Indulge in this healthy chickpea chocolate chip cookie dough.
I have to admit, I’m a sucker for sweets, chocolate in particular. I avoid all the warnings. Do not eat raw cookie dough, 200 calories per teaspoon, 25 g added sugar. I ignore them all. So today was the day I decided to try something new! Inspired from a recipe group, I wanted to put my own spin on this recipe I found, and born was edible chickpea chocolate chip cookie dough.
What you’ll need.
Five simple ingredients and a food processor, yes that’s a blender in the picture, trust me, you’ll need the food processor.
1/2 C. Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Can Chickpeas (shelled or unshelled)
1/4 C. 100% Maple Syrup
1. TSP Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Chips (no measurement here, add to liking!)
The recipe is pretty simple almost like a blender muffin but there are a couple of steps you may want to do before throwing everything into the blender/food processor. I like to shell my chickpeas. Some people leave them on and others, like myself like to remove them. The easiest way to do this is to lay down some paper towels, put your chickpeas in, cover with another layer of paper towel, then gently roll over the chickpeas to remove the shells.
The shells of the chickpeas have a harder to chew texture and can make certain recipes have a different outcome. For this one, I recommend removing them, but its personal preference. Below is a comparison of a chickpea with the shell removed and one still encased. You’ll be able to see a color difference between the two, the shelled chickpea is bright yellow and then the shell on has a slight white hue to it.
Next up is adding everything to the blender/food processor! First up, is the chickpeas, followed by 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter. Then, 1/4 cup 100% maple syrup, then 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Blend or process until you get a paste consistency. Move mixture to your storage container or bowl and add in your chocolate chips!
1/2 C. Creamy Peanut ButterAdd to blender1/4 C. 100% Maple Syrup100% Maple SyrupAdd to blender1/2 TSP Vanilla ExtractMix in chocolate chips
The flavor right out of the blender/food processor is fantastic, but if you want the most authentic cookie dough texture, allow it to sit in your fridge for a couple of hours to stiffen up a bit. Since this recipe contains no flour it’s safe to consume uncooked!
We thought we had it all figured out! We started with Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) when our kids were between 6-8 months old. By the time they were 12 months old, they were already proficient in using utensils. We would prepare a variety of delicious meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and both of them would devour everything on their plates. I felt like a proud and accomplished mom, standing tall on my mountain of success. Picky eaters? Not in this house! But then, something unexpected happened when my children reached the ages of 2 and 3, the dreaded picky eaters appeared. It felt like my once solid mountain of accomplishment was starting to crumble. Doubt began to creep in. What had I done wrong? What had happened to my two amazing eaters? Panic set in as questions flooded my mind. Would they lose too much weight? Would they become constant grazers throughout the day? The uncertainty was overwhelming. Then we found Else- Chocolate Shakes for Kids.
Embarking on a new adventure
When I embarked on my journey to find the perfect kid-friendly recipes, I was filled with excitement and curiosity. I eagerly delved into extensive research, exploring various cooking methods, adorable food designs, and whimsical presentation ideas. However, not every culinary experiment turned out as expected. Some dishes were met with enthusiastic applause, while others were greeted with disappointing frowns. As I grappled with a twinge of anxiety, I ventured into the realm of supplements and vitamins, hoping to find a solution.
To address my concerns, I sought the advice of my pediatrician, who assured me that this phase of rejecting new foods is a common part of a child’s development journey. Encouraged by their words, I resolved to find a smarter approach rather than letting frustration consume me. In my determined pursuit, I stumbled upon a remarkable discovery: Else Nutrition.
This serendipitous encounter introduced me to a world of wholesome and nutritious alternatives for my little ones. Else Nutrition offered a range of options that not only catered to my child’s dietary needs but also presented them in a way that was both appealing and beneficial. I felt a renewed sense of excitement and optimism as I embarked on this new chapter in our culinary adventures.
What is Else?
Else Nutrition is a pioneering brand that offers dairy-free and soy-free alternatives.
