to use Ella's Kitchen for a 2yo?

[cornishglos]

Struggling to get veg into my 2yo. Never used Ella's Kitchen before as I didn't like the idea of smooth pastes. But now I'm thinking it might be easier than making my own sauces, to use them over pasta etc as a way to get veg in? Is this ok?

[RDWRER]

I don't see why not. Ella's Kitchen vegetable purees usually contain just the vegetable and maybe a tiny bit of water. No additives or anything.

[CooPie10]

I think it should be fine. As long as she's eating it then using it with pasta seems a good idea.

[RichardHead]

I sometimes used them as pasta sauce when DC was a toddler

[tryingtocatchthewind]

I've used them as a quick pasta sauce for my 1 year old and he didn't complain. A lot better than other jars of pasta sauce as there's no added salt/sugar

[cornishglos]

Oh good. It just felt like a step backwards after a year of trying 'real veg'. Thanks

[trilbydoll]

I use the fruit ones as snacks and puddings. Probably better than using a jar of pasta sauce, no salt etc. They just taste a bit weird, don't bulk buy them until you know your toddler will eat them!

[MLGs]

I don't use them as sauces, but I have recently given some of the stage 1 ones to my 2 years old as a snack to get fruit and veg into him.

It's not like he needs puree, as he can eat anything and does so at nursery/ when he feels like it. I think it doesn't do any harm.

[LHReturns]

My 20 month old still sucks down the Ella's Mango Pear and Papaya sachets all the time. And a Little Dish Lasagne is a Sunday evening favourite still too!!

[RubyChewsDay]

I think its fine, would he eat cauliflower & broccoli bake with a cheese sauce?

Or jacket potato with sausage & peas, etc.

[Gotosleep123]

No expert but I don't see why not. Bit expensive though.
I've been making my own by cooking down carrots, red pepper, broccoli etc (essentially what ever veg I have in) with a tin of tomatos, garlic and mixed herbs. Whizz it all down and freeze in bags what I don't use. I've very undomesticated but I find it easy (and cheap). And good for an easy meal once a week once frozen.

[cornishglos]

He used to love broccoli, peas, sweet potato... and refused nothing. Now he won't eat any veg at all. Spat out the broccoli in my cheesy pasta bake this evening!

[cornishglos]

Gotosleep you have a point. Maybe I'll do a bit of both. I suppose with EK I could easily get variety?

[cornishglos]

Wasn't sure whether blitzing veg was the route I wanted to go down but at least it might get veg into him?

[Bonkerz]

I still use these for my youngest. Fab snack if out and no time to stop for proper lunch. Also add to pasta and the fruit ones are used as snacks too.

[Solasum]

Cornish last time I was in Italy we had a broccoli pasta sauce where there was no visible stem at all, just the tiny green bits, which made the sauce look 'spotty'. Worth trying?

[cornishglos]

Yes. I think we're at the 'try anything' stage! Thanks.

[MrsMook]

DS is funny about the textures of some veg. Between that and dietary issues ruling out pre-made jars containing dairy or tomatoes (just about all of them!) I make a quick and easy sauce by putting a can of coconut, and the offending veg in the blender with seasoning, then it cooks in about 5 minutes. I'll serve some veg in their natural state to give him the opportunity to refuse them try them

[PotOfYoghurt]

Will he eat grated vegetables in a pie/stew? Soup?

[cornishglos]

Nope! Spits out anything grated. His diet is quite restricted atm.

[HelsBels3000]

My little monster DS is doing exactly the same at moment, he's the youngest of 3, but so flipping stubborn! He will NOT eat any vegetables and only a mouthful of banana here and there. Your idea is brilliant and I'm going to try him with smoothies and sachets to see if I can get some nutrients in him! Everything he eats is beige.

[WaitroseCoffeeCostaCup]

My 8 year old still asks for her baby Brothers fruit pouches in her lunch box!

[cornishglos]

At least mine loves fruit. And peanut butter. And breakfast cereals. And cake... Good luck!

[NotAWhaleOmeletteInSight]

My eldest will be 2 next week. She's recently become really fussy and I only fruit and veg I can guarantee she'll eat are grapes, berries and raw carrot. I sometimes give her a fruit puree pouch as a snack, for variety if nothing else.

Our go to dinner is eggy bread. Recently I've started blitzing up raw broccoli, spring onions etc and mixing them in with the egg before I fry it all up. She wolfs it down, even though she'd never eat those things in their recognisable form, sigh.

[ThumbWitchesAbroad]

I still use the pouches (Not Ella's Kitchen any more, they pulled out of Australia, but an equivalent) for my 3yo, for when we're out and about or even going to a restaurant, if the wait gets too long; and for both my 3yo and 8yo when we fly to the UK. They both still really like them!
Not all of them, by any stretch - anything with banana in is an absolute no-no, for e.g.- but the pear, broccoli and peas one always seems to be a favourite.

I don't have an issue with it.