I was pretty excited to be asked by Ast + Co to review the Tidy Tot! Since my son started BLW 5 years ago, I’ve always just dealt with the mess because I knew how much he loved food. I think I was then a bit desensitized to it when Cleo, my daughter, started her Baby-Led Weaning journey. Why?? Why did I accept that there wasn’t a better way? I now know there IS a better way and that is with the Tidy Tot! A genius product that is a must have for BLWing especially if you don’t cope well with mess. What is the Tidy-Tot? Essentially, its a large waterproof fabric tray that covers your highcha ..read more

A lot of first time Baby-Led Weaning parents ask about first foods and breakfast ideas. The best advise I can think to give is to not over-think it. What do you normally have for brekkie? What’s your fave thing to eat? What are you craving at the moment? What’s your go-to flavour combo’s? When you answer these questions, you will have meal ideas a-plenty! I’ll tell you what my favourite meal is…..BREAKFAST! Love it! Everything about it. Nothing is off limits at breakfast…sweet….savoury or better yet, sweet and savory! One of our fave breakfast go-to’s is my BOURKE-cher Muesli (did you see what ..read more

The health benefits of Dates are numerous, not to mention Chia Seeds and Coconut. So, I’ve thrown them all together for a yummy snack when craving something sweet but nutritious. Dates are packed full of vitamins and minerals, promote good bone health, boost the nervous system, aid in digestion and are a great energy booster, making them the perfect sugar choice for kids. Chia Seeds are rich in fibre and protein aswell as Omega-3 Fatty acids for heart health and of course the all-powerful coconut gives us anti-microbial effects in its fatty acid which ‘kills disease-causing bact ..read more

Last month, we went on a roadtrip to visit friends and family and needed to have nutritious, easily portable foods for all of us. I packed lots of fruit and made some amazing Zucchini mini loaves to take with us. They are a complete meal and are so easy to make. That’s the beauty of Baby Led Weaning… whole foods, that the entire family can enjoy! Ingredients 1 Cup Wholemeal SR Flour 5 Eggs  (Beaten) 1 Large Zucchini (grated) 1 Large Onion (Diced) 4 Rashers of Bacon (Diced) 1 cup grated Vegan Cheddar Cheese (can use your fave dairy cheddar also) 1/4 cup Coconut Oil 1/4 cup Coconut Yoghurt ..read more

You’ve just woken up…or should I say, have just BEEN woken up and the kids are ‘hangry’! You shuffle into the kitchen and put the kettle on, look in the fridge, the cupboards and the same old cereal and toast is completely unappealing to everyone…. What about a corn fritter with your eggs instead of toast?! Not just any corn fritter, one packed with Lentils, Quinoa and Beans!! A great way of adding a little more protein into the kids’ diets without them even knowing. They are particularly great for Baby-Led Weaning as you can make them smaller for tiny hands!   Ingredients  1 Cup Wh ..read more

A Post written for Lunch Box Pals Refined Vs Natural Sugars   We are being told more and more that sugar is bad for us, however not ALL sugars are bad for us, in fact our bodies NEED sugar to function optimally. Without the right sugars our cells become stressed, and elevated stress levels lead to a breakdown of body tissues, thyroid imbalance, weakened digestion, decreased immunity and damaged metabolism. Firstly, lets talk about the different types of sugars found in our foods (Pre-packaged and wholefoods) and divide them into refined sugars and natural sugars. Refined sugars are derive ..read more

Who doesn’t love a curry?! Just because you have kids doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favourite flavours. It’s actually a great opportunity to add new and different flavours to your little one’s diet. Start with mild curries that have fruit in them and increase the intensity over time as your kids get used to the heat and flavours. Besides being a delicious treat on a cold evening, curries have numerous health benefits such as boosting bone health, protecting the immune system from bacterial infections, and helping to increase the liver’s ability to remove toxins from the body. So, with all ..read more

Let’s talk about the introduction of eggs, as they have a history of being an allergen. The advice is always changing particularly when it comes to eggs. In the past the recommendation was to leave the high risk foods until after 12 months old. This is what was recommended when I had my son 4 years ago. Now, it seems after research and more case studies they are now recommmending introduction to high allergen foods early or even during pregnancy to get the body used to them and reduce the risk of allergic reaction. Firstly, before you start thinking about ‘when’ to introduce certain foods let ..read more

It can sometimes be tough to get your kids to eat certain vegetables. Interestingly, it’s not them being difficult, it’s actually an evolutionary safety mechanism for any young to be skeptical of green plants such as vegetables because of their bitter taste. In nature, bitterness in a plant is often linked to toxicity or the plant being poisonous. Since children are still learning, caution is their go-to when identifying what foods are safe to eat or not. They will need to sample the vegetable 10-15 times in small portions before they will psychologically accept that it is safe to ingest. So ..read more

Every time we go to the grocery store, my son acts like he hasn’t eaten in a week and loses his mind! He grabs a basket at the front entrance, makes his way to the fruit section and races down the aisles picking as much fruit as he can carry. I’m all for fruit eating, knock yourself out I say. I would, however like the fruit to be eaten. Instead, it sits in our fruit bowl attracting fruit flies and looking sadder and more forlorn with every passing day. At this point I have to step in and give the poor fruit a purpose. In this case a VERY overripe banana has inspired me to make some patty cake ..read more