With the new - ish addition to the clan, I've happened upon Hipp Baby Food products, one of them being 'Growing Up Rusks'.

~ The Company ~

This is a very brief summary of the history of the company:

A German called Joseph Hipp produced the first instant food for babies in 1899 spurred on by the birth of his twin babies.

In 1956 Georg Hipp developed the baby food side of the business and it split to become a separate operation.

In 1995 Claus Hipp introduced the concept to the UK.

The company is now the largest organic producers of baby food in the world.

~ The Stages ~

The Hipp range of foods is very consumer friendly, divided in to 4 easy to use stages:

Stage 1 ~ 4 months +
~ 6 months +
Stage 2 ~ 7 months +
Stage 3 ~ 10 months +
~ 12 months +
Stage 4 ~ 15 months +

~ The ranges ~

* Milk
* Jars
* Savoury
* Breakfasts
* First Tastes
* Fruit Pots
* Dried Recipes
* Drinks
* Weaning Pack

For a very comprehensive outline of all of the products available visit
There is also a list of which supermarkets stock which products but you can also order directly from them with free P&P.

*Growing Up Rusks*
These are in the stage 3 range of products.

~ Appearance ~

They look almost like dog treats, I'm not painting a very glamorous picture, it's just that the shape of them are similar to a small bone snack! Hipp state that their 'distinctive shape means that they are particularly easy for little hands to hold'.

They are approx 6cm long, light beige in colour with a heart and HIPP imprinted on to it.

~ Price ~

I can't remember the exact price that I paid in Morrisons for these but online they are £6.95 for 7 x 100g packets so just under £1 per box.

~ Packaging ~

They come in a cuboid shape box and the biscuits are held in a bag that is attached to the inside of the box, if that makes sense!
This does ensure that once the box is open you can scrunch up the top of the bag section to try and keep the biscuits a little fresher.

~ Taste~

It has to be said that I'm very fond of Rusks in general so I wasn't against having a few of these.

They don't taste of a great deal really. Not sugary like the Farley's rusks that I have munched away on in the past but I suppose that is a huge plus for anyone who is concerned about sugar content in other rusks.

Stage 3 is for 10 months upwards so that they can easily hold them and munch at them, they do dissolve slightly but fortunately haven't ended up as a great big mush like others we have used. They are actually quite crunchy when I bite in to them which it has to be said is quite regularly. Be prepared for lots of crumbs and bits of biscuits around the area where your baby is so not advisable to eat around a 'good' carpet or upholstery!!

Hipp also suggest that they can be given to babies from 6 months upwards, 'crumbled and mixed with a small amount of warmed baby milk'.

I have to say that the little one in question loved these up to about 12 months but since his tastebuds have been given a greater variety of more flavoursome food products he isn't overly keen on them now. Although they are still very handy to have in the bag if you are out and about and his hunger pangs start and you just can't find anywhere to eat or prepare a meal for him at that precise moment.

~ Ingredients ~

I won't list all of them, just to say that the products are all organic, e.g. wheat starch, wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oils, skimmed milk etc....

~ My verdict ~

We have tried a few of the Hipp products and it has to be said, not all with great success. However these little snacks are perhaps a healthier option than some of the other baby biscuits / nibbles on the market and are a godsend to keep a hungry crying baby at bay until lunch or tea is ready!!