To TOTE, or NOT?
Written: May 20 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Convenient, compact, and durable
Cons: ~~ NONE ~~
The Bottom Line: The Mealtime Tote has a large capacity for a small bag, and it's convenient for parents on the go! I definitely recommend it!
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| marybatson's Full Review: The First Years Mealtime Tote |
“What’s in a tote?” Perhaps the better question should be, “What’s the point of a tote?” What may be a superfluous item in some households was a necessity in mine. Unable to nurse, I provided my son with breast milk by pumping 3-times a day since birth. I’m an active mom who’s on the go a lot. In addition, I live in the desert where the temperatures often surpass 110° in the summer months. Thus, it became apparent to me just a few weeks into motherhood that an insulated bag of some sort was in my future.
At first, I looked at the regular insulated totes. You know the kind you see at Target for a six-pack of soda. They weren’t tall enough to accommodate bottles, so I broke down and drove 20-miles to Babies R Us for the second time that week. There were probably 10 different types of totes on the shelves. I used Avent products; naturally, I examined their bag first. It didn’t offer as much flexibility as the others totes, plus it was huge. This tote needed to fit in my diaper bag, standing up of course, so size was an issue. In the end, I selected the Mealtime Tote, which was the least expensive offering, and as it turns out, it was a terrific value.
Description:
The Mealtime Tote is a hard-wearing bag. It’s available in 2-colors schemes: sky blue, and true red. It measures 5½” x 5½” x 8” high, which is the same size as a regular insulated cooler tote. The main difference between the two is the location of the openings. The opening on a regular tote is located lengthwise. On the Mealtime Tote, the opening is located on the opposite side, which allows for the height of bottles.
The exterior features a mesh pouch in which one can store a bib, or a burp cloth. A heavy-duty strap is sewn into the top of the lid for your carrying convenience. In addition, the strap includes a snap so one can attach the tote to a stroller, or shopping cart. The interior features a leak-resistant lining, and includes a reusable freezer pack. The lid houses a smaller mesh pouch for individually wrapped Wet One’s packets, and for a baby spoon.
The Mealtime Tote is designed to store three 8-ounce bottles, and three 4-ounce jars of baby food. I used Avent bottles, which are wider in circumference than most bottles, so the tote generally cooled two 9-ounce bottles, and two jars of baby food. I can’t say exactly how long the items remained cool in the tote, however, I can say it was more than 3-hours. Sometime I used an additional freezer pack, which increased the cooling time to 5 or 6 hours.
Final Thoughts:
The Mealtime Tote is so versatile I used it well past the bottle-feeding phase. It stored sippy cups with handles, snack cups, and fruit cups well into my son’s second year. It’s lightweight and gender neutral, so there’s no concern for carrying a baby bag. The freezer pack died long ago, which was most likely my fault for leaving it in the car overnight. No trouble though, freezer packs are inexpensive, and easily accessible. The First Years recommends surfacing cleaning, but I ran it through the dishwasher on several occasions, and the bag still looks new. Now, that we’ve moved past the tote phase I placed the bag in storage, and was thoroughly amazed when the Mealtime Tote folded down to 2½”. No matter how you look at it, this tote is a WINNER!
Happy Feeding ~ ☺ ~
Mary
The First Years
1 Kiddie Drive
Avon, MA 02322-1171
Telephone: 1-800-225-0382
www.thefirstyears.com/
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $7.99
Type of Toy: Other
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
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marybatson
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Member: Mary
Location: Phoenix
Reviews written: 169
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