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First and foremost, our greatest desire is to be your daily NINJA ally. In other words, to help you as a parent for as long as possible and not leave you in a bind by offering a solution that becomes outdated too quickly!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 continue to meet their evolving nutritional needs.

With that in mind, instead of opting for pureed meals, we focused on TEXTURED MEALS! That said, it is true that texture preference is personal—AFTER ALL, TASTE IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER! Our goal is to offer nutritious meals for all little ones, so the good news is: OUR MEALS ARE VERSATILE! You can offer them in their original form, as pieces, or adapt the texture based on your baby’s preference and developmental stage: mashed or pureed. We can’t emphasize it enough—every baby is unique, and it's important to listen to their needs, rather than imposing one texture or another (pieces, mashed, pureed).

We highlight the word "textured" on our packaging, but in reality, we refer to ALL textures, as long as the chosen one suits your baby 😊. Introducing different textures should be safe and enjoyable for our little ones.

As for our oat blends, we wanted to offer babies the comforting experience of a more traditional oatmeal! Moreover, Belov is committed to innovation!! Putting another "powdered" traditional cereal on the shelves wasn't in line with Belov’s mission. Our flavorful blends can even be added to your baby's favorite recipes: muffins, pancakes, etc.! OHH YESSS! Fortified with iron, we help contribute to the recommended daily intake! OHHH WOOOWWWW!

Interestingly, traditional baby cereals are processed! More specifically, the grain undergoes a process called enzymatic hydrolysis. Following this transformation, the starch (a polysaccharide) is broken down into smaller sugar molecules to aid digestion. Hydrolysis also sweetens the blend. Fortunately, we collaborated with a food chemist to understand all these complex terms!!

So, during the R&D process for cereals, we wondered if marketing a traditional cereal (with the understanding of what that product really is...) was aligned with Belov's values and the evolving approach to infant nutrition. After reflection, we concluded that it was not! Moreover, Belov’s innovation must be recognized across all our products. Therefore, we directed our resources to develop textured oat blends for toddlers that would be fortified just like traditional cereals (a benefit that’s hard to beat!).

Did you know that iron deficiency is the most common up until 24 months? So, we needed to develop a product that could assist parents until their little one reaches 2 years old! By choosing oat flakes rather than powdered cereal, we’re focusing on TEXTURE! Additionally, it’s essential to introduce lumpy textures by 9 months at the latest to prevent the child from developing certain aversions. With textured blends, we help parents meet their daily iron needs for longer!

YES, all our oat blends are organic! The best part is that our oat flakes come from a family-owned business right here! Yes, from St-Félicien, QUEBEC, CANADA!

When it comes to irreversible delays in the development of cognitive functions, this is not a situation to be taken lightly. Therefore, we were determined to help reduce the risk of iron deficiency by developing iron-fortified oat blends to assist parents in meeting the frequency of iron-rich foods to offer their baby, up to 24 months of age.

Here’s an excerpt from the Health Canada Infant Nutrition Guide:

"At 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 six months and 12 months, as rapid growth during this period requires a large amount of iron (Institute of Medicine, 2001). The risk remains present between 12 to 24 months. Indeed, studies show that the nutritional quality of a young child's diet and their intake of key micronutrients, like iron, tend to decrease (Picciano et al., 2000).

The risk of iron deficiency can be reduced by timely introduction and regular consumption of complementary iron-rich foods, such as meat or meat substitutes and iron-fortified cereals (Butte et al., 2002; Dewey and Chaparro, 2007; Meinzen-Derr et al., 2006). Between 6 and 12 months, iron-rich foods should be offered to infants at least twice a day. From 12 to 24 months, children should consume iron-rich foods at every meal.