Babyccino Cup

How often have you walked into a café and seen a child devour a miniature babyccino? The joy is evident in the white milk moustache sitting on their top lip.

The babyccino became a phenomenon in the noughties (2000–2009), particularly in Australia. Its origin began in Sydney’s hip cafés in the mid-’90s. And now, the babyccino is an essential item on any menu in cafes around the world. And still continues to be a family favourite.

But you don’t have to go to a cafe to have one. And this is where our reusable babyccino keep cup comes in handy.

This coffee-free concoction of frothy milk dusted with cocoa can be made in the comfort of your home. In preparation for play dates or a trip out of the house. If you don’t have an espresso machine, your milk of choice can be warmed up in a saucepan on low heat. You can then use a frother or whisk to create the cloud-like foam on top.

Types of cups

Like any beverage, a warm babyccino can be served in any cup. These include throwaway plastic, paper/cardboard, porcelain or glass. But with households becoming more eco-conscious we’ve introduced our reusable cup.

Advantages and Disadvantages

With any product, there are advantages and disadvantages. We’ve saved you the time and listed them here for you.

Benefits of a reusable babyccino cup

• Supports sustainability
  The reusable cup is made from sustainable materials and designed to be used over and over again. It saves resources from being used including the felling of trees for paper-based products.
• Protecting the environment
  The continual use of disposable cups, including cardboard and paper, is not healthy for our environment. Some disposable cups include a plastic lining to retain heat and cannot be recycled. This leaves a huge burden on waste management services and the environment. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water estimated that over 1 billion takeaway and disposable cups end up in landfill in Australia each year.
• Not just for a babyccino
  This is not just for babyccinos. It can be used for water, juice or hot chocolate. It also includes a lid and silicone straw to reduce messes and spills. We have a range of other products to help you during feeding time. This includes the Little Ray Lane feeding products like the silicone feeding set.
• Convenience
  You don’t have to worry about staying at the café and waiting for your child to finish. Put them in the pram and let them enjoy their drink on the way home. You can also make them in the comfort of your own house. The straw and lid also mean fewer spills!
• Bright designs
  These come in a range of fun designs and colours to suit any style and child’s interest. And adds a fun element to your café trips.

Disadvantages

• Cleaning — There is only one disadvantage to the babyccino reusable cup. And that’s you have to clean it after use. And as if we don’t already do enough cleaning as parents and carers, you can add this to this list. But since it’s dishwasher safe, it’s not really a problem. And the advantages and benefits of the reusable cup far outweigh the disadvantages.

When can they start using it?

Note, this isn’t health advice, so we recommended seeing your doctor when changing your baby’s diet.

Your little one can start drinking a babyccino once they are ready to transition from a bottle or breast to a cup. According to Raising Children, they can start drinking cows’ milk after 12 months. But you should seek health advice from your family doctor before giving them milk. And the choice of milk you use will depend on many things. This includes their age, diet, allergies, intolerances and preferences.

The cups we stock in our East Perth store come with a lid and silicone straw. And they can be used from 9 months for water or formula and breastmilk-based babyccinos. Right up until they are 10 years old. These babyccino cups aren’t just for babies and toddlers. If your little one is preschool or primary age they will want to use it too. My daughter who’s 9 loves hers. It also teaches her a valuable lesson about being environmentally aware.

Materials, sizing and Packaging

These cups are made from sustainable bamboo which makes them biodegradable. Bamboo is a sustainable crop that grows fast without any pesticides or insecticides. This means it’s a safer and healthier option not just for your child but for the environment. They are also BPA and PVC-free. Unlike disposable cups that can take more than 50 years to break down. The reusable babyccino cup only takes one to two years to do this.

Size

The size of the cup is 90mm high and 70mm wide at the top. And each cup can hold up to 120ml.

Packaging

They come beautifully wrapped in recyclable, biodegradable material. We make sure no plastic is used in the packing process.

Reusable babychino cup brands

There are many brands available in Australia. You can find them at specialist baby stores like ours in East Perth or large department shops. But not all brands are transparent about the materials used. And you’ll find that many companies and retailers still use plastics to package their cups. Some of the most popular brands are Munci, Happiccino, and BBcino (which we stock).

Cost

When babyccino’s first came into being, they were free in cafés with a standard coffee order. Now you will find very few places that don’t charge. Depending on your location, you can expect to pay between $1 to $3AUD. Some cafés do offer a discount for customers who bring their own reusable cups. So it’s always best to ask your local café and carry yours with you. The cost of the cup themselves depends on the brand you choose. But most fall in the range of between $15 and $21.

Care, Maintenance and Storage

The cup, straw and lid should be washed before their first use with warm soapy water and then air dried. It is dishwasher safe, so it can be put in the dishwasher at the end of the day. But it should not be microwaved. Please ensure that you check the temperature of any drink before serving it to your child.