the sweetpea story
Lifelong friends, Eryn Green and Tamar Wagman conceived Sweetpea Baby Food in the summer of 2004. As a new mom, Tamar and her husband (a trained chef) were experimenting with unique food combinations and freezing them in ice cube trays. Wanting to spend more time with her son and less time in the kitchen, Tamar searched for an equally healthy and delicious product on the market, with little success. Inspired by the lack of options for parents, Eryn and Tamar had a “light bulb” moment and...
...Sweetpea Baby Food was born.
contact us
Sweetpea Consumer Relations
125 Maplewood Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M6C 1J7
phone: (416) 656-5082
fax: (416) 488-5755
toll free: 1-877-650-BABY (2229)
hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm EST.
info@sweetpeababyfood.com Sweetpea’s 10 Commitments to Parents Everywhere 1. To provide all natural, organic ingredients 2. To use a blast-frozen technique to lock in freshness and flavor with great taste 3. To offer unique varieties seldom offered in jarred baby food, created by our chef, Jordan Wagman 4. To only include healthy ingredients that have been chosen by Dr. Joey Shulman, a leading pediatric nutritionist 5. To offer time-saving food choices for your baby 6. To provide convenient & simple preparation 7. To limit waste with ice cube tray individual serving format 8. To use pure ingredients – no preservatives or fillers 9. To guarantee safe food manufacturing by a HACCP recognized facility 10. To continually listen to parents by creating delicious new recipes that are appealing to both you and your baby Tips and Tricks Have you tried these fun alternative ways of using Sweetpea Baby Food?---put this in the kiddie font • Try using Sweetpea’s Veggies & Chicken or Veggies, Beef & Barley as sauce on any of your toddler’s favorite noodles or over rice. How about Risotto or Couscous? It’s a great way to hide the vegetables and meat! • Mix and Match: How about adding our Broccoli to the Veggies & Chicken…or the Sweet Potato to our Lentils & Root Veggies…different combinations of Sweetpea cubes can add even more variety to your baby’s diet. We want to help you avoid creating a picky eater! Let us know how you use Sweetpea Baby Food and we’ll publish it on our site!! Top 10 Reasons to feed your baby organic By: Dr. Joey Shulman, Head Nutritionist for Sweetpea Baby Food 1. Reduces your infant’s exposure to harmful herbicides and pesticides 2. Protects a child’s developing immune system 3. Improves the quality of your baby’s nutrition 4. Provides your baby with better tasting food 5. Helps protect your baby against the onset of future illness 6. Reduces the amount of harmful residue found in the meat your baby eats 7. Decreases soil erosion, thereby enhancing the nutrients in your baby’s food 8. Organic certification is strictly monitored to ensure your baby is receiving the highest standard 9. Protection of future waters 10. Protects the environment for the next generation 1. Reduce your infant’s exposure to harmful herbicides and pesticides A baby’s developing and immature immune system cannot fight off bacteria, viruses and toxic exposure the same way an older child or adult can. Because of this, it is best to reduce an infant’s toxic load from an early age by providing them with organic food choices. By doing so, you will provide them with the best platform for optimal health and wellness to flourish. Unfortunately, a majority of our fresh food sources are loaded with potentially harmful herbicides and pesticides. Testing carried out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture demonstrated that conventionally grown fruits and vegetables are; • Three to four times more likely on average to contain residues than organic produce; • Eight to 11 times more likely to contain multiple pesticide residues than organic samples; • Shown to contain residues at levels three to 10 times higher, on average, than corresponding residues in organic samples. 2. Protects a child’s developing immune system Up until the age of 1, a child’s immune system (the system that fights off infection and harmful invaders) is actively developing from its immature and somewhat fragile state. By reducing the amount of herbicides and pesticides in their food sources, you will be greatly minimizing their exposure to harmful chemicals. In fact, in recent years, there has been a rise in childhood illnesses such as asthma and cancer that have been linked to the increase use of herbicides and pesticides. 3. Improves the quality of your baby’s nutrition According to a review of 41 studies designed to compare the nutritional value of conventional vs. organically grown fruits, vegetables and grains, organic produce was nutritionally superior. Specifically, organic crops contained 27% more vitamin C, 21.1% more iron, 29.3% more magnesium and 13% more phosphorus. This improvement in nutritional quality is largely due to the health and richness of the soil. In another study, disease fighting chemicals called flavonoids found in fruits and vegetables were significantly higher in organic berries and corn. Flavonoids offer powerful protection against various cancers and allergies. 