We have complained in the past about the what-were-they-thinking poor quality of Munchkin's Snack Trap rip-off, and readers have been sounding off recently in a certain comment thread. But we may have been wasting our breath.

Is it really possible that the company behind the World's Worst Sippy Cup could also have conceived of the world's worst toddler snack holder?

Well, yes. In fact, it's highly likely, wouldn't you say?

Behold:


As an added bonus, an Amazon customer observes that the strange protrusion opposite the opening makes a natural handle so toddlers they can carry the snack holder around, opening down, to spill a trail of snacks in their path.

I'm not sure if our timing for grocery shopping is just bad or if being in the grocery store naturally triggers hunger in our four-year-old daughter, but every time we walk into a grocery store Z immediately starts in with "I'm huuuuuuuunnnnngry!" Sometimes we have a snack prepared and brought along but sometimes we're so completely out of food that we have to grab something at the store for her to snack on, preferably something we'd be buying anyway. (Whatever lingering questions Jeremiah or I had about opening items in the store before they had been purchased disappeared as soon as Z started eating solids.) Then you have to find something to put those snacks in - a handmade paper cup, some napkins carefully balanced on the little slotted metal tray of the shopping cart, or a portable snack container. But for the younger kids, balancing a snack container while sitting in the cart and trying to eat can be a bit of a trick. And for older kids, a different sort of container could allow kids to eat healthier foods instead of "snacks" - samples of wholesome products from nicer stores, or something from the deli counter. Enter the OnTray. (Get it - OnTray? Entree?)

The OnTray (BPA- and phthalate-free of course) clips firmly onto the handle of the shopping cart. The lid easily slides off and no you don't have to search about for the lid because you can store it on the bottom of the OnTray, tucking it out of sight but close at hand and increasing the OnTray's stability. It's easy to snap on and off the cart. Since the lid fits on so beautifully you can prefill the OnTray with snacks (even those snacks that don't work so well in the Boon Ball or the Munchie Mug, like sandwiches or pizza) and keep it in the fridge until you leave for the store. Or you can fill it up with samples at the store or with whatever snack your toddler likes.







We tested it out at Whole Foods the other day - we'd stopped there for some shopping, some research, and some lunch (we all adore their Field Roast). We had a jam-packed day that day and as always, Z took longer than we did to eat her lunch. (Yes, we should slow down and try to enjoy our food more but let's face it, sometimes things have just got to get accomplished!) Rather than sit and wait for her to eat, I went to the car and grabbed the OnTray, filled it up with the rest of her lunch - part of a piece of pizza, some lemon Gigante beans, and part of an artichoke fritter - and put her and the OnTray in the cart. It worked wonderfully, and when she decided she was finished eating, we put the lid back on and saved the rest for later.




When your kid gets too old to sit in the shopping cart seat, the OnTray would still be a perfect holder for keys, coupons or a grocery list (is yours on multiple scraps of paper like mine is?) - just close it up when you're finished with your shopping. I think I'll stash one in my bag of reusable bags for emergency snack attacks and keep one in our house for when I know she's hungry. When she outgrows it, it will make a great grocery coupon "center."

The OnTray sells for $7 direct and is available in four colors. As with many startups selling small items directly to consumers, shipping can get you ($5 for one; $7 for four; not sure where it breaks down in the middle). Buying in multiples makes more sense - you probably know someone else who would love one of these!

The Snack Trap, which many families swear by, never really took off in our household. You’d think the reward of a rice puff would be pretty good operant conditioning, but in Z’s case, it just never took. The problem with the Snack Trap is that it's at least as easy for snacks to get out as it is for little hands to get in. Meanwhile, companies like Munchkin and Gerber tweaked the design for their own product lines.

Allow me to say with all due gravitas: The Munchie Mug is the next stage in the evolution of the toddler snack holder.

Like its predecessor, the Munchie Mug's design is simple; but it eliminates two problems of the Snack Trap.

First, its closure is a clever layering of two pieces of nylon fabric that overlap a mere 1/4" or so. The fabric washes well and dries quickly, and hasn't lost its shape after a lot of use in our home. The advantages of this over any previous design is obvious - nothing will come out of the cup, no matter how much you shake it, yet it's easy to get into to retrieve precious snacks.





Secondly, the Munchie Mug's lid screws on, with deep threads that ensure a good fit. Combined with the 3.5" diameter of the cup, this snack cup isn't going to invite kids to figure out how to crack its code. The lid is sufficiently durable, and the cup itself is a tank, made of thick polypropylene.

The only thing I don't quite get is the depth of the lip, which rises a full inch above the nylon orifice. Sure, it has a hole for a caribiner or stroller hook, but the cup is also quite large - it holds about two cups of snacks - and that inch adds a lot. This snack cup would take up quite a bit of room in a diaper bag or purse.

Come to think of it, I think Munchie Mug could have a great market for a smaller cup sold as a "mini" unit or even sold as a separate accessory. This, plus some cost-cutting, could help Munchie Mug stay ahead of the big-dog competition that will surely be snapping at its heels in the next year or two.

Munchie Mugs cost $12.95, are made in the U.S. and are phthalate- and BPA-free. Shipping is $3. You can purchase one directly from the company on their website.