Finding time to prepare meals for children from scratch, especially for new moms and those with toddlers, isn’t always easy. Add to that, trying to appease picky young eaters can feel like a never-ending struggle! You might whip up a quick, nutritious meal only to find it on the floor in a matter of seconds, which can be frustrating. Store-bought options often come with preservatives, food colours, chemicals we can’t pronounce, basically stuff that’s far from ideal for growing kids. But you shouldn’t have to compromise quality for convenience. There are certain homegrown food brands stepping up to the challenge, offering premium organic blends that promise not to compromise on nutrition or taste.
Early Foods
Early Foods is a premium organic food company founded by a mom with a mission to provide natural and chemical-free food and snack options for children. The company’s aim is to re-introduce traditional Indian foods for people at the most crucial stages of their lives — expecting mothers, breastfeeding mothers, infants, children who are beginning to develop their taste buds and building their body. Early Foods ensures they receive wholesome, nutritious options for meals and fun snacks rooted in age-old Indian traditions.
GubGub
Two mothers on a mission to find clean and healthy snacks readily available for their daughters led to the birth of GubGub. Somya and Aditi took it a step ahead by setting up their own manufacturing plant to ensure quality. GubGub is dedicated to providing delicious and nutritious snacks for kids made with ‘real’ ingredients. Perfect for children aged 12 months and up, their fruit roll ups and melts have helped curtail many tantrums for candy.
The Mumum Co
The Mumum Co. is the brainchild of two moms on the hunt for healthy snack options for their kids. They decided to draw inspiration from ancient Indian snacks, and their products are made from 100 per cent fruit, veggies or grains, and contain no preservatives, added sugar or gluten! Their playful products — Cool Crunchies, Mighty Melties and Super Sprinkles are designed to satisfy children’s junk food cravings in a much healthier way, making snack time both nutritious and fun.
Little Joys
Parent-powered Little Joys was created with busy families in mind. It makes feeding kids all things safe and healthy, a little less of a chase. Little Joys is a holistic wellness solution for kids which has been developed by paediatricians, loved by kids and approved by mothers. Their Chocolate Hazelnut Spread and Tomato Sauce make life really easy. Their wide variety of products cater to children aged 2 years and up, ensuring both nutrition and taste go hand in hand.
Lil’ Goodness
Lil’Goodness has been crafted with care by fathers with aligned passions for food technology, nutrition, and science. Their products are guaranteed to keep your taste buds satiated and gut healthy. A great alternative for over-the-counter chocolates, they add teff to them to add fibre, iron and protein. The KiddleMe Yogurt and Milk Squeezies are another pop pick.
Snack-a-Doodle
Keeping snacks healthy as kids grow becomes a real challenge. Radheika and Simer faced the same struggle and started experimenting in the kitchen. The result? Snack-a-Doodle, which lets your kids have fun with food, while parents can rest easy. Their Makhana Pops and Cookies are free of allergens, preservatives and maltodextrin. Snack time just got healthier!
Freeter Foods
Children’s tastes may change as they grow — what they loved one day, they might reject the next. My son, who once ate every fruit when he was two, now only enjoys apples and guavas. Freeter Foods has been a game changer with their freeze-dried snacks, fruits included, which has led my son to now enjoy almost all of them. Packed with fibre, vitamins and free from synthetic chemicals, you can get your kid to love even jackfruit again!
The hours spent in the kitchen trying to cook what our kids will enjoy is often inversely proportional to the minutes (even seconds!) they spend rejecting our efforts. Thankfully, these snack brands offer convenient, healthy options with no added nasties, making snack time easier for parents and fun for kids.
The author is an economist and full-time millennial mother, struggling to cope with daily chores
