by Cristi Schwamb

I remember when my son was a preschooler and we were managing milk, egg, and nut allergies. It seemed like the coolest snack treat his friends had was squeezable yogurt. I could buy him soy yogurt, but I couldn't figure out a way to put it in a squeezable container.

Sili Squeeze has created reusable food pouches that can be filled with any pureed food. For food allergic parents, this is a wonderful product to have on hand. I love that I can fill the container with whatever allergy-friendly food that my children regularly eat. I'm not searching through the aisle trying to figure out which squeeze snack is accurately labeled for cross-contamination; I just fill it with something that I already know is safe for my child.

The original Sili Squeeze has a spill proof spout that keeps younger children from emptying the entire thing with one strong squeeze. According the website, "Your child will discover that by gumming (pinching) the nipple valve with their mouth, while simultaneously squeezing the silicone body of the Sili Squeeze, will give them the results they want -- food!"

We tried a Sili Squeeze with Eeeze which is designed for children over the age of two. The spout of this container has an open nipple design and is completely free-flowing. My seven-year-old daughter is not a big fan of pureed foods such as applesauce and therefore was not thrilled with any of the foods I tried to put in the Sili Squeeze. I wish we could have used something like this a few years ago when she was first learning to eat. Due to medical issues she did not learn to eat solids until she was four years old, and I think the the Sili Squeeze would have helped us introduce foods to a child who wanted to be an independent eater but who still struggled with the physical work of eating. The resistance-free flow from this product would have helped her during that stage. I wonder if she would have more readily accepted smoothie type beverages if she could've controlled them in a Sili Squeeze instead of having to drink them from a cup.

On the other hand, my twelve-year-old son loved the Sili Squeeze. He filled it with applesauce, yogurt, and even asked to make smoothies to try in it. Perhaps he's making up for all the years when I couldn't buy him squeezable yogurt. The six-ounce Sili Squeeze was a great size to fill with applesauce and put in his lunch. The snap-on top takes a few seconds to align correctly, but once it snaps closed it is completely sealed. I wouldn't hesitate to put it in a lunch box or even my purse.

From a food allergy standpoint, I found that the Sili Squeeze cleaned well, either in the dishwasher or with hand washing. I didn't see any places where food residue could be trapped and potentially cause a reaction for a child with a different set of allergens.

Sili Squeeze is available in two, four, or six ounce sizes with a choice of either the original spill-proof spout or the Sili Squeeze with Eeeze for older children. Prices start at $13.99.

Disclaimer: I was given a free Sili Squeeze with Eeeze in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and I did not receive any other compensation. All opinions are my own (or those of my children). I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.

Cristi has been hanging out on Kids With Food Allergies Foundation for nearly nine years. Her twelve-year-old son has a peanut allergy and outgrew both milk and egg allergies. Her seven-year-old daughter has Eosinophilic Esophagitis and is currently on a Top-8 free diet. Cristi regularly blogs about her homeschooling adventures at Through the Calm and Through the Storm.