We’ve all heard the saying you are what you eat, so as our little ones get ready to start trying proper food, as parents, we want to be sure they’re getting all they need.
But how do you choose one brand over the other? Are pouches better than traditional jars? And what are the best snacks out there to feed your little one?
As part of our Mother & Baby Awards, we get our army of mum testers to rate baby food ranges and products, asking them whether they would recommend it to other mums. With so many healthy snacks to choose from, these are our top picks:
www.tesco.com
Description
The Little Dish Fresh Kids Meals was awarded Gold for Best Baby Food Range/ Product at the Mother&Baby Awards 2024.
A great, quick alternative for those busy days when you’re juggling after school clubs and tidying the house, these meals are ‘normal’ food, not sloppy ready meals. Almost as good as anything homemade, our mums love the simple packaging and the perfect portion sizes. Oven and microwave-friendly, in their reviews mums loved that Little Dish Meals can be kept in the fridge or freezer. The only downside? They are pretty expensive compared to others on the market, so aren’t great for everyday use, but are still a good one-off backup!
Our mum tester said: "We had a great experience with these meals. My daughter (nearly 3) is very fussy when it comes to vegetables and meat but she does love pasta and chilli etc normally but these were great because had loads of hidden veg and the chicken in them was lovely and soft so I just mashed it up a bit and most of the time she didn’t notice she was eating chicken."
Read our full Little Dish Fresh Kids Meals review.
Pros
- Quick and easy to cook
- Nutritious ingredients
- Wide variety of meals
Cons
- Not all meals are available in all supermarkets
groceries.aldi.co.uk
Description
The Aldi Mamia Carrot Cake Soft Oaty Bars was awarded Silver for Best Baby Food Range/ Product at the Mother&Baby Awards 2024.
These soft Aldi Organic Oat Flake And Raisin Paste Bars With Carrot Juice Concentrate are perfect for handy snacks when on the go, and the shape of the oaty bars makes it easy for little hands to hold.
Our mum tester said: "The price of these are affordable for most parents for the amount you get. They are really convenient to have in your bag as an on the go snack, easy for your child to hold and feed themselves, but also breakable for you to feed them portions. The flavour came through really well and none of them overpowered the other."
Read our full Aldi Mamia Carrot Cake Soft Oaty Bars review.
Pros
- Tasty
- Organic
- Perfect shape for little hands
- Individually wrapped
Cons
- Not suitable for children under 12 months
- Crumbly - can be messy
kendamil.com
Description
The Kendamil Cereal Bundles was awarded Bronze for Best Baby Food Range/ Product at the Mother&Baby Awards 2024.
Kendamil Cereal Bundles don’t do palm oil, fish oil or added sugar. They do creamy milk, high-quality grains and essential vitamins and minerals to support your little one, whilst also being delicious.
Our mum tester said: "I really appreciate the choice of flavours and the fact that there are both sweet options as well as savoury. I think you are able to find something, even for the most fussy eater. For example, with classic creamy porridge, you can add literally anything. I think it’s great for the first stages of weaning as it’s full of goodness and easy to prepare for a mum starting the weaning journey. I also would recommend it as baby gets to try out all sorts of flavours, sweet and savoury, which is so important when they’re learning to eat. It’s also really easy to adjust the amount you feed to baby."
Read our full Kendamil Cereal Bundles review.
Pros
- Variety of different flavours
- Nutritional
- Easy preparation
- Good value for money
Cons
- Hard to find within local supermarkets
Description
Suitable from: 6 months+ | Storing instructions: In a cool, dry place. Refrigerate | Ingredients: Full ingredients listed on packaging | Award: Gold - Best baby food range
Little Freddies Greek Style Yoghurts have a thick and creamy texture and are made from calcium-rich whole milk in the West Country. A delicious creamy snack on the go or a treat for babies who enjoy something sweet and savoury.
Our mum testers reviewed the Little Freddie Greek Style Yoghurt Range and were more than pleased with the packaging, variety of different flavours and consistency, texture and taste of this product.
Summary:
• Suitable from 6 months+
• Made from organic ingredients
• Can be used for both baby-led weaning and spoon-led
• Wide range of sweet and savoury options
Tested by mum Katrina for the M&B Awards 2023: "Mainly because of the pure ingredients, it genuinely feels like I'm giving him something fresh and something that I have prepared, I like that is simple ingredients and not too exotic."
groceries.asda.com
Description
Suitable from: 10 months+ | Storing instructions: In a cool, dry place. Not suitable for freezing | Ingredients: Suitable for vegetarians, full ingredients listed | Award: Silver - Best baby food range
Little Angels Organic 10+ Months Tray Meals are made with only organic ingredients and are at least one of your little ones' five a day per pack. They are also perfectly textured with bigger bites to help little ones learn to chew, and include lots of tasty and exciting flavours. Our parent testers were more than happy with the convenience, choice of ingredients and taste when they reviewed the Little Angels Organic 10+ Months Tray Meals.
