What makes the first 1,000 days so important?
The 1,000 days from pregnancy to age two offer a crucial window of opportunity to create the foundation for a healthy and nutritious future. Thousanddays.org explains why these 1,000 days are so precious and why we parents should care.
“The first 1,000 days are a time of tremendous potential and enormous vulnerability. How well or how poorly mothers and children are nourished and cared for during this time has a profound impact on a child’s ability to grow, learn, and thrive. This is because the first 1,000 days are when a child’s brain begins to grow and develop and when the foundations for their lifelong health are built.”
lil’gourmets is committed to making nutritious and flavorful baby and toddler meals to support busy parents in taking advantage of this critical period. We also love teaming up with other business as well who hold these same values, which led us to partner with Lēto Foods for our June Giveaway.
Why Lēto Foods
Lēto Foods is a leading frozen smoothie delivery service for pregnancy and postpartum and like lil’gourmets, knows the power of delicious clean food and its importance for moms and lil’ones. That’s why when Shibani met Amanda and saw how passionate Amanda was about supporting pre- and postpartum health with her delicious and nutrient-dense smoothies, there was an immediate shared passion (not to mention, they are fellow Wolverines, Chicago locals, and CPG veterans!).
We’re thrilled to partner with this fellow Chicagoland woman-owned business committed to the principles we both deeply value. Check out our Instagram for an end-of-June giveaway, or shop their array of products online!
Lēto Foods Benefits
Lēto Foods was designed to be a delicious daily wellness routine in support of pregnancy and postpartum health (and hunger!) A little known fact is that scientists have long considered nutrition during the baby's first 1,000 days a key factor in development – and that 1,000 days starts at conception. Lēto was founded on four core principles supporting mother and baby during the pregnancy & postpartum:
- Brain-Focused – every pouch contains 100mg of choline, a nutrient that may support cognitive development, but research suggests 90% of pregnant people aren’t getting the recommended levels of
- Clean – Whole, organic fruits and vegetables in every pouch
- Benefit-Packed – Functional ingredients selected for the mom and their growing baby
- Satisfying –There is a balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fat to help with hunger, with ingredient combinations that are delicious!
In order to formulate each Lēto smoothie, they teamed up with an award-winning maternal health dietitian. Each pouch is blendable, with all the ingredients you need to make a smoothie. You choose a liquid and blend!
Why Amanda Started Lēto Foods
As a fellow woman-owned business, we always love hearing a bit more about the start of the company! Amanda started Lēto Foods after a snowy weekend in Northern Michigan with four friends, two of whom were pregnant. What transpired from the weekend was an obsession to find foods to help pregnant people feel great while supporting their body and baby. So, Amanda turned to a leading maternal health nutritionist, Lauren Manaker, to help develop smoothies for pregnant women grounded in evidence-based nutrition. One of their proudest compliments? People calling them nutritious, delicious, and hassle-free. Check out the Lēto reviews to see more!