Iconic Australian health-food brand Sanitarium has developed a new breakfast cereal suitable for toddlers and preschoolers aged one to five years: Weet-Bix Little Kids Essentials.
The Sanitarium Health Food Company took two years to develop the new Weet-bix™ product, designed for kids aged between one and five years and manufactured in its Brisbane factory from 98 per cent Australian ingredients.
To ensure the new Weet-bix variety was palatable, nutritious and suitable for small children, the company sought input from 1,200 parents and independent product reviews from 145 dieticians – nine out of 10 of whom said they’d recommend the product for kids of the designated age group.
“Parents know the first few years of their child’s life are crucial but it’s not always easy to get little kids to eat healthy foods, especially when they are tired, teething or fussy,” Chris Cashman, accredited practising dietician and nutrition science manager at Sanitarium, said.
“In fact, 87 per cent of parents told us they just wanted healthy food for their child that they’ll be happy to eat and give them what they need – that was our challenge.
“By starting with Weet-Bix, we knew we had a cereal that parents trusted and little kids happily ate – two big wins. We then tailored the cereal to optimally deliver the nutrition little ones need … [to meet] growth and development milestones, as well as providing support for strong immune defences and happy tummies, when eaten as part of a balanced diet.”
Responding to parents’ preference for including a variety of healthy grains, ninety-seven per cent of the ingredients in Weet-bix Little Kids Essentials are wholegrains: wheat, rye and sorghum.
The child-friendly cereal is also high in fibre, low in sugar, free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, and includes no added salt.
It incorporates prebiotics for a healthy gut microbiome as well as important micronutrients: calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, folate and vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6.
The product has received a 5-star Health Star Rating.
Weet-Bix Little Kids Essentials is available from supermarkets across Australia.
For more information about the product, click here.
Source: Sanitarium Health Food Co.
Lead image: Sanitarium’s new Weet-Bix Little Kids Essentials cereal, designed specifically for one- to five-year-olds, is high in nutrients beneficial for small children, high in fibre, low in sugar and with no added salt. Credit: Sanitarium Health Food Company