Lombard mom offers new baby food choice

By Danielle Logacho
Daily Herald Correspondent
Posted Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Move over, Gerber — there’s a new baby food in town.

GaGa Gourmet Baby Foods offers Junior a yummy alternative to the often unpalatable stuff found on grocery shelves.

Instead of boiling and jarring its fruits and vegetables, this Lombard-based company steams, purees and then freezes them in individual servings.

No salt, sugar or preservatives are added. The result is an all-natural, better-tasting and more nutritious food for baby.

If you’ve ever tried traditional jarred food yourself, you’d agree that flavor is often in short supply.

“I wouldn’t touch the baby food in the jars,” said GaGa Gourmet owner Donna Gialo. “Why would I want my kids to eat that? My peaches are peaches. We’re not adding large quantities of water or any starches or anything to preserve them, so you’re not going to get that syrupy, sticky peach that you get in jars.”

She also said her baby food “gives kids a really fresh start, because the broccoli tastes like broccoli. When you go to serve them solid foods, if they liked the broccoli in the container, they’re more than likely to like the real thing.”

A former financial planner, Gialo was inspired to start her company after her own experience with her now 2¨-year-old twin daughters.

“They were kind of picky eaters with baby food so I basically started making their food,” she said.

Friends encouraged her to sell her homemade baby food.

Gialo ran a test group of Chicago area moms for six months before deciding to launch the business.

At this time, GaGa Gourmet offers 32 varieties, from plain, pureed carrots to chunky toddler entrees like Cheesy Pasta Stars and Peas. Prices begin at $1.39 for a three-ounce container.

Customers place orders through the company’s Web site, and — busy moms pay attention here — food is shipped overnight, directly to your door. Orders begin shipping Oct. 16.

For details, visit www.gagagourmet.com or call (877) 685-GAGA.

GaGa Gourmet Baby Food is at 132 W. St. Charles Road in Lombard.

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