Choosing Else Nutrition comes with a multitude of benefits for toddlers and kids. Firstly, their products are pediatrician-endorsed, meaning they are trusted by global pediatricians and nutritionists. This endorsement instills confidence in parents knowing that their children are receiving nutritionally sound alternatives.
One of the standout features of Else Nutrition is their Clean Label Certification. This certification guarantees that all their products are safe from heavy metals and are made with the cleanest, minimally processed ingredients possible. This ensures that parents can provide their children with nutrition that is both wholesome and free from harmful additives.
Additionally, Else Nutrition’s products are vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, and GMO-free. They are primarily made from over 80% whole foods and incorporate three unique core ingredients: almonds, buckwheat, and tapioca. This combination of high-quality, plant-based ingredients sets Else Nutrition apart as a healthy and sustainable choice for toddlers and kids.
Else Chocolate and Vanilla Kids Shakes
What truly convinced me about this drink is its carefully formulated blend of wholesome, plant-based ingredients like almond, buckwheat, and tapioca. Knowing that my child is consuming a well-rounded and nourishing diet gives me peace of mind. This drink is packed with essential nutrients, protein, healthy gluten-free, and healthy fats, covering all the bases for my child’s growth and development.
One aspect that sets this drink apart from other leading brands is its significantly lower sugar content. With 50% less sugar, it is undoubtedly a healthier option for my little ones.
The versatility of this drink is also worth noting. Whether served as a shake, a quick snack between meals, or incorporated into their favorite recipes, it provides endless possibilities for nourishing my child in different ways. And when my child craves a sweeter taste, I have the freedom to customize it by adding fruits, honey, maple syrup, or other natural sweeteners they enjoy. Not to mention my kids LOVE these chocolate and vanilla shakes by Else Nutrition!
Transform Your Dog’s Bathroom Routine with DoggieLawn: The Ultimate Solution for Pet Owners
Are you tired of dealing with the challenges of having a puppy, a senior dog, or living in a bustling urban area? One of the biggest dilemmas faced by pet owners in these situations is finding a designated area for their furry friends to do their business. But worry no more! Introducing DoggieLawn, the revolutionary product that is about to change the game for you and your beloved pet. *This blog post may contain affiliate links, where I may earn a small commission from approved purchases.
In this informative guide, we will unravel the wonders of DoggieLawn and explain why it is the perfect solution for your dog’s needs. Say goodbye to the hassle of searching for a suitable potty spot and say hello to a stress-free and convenient bathroom routine for your furry companion. Let’s dive on in and discover the world of DoggieLawn!
Having a senior dog presents similar challenges as having a puppy or living in an urban area. Sometimes the dog struggles to reach the potty in time or get down from an elevated porch. In such cases, having access to real grass through DoggieLawn proves to be a lifesaver.
What is Doggie Lawn? DoggieLawn is an innovative product that brings a patch of grass right into your home or apartment. It is a convenient and eco-friendly alternative to traditional potty options for dogs. The grass used in Doggie Lawn is real, ensuring that your pet feels comfortable and familiar while doing their business.
DoggieLawn is also a subscription service which is super simple to use! First, you pick the perfect size DoggieLawn for you and your pup! There are 4 sizes to choose from and they range from Standard which is 24×16 (up to 15 lbs) up to XL- 24×48 (dogs over 40 lbs or multiple pups. DoggieLawn offers free shipping, flexible scheduling and cancel at any time!
Don’t forget about PupPerks! Each Doggie Lawn comes with the following: 1. Earn Rewards: Earn 1 point towards every dollar spent to redeem free products for your best friend. 2. 30% off: Active subscriptions get up to 30% off 3. Free Month of Telehealth: Partnered with AskVet for one free month of Telehealth! 4. Welcome Pack: Comes with Training Guide, free treats, pheromone spray, and a roll of poop bags! 5. One on One Training: Chat one on one with in-house training experts.
Benefits of DoggieLawn:
Convenience: One of the primary advantages of DoggieLawn is the convenience it offers. No more last-minute trips outside when nature calls or struggling to find a suitable grassy area. With DoggieLawn, you can provide your dog with an accessible and designated spot for them to relieve themselves, right in your own home.
