A fresh take on lunches, snacks and desserts
All nutrients are important, but some are more so at different stages of growth!
Each version can be consumed as traditional oatmeal, energy balls, pancakes, or any other recipe, depending on your little one's preferred preparation!
Did you know that iron deficiency is the most common deficiency in babies? And yes, up to 24 months old.
It's no coincidence that our blends are fortified! They thus help reduce the risk of iron deficiency!
All our oat blends are
Cereal FAQs
Why is texture a key focus in each of your product ranges?
First and foremost, our greatest desire is to be your everyday NINJA ally. In other words, to support you as a parent for as long as possible and never leave you high and dry with a solution that becomes outdated too quickly! To be a true everyday nutritional ally, we needed to offer products that would be appropriate for baby as early as possible in their development, and that would continue to meet their ever-evolving nutritional needs.
With that in mind, rather than going the purée route, we went all in on TEXTURED MEALS! We love fruit compotes, yogurts, soups, and mashed potatoes — but when it comes to lunch or dinner, we prefer things in solid form rather than liquid! And you, dear parents — your beef and carrots: do you prefer it in chunks or puréed? :P
That said, texture preference is personal — there's no accounting for taste, as they say! Our goal is to offer nutritious meals for all little ones, so the good news is: OUR MEALS ARE VERSATILE! You can serve them in their original form — as soft pieces — or adapt the texture to suit baby's preference and developmental stage: mashed or puréed. We can't say it enough: every baby is unique, and it's important to follow their lead rather than imposing one texture over another (pieces, mashed, or puréed).
We use the word "textured" on our packaging, but in reality, we're referring to ALL textures — as long as the one you choose is right for your baby 😊 Introducing different textures should be a safe and enjoyable experience for our little ones.
As for our oat blends, we wanted to give baby the comforting experience of a more traditional porridge! And Belov is passionate about innovation!! Putting another conventional, powdered-style cereal on store shelves wasn't aligned with Belov's mission. Our delicious blends can even be added to baby's favourite recipes: muffins, pancakes, and more! OHH YESSS! And because they're iron-enriched, we help you contribute to the recommended daily intake! OHHH WOOOWWWW!
For your line of dry products, namely textured oat mixes, why did you opt for whole flake oats?
Interestingly, traditional baby cereals are processed! More specifically, the grain goes through a process called enzymatic hydrolysis. Following this transformation, starch (a polysaccharide) is reduced to smaller sugar molecules to aid digestion. Hydrolyzation also sweetens the mixture. Luckily we worked with a food chemist to understand all those complex terms!!
So, during the R&D process for cereals, we wondered if bringing a traditional cereal to market (with the understanding of what this product really is…) was aligned with Belov's values and with the evolution surrounding infant nutrition. After reflection, we have come to the conclusion that no! What's more, Belov's innovation should be recognized across all of our products. Because of this, we directed our resources to develop textured oat mixes for toddlers that would be fortified just like traditional cereals (that benefit being not dreadful!).
Did you know iron deficiency is most common up to 24 months?
It was therefore necessary to develop a product that would be able to help parents until their little one reached 2 years old! By opting for oatmeal rather than powdered cereal, we are making way for TEXTURE! Moreover, it is necessary to promote the introduction of lumpy textures no later than 9 months to prevent the child from developing certain aversions. So, with textured blends, we make sure to help parents meet their daily iron needs for longer!
Are your textured oat mixes organic?
YES, all of our oat blends are organic! The best thing about all of this is that our oatmeal comes from a local family business!! Yes, yes, from St-Félicien, QUEBEC, CANADA!
Why have you added iron to your textured oat mixes?
When it comes to irreversible delays in the development of cognitive functions, the situation should not be taken lightly. Thus, we were keen to help reduce the risk of iron deficiency by developing iron-enriched oat mixes to help parents meet the frequencies of iron-rich foods to offer their baby, until at the age of 24 months.
Here is a passage from Health Canada's infant nutrition guide:
By about six months of age, iron stores in older infants are depleted (IOM, 2001; Butte, Lopez-Alarcon, & Garza, 2002; Dewey & Chaparro, 2007). The risk of iron deficiency increases between six months and 12 months of age because rapid growth during this period requires a large amount of iron (Institute of Medicine, 2001). The risk is always present from the age of 12 to 24 months. Indeed, studies indicate that the nutritional quality of a young child's diet and his consumption of the main micronutrients, such as iron, tend to decrease (Picciano et al., 2000).
The risk of iron deficiency can be reduced by timely introduction and regular consumption of iron-rich complementary foods such as meat or meat alternatives and iron-fortified cereals (Butte et al., 2002; Dewey and Chaparro, 2007; Meinzen-Derr et al., 2006). Between 6 and 12 months of age, infants should be offered iron-rich foods at least twice a day. From the age of 12 to 24 months, the child should eat foods rich in iron at every meal.
