What Else, but Else Nutrition
This post is for all families that have young kiddos with food intolerances, allergies, or just kids who need added nutrients in their diet. You know how you find the perfect solution to a problem – after you have already struggled with a less than ideal solution? The realization that something could have been so much easier or better doesn’t help so much after the fact. So, this is me, telling you, about something I discovered that I wish I would have found earlier in our FPIES journey with Ellie – Else Nutrition.
Let me back up a bit so I can explain how Else Nutrition’s products could have made such a difference in Ellie’s food intolerance over the past 4 years.
This post is written in partnership with Else Nutrition, check out the coupon at the end of the post. All content and opinions are my own. Post may contain affiliate links. Awesome company, great nutritionally complete allergen-friendly (contains tree nuts) products. We’re feeling hopeful and grateful.
Background
For all of you who care for a child with mild to severe food intolerances, you know how difficult it can be when so many food options, especially formulas, are taken away from them due to some of the common food intolerances: soy, dairy, gluten, and even grains such as oats and rice. Those foods (especially dairy and soy) are in EVERYTHING!
To be fair, there are many more nutrition options now than even a few years ago that consider one or more of these common FPIES allergens. Most of these formulas end up being an elemental formula. Have you smelled, let alone tasted, an elemental formula? As my daughter would say, “It’s a no thank you.” For those babies that need an elemental formula and thrive with it, I am so thankful for that for them. A happy growing baby or kid is the best thing!
Ellie however, failed several elemental formulas and just plain refused to drink others after MANY attempts. That is when we found the formula that she has used for the past four years. You can read the rest of her journey here if you are unfamiliar with this adorable puzzle of a girl I call my daughter.
A choice
When you are left with only a handful of options to choose from due to food intolerances or allergies, it becomes more difficult to be picky about what you are giving your child.
Let me be clear, I am by no means saying bad things about the formula that has kept Ellie alive for 4 years. We owe her life to that specific ready-to-feed formula. But, was I able to choose what was in the formula I was giving her, or how it tasted, or even if I had the option to use the formula to fortify other foods to add nutrition – no.
Enter Else Nutrition and their line of baby cereals, toddler formulas and kid nutrition drinks. This company allows you to choose an option to feed your child that not only is made from simple ingredients, but it also has a mild flavor that is not at all reminiscent of metal. (Some of those elemental formulas out there are like sucking on a penny.)
The Ingredients used by Else Nutrition
Else Nutrition products are made primarily of three ingredients: buckwheat, almonds, and tapioca. Surprisingly enough, the combination of those simple ingredients provides all of the macro and micronutrients that your little one needs to thrive.
These Toddler and Kid complete nutrition products contain:
– Complete protein (buckwheat has a complete amino acid profile – who knew?!)
– Nutritious, easily digestible, and gluten-free carbohydrates
– Healthy fats
– Fiber
– A prebiotic (which I love, especially for kiddos with digestive issues)
– Antioxidants
– Vitamin E
– Some extra vitamins and minerals are added to round out the complete nutrition.
Buckwheat, almonds, and tapioca. These are foods that I know. I can bake with these! I would absolutely prefer to give my daughter a formula that sounds more like I blended her a drink in my kitchen than one that was formulated in a lab.
If you would like to know more about the specific products and ingredients, I will include the link to all of them below, just click on the name of the product. Else Nutrition has some great information on their website, but I will also review the products in this post.
Why Else Nutrition
Before I tell you about their specific products (yes, my long-winded self will get there eventually – it’s called building the hype 😉 ) let me tell you some things I love about Else Nutrition.
– The main ingredients are real foods that I recognize – this is HUGE!
– The company was created with food intolerances in mind – thank you for thinking of our kiddos!!
– These products have no dairy, soy, gluten, or many other common allergens.
– Else products have all received The Clean Label Certification. Which to me, as a parent, just means that I don’t have to worry about what I’m feeding my child because the company went the extra mile to make sure it is 100% safe from environmental toxins and contaminants (pesticides, heavy metals, etc..)
– As a pediatric nurse and mom, I appreciate that every product is created with a team of scientists, pediatricians, registered dieticians, and parents.
