Baby food has come a long way in the last ten years. Now there is an amazing array of delicious baby food on offer, with many of the brands sampled being as near to homemade as is possible, although inevitably there will be some loss of nutrient value in the production process.  I prefer frozen to ambient products, since most ambient food will have been pasteurised to maintain shelf life. This involves heating the food to a high temperature, which is likely to wholly destroy Vitamin C along with many B vitamins. Further, the heat process tempers the natural colour of the food and alters both flavour and consistency. A word of advice on heating baby food: don't heat anything in a plastic container; always decant into something made of glass.

LITTLE DISH
10+mths Pasta bolognese 200g £2.59
12+mths Fish pie 200g £2.29
Highs: What I’d expect from homemade with all the products having a high percentage of
the main ingredients (ie fish in a fish pie!).  The portion sizes are decent too.
Lows: The ingredients are not organic, which is a shame, but Little Dish claims its chicken and beef is free from antibiotic and growth hormone residues and the vegetables are
tested for pesticides.
Value: On the expensive side, but great quality. 
www.littledish.co.uk from Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Tesco. Comes fresh so you can freeze or keep a few days.

SO-BABY
Macaroni cheese 180g £2.25
Spaghetti Bolognese 180g £2.75
Highs: Amazing! Fresh, organic ingredients that look and taste like homemade. So-Baby
meals are frozen immediately upon completion so no pasteurising treatment is needed. The
recipes appear well thought through. I liked the addition of spinach in the macaroni cheese,
and gentle spices such as cumin and coriander in the Moroccan Lamb. Lots of flavours at an
early age are important. Research shows we need to experience a food five times before
liking it. Start early!
Lows: Plastic containers, but I’m boring you.
Value: Expensive but organic, frozen and they deliver.
www.so-baby.co.uk online delivery

ORGANIX
190g jar approximately 79p
Highs: The mainly glass containers get my thumbs up. The focus on wholegrain rice is fantastic (and isn’t very common). Wholegrains have much higher levels of many vitamins,
particularly the B vitamins, than their refined counterparts. B vitamins are essential to healthy growth.
Lows: I suspect the form of preservation is pasteurisation.
Value: Not bad really, but not all the time.
www.organix.com Available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Morrisons

ELLA’S KITCHEN
Stage 2 Organic Fish Pie and Mash 140g
£1.28. Stage 3 Salmon risotto 190g £1.69
Highs: A huge range and incredible variety.  I particularly liked the spelt pasta. Spelt is an
ancient form of wheat that is easier on the digestive system. Lovely to see wholegrains such as brown rice as standard.
Lows: Despite the enormous range the inclusion of vegetable protein such as lentils or beans is low. We are inclined to forget about vegetable protein, which is a shame as it’s cheap, extremely nutritious and an environmental ally.
Value: one of the best value of those rated. No reason not to give it a try.
www.ellaskitchen.co.uk Available at most supermarkets

BABYLICIOUS
7+mths Fruity Lamb Cassoulet 300g £2.99
for two pots. 10+mths Cottage Pie 200g £1.99
Highs: Large range of good looking frozen food. Cooking water is mentioned as an ingredient and is a nice touch – many of the vitamins lost during the cooking process will
be retained in the cooking water.
Lows: Potato features strongly as an ingredient in many of its Easy Chew meals.  I take slight issue with naming a product Carrot, Parsnip and Potato and finding the
main ingredient is potato, same with the banana in Plums, Pear and Banana.
Value: Fairly expensive, particularly if you end up with a lot of potato, though you can’t
argue with the quality. Read for ingredients is my advice.
www.babylicious.co.uk Available from Ocado, Waitrose, Asda and Budgens

HOLLE
6mths + Organic carrots with apple 190g
£5.91 for 6 jars. 12mths+ Organic mixed vegetables with millet 220 g £7.18 for 6 jars
Highs: Holle is an organic range and one which I also spotted in my local organic supermarket.  Lots of use of millet, spelt and oats. Glass jars.
Lows: Pasteurised, but not to a high temperature.
Value: Good value, especially if you order online but, without wanting to go on, not all
the time.
http://www.ulula.co.uk