Garlic Gold :: Organic, Gourmet Garlic Products {PLUS Exclusive Discount + Giveaway Opp}

Garlic Gold is a small artisan condiment company from Ventura, California. They take gourmet to the next level with their handcrafted line of 100% USDA Organic, delicious garlic products that anyone can enjoy - from a seasoned chef to every mom cooking for her family. They are proud of their unique garlic products, and of their exceptional quality. Transforming any dish into a masterpiece is easy with Garlic Gold.

Disclosure: I received complimentary product for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.

Garlic Gold has perfected the unexpected in the form of garlic-infused oils and crispy garlic Nuggets. The Garlic Gold Gift Box in particular is a fantastic introduction to all things Garlic Gold. Add some more Nuggets and you're golden. Not only are these products all super versatile, but they're made of very few ingredients and without preservatives or sugar. Just real ingredients - a rarity these days! 

Let's take a closer look at what Garlic Gold has a offer:

Garlic Gold - This is organic extra virgin olive oil with bits of toasted organic garlic Nuggets. This lends a wonderfully rich flavor and extra texture to my salads, and if I weren't gluten-free you can bet I'd be pouring it all over sourdough bread...

Garlic Gold Oil - A garlic-infused organic extra virgin olive oil with a rich flavor and smooth taste. A fabulous basic for all types of cooking in the kitchen. 

Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette - A vinegar-free olive oil dressing enhanced with garlic, lemon, and seasonings. It's a great marinade or perfect for salads.

Garlic Gold makes Nuggets, which are made from organic garlic that's been chopped and toasted in organic extra virgin olive oil. The result is surprising and delicious. Nuggets come is six varieties and can be purchased individually or as part of a sampler or gift box. I received a total of four to try.

Garlic Gold Nuggets are crunchy, crispy little morsels, perfect for so many uses in the kitchen. Garnish a salad, sprinkle on pizza or steamed veggies, dash a bit on your favorite appetizer or any other dish that needs a little flavor and texture boost.

Garlic Gold Nuggets - The classic original Nuggets made of just garlic toasted in extra virgin olive oil. Simple yet amazing flavor. 

Parmesan Nuggets - I'm a cheese lover, and garlic is delicious on everything. This combo of Nuggets and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is the best of both worlds!

Italian Herb Nuggets - Classic Nuggets blended with basil, oregano, and other herbs lends a savory finish to any dish.

Sea Salt Nuggets - A blend of Nuggets with gourmet sea salt will enhance and elevate any dish.

Whether you like garlic a lot, or a little, Garlic Gold will quickly become a family favorite. A couple things that I particularly enjoyed about all these products is the strong presence of garlic, and obvious freshness. There is no hiding the deliciously rich garlic bathed in olive oil in the oil-based products, and the Nuggets are fresh and crispy.

At the moment I'm on an extremely strict diet for my nursling who is showing signs of milk allergic colitis and more. I'm literally down to about 25-30 ingredients I'm able to eat in an effort to keep flares down and let her body heal. Guess what? I CAN EAT GARLIC AND OLIVE OIL. I can't even tell you what a relief that is! So, my sauteed mushrooms and zucchini are tossed in Garlic Gold Oil and my homemade cauliflower garlic sauce is pureed together with Garlic Gold and frozen in large batches. My salads are tossed with original Garlic Gold, or with Garlic Gold Nuggets for some crunch and Garlic Gold Oil with a splash of balsamic vinegar for my dressing. I reinvent my dairy-free mashed potatoes with some Garlic Gold Oil. It's hard being so restricted, but Garlic Gold allows me to still have some fun with food. And hey, I don't have to prep garlic cloves before cooking! BONUS.

Garlic Gold products are a wonderful gift for the food connoisseur or anyone who enjoys cooking with unique foods. Garlic is a kitchen staple, but Garlic Gold is kicking it up a notch with their delicious, handcrafted products full of garlic goodness.

EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT - Use code AFReynolds for 20% off your entire order at GarlicGold.com. Enjoy free shipping on orders over $45!

GIVEAWAY - Go HERE for a chance to win a Garlic Gold Gift Box ($37.95 RV)! Just your name and email are required for entry. Good luck!

 

Shop Smarter & Save More with the SaveMart Supermarkets App & SaveSmart Rewards {$50 Giveaway - Ends 9/8}

Moms have many roles to fill each day, and especially as a second-timer I can attest to the absolute dire need for organization to combat the daily chaos. With homeschool back in session, a new baby and what seems like a billion projects and tasks to complete, I'm definitely overwhelmed at times. Anything that can help make my day easier, I'm all in.

