A fresh take on lunches, snacks, and desserts
All nutrients are important, but some are more so at different stages of growth!
Each variety can be enjoyed as traditional oatmeal, energy balls, pancakes, or in any other recipe—whatever your little one prefers!
Did you know that iron deficiency is the most common deficiency in babies? That’s right, up to 24 months.
It’s no coincidence that our blends are fortified! They help reduce the risk of iron deficiency!
All of our oat blends are
Cereal FAQ
Why is texture emphasized in each of your product lines?
First and foremost, our greatest wish is to be your everyday NINJA ally. In other words, to support you as a parent for as long as possible and not leave you in the lurch by offering a solution that becomes obsolete too quickly! To be a daily nutritional ally, we had to offer products that would be suitable for babies as early as possible in their development and that would continue to be nutritious for their constantly evolving needs.
In doing so, rather than opting for puréed meals, we’ve focused on TEXTURED MEALS! That said, it’s true that texture preferences vary from person to person – there’s no accounting for taste, as they say! Our aim is to provide nutritious meals for all little ones, so the good news is: OUR MEALS ARE VERSATILE! You can serve them in their original form, i.e. in chunks, or adapt the texture to suit your baby’s preferences and developing skills: mashed or puréed. We cannot stress this enough: every baby is unique, and you need to be attentive to their needs rather than imposing one texture or another (chunks, mashed, puréed).
We highlight the word ‘textured’ on our packaging, and in reality, we’re referring to ALL textures, as long as the one chosen suits your baby 😊 Introducing different textures should be safe and enjoyable for our little ones.
When it comes to our oat blends, we wanted to offer babies the comforting experience of a more traditional porridge! What’s more, Belov is committed to innovation!! Putting another traditional cereal on the shelves—one we might describe as ‘powdered’—wasn’t in line with Belov’s mission. Our tasty blends can even be added to baby’s favourite recipes: muffins, pancakes, etc.! OHH YESSS! As they’re enriched with iron, we help you contribute to the recommended daily intake! OHHH WOOOWWWW!
For your range of dry products, specifically the textured oat blends, why did you choose whole oat flakes?
Interestingly, traditional baby cereals are processed! More specifically, the grain undergoes a process known as enzymatic hydrolysis. During this process, the starch (a polysaccharide) is broken down into smaller sugar molecules to aid digestion. Hydrolysis also helps to sweeten the mixture. Luckily, we worked with a food chemist to understand all these complex terms!!
So, during the cereal R&D process, we asked ourselves whether marketing a traditional cereal (with a full understanding of what this product actually is…) was in line with Belov’s values and with developments in infant nutrition. After careful consideration, we came to the conclusion that it wasn’t! What’s more, Belov’s innovation must be reflected across all our products. As a result, we channelled our resources into developing textured oat blends for toddlers that would be fortified just like traditional cereals (a benefit that’s nothing to be afraid of!).
Did you know that iron deficiency is the most common deficiency up to 24 months of age?
We therefore needed to develop a product that would support parents until their little one reaches 2 years old! By choosing rolled oats rather than powdered cereal, we’re making way for TEXTURE! What’s more, it’s important to introduce lumpy textures by 9 months at the latest to prevent the child from developing certain aversions. So, with textured blends, we’re helping parents meet their child’s daily iron needs for longer!
Are your textured oat blends organic?
YES, all our oat blends are organic! The best part is that our oats come from a local family-run business!! Yes, yes, from St-Félicien, QUEBEC, CANADA!
Why have you added iron to your textured oat blends?
When it comes to irreversible delays in cognitive development, this is not a matter to be taken lightly. We were therefore committed to helping reduce the risk of iron deficiency by developing iron-fortified oat blends to help parents meet the recommended frequency of iron-rich foods for their babies, up to the age of 24 months.
Here is an excerpt from Health Canada’s infant nutrition guide:
By around six months of age, the iron stores of older infants are depleted (IOM, 2001; Butte, Lopez-Alarcon, and Garza, 2002; Dewey and Chaparro, 2007). The risk of iron deficiency increases between the ages of six and 12 months, as rapid growth during this period requires a large amount of iron (Institute of Medicine, 2001). The risk remains present between the ages of 12 and 24 months. Indeed, studies indicate that the nutritional quality of a young child’s diet and their intake of key micronutrients, such as iron, tend to decline (Picciano et al., 2000).
The risk of iron deficiency can be reduced by introducing iron-rich complementary foods such as meat or meat substitutes and iron-fortified cereals at the right time and consuming them regularly (Butte et al., 2002; Dewey and Chaparro, 2007; Meinzen-Derr et al., 2006). Between the ages of 6 and 12 months, infants should be offered iron-rich foods at least twice a day. From 12 to 24 months of age, children should consume iron-rich foods at every meal.
