Find out what Mumsnetters thought of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food

[LucyBMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the Mumsnet users with a child aged 7 to 18 months who have been testing Oliver’s Cupboard baby food.

Here’s what Oliver’s Cupboard have to say:
“Oliver’s Cupboard are bringing adventurous food to the table so everyone can nurture their family in a way that works for them. It is full of organic and flavoursome ingredients, perfect for making interesting and nutritious balanced meals. We bring you recipes from countries steeped in tradition yet very much part of our everyday modern life though the things we eat. We believe that every child can be an adventurous eater through the introduction of amazing aromas, flavours and textures at an early age – helping to educate their palate and broaden their tastes.”

Testers, you can now share your feedback! Please do so by responding to the questions below on this thread, as well as filling in the survey that we have emailed to you.

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
2. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
3. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
4. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?

All testers who leave the required feedback will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 voucher (from a list).

Thanks and good luck,
MNHQ

Insight T&Cs apply

[MrsBudd]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try? Vegetable Koshari, Laksa and Tom Yum
   
2. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried? I thought the packaging looked great and the food smelt lovely. Unfortunately DD didn't like the taste of any of the pouches :(
   
3. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket? Colourful and vibrant. Would definitely stand out.
   
4. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range? Other Indian flavours would be great to see. Would be keen to see if my daughter likes any of the others!
   

Thank you for including me in the product survey.

[StrawberrySanta]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try? Tom yum, laksa, salmon
   
2. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried? I liked that there was a varied range of flavours from different cuisines which he hadn't tried before. He seemed to like them all taste wise
   
3. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket? Yes it would stand out, but new brands always stand out to me, I quite like the name Oliver's Cupboard as it makes me think it was created by/named by a real parent.
   
4. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range? Maybe Spanish, Chinese, Mexican type flavours

[mummatobeat33]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

laska, tom yum, vegetable sambar

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

she enjoyed the flavours as she enjoys strongly flavoured foods. However we struggled with the texture as she prefers chunkier/whole foods now.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

I don’t believe the packaging would stand out with other brands on the shelves at the moment. Its a shame that again the packaging isn’t more recyclable but I am aware this is an issue across the market

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

I can’t think of any further flavour options. A more chunkier option would be good

[pinacollama]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Sambar, korma, tom yum

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

I really liked the uniqueness of the options- more interesting than other brand options.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

Appealing to the eye- colourful without being garish.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

Other Sri Lankan options (my fave!).

[flowersWB]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Vegetable Koshari and Sambah and chicken korma

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried? My baby absolutely loved them. He wolfed them down straight away. This was a big relief to me as he has previously gagged on any of the Ella’s kitchen curries and chillis so I was worried he’d be the type of child who hated spice in all forms. But he loved these
   
2. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket? The packaging isn’t dissimilar to others of the shelves so it may not have stood out to me.
   
3. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range? Any sort of Asian food. I’ll try them all!

[kitkatsky]

1. Tom yum, korma and vegetable sambar
   

1. The baby loved all of them! They smelled like what they were supposed to be, unlike other brands where everything smells and looks the same, regardless of what it is. I liked that the baby was trying different flavours, while still consuming high quality organic ingredients. I hope these are available more widely soon!
   

1. The packaging didn’t make a massive impression either way to be honest. I’m not sure it looks very different from its competitors.
   

1. Anything unusual really- maybe some Thai flavours, Mexican etc. Just flavours the competitors don’t offer that smell and taste great!

[Ed1n]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try? Laska, sambar, Tom Yum
   

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

The sambar and laksa went down well but the Tom Yum smelt overpoweringly of lemongrass and old fish and she wouldn't eat it after one mouthful.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

Yes bright and attractive. Easy to tell different flavours apart at glance

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range
   

Not specifically a flavour but more textured food choice as I find mine quickly adjust to lumpier food by eight or nine months and the 7 month packets are still very smooth. Thanks for the opportunity

[Ohshitiveturnedintomymother]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Laksa, Tom yum and vegetable koshari

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

That Unlike some pouches and jars, they actually tasted of something and weren’t just bland mush.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

It was bright and eye catching and I liked the resealable lids. It would stand out to me on a shelf. I would prefer something recyclable or resume though as packaging as I try to avoid single use packages and landfill.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

Some European flavours like goulash and paella. Lots of brands do Italian/English/Asian but not so much Eastern European.

