24 Mar 2022 --- Infant nutrition company Ready, Set, Food! has released a line of instant baby food to help introduce allergens into babies’ eating routines. The company’s high-protein Organic Baby Oatmeal contains vitamins and nine out of the top ten allergens responsible for 90% of childhood food allergies.
The oatmeals are made from 100% organic milled whole grain oats and contain safe amounts of peanuts, eggs, milk, sesame, cashews, walnuts, almonds, soy and wheat to build children’s allergen immunity in later life. Organic Baby Oatmeal contains 4 g of protein per serving, iron and vitamins C and E.
Daniel Zakowski, co-founder and CEO of Ready, Set, Food! says Organic Baby Oatmeal stands out from other leading baby oatmeal brands for its high protein content and ability to make early allergen introduction a safe and tasty experience for babies.
Guidelines for early allergen introduction
The US Department of Agriculture and American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology recommends feeding babies safe amounts of common allergens daily for six months or more, starting at four months of age.
Organic Baby Oatmeal is meant to give babies and parents a stress-free mealtime while ensuring a stronger immune system for the future.This helps babies develop a tolerance for allergies as they grow older, meaning they will be protected from adverse effects of allergens later on. As such, Ready, Set, Food!’s allergists devised a series of mixable products for “bottle-feeders and food eaters” that prepare children for allergens in three stages based on medical guidelines.
Chief allergist Dr. Katie Marks-Cogan explains: “Developing products like our Stage 1, 2 and 3 Mix-ins as well as our new Organic Baby Oatmeal provides busy parents with an easy and convenient, guided system to support a healthier future for their children. With food allergies among children on the rise, providing parents with a safe and easy – and now tasty – way to introduce allergens to their babies early is critically important.”
It contains no added sugar, and each resealable pouch – which includes 16 servings – retails for US$10. To prepare the oatmeal, parents and caregivers only need to shake the bag, scoop out the necessary serving amount, add breast milk, formula or water, and stir. The oatmeal can be served warm or at room temperature.
Ready, Set, Food!’s stages
In stage one, babies are gradually introduced to peanuts, eggs and milk – the top three allergens – one at a time. In the second stage, parents and caregivers are meant to maintain this exposure over a prolonged period.
In the third stage, babies who can eat solid foods are given cashews, walnuts, almonds, sesame, soy and wheat, in addition to milk, eggs, and peanuts. Organic Baby Oatmeal can be substituted for stage three.
Organic Baby Oatmeal’s launch comes after the closing of the company’s latest Series A financing round, co-led by Providence and Johnson & Johnson Innovation in January 2022.
Last year, nutrition giant Danone backed the company in a funding round that raised US$3.5 million.
According to Ready, Set, Food! one in 13 children develop food allergies every year; this number has reportedly been on the rise for the past few years. In response, infant nutrition has been diversifying to address allergen concerns in the form of tasty foods and snacks.
Edited by Olivia Nelson