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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

Baby Gravy and Cheese sauce etc

23 replies

shhhh · 16/10/2005 19:10

Where can I buy baby: Gravy & Cheese Sauce. My HV advises me all supermarkets but so far I can't get it anywhere..even tried Boot's and superdrug...Any suggestions..????? Is it still available..??

No idea how to make it myself .

OP posts:

intergalacticwalrus · 16/10/2005 19:12

DP just laughed at the term "baby gravy"

Sorry, that was no help whatsoever.

frannykenstein · 16/10/2005 19:17

I did see both in Boots last year. It's a bit chav though isn't it? Babies don't need gravy. I can tell you how to make cheese sauce though: Heat butter and flour in a saucepan, cook for a few mins, stirring, then remove from the heat. Add milk, a bit at time, then bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Add grated cheese. Yum

Nbg · 16/10/2005 19:23

Yeah making the cheese sauce is easy. As for gravy, whenever you cook some meat and veg save the water from the veg and you could boil the meat or bones for stock, add flour and voila!

The baby granuals you can get from supermarkets. I've seen them in Asda and Tesco. I've also seen them in Boots.

Seona1973 · 16/10/2005 19:39

they were discontinued so you will only see them in the odd place if the store still has old stock left - I havent seen them in Boots for months. The recipes are on the cow and gate website:

baby gravy

baby cheese sauce

Original poster

shhhh · 16/10/2005 20:32

frannykenstein sorry for being "chav" ! IMO babies do need gravy as it add taste to some dishes. It also makes them a better consistancy and not so dry ie cottage pie etc.

Well I said I didn't know how to make them but suppose as do as my mum makes it herself..I should have explained better as my hv has advised me not to use butter and flour with dd. At the moment i'm at the start of weaning so I need to watch with flour etc due to gluton. wheat etc etc etc.

Looking at the cow and gate site I suppose they recommend it so I presume its ok!

Thanks to those of you for your helpful comments!

OP posts:

CarolinaFullMoon · 16/10/2005 20:35

isn't bought baby gravy likely to contain flour though?

Can you just make your cottage pie etc more moist - add more water when making it?

NotQuiteCockney · 16/10/2005 20:37

It is best to avoid flour and dairy before six months (longer if you have reason to fear food allergies). I wouldn't rely on Cow and Gate for that sort of thing!

And babies, particularly before six months, are perfectly happy with simple purees and so on (or just formula or breastmilk).

Original poster

shhhh · 16/10/2005 20:56

Thanks again. Suppose I could add formula to it. It's hard being a mum let alone a 1st time mum!!! So much conflicting info....

OP posts:

hunkerpumpkin · 16/10/2005 20:58

Use veg water or low-salt stock cubes (Kallo do an organic one).

Bozza · 16/10/2005 21:19

How old is your baby? If still just on fruit or veg purees just add formula or water as required. If on meals such as cottage pie, I would have served this with veg and so would have mushed it up with a bit of the veg water.

Cheese sauce I always made myself.

Original poster

shhhh · 16/10/2005 21:56

dd is 5 months but I am trying to get ahead with meals etc. Thanks for the advice

OP posts:

frannykenstein · 16/10/2005 22:24

Sorry, shhhh, was just being flippant, but it came out sounding ruder than I intended. (I only meant to be slightly rude )

I can see it is difficult if you need to avoid butter and flour. Vegetable purees can make a tasty sauce for a baby and IMO are healthier than gravy or cheese sauce, as they contain useful nutrients and don't accustom your baby to salty, artificial tastes. A tomato sauce is especially nice, once your baby is ok with tomatoes, and goes with almost any meal. A sweet potato or butternut squash puree would also be very popular I think.

Please don't assume that because Cow and Gate recommend something, that it is the best thing for your baby. Manufacturers are usually more concerned about making a profit, and they are legally allowed to sell you all sorts of things that are not in fact the best for your baby.

buffytheharpsichordcarrier · 16/10/2005 22:53

actually this can be really useful as my dd used to eat pretty much ANYTHING as long as it was covered in gravy...
I used to use veg water or very weak stock from organic/no gluten stock cubes. you might find something suitable in the Free From section.
Cheese sauce I used to make using breast milk, melt a little cheese into it. You could use formula in the same way I expect.
try health food shops for no gluten low salt stuff

Wordsmith · 16/10/2005 23:01

I bought some baby gravy when DS1 was a baby and used it once - it tasted like sh*t - just add extra water! At 6 months your baby should only need frit/veg purees anyway. Does she have any noticeable allergies? I think you are OK with cows milk in cooking after 6 months arean't you? And what's wrong with butter?

ScarySkribble · 16/10/2005 23:21

I'm with intergalatic "Baby Gravy" is something my DP produces . I suspect this is not the advice you are looking for .

jacqueline1 · 17/10/2005 00:32

I thought 'baby gravy' was what got us all into this predicament in the first place! The thread title of 'baby gravy and cheese sauce' made me look! I'm not a great cook, just got a dirty mind! Sorry!

Cadmum · 17/10/2005 00:39

I am with Jacqueline... I should have noticed that the thread is in the weaning section though! I am useless with weaning advice. My children all hated food until they were at least 8 months... Sorry.

bobbybob · 17/10/2005 00:50

If you use commercial gravy then you need to check for E621 (MSG)

But honestly their palates are not as jaded as ours and carrot puree is really interesting to them.

Very concerned that HV recommending gravy and cheese sauce while you have such a little one.

Cadmum · 17/10/2005 01:01

My HV suggested that it was practically abuse to not feed my then 5 month old precisely the same foods that DH and I were eating. She actually told me to put our food in the ?whizzer? (her word not mine) and feed it to him on a baby spoon!

bobbybob · 17/10/2005 01:58

Which would be fine if we all ate a meat and two veg type diet, weaned at six months and didn't add any salt in our cooking.

SoupDragon · 17/10/2005 08:21

Can't you use cornflour to nake the cheese sauce? Isn't that gluten free??

Seona1973 · 17/10/2005 20:05

the recipe on the cow and gate website uses corn flour which is gluten free so ok to use if you are avoiding gluten. I only gave the links as it was cow and gate that made the granules - I never used them myself so dont know what they taste like.

Original poster

shhhh · 18/10/2005 18:51

Thanks for the advice everyone. (frannykenstein no offence taken !) Sorry to those of you who i disappointed with the title, I can now see that it could have been taken another way !! ha ha ha!

The gravy making ideas are great and I will use them esp the cheese sauce one from buffy, I will get on the case of making some!!! Sauce that is, and not babies .

Yeah the trouble with hv's are that they all give different advice, my personal one advised me to just give the same as we eat yet others I have spoken to advised to give dd food seperate from ours and don't include our sauces etc!! Yup they also recommended baby gravies and sauces!! BTW I have no idea why I have been advised not to use butter as dd has no allergies. But DH & I suffer from eczema.... Think I will continue just mixing veg and fruit with baby rice and formula to make a bit more runny.

Thanks again

OP posts:

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