[BeeMakesTea]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Salmon Bahia, vegetable koshari, vegetable sambar

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

I liked the fact that she was able to try flavours and spices that I wouldn’t feel confident trying with the food we have made for her at home. She ate them all really well, the vegetable koshari was her favourite. I liked the fact that the salmon bahia did actually taste quite fishy so didn’t hide the flavour. I also liked that the vegetarian dishes included chickpeas and lentils so still had protein in them. Only downside was that the pouches couldn’t be kept and refrigerated once opened, some younger babies won’t manage a whole pouch in one go but it would be wasteful/ poor value for money to have to throw it away.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

I like the packaging but I’m not sure if it would stand out against other similar brands. I wasn’t too keen on the brand name Oliver’s Cupboard as it was a bit boring/ similar to other brands and I didn’t think it really reflected the brand usp of exciting international flavours which is a shame as this is what sets it apart from other brands.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

Pad Thai, Katsu curry, African flavours eg Chakalaka, South American flavours. Different textures for different ages would be good too.

[TooOldToBeAGoth]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Korma, Tom Yum and Bahia

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

I liked that the flavours were different from other products I have seen at the supermarket and it was great to introduce my son to flavours and spices that he had not had before. He loved all three pouches - he wolfed then down and looked like he wanted more!

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

I like the squeeze pouches with screw on lid as they are easy to use when you're out and about. I liked the bright colours on the packaging of each of the pouches I received. I'm afraid I do not think they will stand out on the shelf though as they are just so similar to that other popular brand. The similar style of the pouches together with the similar brand name I think leaves them looking like a cheaper copy of that other popular brand.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

Just more of the same please. My son loved them, the pouches are mess free and I would definitely buy more in the future.

[Flumpydumps]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Tom yum, vegetable sambar, vegetable koshari

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

All three packs we tried were full of flavour which was great as often pouches can be very bland.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

The packaging was bright and interesting, and I felt matched the brand well.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

My son has a milk allergy so any other flavours which are milk free, as I am keen for him still to enjoy as much flavour and tastes as possible.

[TheDeckchairGardener]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Korma, Salmon Bahia and Vegetable Sambar.

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

It introduced her to flavours I don’t normally cook, she pulled a few faces but seemed to like them as she happily ate them all.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

I thought the packaging was colourful but I’m not sure it would stand out on the shelf. It wasn’t immediately obvious they were organic as the word was quite small but maybe the assumption is that most baby food is organic so no need to shout about it? I would have preferred glass jars as packaging as they are much more widely recyclable.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

I haven’t researched the range but I think it’s a good idea to concentrate on the more unusual ‘international’ recipes and flavours that are maybe more unusual in other baby food brands.

[Mariola1984]

1. We received laksa , vegetable koshari and vegetable sambar .2 what we like was how easy was to make the choice and that my little Maya could try something different 3 . We really like the package was definitely eye catching 4 we would love to see maybe fruit pouches

[Meandmini3]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Salmon bahia, vegetable koshari and sambar

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

I liked they seemed more adventurous and baby seemed to like the tastes.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

I think it’s too similar to Ella’s. The name, the packaging…. Could really have come up with a better name more reflective of the diverse recipes.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

Well if it stays as Oliver’s cupboard then good old favourites just like Ella’s kitchen does….. with a different name then I would love to see more recipes from around the world. Maybe some Caribbean!

[GaslighterDenier]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Laksa,Salmon Bahia and Vegetable Sambar.

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

Such a variety of flavours compared to most other usual brands, was nice to be able to offer her meals with different spices she hadn't tried before. She ate all three very enthusiastically.

Only issue was that she is now happier on more textured food and it seemed smoother than other brands we have tried.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

Wouldn't say it looked much different to any other baby brands to be honest.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

I was happy with the offered range but anything else different from the norm, everything always seems to be tomato based and have a similar taste.

[Clockspanner]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Korma, Laksa and Samba.

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

My baby enjoyed all 3 of the pouches and ate them all up. I really liked the smell of each of them.. seemed a lot more flavourful than other pouches. I think my 2 year old who sampled each agreed as he wanted to share more whereas usually he has one spoonful of the baby's food and remembers that actually baby food isn't that nice! Not the case with these pouches and he pinched a few more spoonfuls! I liked how they had a wide variety of spice and ingredients and used things I wouldn't cook with at home and are recipes I wouldn't have the confidence to make at home. I didn't realise we weren't supposed to refrigerate once opened and so I did that and he ate the rest of one the following day.. he was fine of course.. so wondering why they cant be popped in the fridge like most other pouches? I like that if they don't eat a whole pouch you can reuse so this would make me think again about this brand I guess.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket? I liked the matte finish and the bright colours. I like the plastic cap for resealability but then if they cant be saved for the following day then question if that needs to be used and if it really is a once only opening thing then maybe alternate packaging could be looked at. It probably doesn't stand out any more than other baby food but I liked the Oliver character and I liked the colours so it is still eye catching generally. Agree Oliver's cupboard does sound a little similar to other brands - Ella's kitchen, For Aisha and Little Freddie etc but then they all sound the same as each other too so not sure it matters too much either.
   

