Jackie Wilson Asheeke
My daughter Martha turned me on to these baby food squeeze pureed fruit packets called, “SQUISH”. OK, before you write me off as weird, let me make my case.
I am trying to deal with the fact I am more sedentary in my remote work these days of lockdown and staying away from people as much as possible. As a result, I snack and nibble too much. Being brave, I have cast chocolate out of my life (boo-hoo) and I am munching on fruit as often as I can. (The mineolas these days are great!) I am trying to ween myself from potato chips and chill out on baking different cakes, glazed donuts and apple/walnut turnovers. (I have definitely got my groove on with baking). I need to chill on the snacking as even my sweat pants are beginning to get tight. These baby food fruit squeeze packets work for me to tame my rabid sweet tooth.
While I am writing this, I am sucking on a packet of Mango + Banana. At first I thought that they would be the same tasteless baby meals I remember giving to my kids when they were little. But, these are somehow are nice.
Each packet costs N$8.99 or so; sometimes they are on sale for as low as N$6.99. They are not a cheap snack. But, they are easily accessible. You can find them everywhere. I like the apple sauce, apple + pear, and strawberry + banana the best. But, all of the fruit combinations are good including prune + banana. I have not been bold enough to try the veggie and fruit baby food combinations with butternut or beets. I have a feeling they’ll be disgusting.
I like that I can eat the pureed fruit without using a bowl and spoon that I have to wash up later. When I do go to the office, I can throw them into my lunch box with no fuss or mess. The spent packets can be tossed away. The recycling and anti-landfill folks are probably cringing at that one. Still, I like that I can sit right here at the computer or take walk around my garden with my dogs and suck down the Squish.
I can read documents and still suck a Squish. It’s quite handy.
And, the serving size is just enough; no leftovers. It is 110 ml, preservative free and colourant free and flavouring free. It also says, ‘no sugar added’. But, I’ve read articles that say companies are allowed to claim that depending on the type of sugar that has been added. So, I am suspicious of that claim.
A single serving has 346 calories, which is a bit high for such a little portion, but there are 2 grams of dietary fibre, and .2 g of fat.
Is it filling? For me, yes. It keeps me from going after a candy car or creeping to the kitchen to get a plate of bits and pieces to fill my tummy.
I suck down one per day usually. But, once, I had to work late night and was up at 2 am (rare for me) and I had serious munchies. Instead of buttered popcorn or thick chunks of cheese or a handful of Raffaellos (these little chocolate, almond and coconut delicious fat-bringers are to die for), I sucked another Squish. I was proud of myself.
Give it a try and let me know what you think. – jackie@observer.com.na
