I’ve said it before: I love baby led weaning. I love everything about it – everything except for the mess, that is. But while I’ve come to accept that the mess comes with the territory, there are times when circumstances mean it’s just not appropriate.
Like when you’re visiting people with plush pile carpets (and you’re inwardly smirking about how long those carpets will last when their first baby arrives.) Or when you’re in the departures area of an airport waiting for a plane delayed by volcanic ash (a situation I wish was theoretical) and the closest thing to a vegetable is a chip. Fortunately I could still breastfeed, but the point remains.
As much as my husband and I try to eat healthy, have our vegetables and stick to organic produce when we can, there are still days when only a pizza will satisfy. The organised mother will invariably have a freezer full of healthy, nutritious meal options for her offspring, ready to go no matter what the occasion. I am not that mother. It turns out I need help.
Fortunately for me – and I know I’m not the only one – Plum Baby have come to the rescue.
Their biscuits come in fabulous flavours such as apple and pomegranate, and are wrapped in packs of two – which admittedly is less environmentally friendly than a single bag. The biscuits are big enough to hold while she’s nibbling, and small enough that there’s not much left over by the time she’s done. I also like that these are spelt, which is a great alternative to flour.
Because we practise baby led weaning, I can’t compare Plum Baby with any other brands, but I can tell you I’m impressed. Of course, before even considering feeding them to my daughter Ameli, I had a close look at the ingredients and was pleased to find that Plum Baby’s meals are preservative-free. The process of sealing the pots after cooking keeps the food fresh for up to 12 months, and means that once opened it can treated like fresh food.
Their ingredients are all organic and once opened you can divide the meals up into smaller portions and freeze them, ideal for babies with smaller appetites.
I gave Ameli a taste of the red cabbage, chicken and apple this evening as a tester, and she happily ate it. I have tasted jars of baby-food before, and they literally made me gag, so I was quite cautious when I approached the Parsnip, Carrot and Cheddar flavour but can honestly say that it was a lot better than I anticipated. 
According to the Plum Baby website, “the steam method of cooking is done under pressure and this, together with the airtight seal gives Plum Baby pots and pouches a 12-month shelf life without the need for any additivesâ€. In addition, there are no added sugars, and once opened the food can be kept for 24 hours, while leftovers can be frozen.
Although ready-made purées are only an emergency backup plan for us, we do love the biscuits and have a few on hand in the nappy bag at all times. But I do like knowing there is a product out there I would be comfortable giving to my little girl. I like knowing that the company was started by a mum like myself, who wanted better options, and I like knowing that it is food with nothing else added. It is also nice to know that Plum Baby and I share similar sensibilities when it comes to feeding our babies well and nourishing their bodies.
Have you tried Plum Baby? What did you think?
Baby-led weaning is teh awesome — unless you can get free mush, in which case, shovel it in? Yes, very ‘baby-led.’
@K, thanks for your snarky comment and fake email address. As I said in the post, these are great for an emergency, and the six sachets my daughter has had in her life, five of which were on a cross Europe car trip, and she fed herself, I don’t feel bad about it and I’m glad it was this brand. So I stand by what I said. We normally only buy their biscuits and snacks. Kudos to you though, for obviously always being perfectly prepared with your finger food.
Although I do love pouches (but I prefer Ella’s Organics as they contain veg which Plum Baby doesn’t really), I’ve never given Bombi pouches of food, if only because I wouldn’t eat food out of a pouch, even if there were no additives. I just don’t like the idea of the food not being that fresh and wonder how much nutritional value is left in the food, even if steamed. They’ve all been pasteurised which takes most of the goodness out, definitely eliminates most of the Vitamin C.
Now I think about it, the pouches really aren’t much better. We just use them for convenience, mostly when travelling as they don’t require a spoon as Bombi just sucks them out of the packet. Lazy parenting!!
Biscuits are great for snacks except doesn’t like biscuits – although show her a chocolate covered rice cake and she’s drooling!
.-= Lorraine & Bombi´s last blog ..Our favourite ready meals for toddlers and children =-.