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range? Reading the pp's suggestions I agree anything Asian, central/ South American etc would be interesting. I wouldn't have the confidence to make those sorts of meals from scratch like I might with some more traditional meals so nice to be able to buy these pouches that are different and have lots of flavour. I also would look to purchase meals for 12m plus as my baby is getting to that stage now and I rarely purchase pouches now as they need more texture.
   

Also I know this wasn't one of the questions but £1.60 a pouch is a bit steep and I would only purchase if on offer as wouldn't be able to justify this on one pouch on a regular basis.

[DobbieFreeElf]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Bahia, Tom Yum & vegetable koshari

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

I like that these were more adventurous than the usual navy foods and included some interesting spices

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

I like the packaging but I don’t think it would necessarily stand out amongst the other food pouches. The design and branding is good though.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

We live international food so anything interesting and flavourful! Especially Indian and Thai curries as we live to eat those and would like our youngest to join in with our international meal nights!

[SkyTrees]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Laksa, Salmon bahia, Tom yum

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

I think he really liked the coconut flavours. I liked that they were less bland than some other pouches we’ve tried.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

It was attractive packaging and would stand out to me.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

I think there is already a good range!

[WalkiesAndBiscuits]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

Koshari, Sambar and Laksa

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

My son enjoyed feeding himself as I emptied the pouch into a bowl for him. He seemed to enjoy the flavours. I really liked how simple the ingredients were, there was a lot of flavour from just a few ingredients and no “nasties”. I also liked that there were vegetarian options.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

Yes, I liked the bright colours, it looked like a quality product.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

Thai Curry

Thank you!

[curiouscat1987]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try? Laksa, tom yum and bahia
2. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried? The laksa smelt sour and unappealing and unfortunately gave my baby sour breath! Although she still enjoyed it and demolished it quickly. She also enjoyed the other flavours, although i would have preferred a more textured food as it seemed very pureed.
3. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket? Its fine, it wouldnt massively stand out to me but im not sure any baby food would.
4. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range. Anything from other cuisines- vietnamese, chinese, japanese, spanish, greek etc.

[curiouscat1987]

I forgot to add in my survey answers, but i couldnt see anywhere on the packaging to indicate whether it was recyclable or not, so i assumed it wasnt which is a real shame and i think potentially a real issue for any new product/company in the increasingly eco aware climate. Would be great to see this addressed and it would really sway me towards buying in the future!

[spinspinsugar55]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
   

KORMA, LAKSA and BAHIA

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

THE BAHIA, TASTY AND NICE TEXTURE

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

LIKED THE PACKAGING, CLEARLY STATES WHAT’S INSIDE, MAKES IT LOOK APPETISING.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

THAI CURRY, SAAG

[WhereIsThisGoing]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try?
Tom Yum, Laksa & Bahia
2. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
Good consistency, easy to eat but not too smooth. Smell was mostly pleasant and child definitely gobbled it up!
For me, I like that it has some stronger/unusual flavours which is great to mix in with their more standard fare. I feel the earlier you get them used to different flavours the better eaters they are in later life.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?

They do look like most other pouches, so I think they could do more to show off that these are quite different flavours.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?

Something in the Sweet & sour range, and possibly something with a little more spice

[Emilylouise23]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try? Vegetable Samba, Vegetable Koshari and Tom Yum.
   

1. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried? I loved that they were very flavourful and different to what I would normally make at home, so my little one got to experience new, interesting flavours.
   

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

They are very interesting and colourful. They emphasise the different ingredients they contain, which gives you some reassurance that they are healthy.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

Any other new exotic meals from around the world, that would give my little one a chance to try something new and interesting!

[Macarena1980]

1. Which flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard baby food did you try? Korma, laksa and vegetable koshari.
   
2. What did you and your child like most about the flavours of Oliver’s Cupboard you tried?
   

I liked that he was trying flavours that he wasn’t used to and he seemed to enjoy them all and finished them.

1. What did you think of the packaging of each pouch? Would this stand out to you on a shelf in the supermarket?
   

Yes I liked the colours, but maybe felt that making the ingredients stand out more might help, especially for dishes which people might not be familiar with.

1. What other flavours would you like to see in the Oliver’s Cupboard range?
   

Teriyaki chicken, Thai green curry, sweet potato based dishes.