Thank you to BABYBJÖRN for providing me with product, free of charge, in exchange for this post.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Do you find preparation for and/or meal time to be stressful?  I know that there are days when I do.  I remember seeing a meme once that made a comment about the family wanting supper AGAIN when they just had it yesterday!  Boy, do I feel that way some times.  Having five kiddos has tested my limits and here are the tips I’ve come up with over the years.

• Have A Running List Of Meals:  This one helps prevent a mommy meltdown!  Since I tend to get stuck in a rut and wonder “What should I make today?”, I’ve started keeping a running list of all the meals our family (or at least some of us) enjoy.  So if I’m ever drawing a blank, I just scan the list and choose one.
• Never Make Separate Meals:  We have a couple picky kids, one who could practically live off croutons even, but I refuse to make a separate meal for any of them.  However, I do make sure there is at least ONE item on the table that each person will eat.  It can even be something small, such as those aforementioned croutons, but at least they have options and nobody will go hungry.
  
• Serve A Well Rounded Selection:  I still follow the food program guidelines from back when I did daycare over 10 years ago.  I almost always serve at least: 1 Dairy, 1 Bread, 1 Meat, and 2 Fruits and or Vegetables.  This ensures that there will be plenty of variety as well as nutritious choices.
• Offer But Don’t Force:  We try to never make food a battle.  At times, we might request one bite so an item is tried to receive dessert but we never force the kids to eat.  If they love one thing and want seconds, by all means, they are allowed without having to try or finish other items. 
• Include The Kids:  Almost every single meal includes help from the little hands of the family.  Even if it’s just sprinkling in some seasoning, stirring, or choosing a side, including the kids makes them more apt to eat the food.
• Make Meal Time A Fun Family Affair:  Many times, we try to keep meal time light and fun by talking with our kids about their day, upcoming events, or, our favorite – Stories!  The kids absolutely love when my husband and I tell them stories about past events.  They especially love funny ones like the time when their daddy was young and made play-dough cookies.  Grandpa Bill came in the house and took a big bite out of one!  He began coughing and spitting and the kids break into giggles every time this story is retold. 
• Many Hands Make The Task Light:  From a very young age, we encourage our kids to help clean the table and do dishes.  Even out youngest at 19 months enjoys carrying dishes to the sink.  By completing this task as a family, it gives us a few more minutes to enjoy each other and make the task at hand fun.

BABYBJÖRN has been a staple brand in our home for years now.  They have such an awesome array of useful products to use from the time children are born through preschool age.  Today, though, I want to highlight the BABYBJÖRN High Chair. They recently released two great new colors, Light Green and Light Pink, to go along with the Classic White option.

The first thing I noticed about this highchair when un-boxing was the simplicity!  The only assemble required was to align and snap the four legs in.  It was so simple that our 3 1/2 year old and 19 month old finished after watching me do the first one.

The second thought that went through my mind was that the BABYBJÖRN High Chair was smaller than I was expecting!  Most high chairs are big, bulky, and overtake the room.  I was pleasantly surprised at the small stature this particular High Chair had.  Big bonus is the fact that the legs don’t stick out overly far, which diminishes the tripping hazards many chairs provide.

As our little one and I examined and started using the chair, we both fell in love.  I really like that the main tray doesn’t entirely remove, just flips down with the push and twist of the button underneath.  There is a strap so the child stays secure even when the tray is first flipped down.   The top tray does remove for easy washing, cleaning, or serving though.  It’s also adjustable so I can get the perfect fit for the age and stage my child is at.  (This works great so I don’t have to deal with a big gap between baby and tray.)

Finally, I need to make mention of the fact that the BABYBJÖRN High Chair helps children sit with great posture.  It allows for a nice upright seat that is also easy to clean.  Then, when it’s time to store, this High Chair folds up into a compact  and convenient size.

I am super impressed with everything this High Chair offers and can not even think of a single complaint!  The design is thoughtful, high quality, and user friendly.  It’s truly a great chair.  Stay tuned as I’ll be bringing you another post soon featuring some great Children’s Kitchen Accessories.

Buy It: Head over to BABYBJÖRN to see for yourself the great selection of products they offer.

Connect: Don’t forget to like BABYBJÖRN on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for all the latest news and promotions.

Win It: BABYBJÖRN is generously offering one of our lucky readers their very own BABYBJÖRN “Kitchen Accessories” Prize Pack consisting of: Baby Plate, Spoon & Fork (2-Pack), Soft Bib (2-Pack) and Baby Cups (2-Pack). The winner may choose their favorite colors for their prizes, based on availability. This giveaway is open to US and Canada and will end May 30th, 2016. For your chance to win, enter the Giveaway Tools below. Good luck!

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Miranda

I’m a city girl turned country by my awesome husband and we have three busy boys and two darling daughters. I love spending time with my family, reading Karen Kingsbury novels, and catching up with friends while our kiddos have play dates. I’m blessed beyond measure and can’t wait to see what God has in store.
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