Little Journey Organics are a pretty underrated brand. Years ago, I sat down and tried every single one of their baby food pouches, and was overall very impressed with the wide variety of flavors. Not only that, but the price would already be fantastic for “normal” baby food…given the fact it’s also organic, that makes these an even better overall value.
Since I had a “been there done that” attitude towards these – and since our son is now 5 and never eats these anymore – I’ve never really checked the brand’s current roster. That changed on my latest trip to the German retailer, where I noticed that at least one more flavor has joined the ranks of Aldi’s Little Journey Organics line. And I knew, against my better judgment, that I was going to have to give it a shot. It takes a lot for me to be “nervous” heading into a tasting of the usually-excellent Little Journey Organics line, but how could you not be a little hesitant heading into this? I mean, a mix of mango, apple, banana, avocado AND kale? It sounds like they’re just throwing things into a blender and hoping for the best. I did not have high hopes for this one.
Holy hell…wow…this is completely unexpected. The first thing I noticed was a pretty intense blast of sweetness, followed by some tartness. I thought for sure given all the ingredients that the vegetables (namely the avocado and kale) would overrun things, and at least make it a little on the bitter side. But that’s not nearly the case: The mango stands front and center, offering up its trademark flavor with surprisingly unmuted gusto.
The truth is, I don’t notice many of the other flavors, although I was never blessed with an advanced palate. If I squint my tastebuds, I can taste the banana and I get the mushy texture with the distinct non-flavor of avocado (let’s be real here…it’s fucking boring). The kale, meanwhile, is nowhere to be found. Maybe it’s in the finish, or I just completely missed it; either way, that will be a good thing for people put off by the popular vegetable.
It’s also time to remind everyone that these pouches are excellent for pretty much everyone. Most people have the idea of food geared toward babies tasting like shit…and as far as the jars go, they’d be right. However, this is 2022: Baby food technology has come a long way. And these little pouches offer up some solid nutritional values given their small size. The exact amount of each vitamin varies from pouch to pouch (obviously based on ingredients), but many offer 100% vitamin C, while other vegetable-based ones add vitamin A. Most of them taste great, and the simple packaging makes them ideal for on-the-go snacks. It’s a win-win for babies, kids, and parents alike.
As with others in the line, value is delivered in spades here. The price of each 4 oz. package has gone up (from $.79 to $.89), but it still represents outstanding value for an organic product. How is this even possible? That’s the price of normal non-organic baby food pouches elsewhere! Whatever they’re doing to keep costs down, I hope they keep doing it.
Overall: 8/10. Well, those crazy cats at Little Journey Organics have gone and done it again, offering up an unexpectedly sweet combination out of mango, apple, banana, avocado and kale. Well, the “mango” definitely steals the show here, standing out front and center with little resistance from the other ingredients. Everything else seems to be added either for texture (banana) or maybe even color. For me, that’s not a bad thing, although mango is a “love it or hate it” kind of fruit. At any rate, you know if this is something you (or your kid) might like, and if it is, the $.89 price tag is excellent for an organic baby food. This line might be one of the best deals that Aldi consistently carries.
