Quote from Penny McCarthy on November 14, 2024, 3:30 pm

Where are we going wrong with babies/kids gut health?

Being a parent is so tough as it is, and your babies gut health seems like another thing to worry about, but the first 1000 days of your child's life are crucial for the blueprint of their microbiome for life. With the gut microbiota undergoing most of its development early in life with major changes being observed until the child is 2-3 years. 

Realistic, everyday hacks for busy parents

It’s important to make sure you are fuelled and have the energy to take on each rollercoaster day. Our high fibre bars saved my life when time poor and breastfeeding and not to mention all the fibre needed for that first poo after birth!

 A lot of the same principles we do for our own gut health can be transferred to our children - so learning the simple tips, tricks and habits can be so beneficial to pass down (as well as your microbes!) 

 Take our ‘100 days to Hack Your Gut Health’ program for example. Accessible via our app, it costs 20p per day and all it takes is 3 minutes of your time – making it ideal for time poor parents! It delivers super simple tips to track and monitor your gut, completely tailored to you. 

 It will literally provide you with the knowledge for your own gut health, so parents can then reap the benefits and help their little ones.

 What else do you recommend, to help infant digestion and overall gut health?

To support my girl’s gut health – other than probiotics, the top three tips I swear by are:

• Mixing up snacks (the more variety the better!)
• Get them playing in that mud!
• Know their recommended fibre intake for their age and try some of our hacks!

Healthier alternatives to pre-packaged processed foods

Processed foods, like freezer foods, often get a bad rep, but ‘processed’ doesn’t automatically mean it’s inferior or unhealthy compared to fresh food (it’s the ultra-processed we’re trying to reduce - key difference). 

Some nutrient-rich whole foods like veggies, fish, milk or wholegrains are processed purely for storage and/or preservation. This is where your freezer comes in, freezing often happens straight after harvest, so when they arrive in shops, they’re near their peak nutritional value. 

Additionally frozen foods, like frozen fish are often cheaper than the fresh variety. Plus, frozen fish has just as many nutrients, if not more, than the fresh version. This is often true for many other ingredients too. In fact, recent research found in some cases that frozen food is more nutritious than its 5-day fresh-stored counterpart!

Buying frozen food is a great hack but we also love to bulk buy fresh food when it is on discount, usually near to sell by date. Then you can freeze any you won’t consume by the use-by date to cook up later.  

Supercharge your freezer 

As you can tell we’re big fans of frozen food, it’s an affordable and efficient way to have nutritious food on hand, whilst avoiding food waste. Here are our top things to stock up our freezers with for next time you’re at the supermarket, plus how we love to use them… 

1.Fruit and Vegetables

• Frozen fruit can be great to top porridge, add to milk kefir, in a smoothie or just have as a snack. Think mixed berries, rhubarb, pineapple, mango, sliced banana, diced apple, or even avocado. (f)
• Roasted veg or ratatouille mix - ideal for quick meals, enjoy with fish, lentils or make into a pasta sauce. (f)
• Ready chopped meal staples - think onions and garlic for an easy hack. A great time saver and an easy way to increase fibre and variety in your meals. (f)
• Vegetables - easy to add a few handfuls to your hot meals for an extra dose of goodness, we like to add them to curries, pasta, stews and stir-fries. The list is extensive but some of our faves include spinach, mushrooms, green beans, mixed peppers, mixed veg in general, peas and sweetcorn. (f)
• Herbs - a game-changer for us, chop them up and freeze in little pouches ready to add to meals. 

2.Batch Cooking 

• Batch cooks - we love making extra and freezing to enjoy later. From sweets such as banana pancake, to nourishing meals like curries, soups and bean burgers - the freezer is your bestie. 
• Sauces - get a large ice cube tray and freeze portions - convenient and easy to lift out. 

3.Quick Snacks

• Pre-sliced sourdough - whether you’ve made yourself (FAQ here), or shop-bought, freeze-in slices ready for when you need. 
• Muffins and energy balls - freeze in single portions, ready for when you fancy.
• Fruit and Veg Ice lollies - we love combining with kefir or live yoghurt for an extra gut loving hit. (f)

By now we’ve shared every variety hack under the sun we can think of with you. Save up your fave and most useful to keep going with throughout the challenge.

An excerpt from our book - The Gut Stuff Book: Your ultimate gut health guide - buy here.

(f) some foods listed would be considered high FODMAP, which could exacerbate symptoms. Work with your HCP to manage this. 

disclaimer: The information in this app is provided as an information resource only and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic, treatment or medical purpose. All health issues should be discussed with your GP and/or other qualified medical professional.

Frozen food ref - Selected nutrient analyses of fresh, fresh-stored, and frozen fruits and vegetables - ScienceDirect