I feed my toddler (just turned 2) a runny porridge made from different grains and pulses cooked in water and milk post dinner. I dry roast and powder the grains/pulses, so I know he’s eating all-natural stuff.
We are going camping next month and cooking porridge may not be a convenient option. For the 3 nights that we’ll be there, I’m considering feeding him Huel (plain vanilla flavored that I enjoy) since no cooking is involved. 1-2 scoops max per day.
I keep reading about how Huel is not suitable for kids under 4, but I would really like to understand the reason behind it. I do understand that kids have a different nutritional requirement, but would 1-2 scoops of Huel actually hurt a 2 yr old? If so why?
My other option is feeding him Pediasure or something along those lines, but those are so severely processed and my oldest always had constipation issues from them, so I would rather keep it as natural as possible.
I would love some feedback on this topic. Many thanks!
I can’t see how drinking a couple of scoops of Huel for a few days can harm him. It’s only when you’re talking 2000 calories a day that the micronutrients might become an issue. And when I see what garbage so many people feed their little ones, I reckon Huel is a great option. Only the Huel folks probably aren’t allowed to position it as kid-food. I’d say go for it.
Might be tough for anyone at Huel to take an official position on this without rigorous testing etc. As we’ve said on here before though, people feed their children all sorts of rubbish. The main objection I’ve come across is shirking your responsibility of introducing your child to a wide variety of foods, which is sort of not applicable if you’re only aiming to do it for a short period
There is official information about Huel for children here:
They state Huel is not suitable for children under 4 years old.
I haven’t read the full article myself (but will do now out of interest!), but just off the top of my head, personally I would be concerned about the high fibre content and the added vitamin and mineral complex.
How about overnight oats?
You can soak ground oats (you can buy powdered / ground oats instead of whole porridge oats) overnight in cold water. Add raisins for sweetness, and your little one will enjoy it I’m sure. It will be quite thick after soaking all night, so you could add milk in the morning, or more water.
Hi @soumya. Welcome to the forum You say you feed your two-year-old porridge post dinner, so will you be giving him other foods as well as Huel while you are away? What do you usually give him at other meal times?
@Africorn lol I don’t think Huel would kill them I was just linking to the official advice.
It’s probably better than junk food that contains loads of salt or sugar which is definitely harmful to a toddler.
Personally tho I wouldn’t want to risk the upset stomach from the high fibre that might cause problems for a 2yr old.
Most toddlers can’t handle high fibre - their teeth have only just come through and they are used to a mainly low fibre or liquid diet.
Just look on the forum and see all the adults who get digestive issues when first consuming Huel even on just a couple of scoops a day initially, and then imagine the problems a tiny 2 yr old might have adjusting to this new diet.
Who wants to risk having a two-yr old with explosive diahorrea on a camping trip??
If you definitely want to try it, I’d suggest try them on a tiny amount but before you go away!
I still reckon overnight oats would be the better option… just as easy too
Well, THAT, certainly! Definitely worth testing it out beforehand!
Overnight oats wouldn’t have all the other good things in it though, the oils and the protein… Anyway, I’ll be following this thread with interest. Let us know what you decide and how the camping trip goes
This is true… could always add whey powder or pea protein and some coconut oil. But if it’s only for a few days it probably wouldn’t matter either way. I’m guessing it wouldn’t be their sole diet anyway (?)
Camping (or even holidaying!) with a 2 yr old sounds like a challenge but fun
He eats everything - fruits, veggies (raw/stir-fry etc), grains (pasta, rice, tortilla, roti) - we are vegetarian, so no meat. He’s allergic to tree nuts and peanuts, so that’s a no-no too.
But every since he was ~1 he has had an affinity for runny porridge and likes to have it at bed time - an hour or so after dinner. The porridge powder is all-natural, so I’m more than happy to serve him that, but it takes a few mins to cook and cannot be consumed without cooking, hence the concern while travelling.
Yes, very much! I wanted to check if it was ok before letting him try it a couple of days (at home lol) so that can be an option in those type of circumstances.
I have a 2-year old who gets Huel occasionally. He really likes but he only gets a couple of sips.
I think giving Huel to a toddler is fine but I would not give him 2 scoops. That’s how I make my shakes and I think that would be way to heavy since that fills my entire stomach already.
I would suggest you try it before you go on the trip and maybe build it up a little. You don’t want to give to much Huel to your toddler because it will end up in a poop festival and also there are too many vitamins in Huel for a toddler.
You say you feed your two-year-old porridge post dinner, so will you be giving him other foods as well as Huel while you are away? What do you usually give him at other meal times?
Definitely worth testing it out beforehand!
but fun