Soups are just the thing to add variety to your food flask for your baby and your school going child. They are an easy way to create new and healthy lunchbox ideas and give that much needed warmth on the chillier days. Use soups to add new vegetables, new taste combinations and new textures to your child's palette, all of which will help you to raise a more adventurous eater. This particular exciting combination of parsnip and pear is naturally sweet, which may make your child more receptive. Pears and parsnips are in their prime in the autumn and winter months so they are perfect flavours for colder times. 

Cook time: 45 minutes
Makes: 4 Adult portions

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
25g unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic, minced
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
600g parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 tsp mild curry powder
1 litre low salt vegetable stock
300ml full-fat milk
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored and chopped

 

Method:

1. Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
2. Cook the onions and garlic until soft.
3.  Add the potato, parsnip and curry powder and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the stock, milk and pear and bring to the boil.
5. Reduce the heat to a simmer with the lid on for 20-25 minutes.
6. Once the parsnips are nice and tender, blend everything together in a food processor.
7. If you are making this for a baby reduce the milk to about 200ml.

 The Food Flasks  come in four different colours, just what you need on the go with your baby or during the school week!