 
SaveMart Supermarkets wants to help make life easier and also reward you for shopping in their grocery stores. With their SaveSmart Rewards program and smartphone app, you have an excellent way to shop smarter, plan better, and save money right at your fingertips.

I received complimentary product for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.

The SaveMart Supermarkets app establishes a shopping profile when you sign up, simultaneously enrolling you in the SaveSmart Rewards program. It provides you with a fully integrated space to plan meals (by browsing a large online recipe database), create shopping lists, clip electronic coupons and view the weekly ad. Time spent in the store is then simplified and more efficient! You also accrue rewards points for your purchases, and then you can redeem those points for more in-store rewards in the future. The many features of this app make it a desirable bonus for SaveMart shoppers.

Sign Up 
To sign up for SaveSmart Rewards and gain access to lots of time-saving features, shoppers can go to their local store, download the ‘SaveMart Supermarkets’ app through the Apple Store or Google Play, or sign-up and manage their profiles online at www.SaveMart.com. I was able to quickly and easily sign up on my PC, but I manage my account using my iPhone.

Weekly Ad
Forget the Sunday paper. This app has a running list of items on sale in the current ad! What's even better is you can tap the "Add To List" button on any item to add to your Shopping List within the app. No paper ad to shuffle with, and all your grocery shopping needs are in one location.

SaveSmart Rewards
When I signed up for SaveSmart Rewards, 100 points were added to my balance. Accumulate points from your purchases in store and redeem those points for rewards. Current rewards included money off discounts and free products, including bananas, hot dug buns, bottled water and lots more.

Digital Coupons
Add available digital coupons to your rewards account and watch the savings come off at checkout in store. No clipping necessary! Coupons are categorized and even searchable.

Shopping List
Your Shopping List combines all the items you've added from the weekly ad, the recipes within the app, and any additional ingredients you've also added yourself. Items added from the ad and recipes are categorized such as "Meat and Seafood" and "Produce", so your list is simplified further for organized shopping. You can email your list to yourself using the letter icon at the top of your list.

Recipes & My Recipe Box
Browse hundreds of recipes for appetizers, breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks too. Each recipe within the categories shows the recipe name, prep time, a photo, and the option to "Add To Recipe Box" before even viewing the recipe if you'd like to check it out later. Your personal digital Recipe Box houses all the recipes you're interested in in one convenient place. Clicking on the recipe takes you to the full recipe, complete with notes, servings amount, ingredients, preparation directions, and nutrition facts. Each recipe also has an ingredients tab where you can go down the ingredients list and add any items you need to your shopping list. Meal-planning = DONE.

Using Digital Coupons & Redeeming Rewards
At checkout, simply provide your phone number you signed up with or use your rewards card (there is an option to have one mailed to you if you prefer a physical card) to access your SaveSmart account. Any coupons or rewards loaded to your card will be redeemed automatically.

The SaveMart Supermarkets app is a great organizational tool for busy moms like me looking to cut back on time spent trying to meal plan, get a grocery list going, and clip coupons. It's so easy to browse recipes, add ingredients to your shopping list, and save money on products you probably already buy. This is a smart way to cut back on last minute shopping trips for forgotten ingredients, and earn rewards while for buying what you would anyway. I'm a list lover and my day goes a whole lot smoother if every to-do list in my brain is out and on paper, or in my phone. I typically have several paper grocery lists going on at once because my brain is just everywhere at once, but having just one list within the app is really convenient.

Overall I think SaveMart Supermarkets did and excellent job creating an app that is user friendly, convenient, and easy to navigate. It's pretty intuitive and doesn't have a learning curve to it at all. It saves you time and money. Since a mom's smartphone is essentially her command center these days, going digital with her grocery shopping is certainly the way to go.

Enter To Win:
One of my readers will receive a $50 gift card to SaveMart Supermarkets!

Natural House Cleaning Ingredients to Have at Home

Disclosure: This is a guest post.

Choosing commercial detergents and cleaners can be a time sucker especially when you’re faced with so many products in the market. Sales assistants do get tacky to convince you to purchase the items that they are trying to promote. To remove all the hassle, you can simply create your own cleaners with the use of natural house cleaning ingredients that can be found in your kitchen. In this page, we will list down the things you will find most useful to have at home for cleaning purposes.

