with Sigg bottle. Very very dented after a short use by an active pre-schooler.
ReplyDeleteWould I have known they were easy to dent I would not have bought it I thought they were sturdy :(
This is my first time commenting, I'm a mom of 4 ranging in age from 12-4. I was very interesting in the SIGG bottles, but wasn't able to afford 4. Last fall I picked up 5 bottles that were made like the SIGG at Wal Mart for around $4 each. They had sports themed for boys and pink and flowers for girls. Meijer also had them for slightly more but with cartoon characters on them, like Dora and Cars. They fit perfectly in the LLB. They keep warm drinks warm, adn when packed cold, work as an addtional cooler for cold foods. My odlest has dented his *very* badly, but the other 4, with daily use are still in perfect condition. I have tried every drink container on the market and will probably replace these with SIGG as finaces allow. I have used the Rubbermaid one listed above and didn't care for it. I found that the straw got nasty fast.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to let you know about an
ReplyDeleteimportant conflict of interest, pertaining to Bisphenol-A and drink containers that you may want to check out: Environmental Working Group has discovered that a federal agency responsible for evaluating the causes of birth defects and
other reproductive problems is run by a consulting firm with ties to the
same companies that make the chemicals the agency is charged with reviewing.
This agency, Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction
(CERHR), is actually run by Sciences International, which collaborates with
Dow Chemical Co. This is important to this story because Dow is a major
manufacturer of Bisphenol A, a widely used industrial chemical the agency
will evaluate for safety next week. Sciences International has also worked
for the tobacco giant R.J. Reynolds.
Please find our news release here:
http://www.ewg.org/issues/bisphenola/20070228/index.php
Also, our letter to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences:
http://www.ewg.org/issues/bisphenola/20070228/letter.php
Best,
Matthew Fried
enviroblog.org
I once bought a square drinks container thinking it would fit well into bags etc. The downside is the fact they are very hard to clean and mine got moldy.
ReplyDeleteI have since then used a sigg bottle, nearing three years now. No dents, no scratches, no nasty aftertastes. But of course i'm probably more careful then the average child...
I love your blog. I've just been "vegging up" my regular meals, introducing things (tofu, etc.) slowly, but am wanting to go vegan. I ordered your book, but was wondering if you knew of a site/blog that can give me very basic info? Like "this" is vegan. "that" is not. Or like staple type items--pasta, spices, etc. Sorry if this are stupid questions, but I don't want to make a nice vegan meal and have someone point out what isn't vegan about it.
ReplyDeleteOne way to clean akward places (like square water bottles) is if you drain it of as much liquid as possible, and throw in several tablespoons of salt. Screw the lid back on and skake like crazy, and it scrubs off anything I've managed to get stuck on the inside of my water bottle!
ReplyDeleteKim-
ReplyDeletehttp://www.goveg.com/ is a good place to start!
I actually like the idea of wateroos, so thanks for sharing those. Kids LOVE those square containers, even if I hate them. And my 2 yr old already knows that juice comes in them, even though we almost NEVER have them in the house, only had them once, after a LONG roadtrip. Advertisers make them with bright colors and recognizable characters to make the kids want them....so water in a "cool looking" juice box is a great idea...even if it isn't recycleable.... If it will get the kid to drink water at school/daycare....it just may be worth it!
ReplyDeleteMy 2 cents
Hi, Kim -- I agree, goveg.com is a good place to start. Also, Vegan Outreach has a "Vegan Starter Pack" that you can download:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.veganoutreach.org/starterpack/index.html
...and VegCooking has a lot of recipes and product recommendations:
http://www.vegcooking.com/
Hope that helps! Congratulations on your "vegging up"! :-)
katelicha, thanks for your idea of using fruity herbal tea bags. We'll be giving that a try!
ReplyDeleteI had a sigg bottle but found that the lining began to flake off. i never put anything in in but (cold) water so was pretty disappointed. Now I just stick with a nalgene bottle (apparently the white opaque ones aren't as bad about leaching as the colored translucent ones).