– Also, the transparency. Else Nutrition makes available on their website the links which direct you to research articles published on their products. Okay this is probably more the pediatric nurse side of me again, but who doesn’t love to wind down with a good research article? 😉
– The thoroughness of the responses I have received in regard to email inquiries to verify ingredients. As any allergy parent knows, this is so important, and Else Nutrition GETS IT.
– The products are versatile. A child can be 100% nutritionally supported by these formulas with the correct product from toddler to kid. Also, you can use the products as supplements to your child’s diet, or even bake with them! Yes it’s true, I’ve tried – of course I have – but more on that later.
– Finally and helpfully, the price of Else Nutrition products vs many other allergy friendly formulas is lower.
Else Nutrition Toddler formulas
This is truly the product that I wish we would have been able to use with Ellie. Considering how challenging of a kiddo Ellie is with her MANY food intolerances and refusing to follow any FPIES rules, she may not have been able to tolerate this formula when she was younger. However, she is not the norm. Also, at the time we weren’t aware of Else Nutrition, which is the point of my doing this post – so any caretakers looking for a great dairy, soy, and gluten free formula know about this one!
There are currently two toddler formulas. Toddler Omega Plant-Based Complete & Balanced Nutrition (Toddler Omega) and Organic Plant-Based Complete Nutrition for Toddlers (Toddler Organic).
High on the list of my favorite things about Else Nutrition toddler formula is the healthy and complete nutrition it offers toddlers using minimal ingredients.
The toddler formula is a powder, so in addition to mixing it as a drink, it can be added to other foods to increase nutrient value. This flexibility in usage allows you as the caretaker to support your child in the specific way that works best for him or her.
Handy tips
Both drinks have specific mixing instructions and when followed, they both mix up well and are not gritty or clumpy. The texture is similar to milk after mixing properly. Beginner me made the mistake of thinking: Oh, a couple second shake probably is fine. Uh, no. They give specific directions for a reason. Half the volume of water needed and powder – shake for 15 seconds. Add the remaining water – shake for 15 more seconds. It’s not even hard, but I tried to skip it anyway. Don’t be “first time mixing” me.
Both formulas come as cans of powder with a scoop included. I promise it’s in there – sometimes it’s like digging for buried treasure. Or you can cheat and just find it with a fork, but where is the fun in that?
Toddler Omega
This formula happens to be vanilla flavored and, between the two, it was my favorite in taste. The flavor is very mild, as are all Else Nutrition products I’ve tried. The vanilla is organic natural vanilla extract – not synthetic or chemical (I asked, it was one of my questions. 😊) You can taste the earthiness of the buckwheat and almond with the vanilla. The formula is slightly sweet but not cloyingly so. It smells like vanilla, so there is no off-putting odor, I actually thought it smelled really yummy which is a pleasant change when dealing with toddler formulas – especially those that are allergy friendly.
Toddler Omega is more of a beige than white, but that is to be expected with real food ingredients. It isn’t milk, so why would it look like milk?
The Toddler Omega formula is a fantastic option. It is maybe not quite as delicious to my adult palate as the kids complete nutrition shakes, however, it is miles better in flavor than your typical allergy-friendly options and definitely yummier (in our opinion) than any elemental formula Ellie has tried.
As the name implies, this toddler formula also has Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to help with brain development. I say that is a pretty important thing, wouldn’t you?
Toddler Organic
Here we are with another great Toddler formula option from Else Nutrition. This one is all organic. AND dairy, soy, corn syrup, and gluten-free? Yes, it’s true, my friends.
Toddler Organic does not have the added vanilla flavor if you are trying to go with a less distinct taste. This formula has an earthiness of buckwheat and almond as well. Another mild, natural tasting formula. Once again, this Else Toddler Organic formula is not like other formulas with a chemical or offensive aftertaste. For a formula with all the vitamins and minerals and minimal added sugar – that is amazing! Another great formula choice that is organic and allergen friendly. And obviously made with the care of our special kiddos in mind.
Else Nutrition Kid’s Nutritional Shakes
Now we are getting to the good stuff. I’m not talking quality. Vanilla and chocolate shakes, yum!