Natural House Cleaning Ingredients to Have at Home

1. Baking Soda

There are more than 30 ways that you can use baking soda in cleaning. Baking soda can be used as an odor remover, drain cleaner, and a soft scrub as well for taking our dirt and stains in the bathroom and kitchen. Just by sprinkling baking soda or soaking it for an hour inside the toilet bowl will cut down the stinky smell of urine. Baking soda mixed with hot water will do wonders when taking out the loosened pieces of burned food in the oven or pot.

The Original Konfidence Jacket :: Award-Winning Swimming Aids for Children {Giveaway - Ends 8/30}

Buddy isn't a strong swimmer, YET. Unfortunately that's what happens when you don't have easy access to a pool! Last time he swam was at a friend's birthday party. He wore an ill-fitting life jacket that was more cumbersome than helpful in letting him gain any real swimming experience. We definitely need to step it up, so next time he swims, he'll be wearing a swim jacket from Konfidence.

I received complimentary product for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.

Konfidence is Europe’s leading designer and manufacturer of award-winning premium protective swimwear, swim aids and swim accessories for babies and children. Recently, their Original Konfidence Jacket™ was named a 2015 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) GOLD award winner!

The Original Konfidence Jacket ™ is a swimming aid that takes the fear out of swimming for young children. Within the jacket are 8 removable floats which allows you to adjust buoyancy levels as a child becomes more confident in the water. There is a specific order of how to remove floats, therefore ensuring the Konfidence Jacket is always promoting the correct face forward swimming position.

The Original Konfidence Jacket™ is constructed of high quality, durable neoprene shell with soft Lycra/Poly interior. The wetsuit grade neoprene and unique design assure that the Konfidence Jacket will stay in place and not ride up.
 
Original Konfidence Jacket™ features:

•Easy to use eight removable float system for adjustable buoyancy

•Designed to coordinate with the Konfidence Child Wetsuit

•Full instructions for float removal printed inside jacket

•Soft flexible neoprene for warmth and buoyancy

•Yellow back for hi-visibility

•Tested to the latest safety standards

Buddy is thrilled with his new Original Konfidence Jacket™, and I think it will be a game-changer next time we take him swimming. He'll have the confidence to kick off the swimming pool wall and actually try to swim rather than fear sinking. While it isn't a life jacket, the buoyancy of the Original Konfidence Jacket™ provides is enough to encourage little swimmers to take the next steps to become a strong swimmer.

The Original Konfidence Jacket™ retails for $39.99. There are four colors to choose from and it's available in sizes Small 2-3 years (up to 44 lbs.), Medium 4-5 years (up to 55 lbs.) and Large 6-7 years (up to 66 lbs.). Watch the Konfidence Video on YouTube to see the jacket in action.

Follow Konfidence
Facebook: Facebook.com/KonfidenceUSA
Twitter: @konfidenceusa
Instagram: Instagram.com/konfidenceusa

Enter To Win:  
One of my readers will receive an Original Konfidence Jacket! (Child size only - choose small, medium or large)

Back-to-school: Tips for parents

Disclosure: This is a guest post. 

If your child is enjoying his/her holidays, let them know it is school time.However, don’t simply say it out loud and spoil their mood. Instead, carry out activities that remind them that it is school time.

Listed below are some of the ways in which you can make the move look smooth. Read it carefully!

Macy's Back to School Shopping Party in Modesto THIS SATURDAY!

It's back to school season and your kid's wardrobe probably needs a few new pieces. I have fond memories of back to school shopping with my mom and starting my first day back wearing a new outfit and a new pair of shoes each year. There's nothing quite like that fresh look and boost of confidence to kick off the new year!

This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Still BTS shopping? Join Macy's for a Back to School Shopping Party near you to get some serious style inspiration from celebrity vlogger, Lindsey Hughes! Check out Lindsey's favorite styles for the new school year and party it up as we bid summer farewell.

Macy's Back to School Shopping Party
August 22nd - 2pm
Macy's Vintage Faire Mall - Modesto, CA

For my locals, there's a FREE Back to School Shopping Party in Modesto THIS SATURDAY. So fun! While you're there, enjoy sips and sweets, a DJ, mini manis, and a photo booth. Plus, receive a free totebag with any $35 purchase in mstylelab!

