From dietitian-approved recipes to informative articles, the new portal hosted on the Food24 website will guide Food24 users — more than half of whom are parents — on their weaning journeys.
 
Food24 says it has a 20-year legacy and encompasses more than 20 000 articles and 8 000 recipes that cater to South Africans' desire for simple, affordable, home-cooked meals. The website has an established social media presence on Facebook and Instagram and a growing TikTok audience.
 
"Food24 has always been about providing South African families with convenient and delicious recipes and informative cooking tips," says Food24 editor Lauren Goldman. "When weaning my baby earlier this year, I realised how imperative it is to introduce a love of food and healthy eating habits from a young age. Yet there is so much conflicting information out there, from when to introduce solids to how to do it. It was overwhelming."

"Then, I came across Weaning Sense. The advice made me feel more confident, and my baby loved the recipes. It made me realise that all parents need access to this type of content, and our audience knows that Food24 is where they can find credible food-related news and information, so it made perfect sense to expand on our offering with trustworthy weaning advice and recipes, too," adds Goldman.
 
To provide South African families with the most up-to-date, scientific and relevant content and recipes around weaning, Food24 is collaborating with Parent Sense. Parent Sense was founded by Meg Faure, an occupational therapist with more than 20 years of clinical experience with parents and babies and co-author of the best-selling Baby Sense and Weaning Sense books.

Via the Parent Sense app, more than 90 000 users also get advice and guides on:

  • baby sleep
  • development
  • health, and
  • nutrition.
 
"I am thrilled to be partnering with Food24 on such a special project," says Faure. "Weaning is a journey, and parents can put so much pressure on themselves to do it 'right', but really, there are so many ways to introduce solids."

"Megaw and I wrote Weaning Sense to cut through the noise and provide only the most important considerations so that parents can really make an informed decision. I am pleased that this partnership will allow us to reach more South African families so that we can assist them on their weaning journeys," Faure adds.
 
In addition to articles curated by the Parent Sense team and Food24, parents will also get access to nutritional, baby-friendly recipes from paediatric dietitian Megaw.
 
"Providing children with the right nutrients presented in a baby-friendly way is one of my core goals," says Megaw. "So, I'm delighted to be on this journey with Faure and Food24. I have 25 years of experience — running a busy paediatric practice — and I believe babies will find these recipes delicious and enjoyable, while parents can rest easy knowing their babies are getting all the nutrients they need."
 
Goldman and the rest of the Food24 team will also be hosting monthly Instagram Live interviews with Megaw and Faure to delve into specific pain points parents experience when introducing solids, from concerns around choking to tips for parents of picky eaters.
 
"Finally, South African parents will have access to informative, accurate weaning advice on a trusted food news platform," says Melissa Cumming, head of Food24. "This speaks to Food24's commitment to inspire South African families to get into their kitchens, the heart of the home."
 
South African parents can also join the Food24 Baby community on Facebook to share their own experiences and recipes and to connect with parents who are navigating the same challenges.
 
For more information, visit www.food24.com/baby. You can also follow Food24 Baby on Facebook, X or on Instagram.