AUSTRALIAN NON-TOXIC AWARD
WINNERS 2019
FINALIST – Eco-Innovation Category
Mashblox – Silicone Self-Feeding Blocks
Materials:
Medical Grade Silicone
Social Responsibility Summary:
- Designed against built in obsolescence
- Recyclable cardboard packaging
- Delivered in recyclable shippers
- Involved in pioneering research into infant obesity intervention through establishing self-regulation habits, with specialists engaged from four universities around the world.
- Mashblox baby self-feeding coaching App to help parents with customised support and tactics, delivered from leading infant feeding experts. This helps both parents and also gives universities data on infant feeding for further research.
- Engagement with evidence-based health solutions to both disability and aged care sectors
- Voluntarily certified to Australian New Zealand standard ISO 8124.1 against choking risks
- Founder is a spokesperson for mental health
- Employer embracing of individualism and diversity
- Certified Australian Made, manufactured in Melbourne
- Australian owned business. Solo Female Founder
REVIEWS:
Emily Fletcher
“Mashblox are small cubes of translucent silicone with a slit at the top that replace food pouches and snack containers for a baby or toddler. They sound simple… and they are… simply game changing! They fit perfectly into little hands and can be filled with anything – I’ve given my 18 month old everything from frozen peas to porridge in them. A child can either reach into the cube for something they can pick up with their fingers or they can hold the cube to their mouth and squeeze for something soft like yogurt. This essentially works a bit like a food pouch except that a child can actually see what they are eating which helps them develop a much better relationship with food. If dropped, the blocks also keep the contents enclosed and so make mealtimes a lot less messy.
One of my favourite things about Mashblox and which completely sets it apart from reusable food pouches is that you can properly clean it. You can completely turn the cube inside out!
My son is 18 months old and loves these cubes. He does get over zealous and squeeze the contents everywhere sometimes, proud of the little eruption of food spouting out the top… but I can promise you it’s nothing on what he would be doing if I was giving him full control of a bowl and spoon!
Mashblox are an amazing non-toxic, re-usable and easily cleanable food pouch alternative/ snack container. They are easy to use and built to last, so they will save many a single use food pouch going to land fill! They are perfect for use with babies and young children and can become great lunchbox dividers and iceblock moulds as a child grows.”
Corrine Sultana
“Mashblox is a wonderful self-feeding and eco idea. Designed to encourage self-feeding and easy to hold they are not only great for children but well suited for use with the elderly and those with disabilities. A great eco concept as they can be washed and reused over and over again. No single use “pouch” type plastics needed as these can replace them in many ways
Size: 2 pack
Type: Self feeding block
Design intent: Purposely designed to drive a culture of sustainability and disease prevention through infant feeding (waste free eating / fussy eating)
Material: BPA free medical grade silicone
Australian Owned / Operated: Yes
Australian Made: Yes
RRP: $18.75”
Emma Freeman
“These are an innovative little product and I was keen to test the blocks out on my kids. My 3-year-old loves eating snacks like nuts, raisins and blueberries from them and I love that I don’t have to worry about losing any lids from containers when we’re out and about.
With my 12-month-old, I tried inserting different meals of mashed food into them such as avocado, dahl and mashed banana and while he certainly loved eating from them, he couldn’t figure out how to extract the food without my help – despite leaving it with him to figure it out several times and then giving up and demonstrating to him. I’m yet to try frozen food so I’ll give that a whirl, otherwise I might try it again in a few more months.
Love that they are made entirely from medical grade silicone and that the packaging is recyclable.”
Amina Kitching
“This is a really unique product that I can see would serve so many children in learning how to self-feed. Such a great idea! It certainly makes for an interesting way to encourage learning through food while helping youngsters to learn how to control their fingers, improve finger strength & co-ordination. This product inspires tricky eaters to explore foods that they otherwise reject, disguising the food in a playful & fun way to self-feed. I’m sure that these blocks can improve fussy eaters & help to improve the variety of foods they eat.”
Krystal Prisk
“This is so awesome. I packed it full of fruit and froze it for my teething little one. This certainly provided some relief (for both of us)”