Low Maintenance: Maintaining a natural grassy area can be time-consuming and challenging, especially in urban areas with limited space. DoggieLawn eliminates the need for mowing, watering, fertilizing, and dealing with pesky weeds. It is designed to be easy to clean and replace, ensuring a hassle-free experience for pet owners.
Odor Control: DoggieLawn is specially engineered to neutralize odors, keeping your home smelling fresh and clean. The grass naturally absorbs liquids, minimizing the chances of any unpleasant smells lingering in your living space. This feature is particularly beneficial for apartment dwellers or individuals who don’t have immediate access to outdoor ventilation.
Eco-Friendly: With DoggieLawn, you can help reduce your carbon footprint. The grass used is grown sustainably, and the product itself is entirely biodegradable. By using DoggieLawn, you are choosing an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional pet waste disposal methods.
DoggieLawn is a game-changing solution for pet owners, revolutionizing the way they manage their furry friend’s potty needs. With its convenient, low-maintenance, and eco-friendly approach, DoggieLawn offers a hassle-free alternative for dogs to do their business indoors. By providing benefits like odor control, environmental sustainability, and the elimination of late-night potty runs, DoggieLawn ensures both the comfort of your beloved pet and your peace of mind. Bid farewell to the challenges of finding grassy spots and embrace the convenience and practicality that DoggieLawn brings to you and your furry companion.
It’s that time of year! My new favorite hobby is making coffee syrups that match the seasons! Todays post is about the delicious homemade peppermint mocha syrup! Below is instructions on how to make this delightful holiday syrup!
Lets start with the basics!
Homemade Peppermint Mocha Coffee Syrup
Ingredients:
14oz Sweetened Condensed Milk 1/2 C. Brown Sugar 1/2 C. Chocolate ( you can also use 1/4 C Cocoa Powder) its more of a texture thing 3/4 C. Milk 1. TBS Vanilla 1. Tbs Peppermint Extract
I started with my burner on medium low. Add the sweetened condensed milk and milk. Slowly turn up the heat, once close to a boil add in the chocolate chips and brown sugar. Stir, and allows this to boil for a 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add in your vanilla and peppermint extracts. Cool and enjoy!
14 OZ S. Condensed Milk3/4 C. Milk 1/2 C. Chocolate 1/2 C. Brown Sugar 1. TBS Vanilla 1. TBS Peppermint Extract
This syrup can be used in a ton of different ways in your coffee drinks! I like to add a TBS each morning to my hot coffee and it gives it a vibrant peppermint mocha flavor. You can get fancier and add it to hot or cold latte’s, cappuccinos, iced coffees and more! Just note if you’re using the chocolate vs the cocoa powder, the will solidify when cooled. It melts great in my hot drinks but needs some time in the cooler ones. This syrup also has a good amount of sweetness to it, so I would adjust your normal sugar or sweetener of choice when first trying!
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If you’re looking to save money this holiday season on streaming services, check out these Black Friday Deals below! *This post may contain affiliate links, as an affiliate I may earn a small commission from qualified purchases.
Snag this hot Black Friday Deal that won’t last too long, ends 11/28/2023! Enjoy a savings of 87% with $0.99 a month for 12 months (Hulu with ads.) After the 12 months pricing will go back to normal rate plan. This deal was super hot last year so be sure to snag it before it’s gone!
This is an awesome deal from Paramount+! Get Paramount+ Essentials for $1.99 A month or snag Paramount+ with Showtime for only $3.99 a month for 3 months! This is a great time because the New Paw Patrol Movie exclusive to Paramount+ is available to stream! Plus, all of the Thanksgiving Football Games will be available on Paramount+ on Thursday!
Noggin- get a 60-day Free Trial + Gift and then 50% off an annual subscription.
Noggin is an amazing app for toddlers and children! Noggin features preschool learning games, full episodes, books and activities led by kids’ favorite characters. Noggin is an education tool that takes an education approach to social learning, early reading, early math and more! Parents and kids alike love this app!
Saving the best for last! Sling TV offers Freestream which allows you to access over 400 free channels including hit tv shows and movies on demand! Snag this great freebie now before this promotion is over!