View the full list of events for a party near you. Lindsey Hughes will be appearing at the following Back to School Shopping Party events: 

-Macy's Pembroke Lakes - Pembroke Pines, FL - 8/22, 2pm
-Macy's Memorial City - Houston, TX - 8/29, 2pm
-Macy's Willowbrook - Wayne, NJ - 9/12, 2pm 

Even if Lindsey isn't appearing at your local event, you'll still see the styles she loves for the season. Her favorite trends will be displayed throughout the store! For more information, visit http://bit.ly/BTSteens15.

 

Go Back To School with SanDisk at Best Buy

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

 

Do you own a smartphone? A tablet? A camera? It's back to school season, and a great time to reevaluate your storage needs for all your devices! Whether you're the student, or your child is, Best Buy is here to help you shop for the right memory cards to support safe storage for them all.

SanDisk delivers industry-leading performance and reliability for all your storage needs. Whether that's for professional-grade camera memory, point-and-shoot camera SD cards, smartphone and tablet microSD™ cards, or USB Flash Drives, SanDisk has it all. SanDisk SD cards are also designed to meet the security, capacity, performance, and environmental requirements of next generation devices—because your stories span generations and your memory solutions should too.

 

For digital imaging, capture more fast action, record more than 4K Ultra HD and Full HD video, and transfer speeds up to 60MB/s for smartphones, tablets and action cameras. SanDisk offers speeds over 10X faster than ordinary cards and transfer speeds up to 80MB/s for DSLR cameras and camcorders.

 

For your smartphone or tablet, add a SanDisk microSD™ card so you can carry more of the media and apps you love. Thin and light computing devices, tablets, and smartphones demand a compact SanDisk microSD™ cards for a more responsive camera function and smoother media playback. Whether you want more storage for your phone or a card that makes it easy to shoot high resolution video on the go, you can choose the way you want to add fast, reliable data storage with capacity options from 4GB to 200GB.

 

Use a USB Flash Drive for iPhones and iPads so you can easily transfer data between iPhone, iPad, and computers, as well as free up iPhone and iPad memory with both lightning and USB connectors. A dual USB for android devices allows for easy transfer between android devices and computers and also frees up space for photos, videos, music and more.

 

As you return back to school this year, be sure to check out Best Buy's SanDisk brand store for all your digital storage needs.

 

MAM :: New Summer Collection & Personalized Pacifiers {Giveaway - Ends 8/23}

 

I received complimentary product for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.

Before my daughter arrived in March, I received several MAM pacifiers and teethers. We introduced a pacifier at two weeks old out of necessity on long car rides to my doctor, and she took to them right away. It saved our sanity so many times when baby girl just couldn't settle in the car. Baby girl still LOVES her MAM pacifiers. Thankfully we didn't have to go through a ton of brands to find out she prefers MAM, hands down.

As a global leader in the baby industry, we have complete confidence in the safety and quality of our MAM pacifiers. The orthodontically correct nipple design allows for proper jaw and tooth development, while still satisfying baby's strong desire to suck. Their award-winning, standard-setting pacifiers, bottles, cups, teethers, oral care items and coordinating accessories are loved and trusted by parents everywhere. MAM pacifiers and other products are also BPA-free, PVC-free, Lead-free and CPSIA Compliant.
 

Here's just a peak at our current MAM pacifier stash. Well, the ones we could find around the house anyway. Animals, colorful motifs, and even glow-in-the-dark pacifiers grace our home at the moment (those are awesome at night). MAM has a lot a adorable design collections coming out all the time, and I want them all!!

New this summer is the Clear Collection! Featuring whimsical aquatic creatures and scenes, these are fun way to celebrate the summer season and complete any baby beach ensemble.

Yet another incredibly cute MAM pacifier design choice is their personalized pacifiers! YES! MAM surprised me with some for baby girl and oh.my.word. they are the coolest baby gift EVER. Choose from several colors and even fonts. Put your baby's name on them, their initials or just a saying of your choosing. These are an amazing baby shower gift or surprise for a new arrival at any time! 

Personalized pacifiers come 0-6 months or 6+ months and are available in 2, 4 or 6 quantities starting at $19.99. As with all MAM pacifiers, these come in a reusable storage case that's perfect for that emergency pacifier in the diaper bag (it's a real thing for other families too, right??). Shop for these pacifiers and more at www.shopmambaby.com.