ReplyDeleteI used to use the SIGG bottles back when all they made were fuel bottles for my backpack stove. The soft aluminum made them dent easily but for carying stove fuel it was and is still the way to go. For drinking bottles, I like nalgene bottles. My daughter has this 12 oz minigrip one in pink http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=87
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you how much I love your lunchbox meals, they are so beautiful. True works of art! Your post about packing food on trips reminds me of my family, both my parents and in laws are notorious for bringing along rice cookers on all their long trips (camping, in hotels, anywhere you can think of). My mom and my hubby's mom are experts at packing up rice, spice mixtures, and lentils and then whipping up delicious hot meals that get served up with store bought yogurt, milk, and our favourite potato chips wherever we went. Being vegetarian, and not eating cheese (bcoz of rennet), and eggs made it very difficult for them to find anything other than the typical grass and tomato options at restaurants! I used to hate it as a kid and want to eat 'out', and now I appreciate how resourceful they were.
You should try that on your next long trip. Hot meals make a huge difference. (Some hotels have microwaves, so you can bring along the microwave rice cooker!).
Kanchana
ps. I've heard that re-using plastic bottles can be harmful due to bacteria buildup. I put mine in the dishwasher first!
THANK YOU! I have a husband I have been weaning off of soda for over 2 years. We went from soda to tea (sweet tea) to now crystal light. He is okay with not having soda in the house but still has to have it when ever we go out. While I think Crystal Light is a MUCH better option than soda (5 calories per serving compared to over 150) I would like something natural. Especially before we have kids. At least now he is admitting what damage soda did to him.
ReplyDeleteI love your site and look to it as a primer for when I have my own kids.
Gotta go. Have to see if my supermarket carries hint!
I wanted to add that my mother and I found fruit flavored vitamin powder at wal-mart that is mixed into a water bottle or glass. While I haven't tried it, my mother got the Grape Joint Health and said that it was "very grapey".
ReplyDeleteThey have an immune booster and a multi-vitamin. Perhaps these would appeal to Shmoo?
We found them at Wal-Mart
http://www.sturmfoods.com/vitaSplashRelease.pdf
I have both a kleen kanteen and a SIGG. I was happy to read the article that someone posted about the safety of SIGG as I was concerned about the alumininm...happy to hear that they are tested and there is no leaching etc. I wanted to say that instead of sugary drinks, I make My girl a blackberry tea by Choice teas, and I add liquid Stevia...we call it SWEET TEA. It tastes like hawaiian punch..she loves it!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi-- just a response to the commenter who suggested Nalgene bottles-- while I haven't looked into the issue recently (we're a kleen kanteen family), I believe that there is a connection between the parent company of Nalgene and the manufacturing of equipment for biomedical testing on animals. If I were in the market for a plastic-y bottle, I would look into a possible connection. Also thanks to Doug for raising the issue of biphenols leaching into plastic.
ReplyDeleteDear jeniffer
ReplyDeleteu have good blog.
I'm studying in food science and my scope is about shape and color of dairy products packaging and affect of this to attract the children and teenagers.
can u please give me some idea and help me to find something that maybe help me to do on it?
I'll be so happy if u kindly help me.
your sincerely
Roozbeh
Someone suggested putting plastic in the dishwasher, but the articles I have read suggest that the leaching of potentially toxic things happens when you put plastic in the dishwasher and use harsh dishwasher detergents. so if you are going to use something like that soft plastic rubbermaid container (is it made with bisphenol?) you might want to soak it in warm soapy water to clean it or clean it with a bottle brush by hand.
ReplyDeletecheck out some of the articles:
http://www.reusablebags.com/news.php?id=18
http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200311/lol5.asp
however, another website I went to (can't find it now) said that Sierra Magazine made a giant leap by saying the Nalgene bottles were the same as the plastic used in the study. Apparently the plastics weren't the same? Regardless, you're probably safest not putting the plastic in the dishwasher.
