Frequently Asked Questions

"I am so thrilled to have a product out there that is not only nutritious, but also free from preservatives and delicious all at once. My son has been eating Om Baby Food for a while now and loves the taste and texture. Now he refuses to eat any of the Gerber jar foods."

-- Kim, mother of 1 yr. old Jacob, Castro Valley, CA

What is parboiled rice? Parboiled rice is rice that has been boiled in the husk. Parboiling makes rice easier to process by hand, improves its nutritional profile, and changes its texture. The practice of parboiling rice is more than two thousand years old. Parboiling rice drives nutrients, especially thiamine, from the bran into the grain, so that parboiled white rice is nutritionally similar to brown rice.

How do I make it? Each meal is very simple to cook. Lentils cook better if they are soaked, so we recommend soaking them for at least 10-15 minutes in warm to hot water before cooking. Once they have been soaked, add some butter or oil and boil on the stove for approx. 12-15 minutes until the lentils and rice are soft and most of the water has soaked into the meal. The meal will thicken while cooling. The entire pouch will make 4 child servings.

You can also microwave the meal in a 2.5 qt. microwave safe container. The container should be large enough to allow the meal to expand and boil. Microwave the entire pouch for 8-9 minutes until meal is soft, stirring in between. You can also microwave the meal in smaller quantities in 3-4 minutes. The entire pouch will make 4 child servings.

Do I have to make the whole pouch? Absolutely not. Each pouch makes 4 servings. You can take approximately 2 tablespoons of the packet and mix with 1 cup hot water and follow instructions above. Store the leftover dry meal in an airtight bag or container in your pantry or fridge. 2 tbsp’s of dry Om Baby food will yield a 6 oz meal for your lil’ one.

Is it spicy? We only use turmeric, coriander and a blend of aromatic spices to enhance each meal. There is absolutely no chili or hot spices.

Can my 6 month old eat it? Can my 5 year old eat it? Yes. To prepare these meals for children younger than 9 months, add a bit more water and then cook according to the package. When the product is warm, place it in a baby food grinder or a blender and blend down to desired consistency.

For children older than 2 years old, cook until most of the water has evaporated. The meal will be much thicker. Older children can then eat it as a dip with vegetables, pita bread or tortilla chips/pretzels etc.