to not understand the point of rusks?

[greyhairsahead]

I was talking to friend recently who'd started weaning her DS with the usual carrot puree etc, and is giving him rusks too. I know that loads of people will give their DC's rusks. I remember having them when I was a child. But surely they are just sugary biscuits, no? My mum allowed my GF to dip my dummy in the cream from his cream cake and pop it in my mouth, so I don't think the rusks are to blame to the bucketloads of sweets and choc that I scoff now!

But, why is a biscuit that is 30% sugar (I know as I checked the box in the supermarket the other day, I'm that sad!) seen as a good weaning food? Finger foods, lovely, I'm a BLW'er myself. But there are lots and lots of things that are better finger foods than a rusk would be. I'm sure that a mum giving their baby a standard biscuit would raise a few eyebrows, but rusks are actually designed to be a weaning food.

AIBU is thinking that it's a bit odd and not particularly good for babies?

YANBU. The only reason I can think of is that the manufacturers add minerals and vitamins. Otherwise they're just junk food surely.

I am SO with you. BLweaning here too (for the third time) and there's no way I'd get rusks. The very fact that you can get reduced sugar ones puts me off but I had no idea they had that much in them?! I remember my brother eating them mashed up in milk when he was much older. As you said, plenty of other things for them to chew on (even biscotti would be healthier!).

Rusks are so the grown ups can eat them secretly when nobody is looking. There's no way you should give them to a baby unless you are prepared to bin every article of clothing and soft furnishing in a six foot radius, and take a chisel to the baby to remove the damn thing afterwards! Rusks make cement look like water, and laugh in the face of superglue and dried on weetabix!

The're to shut my husband up when I'm doing the shopping

You might as well feed them concrete blocks, they are vile.

Rusks are yummy

they are delicious and sometimes I eat them in secret.

However I don't understand why babies need 'training biscuits'.

Definitely PomBea my dad loved rusks, I had some for one of my DCs but that DC wouldn't touch them, so they sat in the cupboard for ages and then I caught dad tucking in to them.

Good lord my dd1 is 12 and we were advised against rusks then.

It's just a short hop onto the hard stuff - start em on rusks n before you know itM they'll be mainlining sugar puffs marks my words...

Do they still do bicciepegs btw?

Rusks are nice. I used to eat them whilst feeding the ds their baby rice

There's no doubt about it, rusks are delicious. I certainly ate more than my DC did when they were small. :)

They crumble easily so they're a hard food that a gummy baby can chew. Also, I suppose the fact that they're sugary attracts the baby to them, to encourage them to eat. I used to buy them when DS was weaning but I ate most of them myself, they're gorgeous! PomBear is right about their supernatural ability to cling to every surface imaginable though, so I didn't really bother giving them to DS. They're far too sugary anyway. Handy now and again for a snack if we were very stuck.

at mainlining sugapuffs!!!!!

I wasn't sure if I might get a little bit flamed for saying this but I'm heartened to see that you all agree so far. I haven't had a rusk for years but I do remember them being yum, probably because they are stuffed with sugar!

My BIL put rusks into his DS's bottle to get him to sleep though the night. I was when he suggested it to me, and MIL "oh I suppose you don't agree with rusks, do you?". But that is the MIL that thinks I'm super-cruel for not giving my DS have chocolate and cakes regularly (he's 2, FFS!).

rhonda they do indeed still sell Bikipegs and I actually bought a box two weeks ago out of utter desperation for my teething DS2. There's no sugar in them though, I made sure of that before I handed over my cash. And they didn't help at all so they'll probably just languish in the cupboard for a few years....

mmmm rusks, I still love them now, mashed up in hot milk, perfect comfort food.

Ds has the low sugar ones, they are the perfect bite and dissolve consistency for him.

They are products of evil as far as gackiness goes though, mixed with toddler spit it creates a glue of incredible strength.

In a secret rusk eater

Rusks with a cup of tea are nice. Rusks mashed up with milk are super yummy. YABU.

Im a secret rusk eater too,they are for us, not the babes

I love rusks, I haven't had one for 10 years because my DS is 11 but I really really want some now

rusks mashed up with hot milk and slices of banana on top - nothing beats it!!

yanbu. Rusks are for grown ups. Although I do know someone who weaned his 5 week premature DS on them at 16 weeks though [tightens judgy pants].

I always keep a box in the cupboard in case the DC's need something plain to nibble on after a sickness bug, but they really don't like them and I always end up scoffing them.

So actually the point of rusks is for the parents to eat then? So really they should be in the biscuit (or cereal?) ailse at the supermarket then?

I gave my DD rusks: this thread is making me feel a bit - but she has an otherwise very healthy diet. I found them preferable to the vile baby rice that everyone else seemed to be shovelling down their DC

YABU

I Heart Rusks also :)

My SIL puts rusks in her two month old's bottle so he sleeps through the night