Feed 4 year old left over baby formula?

[Countrymummy36]

Hello. First post. Hopefully this is in the right place.

My newborn has been breastfeeding I bought some formula for him in case I needed it but we’ve managed and now and I have leftover premixed formula which isn’t in his age range anymore. I feel it’s a waste to put in the bin, I was wondering if you mumsnetters think my 4 year old might benefit from the vitamins or will it just upset her stomach?

Can you give it away on the local mum group or marketplace?

The 4 year old will probably think it tastes weird.

It's fine. I'm not sure she will get huge benefits from it as she will be getting the vitamins in her diet anyway but I can't see how it would upset her stomach. That's if she will drink it of course!

Have you got onto weaning yet? I'd probably use it mixed with cereal or porridge for the little one rather than giving it to the 4yo. I don't know whether you would even get a 4yo to drink it to be fair - it doesn't taste like milk.

If its still in date, I would use it on cereal and porridge when you wean the baby. A four year old might not like the taste if they are used to cows milk.
Formula doesn't really have an age range - first stage formula is fine for all babies, follow on and 6m+ is a marketing thing to get round advertising rules.

I don't see how it would do them any harm but agree it might not taste very nice to them

Offer it on a local eco group / community group?

Use it for cereal when you start weaning if its got a long enough date on it

Definitely offer it for free or use it for weaning if the date is long enough if it's still sealed and unused, if its opened then honestly just throw it away.

Your 4 year old won't drink it so it'll end up being wasted and thrown away anyway.

Could you donate it to a food bank? Or alternatively, I'd just mix it in with cereal or porridge for your baby. It doesn't take great, so I can't imagine an older child willingly drinking it, but would do no harm.

Use it for your own tea or coffee 😊

Don't know if a food bank would take infant formula

I have a bottle of formula left in the cupboard from the baby who has now gone on to cows milk and I didn’t think for a moment about giving it to the 4YO because that would be a really weird and totally unnecessary thing to do!

If it’s stage 1 milk baby can have that at any point in the first year, they absolutely don’t need to have follow on milk. So check the expiration date but if you think you might introduce formula then I’d keep it. You could also use it for weaning the baby, for example to mix with porridge. Alternatively ask around as someone might want it.

It's not really of benefit to a 4yo.

When DH fed the baby a bottle we let DS2 (3) try the bit that was left over because he was curious but he didn't really like it anyway.

BTW you can use the 0-6 month formula right up to 12 months. It's only marketing that means they put different ages on it. I agree it is useful for making up things like weetabix, porridge, thinning down purees, or just to feed as an occasional bottle if you need to sleep/go out/etc.

I doubt the four year old will drink it. It doesn't taste nice. Use it in porridge, wheetabix, etc when baby is 6 months plus. Or give it to someone with a baby.

How old is the baby? I never switched from first stage until after my baby was one and went onto cows milk. Agree with the suggestion to just use it in cereal for weaning.

The responses are soooo mumsnet. Eg just donate it - if money is an issue the OP maybe wants to use it!!

@IDontLikeMondays88

The responses are soooo mumsnet. Eg just donate it - if money is an issue the OP maybe wants to use it!!

No one is saying don't use it, in fact most have suggested doing exactly that but for the baby not the 4 year old. What people are suggesting is that giving it away if she doesn't want to give ut to the baby is far more sensible. Giving it to the 4 year old is going to lead to it being wasted so in this situation giving it away makes more sense, no 4 year old is going to happily consume formula.

I bought it to use for cereals and rusks when I started weaning DS and if there was any over I gave it to toddler DD. No harm done.

I'd hang on to it for when you start weaning and if there's any over and your 4yo fancies a glass then go for it - they'll either like it or hate it!

Formula generally tastes rank, I'd be surprised if a 4yo would drink it! Better to give them real milk and donate the leftover stuff

Is it dried power or have you actually mixed it with the water?

@IDontLikeMondays88

The responses are soooo mumsnet. Eg just donate it - if money is an issue the OP maybe wants to use it!!

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Is it dried power or have you actually mixed it with the water?

Sounds like it's the bottles of pre-made milk, at least that's what I took it to mean.

I used them for when I started weaning mine, handy for switching to using a cup too. Found them pretty useful things to have in so I'd keep them.

Also even if it is “first” milk you’ve not used baby can still have it rather than 6 month plus milk (if that is what the issue is). Formula companies created follow on milk so they can market it as they are not allowed legally to market formula which is for babies under 6 months. The composition of the first milk and the follow milk is practically identical - so yes use for weaning is the best idea.

@IDontLikeMondays88

The responses are soooo mumsnet. Eg just donate it - if money is an issue the OP maybe wants to use it!!

The OP said she doesn't want to waste it and asks if it would benefit the 4yo. People are literally answering the question.

The 4yo likely won't drink it, & some suggestions have been made to avoid wasting it ie donation or keep for weaning if the date allows.

It's strange not to use it for the baby due to being out of their age range, but to use it for a 4yo which is much further out of range! Just give it to baby.