Sensory bins have become a huge part of our lives with having two toddlers, 13 months apart! Today we’re going to explore how to make homemade Kinetic sand! This tutorial is super quick and only requires 3-4 ingredients! *This post may contain affiliate links.
I cut my recipe in half because I wanted to store it in these jars since we reuse our sensory bins!
Ingredients
1 1/4 C. Craft Sand – I chose white sand so we could dye it, but you can get any colored craft sand! 3/4 C. Corn Starch 0.5 C. Vegetable Oil Optional Food Coloring 1+ TBS Dish Soap (to make moon sand)
1 1/4 C. SandPink Food Dye 3/4 C. Corn Starch0.5 C. Oil Added 2 TBS Dish Soap for Moon Sand
I ended up adding 2 TBS of dish soap (one at a time) until I got the right consistency! It may be trial and error until you get the right combination to make the sand stick together and not to your hands. We made two different colors of this homemade kinetic sand and my kids played with it for hours!
After adding more dish soap the consistency was a lot better and wasn’t sticking so much to my hands!
This kinetic/moon sand is great for sensory play! Try adding toys to the bin for added fun! It’s a great way to work on fine motor skills by hiding toys inside the sand! The sand also sticks together really well so you can build miniature sand castles. I haven’t tested out yet if it’s completely water repellent like store bought kinetic sand, but I will try it out and update you guys! You can store it directly in your sensory bin for later play, or the jars I mentioned above!
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Our deals group Basils Bargains Deals & Freebies is teaming up with Lansinoh to offer a super awesome Giveaway! This blog may contain affiliate links. As an affiliate I may earn from qualifying purchases.
We’ve teamed up with Lansinoh for this ultimate breastfeeding giftaway!
Starts November 15th 2023 8:00 am CST Ends November 29th 2023 8:00 pm CST Must be 18 years or older to enter. Must live in the Unites States, its territories, or Canada 🚨 MUST be a member of Basil’s Bargains to win 🚨
Shipping is sole responsibility of Basil’s Bargains Admin
Lansinoh is having their final sales event of 2023! We’re excited to get the word out on these awesome products!
Lansinoh Smartpump 3.0: Comfortable and cordless. The Lansinoh® Smartpump 3.0 has it all: ComfortFit® flanges in 3 sizes, a long-lasting rechargeable battery for cordless pumping, customizable settings, and a Bluetooth® connected Lansinoh Baby app to auto-track your sessions
On sale: 11/17-11/27 –Lanolin Nipple Cream: #1 doctor recommended, moms and healthcare providers have trusted our 100% natural cream for over 35 years to soothe and protect sore nipples. Ultra-purified and safe for baby – there’s no need to remove it before breastfeeding. Ethically sourced and certified climate neutral.
On sale 11/23-11/27 –Milk Storage Bags 200ct: #1 selling milk storage bag in the US. This is your best chance to stock up and save on this product. Reinforced double-sealed side seams and a double zipper for ultimate protection.
Beyond these awesome giveaway prizes, Lansinoh will have a ton of other products on major discount for this end of the year sale! Be sure to check out all available products here!
Are you shopping for the hottest toy picks of 2023? We’ve been doing some research and these are the top toy picks trending for the 2023 holiday season! *This post my contain affiliate links, I may earn a small commission based on qualified purchases.
Tonie Boxes are one of the hottest toys of the season for 2022 and 2023. This is the Paw Patrol Starter Set and can be found at most major retailers!
TonieBoxes are for the immersive imagination, and imaginative play! Bringing stories and songs to life with each new collectable character! Tonie’s are a great alternative to screen time and have been a mom group favorite for well over a year! With thousands of characters to choose from Tonies come in an array of colors and characters! Visit the Tonie’s Amazon page to view available Tonie’s, Tonie characters, bundles, and Boxes!
Cookeez Makery Bakery is listed as one of the hottest toys of the season!
