Alcohol, spicy foods, cabbage, garlic, coffee, coke ... that's just part of the list of common foods that I was frequently told I should avoid while breastfeeding, so when I heard about Freida's Feeding Food, a wholesome bar designed for breastfeeding women, I thought it sounded like a great idea - something you can eat as a treat without feeling guilty or worrying about the effects on your baby, hooray !
I'd never heard of a bar for breastfeeding mums before but it's a really good idea. As the press release explains, "Walking into a pharmacy or health store in the UK you might be forgiven for assuming that nutritional support for new mums only comes in the form of tablets and pills. Whilst in the West this is the way dietary supplementation has gone, many women in Asian countries still swear by a more traditional approach… This traditional approach involves healthy homemade food bars, or muesli, which use plant based ingredients. The bars not only provide a natural energy source, to help beat the fatigue and tiredness that comes with being a new mum, but may also help with lactation and milk supply."
That was the inspiration for Freida’s Pantry's Feeding Food Bar, which contains a combination of nuts, seeds and oats to provide a host of important nutrients for both mother and baby, including omegas 3 & 6, a great source of energy and important for the development of the nervous system, and natural proteins which are vital for a strong and healthy body. The bars are very soft and squidgy - not at all dry like some cereal bars - and I really enjoyed the texture, which has a few crunchy bits of nut to make it interesting.
There was a background taste that I wasn't keen on and which I couldn't instantly place - a spice or herb, slightly aniseedy ... a quick look at the ingredients list revealed the inclusion of fennel seeds, often said to be a ‘galactalogue’, a substance which can increase milk supply, and may be of particular use for breastfeeding women. I'm not keen on that flavour but if I was still breastfeeding, I probably wouldn't mind eating them, given the benefits.
Please note: Because Freida’s Feeding Food bar contains fennel, which is only recommended for use after childbirth, pregnant women or those trying to conceive should go for another new bar called Freida’s Fertile Food Bar.
star rating : 4/5
The new bars are on sale at selected health food stockists, Ocado, WholeFoods Market and through www.FreidaPantry.com with an RRP of £1.35. Breastfeeding mums should eat one a day for maximum benefit - but you don't have to be one to enjoy them !
Disclosure : I received the product in order to write an honest review, even if my breastfeeding days are far behind me !
Sounds like a nice healthy bar. Wish they'd been around a few years ago.
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