Jack Gets Fruity! (Cow & Gate Baby Balance Fruity Muesli)

Member Name: ButterBear

Product:	Cow & Gate Baby Balance Fruity Muesli
Date:	03/11/08 (65 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: natural ingredients

Disadvantages: can only be kept 48 hours after opening

When we were advised to start weaning our little boy early, to help settle his nightmarish sleep patterns, I was a little concerned about what it might do to his system, at 14 weeks he was 3 weeks earlier then the 4-6 month guideline and we had been warned that the baby rice he would need to start on could leave him constipated. The first few days went well as his system still had to process the new food going into his body but I knew it would only be a matter of time before things started to change, I decided to introduce a little fruit into his diet to keep him "regular" but I only had bananas in the house at the time and these are quite difficult for young tummies to digest, I was unable to get to the shops to buy anything different but fortunately had picked up a few jars of Cow & Gate food when they'd been on offer for emergency purposes.

Looking through the different flavours I'd picked I spotted a jar of "fruity muesli" made up with oats, apple and banana it seemed like a good option to help keep Jacks system going nicely and the level of banana compared to the light puree consistency meant it would be easier for Jack to digest then regular mashed banana. Other than the fruit and oats Cow & Gate "fruity muesli" only contains apple juice, wheat starch and vitamin c, it has no added milk, lactose, egg, sugar, colourings, flavourings or preservatives making it as close to a home made meal as possible, it is suitable for vegetarians and being approved by baby nutritionalists means you have the added feeling of reassurance that you're providing your little one a good, healthy meal.

The puree is of quite a runny consistency but is thick enough to scoop onto a spoon, have a bib handy though as there's every chance some will drip off the spoon as you're waiting for your little one to open their mouths! This particular flavour is best served cold and as a dessert, it's great for getting baby used to the tastes of fruit and should hopefully instil a love of fruit into them so they'll still happily eat fruit as they grow older. Portion size will depend on the age of your baby and their individual appetite, I started Jack off with ¼ of a 125g jar per meal but soon discovered that he cleared the bowl quickly and always wanted more so I increased his meals to a half jar each time. It is recommended that you feed your little one from a bowl, this allows you to have a more measured portion and also means the remaining food can be kept in the fridge for up to 48 hours, feeding from the jar is convenient when out and about but means any remaining food should be discarded.

When I gave Jack his first taste of the food he reacted as someone would to any new sensation and was a little surprised, he quickly took to the flavour though and would be wolfing down each spoonful, his little mouth opening eagerly for each new spoonful and getting a little stroppy if I was taking too long. The smile on his chubby face told me he enjoyed this new food which certainly helped reassure me that I was doing the right thing for him. Being so young means that he's not the tidiest of eaters and I spend equally as much time mopping his face with a bib as I do feeding him, I've not found the food stains in anyway and always washes out, unlike a lasagne version I tried with my daughter when she was a baby!

Having got a smudge of the food on my hand I decided to taste it for myself to see just what Jack was experiencing, despite there being 57% apple compared to 20% banana the banana flavour is quite strong, it blends well with the apple and isn't too sharp that it would be unpleasant for the delicate taste buds of a young baby, being a first stage food it does need to be quite a mild flavour and while it's not exactly to my personal tastes it isn't designed for the more complex requirements of an adults palette, Jack likes it so it's clearly reaching it's target audience.

With the food being as natural as possible for a jar food I'm happy to use it for Jack without concern over any unpleasant ingredients entering his system, while I would usually make up fruit purees myself the jar is great for convenience, you can throw one in your travel bag when going on a journey or buy one while you're out and be able to feed your little one direct from the jar, the lids seal tight on the food ensuring it will stay fresh and wont spill, the glass jars are also quite useful for storing your home made foods in, after they've been washed out, and storing in the freezer for use on a another day. Jack loves the "fruity muesli" and we've and no sign of trouble in regards to the content of his nappy with everything being as it should be, it's been a success all round.

The jars cost in the region of 50p per 125g and is available in supermarkets and pharmacies such as Boots and Superdrug who sell baby food. I picked mine up as part of Asda's 8 for £3.50 offer.







Typical nutritional value per 100g, from all natural ingredients is-

66 calories
0.6g protein
15.0g Carbohydrate
0.4g Fat
1.8g Fibre
0.01g Sodium

Summary: A great convenient food that baby will enjoy!