Follow MAM
Facebook: Facebook.com/MAMbabyUSA
Twitter: @MAMBABY
Pinterest: Pinterest.com/MAMUSA
YouTube: Subscribe to MAMbabyUSA
Instagram: Instagram.com/Mam_usa

Enter To Win:
One of my readers a 4-pack of MAM personalized pacifiers!

Gift Giving Made Easy with #GiftIdeas & a #WishList Option at Best Buy

I have a confession - I am a horrible gift-giver. I tend to wait 'til the last minute, and then I scramble to find something gift-worthy but inevitably question what I end up giving. It's definitely not ideal, but I seem to manage.

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Best Buy makes gift giving pretty straight forward and perhaps will help me out with some gifting inspiration next time I need a birthday gift. You can shop the Best Buy Gift Ideas page and sort gifts by price or occasion, and sort further by "Him", "Her", "Kids", or "Teens". This helps take a lot of guesswork out of gift shopping, and all the wondering of whether your choice is appropriate for recipient. Featured gift ideas also help you narrow down your choices and give you plenty of gifting inspiration.

Make if even easier for your family and friends to spoil you on your birthday or other special occasion when you create a Wish List. The Best Buy Wish List is a simple way to help your loved ones shop for you and know they're giving you something you actually want! Add exactly what you want to your Wish List, and send the list to everyone. It's also just a great way to keep track of all your favorite gadgets and gizmos at Best Buy.

Shopping for someone and don't know what to get? You could surprise them with any awesome gift from the Gift Ideas page, or you could ask them to make a Wish List. A Best Buy gift card is also always an easy no-fail gift option and can be shipped or mailed electronically. Either way, let Best Buy help you give, and receive, gifts that are truly wanted. 

Shop the latest and greatest in technology at Best Buy near you.

 

EverydayHappy :: Eco-Friendly Diaper Care Kits Delivered Monthly {Giveaway - Ends 8/18}

Healthy, sustainable living is easy with EverydayHappy, an eco-friendly home delivery service with toxin-free products available for the whole family. Subscribers can customize their monthly deliveries to suit their families needs. With a new baby, I'm totally on board with anything that involves less outings and more home deliveries!
 

I received complimentary product for review purposes. All opinions are 100% my own.

EverydayHappy offers three kits: Diaper Care, Family Care, and Wellness Care. Choose one, two, or all three kits, delivered right to your door each month. Products can also be ordered individually, but the best value is the kits which saves you up to 40% off regular prices. 

Before baby girl was born, I had every intention of using cloth diapers from the beginning. But, life happens and I *still* don't want the extra laundry, four months later. There's a bit more to it than that, but cloth just isn't the best fit for us right now. The next best thing would be disposable diapers without harsh chemicals, which is why I was intrigued with EverydayHappy.

Diaper Care Kit

This monthly kit option includes up to 315 diapers (depending on size) and 320 wipes. We received a sampling of the diapers and wipes, along with their diaper rash cream and a cute canvas tote bag.

EverydayHappy diapers are free of harsh chemicals, toxins, latex, fragrances and optical brighteners. The absorbent core us made from Sustainable Forestry Industry-certified wood pulp, and is elemental-chlorine free to prevent harmful dioxin formation. 

I found these diapers to work very well for us and their trim fit is great. They're soft, absorbent, scent-free and hold in big messes with few exceptions - we did have a couple blowouts that went up the back, so adding a gusset on the back would be my only design suggestion. Wet diapers never leaked though, even after long nighttime sleep stretches between changes. Overall I've really liked them.

I'm admittedly very picky about baby wipes, preferring unscented, reliable wipes with few ingredients. EverydayHappy 100% bamboo baby wipes are unscented, strong and sturdy, and contain just seven ingredients. They may not be super thick (which I don't like anyway), but they're durable, soft and don't rip. One or two wipes is enough, even for big blowouts. They don't contain alcohol, so aren't drying on sensitive baby skin.

Baby girl has sensitive skin and potential severe allergies that have prevented me from testing out the diaper rash cream. It is available to purchase individually, or as part of the Family Care Kit.

The monthly Diaper Care Kit option is ideal for busy families seeking a more natural diapering solution than mainstream brands. For $79.95 a month, you'll be stocked with diapers and wipes all month long. There's no long-term commitment required, and your subscription can be delayed or even canceled at anytime.

For additional toxin-free products conveniently delivered to your door, check out the Family Care Kit and Wellness Care Kit for soap, shampoo, lotion, baby laundry detergent, vitamins and more.