4. Provides your baby with better tasting food When biting into an organic fruit or vegetable, you can instantly taste the difference. Whether it is an organic banana or sweet potato, organic food bursts with flavor. Research also shows that an infant’s taste buds are formed at an early age. By exposing them to more real and natural flavors early on, you are less likely to have a picky eater on your hands later on. 5. Protects your baby against the onset of future illness There are over 7,000 different herbicide and pesticide products currently available in Canada. Many of these were approved prior to 1960 when their long term effects were unknown. Creating a causal link between the increase of various diseases and herbicide/pesticide usage is quite difficult due to the complexities involved such as age of person, combination of chemicals and genetic pre-disposition. However, there is a strong body of evidence linking various cancers (i.e. non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), asthma and neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s to the increase in usage of herbicides and pesticides. In addition, childhood cancers are also on the rise. 6. Reduces the amount of harmful residue found in the meat your baby eats The usage of antibiotics to prevent illness and disease in cattle and livestock has now become a commonplace practice. Organic livestock are provided with an environment that promotes good health and the ethical treatment of animals which eliminates the need for medications. 7. Decreases soil erosion, thereby enhancing the nutrients in your baby’s food Organic farmers act responsibly to protect the soil from future damage and depletion. In order to receive the designation of certified organic, the soil must be free of all herbicides and pesticides for a minimum of 3 years. In addition, organic farmers use various techniques to maintain the integrity of the soil such as crop rotation, composting and the elimination of any prohibited fertilizers. 8. Organic certification is strictly monitored to ensure your baby is receiving the highest standard Organic food handlers, processors and retailers are held to the strictest of standards to maintain the quality assurances necessary to be labeled certified organic. Organic farmers are also audited 2-3 times yearly by the organic review board to ensure they are upholding the high standards. 9. Protection of future waters Current conventional farming practices cause dangerous “spill offs” due to the usage of synthetic fertilizers. These fertilizers can cause an overabundance of nitrogen in the ground and have been linked to the development of various cancers. In contrast, organic agriculture uses natural materials in the soil that protects drinking water supplies and safeguards against water contamination. 10. Protects the environment for the next generation According to Health Canada, “Organic agriculture is a holistic system of production with a principle goal to develop productive enterprises that are sustainable and harmonious with the environment”. In a nutshell, organic farming is much healthier for the planet by significantly reducing toxic exposure in our soil, water, air and for the prevention of illness and disease in future generations. Much time, thought (and love) went into choosing the particular ingredients in Sweetpea’s original recipes. As a general rule, the more color a vegetable or fruit has, the more nutrition it has – Sweetpea wanted to make its varieties as colorful as possible…like a box of crayons!! Broccoli • 1 cup of cooked broccoli contains the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C and has as much Vitamin C as an orange. • 1 cup of cooked broccoli offers as much calcium as 4 ounces of milk. Sweet Potato • Sweet potatoes are some of the most nutritious and naturally sweet vegetables around. They are full of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, fiber, iron and potassium. • Vitamin A helps your babies’ vision development and keeps their immune systems strong. This yummy recipe also has loads of complex carbohydrates which gives our little ones the energy they need to grow big and strong. Banana Blueberry • Bananas are an excellent choice of “starter food” because of their mushy texture, naturally sweet taste and are loaded with complex carbohydrates. • Bananas contain B6 – a B vitamin that helps to boost a baby’s immune system. • Blueberries are ranked #1 in anti-oxidant activity (plant chemicals that protect against disease) when compared to 40 other fruits and veggies. • Blueberries help promote urinary tract health. Veggies, Beef & Barley • This recipe is loaded with yummy goodness: Vitamin A, Iron, Calcium, fats, carbohydrates, protein and fiber!! • Beef provides protein and iron. • Barley is a hypoallergenic grain rarely causing an allergic reaction, is easily-absorbed and promotes regularity in your baby. • Butternut squash is filled with vitamin A – a vitamin that is necessary for proper vision and a strong immune system. Veggies & Chicken • This recipe is loaded with yummy goodness: Vitamin A, Iron, carbohydrates and protein!! • Proteins are always hard to get into your baby’s diet…especially delicious ones. Organic chicken is full of protein and iron. • Carrots and sweet potatoes are excellent sources of Vitamin A and can help to promote healthy eyesight in your baby. • Cooking carrots actually increase the nutritional benefit by breaking down the fiber. Lentils & Root Veggies • This deliciously creamy recipe contains protein, Vitamin A, iron and slow burning complex carbohydrates!! • Lentils contain iron and protein, both necessary for healthy development and a strong immune system. • Eating carrots can help to promote healthy eyesight in your baby as they provide vitamin A and K. • Organic parsnips give this recipe a mouth watering flavor your baby will love!