Cookeez Makery Bakery is an innovative take on the 90’s Easy Bake Ovens. Except, instead of baking up delicious cookies or pizza and burning yourself on that iconic light bulb, you’re making your new pet best friend! Cookeez Makery allows you to mix up pre portioned dough then place your pet friend into the mold and bake. Like magic ( 😉) out comes a warm scented plush! With a couple different options to choose from Cookeez Makery toys are flying off the shelves this holiday season!
A modern twist on the wooden Kitchen, this Tiny Land Black and White all wood kitchen is a smash hit this holiday season!
Wooden play kitchens have been a hot item over the last couple of years. Allowing littles imaginative play with unlimited possibilities and hours of fun, these play kitchens are all the rage! This Tiny Land Play Kitchen is our top choice this year for its diverse options of play spaces. From the Coffee bar, to built in microwave this play kitchen has it all! The ice dispenser even dispenses ice! Tiny Land has a huge selection of play kitchens to choose from and you can check them all out here! Below we have two other great options! One is a budget friendly kitchen from Honey Joy and the other is a space saver from Best Choice Products!
Honey Joy wooden Kitchen. We recommend this as a budget friendly kitchen.
If you’re shopping for a younger crowd this holiday season our top favorite is Fat Brain Toys! The SpinAgain is a favorite here in our house. Alternating between vibrant flower and star shapes that spin down the pole this imagination sparking toy allows littles to stack the cogs in any order they want, pull up the pole and start over again!
Fat Brain Toys Hix is a composed of 4 triangle silicone stacking toys which encourages fine motor skills, visual spatial skills, and eye hand coordination, also great for color recognition! Spark the imagination with this stocking stuffer top pick! We also recommend toys by Learning Resources!
ThinkFun’s Gravity Marble Maze is for older kids age 8 and up, but this interactive building maze is great for building critical skills. Its a STEM toy that encourages engineering, critical thinking, planning, visual spatial skills and more! This kit includes 60 challenges from beginner to expert and is Toy Of The Year Award Winner!
Bitzee Interactive Digital Pet and Case is very similar to the 90’s toy Tomagotchi, which are making a come back. Bitzee is an interactive pet which includes 16 different pets inside the case. Teaches nurturing skills as well as responsibly. These adorable little toys grow from baby to adult and allow you to care for them each stet of the way! Feed them, play with them, rock them to sleep and watch them grow! Stocking stuffer must have!
With over 200 LED lights and sounds this interactive digital pup is all the rage! With 6 touch sensors and APP connectivity theres so much you can do with Dog-E! Play games, care for your puppy, and they even talk with their tail, by using the connected app, Dog-E can tell you when hes hungry, wants to play and more!
Up and coming digital creator? Inspired photographer? The VTech KiddiZoom is the perfect stocking stuffer for kids 5-10 years old. This HD camera has built in special effects like time lapse and over 20 backgrounds. Comes with a tabletop tripod, selfie stick and included USB to upload videos to a computer.
What makes Squaregles different from other magnetic play sets? Squaregles includes Oggs characters, paperbacks, comics, tracks and cars to make a diverse playset! You can use the paperbacks to color and create your own backgrounds! Tracks and tunnels to create a maze, and characters and cars to fun races! The Oggs Mega Set includes 103 pieces for imaginative and creative play!
The Flybar My First Pogo Stick is a great indoor/outdoor friendly pogo stick, use it virtually anywhere! This is one of our top holiday toy pick because it encourages kids to get up and exercise in a fun setting! It also helps train balance and gross motor skills! It comes in a ton of colors including licensed Paw Patrol characters!
It’s one of my favorite times of the year. Although I miss the fall I grew up with in Northeastern PA, I do enjoy the crisp cool weather we get here every once in a while in Central Texas. So why not get into the Pumpkin Spice Season, with these tasty Pumpkin Spice Protein Bites? Great for kiddos and adults alike!
Since my children were about 8 months they loved to play with sensory bins! We’ve done everything from scooping black beans and rice, to sorting poof balls into toilet paper rolls, to kinetic sand and excavators. This time, I wanted to do something a little different! My least favorite part of sensory bins is making sure my 2 and 3 year old keep the items from the sensory bin, out of their mouth. Even though they know they shouldn’t stick it in their months, they still do. So today I decided to try completely edible sensory bins!*This post may contain affiliate links where I may earn from qualified purchases.For these bins you’ll need the following!
