Joining the movement ... because it matters
One thing we love about having the chance to collaborate with other baby/parenting brands is that we're constantly learning something new. The latest expert advice or tips for parents. Cool new material trends. Lifesaver new products we wished were around when our kiddos were small! And we love sharing these discoveries with our MK family.
One recent discovery is a shining example. Literally. Shining. Who knew that stainless steel dishes for kids is a growing trend, chock full of benefits for both our Littles and our planet? We spend so much time and worry trying to get our kids to eat healthy, but little did we know that their actual dish matters too! We'll let our good friend, pediatrician, mom-of-3 and founder of AHIMSA, Dr. Manasa Mantravadi, explain ...
"As both a mom and a pediatrician, I know there is so much to learn and discover in both science and parenting. When my twins were infants, I made the decision to buy bright colorful plastic dishes to use when introducing solids - I believed BPA-free meant safe. My mother, an Indian immigrant, gasped when she saw this and immediately replaced those dishes with traditional Indian stainless steel (the same ones I used as a child). Her fear of chemicals leaching from the plastic into food has since been validated by science.
In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a report that warned parents about the harmful chemicals in plastic that interfere with children's hormones, growth and brain development. (Yikes!) The AAP recommended to use glass or stainless steel instead. But more than 80% of children's feeding products in the USA are plastic, making it challenging for parents to follow the AAP's recommendation.
If you're a parent reading this - you may feel anxious. I promise, that's not my intention. My job as a pediatrician is to keep kids healthy and to educate parents. Avoiding harmful plastic chemicals in my family's tableware became a goal for me ... and grew into a much larger mission to educate parents about this health risk for their kids and to empower them with simple tips and a practical solution. So, I launched Ahimsa -- a brand of colorful stainless steel dishes designed especially for kids. Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word meaning avoiding harm.
For me, it all comes down to this ...the way we feed our families matters. The little things we do everyday matter.
While plastic is everywhere in our daily living, a few key areas can help start your journey to limit your family’s exposure to plastic chemicals. The best part of these small changes? The research shows that by decreasing exposure to these chemicals, the levels found in the human body (which should be zero, by the way) drop dramatically within just three days. This means that seemingly small change can lead to significant protection for your child.
- Use glass or stainless steel for serving and storing food and drink instead of plastic.
- If you do use plastic containers, don’t put them in the microwave or in the dishwasher as the heat and cleaning agents increase the leaching of chemicals out of plastic. Same goes for etched (scratched) plastic - dispose if you notice containers are etched.
- Avoid plastic bottles with the numbers 3, 6 or 7
People and the planet are connected and the lasting impact between the two will be felt not by us, but by our children. Ahimsa is not just a business to me - it’s a chance to change the system, change our thinking, and take actionable steps to make a positive impact on the world. Would love you to join our mission ... because #ItMatters!"
