Dr. Sears "America's Pediatrician" Healthy Eating Made Fun Review & Giveaway 8/14 - WINNER CLOSED

CONGRATULATIONS TO ...JENNIFER H!

An e-mail has been sent to Jennifer and sorry if you are reading but Jennifer has won past giveaways so I'm sure she will be responding within 48 hours!

Thanks to all who entered!

Who isn't struggling with eating properly and instilling good habits to last a lifetime in their children?  I know I am and have battled the scales for years and years.  I get pregnant, gain the weight, lose the weight, get stressed, gain the weight, lose the weight.  It's been a lifelong journey of missing the obvious and it's healthy eating.  Why? Maybe I'm weak and succumb to temptation too easily.  Maybe I wasn't raised with a focus on healthy eating or maybe I'm just lazy and don't cook as often as I should have when I worked full time.  Regardless, it's not too late to pick up a good habit and although I keep going back and forth to the "this is it" mentality, I slip mostly because I have such picky eaters.  


My middle child who has epilepsy is affected by not eating and if I give her something she does not like, she won't eat...period.  I haven't found the balance yet and even though I've tried the "let's cook together" and the Sneaky Chef cookbook, I'm still not achieving the success I would like.  My other younger daughter will eat more than her but they are both definitely affected by the utensils and other table settings so I use that to my advantage.  This is where Dr. Sears comes into play.  I'm an avid fan of Dr. Sears and have been following for about a year now due to his dedication to the most valuable assets we as parents have and that are children.

Taken from Zak's Design website:


Dr. Sears, or Dr. Bill as his "little patients" call him, is the father of eight children as well as the author of over 40 books on childcare.  Dr. Bill is an Associate Cinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine.  He received his pediatric training at Harvard Medical School's Children's Hopsital in Boston and the Hopsital for Sick Children in Toronto -- the largest children's hopsital in the world, where he served as associate ward chief of the newborn nursery and associate professor of pediatrics.  Dr. Bill is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and a fellow of the Royal College of Pediatricians (RCP).  Dr. Bill is also a medical and parenting consultant for BabyTalk and Parenting magazines and the pediatrician on the website Parenting.com.





A child's lifelong eating habits are typically developed between the ages of one and three.  This is the age when toddlers begin exporing solid foods, and it's also an important time for parents to ensure they are giving their kids the right kinds of food to taste.  Introducing young eaters to fresh foods will help children develop an appreciation for both the taste of these foods and their ability to satisfy hunger.  Dr. Sears knows that the habits developed early truly get passed to the future.  


Another aspect of Dr. Sear's philosophy's are to change our mindsets of three meals a day.  Given the size of a child's stomach, roughly the size of their fist, it takes less to fill them up.  Teaching them to graze is a healthier alternative to avoiding obesity as this is a big one in the weight loss medium.  Allowing children to eat smaller meals and snacks avoids the overstuffed feeling.





This is where Zak! Products and Dr. Sears have developed products to enhance your children's eating experience through fun.    I received the following complimentary products from Zak! Products:

 

The Nibble Tray can come apart with the first part of the pineapple shape storing six different types of food and a stay cool detachable section for dipping.  This tray is perfect as if your children are like mine, they don't want their foods mixed and the sections go from bottom to top so they won't mix once the lid is placed on the container.  Both the trays and lids have cute happy fruit, food and veggies so the children can be entertained by the pictures.  The outside of the earth friendly box offers the same tips and suggestions from Dr. Sears and it is dishwasher safe.  In spite of being BPA free, another great bonus, it is recommended to not be placed in the microwave.

 

The three piece Snack Container again is BPA free and packaged in an earth friendly box.  It is a handy three piece snack plate that comes apart and keeps the food separate.  You choose exactly what you want whether you need one container, two or three and you are also saving money by not using baggies and saving the environment.  The lids are adorned with those cute smiling fruits, vegetables and with translucent lids, parents can see what is inside easier.

No set is complete without the bowl!  The non-skid base helps to prevent those "uh oh" accidents of scooting it off the table.  The wide bottom helps to prevent spills and tip overs while the divided sections prevents foods from mixing.  Another great eat and store product that allows you to see what's in the bowl while proving it can be portable to take on the road if needed.  The top resembles a watermelon .. yummy!

 

Now you have the fun fork and spoon set designed especially for toddler hands and adorned with cute broccoli and carrot shapes.  Each Dr. Sears product contains age appropriate information.  

 

The drink collection is left with two choices: 

1. The 11 ounce Smoothie Sipper has a TPR-ringed bottom which helps to prevent tipping and slides.  Pear shaped to allow for an easier grip with for toddler sized hands and is a great way to sneak in some healthy smoothies!
2. The 8 ounce Sippy Cup with Flo-Control Valve is spill proof, leak proof and the patent pending Flo-Control Valve allows parents to control the flow based on their children's preferences which is a great idea as some children, like one of mine, chokes easily.

Summary:

I like the Dr. Sears line of products due to the appeal to children, the idea of healthy idea behind each product, the fact that they are BPA free, dishwasher safe, portable and made from eco-friendly packaging.  Dr. Sears has years of experience and being a father to eight, I know he has the practical experience as well.

The only issue I see are how the detachable units attach.  I like the idea that they slide in and sort of lock but I could also see a kid accidentally detaching them and either spilling contents or throwing a fit when they can't fit them back together.  I love the concept though and not really sure a better way could be developed as it does take a little effort to detach.


I would definitely recommend!


The Giveaway:


One lucky winner will win their own set of Zak! Products line of Dr. Sears Healthy Eating Made Fun products that I received.


To Enter:


Follow my blog and tell me a healthy snack or way you get your kids to eat healthier.


Extra Entries:

1. Become a fan of Zak! Products on Facebook (two entries)
2. Follow Zak! Products on Twitter (two entries)
3. Visit Zak! Products and tell me about another product they make and you like here (two entries)
4. Subscribe to my blog (two entries)
5. Follow me on Twitter  (two entries)
6. Fan me on Facebook (two entries)
7. Blog about this giveaway (five entries)
8. Tweet about this giveaway (can be done daily - two entries)
9. Enter any of my other giveaways (five entries)

BONUS ENTRY:

VOTE FOR MY DAUGHTER'S PEPSI GRANT PROJECT FOR THREE EXTRA ENTRIES PER DAY UNTIL GIVEAWAY ENDS:

Giveaway ends on 8/14 at midnight (EST) and winner will be chosen by random.org from eligible entries.  The first entry is mandatory and must be done before any other entry is valid.

Open to US only please!

*Disclaimer:  I did receive a complimentary product(s) for the purposes of this review.  Opinions stated in this review and/or giveaway are of my own.