16qt Plastic Bin – I bought these at target and they’ve been great!
Tapioca Pearls or Boba Pearls – You can find these on Amazon!
6oz Jello – you can use any flavor or color I used Berry Blue
We’re going to start this one off by saying… I’m 36 years oldand bought and played with my first set of slime last weekend. I’ve fallen down the TikTok rabbit hole of slime scoopability videos. I never for the life of me, would have thought, this is the most enjoyable thing to watch. So of course, I HAD to buy some. After playing with the slime for over an hour I decided my kids needed to partake in this fun too!*This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases!
How to make basic slime
Today we’re making a very simple DIY Slime recipe at home that you and your kids can make together! Ingredients:
1.5-2 Tablespoons Contact lens solution. Note- I like this one
Add In- Not necessary but makes them a ton of fun! I bought a simple kit from Amazon which you can find here!
Food coloring
Essential Oils -To make it smell delicious!
*This post may contain affiliate links where I may earn a small comission from provided links
After almost 4 years with our Evenflo Pivot Xplore, which I will still recommend as a great budget wagon, we finally decided to upgrade! You can read my full blog post here on the Evenflo Pivot XploreMy major push for upgrading our stroller wagon was the outings I used to once enjoy was slowly turning into a nightmare between kicking and screaming. Those outings that were once filled with caffeine stops and Target runs were slowly being put off and then eventually avoided. As a mom of two toddlers, 13 months apart, I just wasn’t about that life, so an upgrade was needed! We also had an upcoming beach trip that I wanted to upgrade our wagon before going on.
There was a huge change in the market from 2019 to 2023 when looking into and researching stroller wagons. We went from 3 possibilities to over 10 different brands to choose from! Luckily, I was armed with 4 years of experience with a stroller wagon so I already knew what I wanted! Armed with this experience it made researching stroller wagons a little less daunting this time. Here’s what I wanted in an upgraded stroller wagon
Space
Canopy like the Jeep wagon ( vented sides, and full top) I prefer not to have the moveable shades like the Evenflo.
Heavier weight capacity (200 lb+)
Possible foot well, but not 100% needed
All-terrain
Can grow with us.
My needs were pretty easy but there were endless possibilities. So, let’s dive into the options! The wagons that had 90% of the things I needed were; Keenz XC+, Jeep Wrangler Stroller Wagon, I circled back to the W2 and W4, and, The Larktale Caravan.
*This post may contain affiliate links where I may earn a small comission from provided links
When we first found out we were pregnant after two long years of TTC we were ecstatic! The flood of emotions after such a long journey, which yields the long-awaited results is unmeasurable in words. We were cautious about announcing and waited until 12 weeks to reveal our big surprise! During that time though, I did a lot of careful planning! Research, research, research! It can, and did, become quickly overwhelming!What were the best products to buy? Will my baby like this? What if I don’t purchase the correct items? What if I’m missing a necessity? Getting pregnant after a long unexplainable infertility brings on a new sense of anxiety. At least, it did for me. I decided my best thing to do was to make a baby registry, not only as a means for my friends and family to purchase items for our baby but as a list for myself. I used my registries in a couple of different facades.
To make a complete and total list of items I researched and wanted,
To keep an eye on price changes and deals,
A place for my family and friends to get ideas and shop for the baby, and
The registry discount
I ended up using two registries for our first pregnancy and will list them and the details about them below!
*This post may contain affiliate links where I may earn a small comission from provided links
Making a baby registry and researching all of the available baby products was a super fun part of pregnancy for me. I highly enjoyed researching different brands, features, and accessories! When it came to picking a stroller wagon, it almost seemed like a daunting task. Back in 2019, there weren’t as many options as there is today, but, there was still a pretty decent amount of choices to review and choose from. What also made this harder, and is still an issue today, is most of these stroller wagons aren’t available to test drive and view in stores. More and more are coming available now in 2023, which is a great plus for parents on the hunt for a versatile stroller option!Options I was looking for in 2019. Although I was pregnant with my first, I knew the most important thing I wanted was space. I wanted enough space for another rider, the diaper bag, and any other fun baby gadgets that would accompany us on our ride. I wanted something versatile enough to work from newborn to at least, age 4 or 5. I wanted a luxury push and something that folded compact. Researching these features felt tedious. These wagons weren’t available in stores to test drive, to see how the push was, to get a feel for the fold and the wagon overall. My saving grace was joining national Stroller Wagon Facebook Groups and connecting with other parents who have owned these wagons.