Sign up for your free trial to test out EverydayHappy before committing to a full subscription. Just pay shipping to start your subscription with a trial, and cancel at any time.

Enter To Win:
One of my readers will receive 3 packages of diapers, 1 package of wipes and diaper rash cream!

High Chair Hygiene

Brought to you by Jess Miller of Parent Guide

For a baby, meal times are an exploration of new life experiences and development of motor skills. It's a time of tastes and smells – some they will love and some they certainly won't.  

When you're feeding a baby with a spoon, there will be some times of mess. But once they are perched in their high chair and have progressed to finger food or table food, this is where they will test out every nook and cranny as to how dirty they can make it with their meal. Part of their development will include the feel and texture of their meal and not only in the mouth. Little hands will want to explore what happens to the food when pulled and squeezed and what can be done with it – other than eat it. The result will be a dirty high chair.

 

Cleaning a high chair is very important; there are lots of bacteria that could be harmful to a young child and even if it looks clean, there could well be food tucked down sides of cushions or under the tray. So knowing how to tackle high chair hygiene is part of day to day parental life.

Hygiene risk of a dirty high chair

Some of the bacteria that can be harboured in a dirty high chair include:
- e.coli
- Staph aureus
- Enterococcus faecalis

These can be the cause of stomach upsets to a baby. Coliforms can also be present in high chairs that aren't subject to regular cleaning. This is a bacteria that is formed from unwashed vegetables, raw meat or fecal matter.

The main areas to look at are the tray, the straps, the cushions if the chair has them and the foot tray. Hidden crevices and easy collection points will be the main places bacteria will want to hide and grow.

How to clean a high chair

Whilst many parents may say they know how to clean a high chair, for other it's a new experience and may not be sure about where to start – or what to use.

A combination of products is helpful as it gives you all the options to clean each surface. You'll need some non-toxic ‘safe to use with babies’ wipes and then some mild detergent mixed with hot soapy water in a bottle or in a spray bottle.

Start with the tray. Either just spray it down or remove the tray and wash in the sink. It's then time to look at all the crevices that are in many high chairs; particularly if the seating area has padded, sewn sections where sticky food can easily get into. Thoroughly wipe it down and spray it well so the liquid gets into all areas. Underneath the arms is somewhere to pay particular attention to as it's where children often place their fingers. As there's bound to be spills and drips, the next places to clean are the legs and the bottom of the frame. And don't forget the foot tray as this can be particularly messy, as it's a place where everything can collect. If there are fabric cushions, pop them into the washing machine and dry thoroughly before replacing.

Using restaurant high chairs

It's not always easy finding high chairs in restaurants, but even if they are available, it's vital that you check how clean they are before the meal is served.

A survey carried out once found that some restaurant high chairs have as much as 1200 bacteria per square centimetre – more than that found on a toilet seat.

Whilst it's not possible to take apart high chairs in a restaurant and start washing the trays or removing cushions to clean them, have a good look at the state of the chair when you are offered it for any visible signs of dried on food, splashes of previous meals or a generally grubby condition. If it's obviously dirty, ask for another or for it to be well-cleaned and returned to you at the table.

Even if the chair looks clean, it's good to be on the safe side so always keep a packet of gentle cleaning wipes with you that can be used on surfaces your baby will be in contact with. Wipe the tray all over – including underneath, as well as the straps and crotch post. If the seat is plastic or wood, wipe well and if it's material, remove it and shake for hidden crumbs. The best design of high chair in a restaurant is one that has completely wipe-clean surfaces and no integral cushions.

Help to keep baby clean at meal times

To keep the clean-up operation to a minimum, always cover your baby as much as possible. Use a receiving blanket and a bib so large pieces of food can be caught. Wipe their fingers as they eat to try to stop them smearing the food around the chair – as well as all over themselves.

Be sensible but be clean

Keeping a baby chair clean doesn't mean becoming obsessive about every little splash and mark and immediately reaching for the cloth during each meal. Babies will get dirty and messy and so will the high chairs. The important thing to think about is basic hygiene. Keeping everything wiped after a meal means there’ll be no problems. A baby covered in spaghetti sauce is all part of the fun of them growing up so be ready with the wipes, but also have a camera to hand to take photos to record the memory to show them when they're older!

For more information relating to high chairs and answers to all your questions see the frequently asked questions section on my guide here: http://parent.guide/high-chairs/#faq