Chicago-based lil'gourmets, a women-owned and minority-owned, organic food start-up, is is bringing their veggie meals to Whole Foods Market stores across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Available now in the store’s refrigerated dairy case, the brand strives to cultivate curiosity in lil’ones by exposing them to veggie-focused, global cuisines to help foster a love of vegetables and diverse foods for life. Furthering the brand’s commitment to providing the highest-quality food for babies and toddlers, lil’gourmets now boasts the Clean Label Project certification for its standard of purity.

The mission of lil’gourmets speaks to Whole Foods Market shoppers who value organic, nutrient-rich foods. lil’gourmets created the only fresh, organic veggie meal for babies and kids. Its authentic global recipes deliver 1+ serving of vegetables or beans per 3.5oz cup, combined with nourishing ingredients like coconut milk and extra virgin olive oil, finished with chef-crafted spice blends to create uniquely delicious, ‘closest to homemade’ meals with no added salt or sugar. Through the early introduction of diverse, veggie-forward foods, lil’gourmets not only delivers essential nutrients today, but strives to shape a lifetime of healthy eating habits.

“We are thrilled to partner with Whole Foods Market to further expand their nutritious fresh kids options. Our products are based on the latest research in childrens’ nutrition and serve as an ideal first food for a baby or a deliciously convenient snack or dip for kids. With flavor profiles unlike anything else in baby or even kids food today, and the nutrient-density that comes with our cold-processed veggie meals, we strive to be a convenient option that parents feel great about feeding their children. Now being available at Whole Foods Market, we can help fulfill parents' growing demand to have easy access to fresh, nutrient-dense foods for their lil’ones at a place where they’re already doing their primary grocery shopping.” said Shibani Baluja, Founder of lil’gourmets.

lil’gourmets’ debut at Whole Foods Market isn’t the only milestone they’re celebrating. The brand is also honored to have recently received The Clean Label Project™ Purity Award.

lil’gourmets Clean Label Project Purity Award 

Considered a prestigious recognition for brands across various categories, lil’gourmets is now part of an exclusive group of baby food brands to receive the Clean Label Project™ Purity Award. The Clean Label Project™, a nonprofit organization that focuses on health and transparency for product labeling to help empower consumers, uses random retail sampling and unbiased testing to certify qualifying brands. lil’gourmets was rigorously tested against 560 other baby and toddler food brands to look for harmful substances, chemicals of concern, and industrial and environmental toxins and contaminants (like heavy metals, pesticide residues, and plasticizers) that have the long-term potential to adversely affect health and well-being. 

“We are so proud to award lil’gourmets with the Clean Label Purity Award. lil’gourmets is  trailblazing a new category with their uniquely delicious,  nutrient-dense, globally-inspired fresh veggie meals. Babies’ first foods set the foundation for lifelong, healthy eating habits, so parents are looking for that extra reassurance that what they’re serving their little ones is of the highest standard of purity and quality. And now with the Purity Award, parents can feel good knowing that lil’gourmets is going above and beyond to prevent harmful toxins, herbicides and pesticides from contaminating their cups of veggie goodness,” said Jaclyn Bowen MPH, MS, food safety quality and systems engineer and Executive Director of Clean Label Project.

Try lil’gourmets in 6 authentic global cuisines

lil’gourmets organic veggie meals also earned the Partnership for a Healthier America’s Veggies Early & Often certification for its meaningful delivery of vegetables. The products are available in six global cuisines: Cinnamon Beets & Apples (US), Coconut Cauliflower Mash (Australia), Moroccan Butternut Squash (Morocco), Pumpkin Navy Bean Shawarma (Middle East), Spanish Corn & Bean Gazpacho (Spain) and Sweet Potato Curry (India).    

lil’gourmets organic veggie meals retail for $3.69 and are available in Whole Foods Market stores across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. To learn more, or find the nearest Whole Foods Market location, visit lilgourmets.com.

About lil’gourmets

lil’gourmets is the first and only fresh organic veggie meal for kids. Created with a unique veggie-first promise, all of lil’gourmets authentic global recipes feature veggies and beans as the first and primary ingredients, delivering 1+ serving of vegetables per cup. With only 2-5g of natural sugars, no added salt or sugar, and uniquely delicious chef-crafted spice blends, these fresh, ready-to eat veggie meals are a perfect meal for a baby or a healthy snack or dip for kids.

lil’gourmets also proudly serves as a Sustaining Partner to the Partnership for Healthier America, pledging support and resources to the Veggies Early & Often campaign. Winner of the NEXTY award for Best New Natural Kids Product, lil'gourmets products are refrigerated, certified organic, non-GMO, vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, and cold-pressure processed.

All 6 global varieties of lil’gourmets are now available nationwide online, and in select grocery and retail locations across ten states.