I just bought a SIGG. I hope the metallic paint doesn't start to come off near the opening?
Free shipping from this place!
http://www.swissbottle.com/
Thank you so much for all of your wonderful tips! My family loves your blog. I just wanted to add that I too switched to using a Sigg after reading in Vegetarian Times that Nalgene makes plastic products used to restrain animals for animal testing (here's an article: http://www.rmad.org/nalgene.html). I think Siggs and Kleen Kanteens are both great but in the end I chose Sigg because they are recycled/recyclable aluminum and they're really cute. No dents so far!
ReplyDeleteif you're worried about drinking from SIGG bottles because they are made aluminum, you should also be worried about drinking out of Coke or Pepsi cans.
ReplyDeleteLast I checked, soda cans *are* still made from aluminum. But they are all coated to prevent leaching.
BTW, I used to collect unopened coke cans from all over the world. Some have started to leak -- the acid has corroded its way through the lining and alu.
BTW #2 -- I simply cannot believe Wateroos have made it into the market. I saw a 6 pack being sold for $3.49 in the grocery store. Gawd, who's buying this stuff?? Plain water has been quinching our thirst for thousands of years, why is it now that our kids are suddenly turning their noses to it?
If the trend continues, we'll be leaving to our well-hydrated children a planet littered with tetra packs.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI often make a pitcher of water, filled ith cucumbers or melon. they blen well, and i's delicious!!!!
-Shaina
ETA: I didn't make those typos! Weird!!!!
ReplyDeleteI recently bought both Sigg and Kleen Kanteens. I am really sorry I didn't get all Kleen Kanteens- they are way better than the Sigg in my opinion. First of all, the top opening for the Sigg is too small to fit a brush inside to wash it. (unless you buy one of the specially made small brushes, but who wants to do that?) Second, I got one of the one with pretty designs on it- and within a few uses it is already scratched all over.
ReplyDeleteP.S. This is the first time I have been to this blog- and it is awesome!!! It is getting bookmarked for sure. :-)
I would stick with Klean Kanteens. The more I hear about Bisphenol A (BPA), which is found in most plastics and even lines Tetra Paks, the more nervous I get. A recent article about BPA can be found at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070406.wbisphenolA0407/BNStory/
ReplyDeleteHello everyone.
ReplyDeleteReading through about bottles and some people posted about SIGG "similar" bottles. Please be careful because many bottles are cheaply made and/or are not approved by the FDA. For example, there was a huge lot of bottles made from China that were found to contain too much lead in the paint and had no liner on the inside like a Sigg. Without proper inside lining, metal containers can leach not only taste but chemicals into your liquids. Since this blog is mainly questioning containers/drinks for children, it is best to keep them as safe as possible! For anyone else that is interested in genuine Sigg bottles, goto www.mysigg.com and read about their reputation and quality of the product. Some people say it dents easily, but don't oversee the most important part, that the dents do NOT lessen its usability and does NOT damage the inside lining.
I have been using a Sigg 1 liter bottle for a couple of months now. It has gotten some minor dents and scratches, but that wasn't a big deal until this morning, when it fell barely a foot from my backpack as I was getting into the car, making a fairly large (~1 in. diameter) dent. It is right near the top where the bottle tapers in. I don't really mind it a whole lot, but it is kind of a lame way to dent a Sigg. I'm going to try to make something where I can use a bicycle pump or a compressor to get it out. I read that worked for one guy.
ReplyDeleteI've only had my Sigg for a week and I dropped it the other day on the side walk. It is now dented on top and at the base. I was really disappointed how quickly and easily it got banged up- looking on the inside it doesn't seem to be in bad shape - but it certainly doesn't look as nice. A pitfall that did not come with the Nalgene bottles.
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I use sigg water bottles every day.It's great size for carrying around anywhere.Thanks for sharing nice post.
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