Summary:
• Suitable from 10 months+
• Affordable
• Tastes great
• Made with organic ingredients
• One of your child's five a day
Tested by mum Alice for the M&B Awards 2023: "Both me and my child loved trying out this product. It was super easy to get out of the cupboard for her to have at dinner time when I was in a rush after work. Being able to put the dish into the microwave to heat up was excellent and quicker than having to decant it from a pouch and then heat it up. It may not sound like it saves much time but for busy working parents it is very handy."
vandme.co.uk
Description
Suitable from: 7+ months | Storing instructions: Refrigerate | Ingredients: Listed on menu | Award: Bronze - Best baby food range
V&ME cook local and seasonal produce from scratch and deliver the meals to your door daily including lunch, dinner and dessert from as little as £7.99 per day for baby meals and £10.99 a day for toddler. You can choose whether to subscribe to the service and have the freedom to schedule deliveries or cancel whenever you like. Our parent testers enjoyed reviewing the V&ME Baby & Toddler Meals, especially due to the convenience and time saving factors in preparing meals.
Summary:
• Suitable from 7+ months
• Fresh, hot meals for your baby or toddler delivered straight to your door
• Food contains no sugar, salt and no freezing
• Eco packaging
Tested by mum India for the M&B Awards 2023: "This was an absolutely fantastic product and has made my life substantially easier over the trial period. I would fully recommend it to any parents feeling overwhelmed by the constant cycle of meal prep/feeding/clean up etc. My child loved the dishes and we had clean plates at most mealtimes. It makes mealtimes so much less stressful and relieves the constant pressure of worrying about what you are preparing for the next mealtime. It is all clearly homemade and of excellent quality."
Description
Suitable from: 4 months+
Ella's Kitchen First Tastes Veg Range offers these brightly coloured pouches that are 100 per cent organic and aim to introduce your baby to one different vegetable each time. The range includes sweet potato, carrots, parsnips and peas which help your baby take their first steps on the weaning journey. According to research by Ella’s Kitchen, only offering veggies for the first two weeks of weaning is the best way to help your little one develop a love of veg.
Our mums reviewed Ella's Kitchen First Tastes Veg Range and loved how handy the pouches were on the go, with a simple screw top for convenience. They also loved the fact the range is completely organic, with no added salts, sugars or artificial colourings.
Description
Suitable from: 7 months+
These organic puffs are made with no colourings, flavourings or unnecessary additives, perfect for little tummies. Our mums reviewed the OrganixFinger Food Sweetcorn Rings and how this melt-in-the-mouth snack took away the fear of potential choking. They also loved how they stayed fresh for days thanks to the foil packaging, and how there are a variety of different flavours on offer for little tummies to try.
www.tesco.com
Description
Suitable from: 1 year+
With 25 years of expertise behind her, you know you can trust Annabel Karmel’s nutritionally balanced range of children’s favourites. Low in salt and giving your little one up to three of their 5-a-day, this range of ten convenient Chilled Toddler Meals are specially formulated for children aged one plus.
The range includes two free-from-dairy options and two tasty veggie options. Our mums loved the presentation of the packaging when reviewing the Annabel Karmel Chilled Toddler Meal Range, with easy-to-understand information and the generous portion size, however, they wished there were gluten and wheat-free options on offer too.
www.boots.com
Description
Suitable for: 1 year+
When reviewing the HiPP Organic Meals, mums loved that these ready meals offer the perfect taste of Italy for little ones – all made from pasta sourced in Italy and based on traditional Italian recipes. Their slightly larger portion size makes them great for older babies. These toddler meals can be eaten hot or cold, which makes them great for a quick lunchtime on the go. A handy addition to the cupboard, these meals have a home-cooked feel your toddler is bound to love.
www.boots.com
Description
Suitable from: 6 months+
Similar to the veggie range, these pouches are designed with mums in mind. With no ‘nasties’, the combinations are developed to help little tummies explore new tastes. Including dairy-free options such as this pear and fig porridge meal, these are so easy to store and take out with you. Our mums reviewed the Ella's Kitchen Six Months Range and loved how the range was all made from naked ingredients with no added nasties.
Description
Suitable from: 1 year+
Junk free snacks perfect for little hands, these Organix fruit bars give your tot one of their five a day. Our mums loved these healthy snacks, and found these bars to be a great alternative to bruised fruit when you’re out and about! The only downside was the price and a few mums found it to be a little expensive for six small bars.
Description
Suitable from: 6 months+
Designed to encourage your baby to self-feed, this no-mess snack is perfect for when you’re on the go. Gluten free, with no artificial colours, flavourings or preservatives, our mums loved how these handy wafers left their little ones with no sticky fingers! The convenient twin packs are easy to carry around or pop in a lunch box, and the range comes in a number of different tastes to try.
Description
Suitable from: 6 months+
Organic and free from additives, the HiPP Organic Pouches are a blend of delicious fruit, free from sugars and designed for babies from six months onwards. Unlike the normal baby food blends, HiPP introduces different flavours. What’s more, the pouches aren’t just made up of fruit and veg, with the likes of baby rice and yoghurt to make the pouches more substantial. Our mums loved the lightweight pouches, making them easy to take out or store in the cupboard.