ELLA'S KITCHEN ...

[mummysbigsmiles]

Hello, i just thought i would start up a discussion about Ella's Kitchen products.... They say 0% other stuff.... Does everyone think this is true or that there are maybe some bad stuff in there?? I personally use them but have always had my doubts.... Helppp!

[GingerDoodle]

Tbh I don't know, and don't think anyone could say without dissecting one in a lab. Anything else would just be hearsay.

They taste better than other baby food and my DD (9 months) has progressed quickly onto the lumpier ones which I now use along with home-made food.

[SwivelHips]

Hmm I'm always a bit dubious about things that can live out the fridge with a long sell by date. On the odd occassion when I've given it to DS he throws spoon at me. Mind you he did that with my salmon and noodles earlier :)

[GingerDoodle]

O forgot to add - they are long life, in the same way, and for the same reason tinned food is. They are packed in a sterile environment.

[rockybalboa]

I used these a lot with both DC when out and about as they are SO handy to cart about. However, once I actually tasted one I was horrified, they are MINGING!! I switched to using the Boots own brand Organic ones as they properly taste like what they are supposed to. Ok, so they come in glass jars and you need to make sure you have a spoon with you but they are honestly about a million times nicer.

[ExBrightonBell]

I would imagine that they only contain the stated ingredients, unless there is about to be another massive food scandal (horse=beef!)...

They last so long as they are flash pasteurised and sterile packed. It's inevitable that they will have less nutrients than fresh food, although they are better than other types of processed food.

It's the cost that puts me off as well though, when you could make the same with fresh ingredients for a lot less.

[mummysbigsmiles]

Thanks for all the replies.

... I do feed her home cooked meals only, i use the Ella's kitchen pouches of fruit to mix in with porridge and natural yogurt. I just always wondered what other mums thought of these products. I am a total organic freak..... I am always on the look out for organic fruit/veg/meat/fish. Sometimes i totally beat myself up about it... I am so strict on what my DD eats... Was nice to hear all your thoughts

[ExBrightonBell]

And it's definitely cheaper to use fresh fruit. Eg an organic banana from Waitrose costs 31p, whereas an Ella's banana pouch costs 69p (for a 70g pouch).

[FatimaLovesBread]

Purée your own fruit then freeze them in the rubber trays from ikea, when frozen pop them in a freezer bag. I do this for DD to mix with yogurt or breakfast or eat on they're own. Takes 15 seconds in microwave to defrost and I don't waste any fruit.

[Smartiepants79]

They have to contain what they say by law.
They are heat treated for long shelf life.
Not as good as fresh but some of the best of the ready made.

[MotherofDragons82]

While you've got a point with banana, ExBrightonBell, I actually think Ella's might work out cheaper than fresh fruit for things such as mango. Not that the pouches are in any way better than fresh fruit, of course, but I don't think they always work out far more expensive - not with the price of "exotic" fruits as it is.

Fruit-wise, I tend to buy the frozen bags of berries and blitz those up to add to porridge etc. They work out much cheaper than buying fresh blueberries, raspberries and strawberries separately, and obviously keep longer. Apples, pears, bananas etc, obviously I buy fresh

I quite like Ella's Kitchen. They're really convenient for when we're out and about, or when I haven't had chance to make something up for DS myself (I'm back at work full time and, some days, it just doesn't happen). I quite like the Hipp Organic pouches too.

MIL bought DS some of the Heinz ones, and they're utterly grim compared to Ella's. At least Ella's and Hipp generally taste like what they're meant to. With the Heinz ones, DH and I did a taste test and couldn't taste the difference between the "chicken" and the "fish." Bleeuuuugh.

Anyway, back to the OP. I think Ella's must be 0 per cent other stuff, as I doubt they'd get away with lying on the packaging. At least I hope they're as "pure" as they claim, I don't need anything else to feel guilty about!

[tomatoplantproject]

One of my Nct friends looked into this in a lot of detail because we'd all been using Ella's kitchen products. She did a taste and price test and ek came back tastier and cheaper. Their goods are made in a sterile environment and vacuum packed hence they keep.

Personally it has taken dd a while to get to grips with eating, and she would only eat v smooth food. I realised I was getting too emotionally attached to making purées for her which she would then reject so I switched to ek. She will now eat lumpier foods so I have started cooking for her myself again. However Ella's kitchen was a complete godsend to get her started, and I will still use them when out and about.