If I had to pick one food item that has made my life with a picky and active toddler infinitely better, it would be the smoothies from Ella’s Kitchen. My friend Lauren, who works for Ella’s Kitchen, introduced me to these little wonders a couple of months ago and Wito has been hooked ever since. (THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THESE INTO MY LIFE, LAUREN.)
I’m not sure if I have properly conveyed to you how much my child detests vegetables, but let me bring you up to speed. Wito will not touch any vegetable known to man. (Not even potatoes! Or sweet corn! Or carrots! Even if I soak them in Ranch dressing! Kill me now.)
However, he’s a fruitaholic, so I was pretty sure he would love these 100% organic and totally portable fruit smoothies. I was not wrong in my assumption. In fact, I have to hide these in my closet to keep him from sucking down 2 or 3 at a time. (Just imagine…my Frye boots and J. Crew flats sharing space with a box of organic fruit smoothies. Good thing they don’t need to be refrigerated until opened, right?)
The true test, however, was to see how he reacted to the smoothies with vegetables. A couple of weeks ago, I introduced the green smoothie pouch. He was super excited to try a new color, so he twisted off the top and took a big swig from the built-in straw. And guess what?
He hated it.
Oh, COME ON. Did you really think I was going to tell you that my vegetable hater actually ENJOYED a puree of broccoli, peas and pears? Right.
But! He loves his orange and purple smoothie pouches, which contain carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes and pumpkins. MY CHILD WILLINGLY EATS PARSNIPS. Take a look for yourself.
Ella’s Kitchen, I salute you.
If you are looking for a simple way to get more organic fruits and vegetables into your little one’s diet, you must try Ella’s Kitchen. Their Stage 1 baby food range (4+ months and up, but I serve these as smoothies to Wito) is a completely different concept in baby food, bringing together minimally processed, carefully chosen organic natural fruits and vegetables and extremely convenient and easy packaging. Both the baby food and smoothies are simply 100% organic fruit and vegetables, with nothing to dilute their goodness – not even water. All of the flavors come in squeezy packs that are super easy for toddlers to enjoy with making a mess. (Love that part.)
Ella’s Kitchen products are sold at Babies R Us and Toys R Us, and you can read more about the company and products at their website.
Now for the best part. Ella’s Kitchen is giving away a sample box of these little wonders to one lucky reader. The sample box contains one full-sized pouch of each flavor shown above, for a total of 8 stage 1 foods/smoothies. Just leave a comment on this post before Friday, December 11th at 6pm PST and I’ll randomly choose one winner. Good luck!
Lisa
December 7, 2009 at 9:29 amI would LOVE to try these….my little Annie is an ok eater, but this sound great and I am always looking for new things to feed her!
Thanks!
.-= Lisa ´s last blog ..On reading =-.
MrsJ
December 7, 2009 at 9:31 amAwesome! These look so cool–can’t wait to try!
Sarah
December 7, 2009 at 9:34 amMy little one loves smoothies…I would love to provide her with a different variety of flavors. Going to check out the website now!!
Kelly
December 7, 2009 at 9:35 amThese sound great! I will definitely have to try them out on my 2 and 3 year old boys.
kakaty
December 7, 2009 at 9:48 amMy kid will eat corn, but that’s about it (although we tried the ranch thing to get her eat more veggies and all that’s done is make her demand ranch on everything else – oops!). I do hide veggies in smoothies once in a great while…but I don’t do it as often as I should (cleaning the blender is a PAIN!)
Manda
December 7, 2009 at 9:51 amCool! Although if I win I might hog them all from my 16-month-old. They look good! MOM FAIL?
.-= Manda´s last blog ..Little changes, big hopes =-.
Jenn
December 7, 2009 at 9:53 amI would love to try these for my super-picky 3 and 5 year olds!
tracey
December 7, 2009 at 9:57 amMy toddler is also anti-veggie so I’d LOVE to give these a try!!
Susan
December 7, 2009 at 9:58 amMy daughter is Wito’s age and will touch nary a vegetable either… I want to win!
Trilby
December 7, 2009 at 10:01 amI would love to try these. My 3 year old is boycotting all things vegetable right now. Please tell me it’s a phase!
Kristy
December 7, 2009 at 10:07 amIt’s worth a shot!
Rachel
December 7, 2009 at 10:11 amwould love to try these with my picky 2 1/2 year old!
Angella
December 7, 2009 at 10:11 amMy kids don’t eat veggies either. NOT A ONE. I’m off to see if Ella’s ships to Canada.
.-= Angella´s last blog ..Seven Pounds =-.
Amy
December 7, 2009 at 10:11 amThese look great!
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Sort of Twice Baked Mash =-.
Mama Bub
December 7, 2009 at 10:12 amI have a formerly good eater turned super picky. I’ll try anything! Especially if he thinks it’s juice.
.-= Mama Bub´s last blog ..O (fake) Christmas Tree =-.