Both the Kids Chocolate Complete Nutrition Shake and the Kids Vanilla Complete Nutrition Shake are fantastic. They contain the same three main ingredients of buckwheat, almonds, and tapioca. These shakes can be used as a supplement to help kids get the extra nutrition they may be lacking elsewhere. The shakes can also be used for complete nutrition support, which is what we are hoping we can do for Ellie. *Fingers crossed and prayers said. *
The texture is thicker for these shakes compared to the toddler formula. The instructions on the side of the canister do say that you can add more water to your desired consistency. I desired the thicker consistency, so I didn’t change it. Ellie, however, preferred it a bit thinner so I added a little extra water – easy peasy.
Flavor options
As any parent knows you need to offer at least vanilla and chocolate as options to kiddos. It’s all about the choices. Else Nutrition must know that, too, because they even have a Combo Pack of their vanilla and chocolate kid’s shakes.
I have tried both the vanilla and chocolate and they are both tasty. I prefer the vanilla over the mild flavored chocolate, but I am also a vanilla everything kind of girl. One thing I will say is that they are best cold. I enjoyed both shakes best when I mixed them up and then put them in the fridge to get cold before drinking them.
These nutrition shakes are sweeter than the toddler formula but are by no means a drive-thru milk shake. Else Nutrition’s shakes have around 50% less sugar than other brands’ similar products. I feel better knowing that the drink I am offering to Ellie as her main source of nutrition isn’t cloyingly sweet, but still yummy. Once again, the shakes have a fairly mild flavor overall, earthy undertones and tasty hints of vanilla or chocolate. 😊
Baking it right
I mentioned baking with the shake powder earlier and I am happy to say it is delicious! I baked Ellie cookies with the vanilla shake powder, and I was surprised when the cookies where the best I have been able to make for her to date! They were delicious! I am looking forward to baking more with both the vanilla AND the chocolate shake powder in the days to come. Else has recipes that use their products on their website, and they also sound delicious.
But is there corn?
There is one thing that I would like to point out, so those that it may affect are aware. There is no corn syrup in the formula or corn as an ingredient, BUT I did ask the company and they said, “The vitamin premix contains less than 1% corn maltodextrin as a carrier which means in the final product, we have only fractions of corn maltodextrin.”
I know for most people this would be completely okay. However, I know there are probably a few out there who need to be aware of even that amount of corn for their kiddos, so this information is for you.
Oh nuts!
I have mentioned several times that Else Nutrition is a great allergy friendly company – and it is! HOWEVER, they have almonds in all of their products that I have tried. SO, if your kiddo has an almond or tree nut allergy, unfortunately this product is not for you.
What Else?
As always, I am not a doctor so please consult with your child’s physician about any questions regarding his or her nutritional needs.
Else Nutrition also has customer support, and they have been more than helpful with all my questions. The employees that have helped me have been so kind and understanding. That means a whole lot when choosing a company that I am going to trust with my child’s nutrition.
Else Nutrition was created for a specific purpose – to provide a healthy nutrition option for babies and kids that was an alternative to the dairy and highly processed options available. Basically, this company was formed to help bridge the nutrition gap for our kids with allergies and food intolerances. That is something I can appreciate after four years of living this FPIES and food allergy journey with Ellie.
Well, I am off to go enjoy a vanilla shake tea party with my daughter and maybe eat some more yummy vanilla shake cookies, too. Else Nutrition has really upped our tea party game. We may be a bit late in discovering Else Nutrition, but that doesn’t mean we won’t fully enjoy it.
Else Nutrition Coupon for you!
Since I understand the significant costs of allergy friendly food and products, I asked for a special coupon code that I could share with you. Else is also very understanding of that hardship, so they graciously agreed.
For all of you who have found your way here to This Bread Will Rise; here is a 10% off code for you to use on all of Else Nutrition products. Just copy and paste this special code in the discount code section at checkout on the Else Nutrition website:
Thisbreadwillrise10
I hope if you are here looking for nutrition options for your child – baby, toddler, or kid – that some of this information was helpful. Even if Else isn’t the product for you, please know that you are not alone in looking for just the right nutrition. It is such a difficult journey to be on with your child, and if I could give you a hug I would, but just know that I get it – heck, a whole company gets it! And sometimes knowing that can keep us hopeful.
