why does he prefer Ella's kitchen?

[waitingforsomething]

Weaning 5.5mo ds. Have lovingly prepared a number of fruit and veg purees: he will eat my banana one and a pear and pea one. Others are all spat out and refused. If he is offered an Ella's 4month paunchy however he he goes nuts for it- will eat loads. I've tried replicating it's not working! What are they doing that I'm not? Dd always ate mine! I don't actually mind him eating them as they look to be fine ingredients wise but it's a bit of an expensive way to wean...any ideas?

Because they're full of sugar!
Yes. They're natural sugars from fruit, but still sugars, and taste sweet, like the milk he's used to.
Keep going with savoury foods, it will be worth it in the long run.

Wouldn't mine be full of sugar too- the fruity ones anyway? He still won't eat them...

Not as much as Ella's Kitchen!

You almost certainly didn't replicate the flavour of the Ella's Kitchen, even the veg ones are majority fruit - they are v v sweet.

They have done masses and masses of testing to make them appeal to babies, while claiming they are healthy to appeal to mums.

This is an older article but I only read it yesterday and it talks about this

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/30/baby-foods-found-too-sweet-to-encourage-variety-of-tastes-in-children

Yup sugar!

Keep going with your own purees, they're infinitely better than the pouches (they are very sweet- taste them). He's only 5.5 months so don't worry if he spits half of it out, he'll just top up at his next milk feed. He'll get the hang of it, all flavours are very new to him at the moment.

Ok, going well today- ds enjoyed mashed avocado very much.
At what point can they just have a pureed or mashed version of family meals like fish pie/bolognese/casserole? Is it 6mo? I should remember but I can't

Cut them out. They're such a marketing con. Your own is much better for him.

I'm sure it is but he won't eat them!

Or you could try no purees?

5.5 months is young, keep at it and he'll probably give in eventually. That's what parenthood's about right, wearing them down?

If you're not already - doing the freezing of small portions in ice cube trays trick might make it a bit less hard work and waste.

Honestly wouldn't panic. You sound like you areaking great pureed yourself. Just keep on with it. Food til one is just for fun.

You are making great.. apologies

Yes they can have pureed family meals from 6 mo but watch the salt levels.

Ellas are usually about 60% pear or apple. Even the savoury ones...

Family meals don't have to be pureed as a first food.

My kids started eating normal family food as their first solids, they would share a plate with me.

I would just keep offering bits of yours and don't worry if he doesn't seem to take much.

Does he like mash?

Well today he ate a load of my sweet potato, carrot and broccoli puree. I think it's possible that he likes them super super smooth and ive not been pureeing enough. Well he liked it anyway so saves me some dollar!

As a pp said, the guidance nowadays is actually to let them try 'proper' food
So you could just give him some fish pie, not pureed, to try. Ds loved lasagna and shepherds pie from around 6 months.

Nothing at all wrong with purees though and they are very convenient for out and about. Ds had a mixture day to day

I'm confused. I've started weaning and today gave Ella's kitchen peas. The only ingredient is peas. Where's the fruit and sugar in that?

Agree full of sugar due to the apple and in itself isn't a problem but it gives us a baseline taste for sugar.
They are heat treated to sterilise and preserve them too so there is probably bugger all vit c too!

I think previous posters were talking about the mixed pouches Winding not the 'first tastes' which are one ingredient.

For example, their 'carrots, apples and parsnips' comes in a orange pouch suggesting carrot but is actually 68% apples, which are very sweet. Only 10% is parsnips.

DS has started happily eating my creations now- had to persist a bit but now he's used to eating he is fine with most things put in there.
I still take Ellas Kitchen or similar when we are out - their a bit fruity in many cases (not all) but not the end of the world imo

Don't forget Ellas are ultra heat treated to make them long life, which will destroy a lot of the nutrients. No harm in that sometimes but you wouldn't want to feed a baby solely on Ellas (not suggesting anyone here is doing that)