sep, 13th - solids....

day 213:

aaaah....such aspirations for the weaning process....only organic, 70% freshly made, exotic combinations.....but we are now 6 weeks into solids and my foodie aspirations for Limi are still trying to fly...but instead....they're standing, flapping madly and not going anywhere.

i have managed to try some combinations: pear & cinnamon (likes); raspberry & yoghurt (dislikes); avocado & pear (likes); sweet potato, butternut & cumin (undecided..but will eat); papaya, mango & yoghurt (likes...in fact, loves); melon & avocado (strangely likes); beans & mint (dislikes); peas & anything (dislikes...intensely); chicken, sweet potato & carrot (dislikes...with a shudder).......

but although we have managed to blend up some fresh meals and thaw out some frozen ones.....Limi does enjoy plenty of the fruits (and veggies) of two professional kitchen's labour. Plum and Ella's Kitchen are two incredible, UK baby food brands that are both fully organic, additive free and focused on interesting and tasty combinations (yes, i do try everything before i give it to her). Plum adds Quinoa to all its recipes which is gluten-free and  as they say 'a fantastic source of protein and a valuable source of minerals and healthy fatty acids. It's also a natural source of Vitamin E and Vitamin B1'. Ella's Kitchen is very similar,  it was started by Paul Lindley, Ella's dad, who wanted to produce healthy, tasty, fun and convenient food for her generation.

i do think that fresh is better....but what i love about these products is that i've been able to easily try out different flavours with Limi to gauge what she likes and dislikes (before buying and making up a whole fresh batch....of something like peas....which she seems to hate at the moment); some of their combinations are so unusual that i probably wouldn't be able to make up a batch anyway and it's fun for her to try different things in this early and very brief phase. they also come in the most convenient pouches that mean you can squeeze them straight onto a spoon when out and about (hooray, no bowl) and if she doesn't finish an entire pouch then i can put it in the fridge without worrying that i have contaminated the container by sticking a spoon into it.

as a result weaning has been interesting and loads of fun.....she loves most vegetables and fruits that we've tried (protein...no so much right now)....and hums a sweet num-yum tune on every mouthful... and hopefully her taste-buds are being tantalised by all the different flavours. mealtimes are joyous, messy and time-consuming...but i am so grateful that i don't have to force feed the spoon past her lips.

current Plum and Ella's Kitchen favourites (just take a look at these sophisticated ingredients) are:

1. spinach, parsnip & basil by Plum

2. mango baby brekkie (mango, wholegrain rice and yoghurt) by Ella's Kitchen

3. plum, pomegranate & guava by Plum

4. prune, apple and spelt wheat flakes by Plum

5. butternut squash,carrots, apples & prunes by Ella's Kitchen

6. apple & blackcurrant by Plum

7. blueberry, banana & vanilla by Plum

and they also both have fantastic recipe pages for you to try some things out at home (Plum's and Ella's Kitchen). hopefully these will give my foodie aspirations their much needed launch pad (or probably more appropriately a cannon blast). i'll let you know how i get on.....