About Us
Helping Kids Eat More Veggies
Making starting solids easier.
Having a new baby in the family comes with a lot of new experiences. When it's time to start your baby on solids, it's common for parents to not know where to start.
This is where we come in.
Early Habits was founded by New Zealand registered Dietitian, Jeanette Rapson with one mission: to give parents the confidence and knowledge they need to introduce first foods to their baby. By introducing first veggies from a young age we aim to combat fussy eating and build lifelong healthy eating habits.
Meet Dr Jeanette
Food plays a big part in our lives. Right from an early age, it not only nourishes the body but also the soul, our mental wellbeing and contributes to our social lives.
Early Habits was founded on my passion to help parents with feeding their children more veggies. (I personally enjoy eating healthy foods and love my veggies!) We are very lucky to be in New Zealand where we have access to so much nutrient rich home-grown produce. I want to help families feel confident in introducing veggie first foods to their baby from a young age and combat any potential fussy eating.
Forming good habits around food can be challenging. On top of this, contradictory nutrition information out there can be incredibly confusing. I therefore make it a habit to stay up to date with the latest evidence surrounding health guidelines and making it accessible in a simple way that’s easy to understand.
If you’re looking for a source of support that you can rely on to go the extra mile, that’s my team and I. We care about helping you reach your goals just as much as you do.
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours), Graduate Diploma (Human Nutrition), Msc Health Science (Nutrition and Dietetics), PhD (Nutritional Science; Massey University), Post Doctorate (Auckland University), New Zealand Registered Dietitian specialising in child health, nutrition and vegetables as first foods for babies.
P.s. I completely believe forming good habits requires a balanced lifestyle. This ensures both physical and mental wellbeing. In my free time I love doing yoga and meditation, spending time with my family!
Grand Ideas Competition
WINNER 2020
Kiwi Innovate
FINALIST 2020
Innovation Prize
FINALIST 2020
Our Approach
At Early Habits we use a personalised person-centred, holistic approach.
This means we build our support around you. We are respectful of and responsive to your preferences, needs and values. All our infant feeding and nutrition advice decisions are guided around this.
We aim to give parents the confidence to feed their baby vegetables. To do this, we are all about designing realistic and practical steps and translating the science into easy to understand, clear advice.
How we can help
Starting Solids
From when to start to how to start, we can equip you with all the knowledge and confidence you need to get your baby started on their first foods/veggies.
Fussy Eating with Veggies
Mealtimes and getting your child to eat their veggies shouldn’t have to be stressful. We can provide you with the tools you need to deal with your child’s fussy eating habits.
Anything you need help with!
All our sessions are completely client-led. This means whatever nutrition advice you need around helping your child eat more veggies, we’re here to help!
As good as home-made baby food.
Made from 100% vegetables, our baby food has no hidden nasties or sugar.
We freeze dry 100% New Zealand grown vegetables. This locks in 98% of the nutritional value, making our purées just as good as home made food but without all the fuss of having to make them from scratch.
Our baby food pouches are easy to store, light weight and perfect to carry out and about with baby!
Note: It's important to provide your baby with a balanced offering. Early Habits freeze-dried vegetable first foods should
This product is not nutritionally complete. That is, baby cannot get ALL their nutrition from eating these freeze-dried foods alone, and must continue to eat a range of other foods including breast and/or formula milk according to health advice.Early Habits freeze-dried vegetable baby foods are one option to add to an already healthy balanced diet for baby. They provide an opportunity for parents to introduce vegetables as first foods, and get babies used to eating vegetables early in life.
How It Works
Just add water!
Our Early Habits vegetable purées are the perfect smooth consistency to introduce your baby as a first food:
1. Empty your pouch contents into a baby bowl.
2. Stir in the amount of boiled, cooled water stated on the back of your pouch.
3. Voila! Serve your baby a yummy vegetable packed meal.
Some of our flavours, such as our potato purée, will require a heating step to help thicken. Check the back of your pouch for detailed instructions.