Wagons available in 2019 were slim pickings. I can name the brands available on one hand, at least, from what I can remember. Although the brands available were small, there were a ton of options. Even through my research, I wasn’t familiar with features such as footwells, parent consoles, and extra accessories. The Wonderfold Wagon at the time was available in a 2 seater and 4 seater and was the top contender and most loved and valued wagon among the stroller wagon groups. I was lucky enough to find a local mama with a W2 wagon and she left me to “test drive” it around the neighborhood. This was an absolute advantage for me because it let me quickly determine that Wonderfold was not for me. In my opinion, it was already too heavy and bulky. I loved that it had elevated seats and easy access for young toddlers to crawl in and out. The size, weight, push and not to mention price were a deal breaker for me.
Next up, were budget-friendly wagons. In this category, there were two available at the time. The Babytrend Expedition and the Evenflo Pivot Xplore. I’m going to be honest, I did very minimal research on the Babytrend wagon. From my research and the information I gathered from the stroller wagon groups, it was easy for me to rule that wagon out. Although, it’s a great budget wagon for families with 1 or 2 small children!
Let’s explore the Evenflo Pivot Xplore! When I originally decided this one was the one, I was planning for future babies. This wagon does have a car seat adaptor, but it only works with the Evenflo infant car seats. We had already purchased the Chicco infant car seat, so this setup was not going to work for us. The saving grace, and probably one of my favorite features of the Evenflo Pivot Xplore wagon is the second seat pictured below!
Let’s talk features! The Evenflo Pivot Xplore is jam-packed with features for being a budget wagon! All-terrain wheels and suspension, child snack and drink tray, and one that is available with the second seat, that luxury push/pull, adjustable handlebar, double vented UPF 50+ canopies, removable storage basket, footwell, compact fold, and numerous pockets inside and out for storage! The Evenflo Pivot Xplore had all of the features I was looking for plus more! The Evenflo can handle all types of terrain as well, grass, mud, loose gravel, beach sand, as well as pavement. The second seat was a great option from newborn to about 9 months for us. It holds 55 lbs, fully reclines and has an expandable footrest. It can attach to the wagon to the forward or rear face, and when attached, leaves enough room for 3 children up to 4 years to comfortably use the wagon! I also have a great video here, showing the Evenflo going over deep fluffy sand!
Fast forward to almost 4 years of use on this wagon and my 90+ percentile toddlers (3.75 & 2.5) have started to outgrow the Evenflo Wagon. I started to notice that trips outside of the home were becoming less enjoyable for me. My toddlers were constantly kicking each other in the footwell, pushing each other, and screaming. It became inevitable that if we wanted to enjoy longer trips or solo parenting trips with both toddlers we needed to upgrade our stroller wagon. Below are some images of how crowded the wagon became for us. My oldest toddler does like to walk a lot, but for longer day trips like the zoo or aquarium or road trips, a larger wagon was a necessity.
Conclusion, the Evenflo Pivot Xplore is a fantastic budget wagon for families with up to 3 small young children. It can be utilized as a grow with me wagon from newborn up to 4-5 years depending on the size and height of your children, even longer if you have a single child or older independent children. If you’re looking for a high quality budget wagon, the Evenflo Pivot Xplore is it! In conclusion, the Evenflo Pivot Xplore is a fantastic budget wagon for families with up to 3 small young children. It can be utilized as a grow-with-me wagon from newborn up to 4-5 years depending on the size and height of your children, even longer if you have a single child or older independent children. If you’re looking for a high-quality budget wagon, the Evenflo Pivot Xplore is it!
