groceries.aldi.co.uk
Aldi Mamia 12m Bolognese Bake Tray Meal at a glance:
This organic toddler meal is suitable for 12 months upwards, and is low salt with no additives and no added sugar. The chunks introduce new textures on your little one's weaning journey, and the easy to cook tray makes for quic and simple meals whether at home, on holiday, or visiting friends or family. Plus at only 89p, it's not going to break the bank!
We spoke to these real parent testers to get their review...
How did this product make your life easier?
Haylee: The 12m Bolognese Bake Tray Meal makes my life easier by being a quick easy meal option for my little girl. She normally eats the same meals as us but I have used these meals when I haven't got the time to prepare a home cooked meal for her before her bedtime or if we are having a meal that is not suitable for her.
Gemma: This product is very quick to cook 20 seconds in the microwave, I followed the instructions and was unsure if it was going to be hot enough for my little one, it needed a further 10 seconds to ensure cooked throughout. Comes in its own bowl making less washing up and ease of use. Is single portion so no wastage.
Sarah Choy: The Bolognese Tray Bake Meal is a really great food item to have in the cupboard if needed for an easy lunch or dinner. It was very quick to heat up and serve and took the hassle out of preparing a meal for a little one while still knowing they are eating something nourishing. My son really enjoyed eating it; lots of "yum yum"!
Would you recommend this to other parents?
Nicola: The food tasted really nice. Sometimes these kids ready meals don’t taste as you would expect them to, and not nice compared to home-cooked food, but this one was surprisingly nice. The texture was also great for my sons age. Overall I was really impressed compared to what I usually buy.
Helen: It is a nutritious meal that is simply packaged, yet portable and practical and great to use when a quick meal is needed. Especially when on the go and if heating facilities are not available. It is a great next stage of weaning - so just as baby is moved onto larger solids yet still has a small enough and soft texture to help them negotiate the food.
Sara: It's perfect for when you are running out of time to cook something from scratch or don't have food in to make up a good meal. You literally pop into the microwave and it's ready to eat. There's no need to put into the oven and wait for it to warm up before cooking as well if, like my child, they want to eat straight away and are not content to wait
Would you choose this product above all others on the market?
Sarah Cooke: I would choose this product above other similar ones on the market because of its retail price. I believe what it offers as a pre-prepared ready meal is very similar to other products on the market in terms of its ingredients and nutritional value but I would choose this due to its value for money and ease of use. That said, this type of product isn't something I often buy so I don't have much to compare it with.
Nicola: The flavour of it was much nicer than the ones I usually buy, as was the texture (sometimes they look like jelly in the pots!) I tend to buy the fresh meals that go in the freezer more than the cupboard ones but I would buy this over any other brand that goes in the cupboard. The only thing that puts me off is having to go to a shop to buy, rather than being able to get it in my usual food shop, as I don't normally shop at Aldi - but perhaps I will from now on!
Sarah Choy: I think this is a really strong contender to win. It offers great value for money compared to the other organic baby meals on the market which are easily double the price. My son found it really delicious - more so than some of the other more expensive meals we've tried. I will definitely be stocking up on more of these.
What changes would you make to this product?
Haylee: The main thing that I would change about the 12m Bolognese Bake Tray Meal is not mixing the entire meal together. This way the whole meal isn't the same consistency and texture. Having the pasta and sauce separate gives more variety to the meal, meaning that every mouthful doesn't taste the same. My little girl would definitely enjoy that more.
Helen: As there is many similar products on the market across many different brands, I felt that the packaging needed a bit of an edge in terms of why I should choose this product over other brands of the same flavour. More emphasis should be made on the contents of the product such as on front of packaging stating that organic vegetables are used.
Sara: I think the heating times need to be changed on the packaging. I used the stated times and found that the meal was still too cold so had to pop it back in the microwave a few more times to make sure it was properly cooked through before serving. Apart from that it was all fine and easy to use and eat.