Chicken is an essential part of every growing toddler's diet. I thought that the Gerber Graduates Lil' Chicken Sticks would be a good way to introduce chicken to my son. I was very wrong. He does not like these meat sticks at all. When I opened the jar, the first thing I noticed was the strong smell of these chicken sticks. At first, I thought that the jar might have been rancid so I opened a second jar and the same odor was present. I realized that this was just the smell that was part of this product. I took one of the chicken sticks out of the jar and cut it up for my son. My toddler started gagging before he even ate one of these chicken sticks. He did pick up a piece of chicken, tried it, and spit it right back out. He did not like the texture or the flavor of this product. I did not try this product myself but the smell alone was enough to let me know that it would not be something I would like either. This Gerber product is not one of would recommend for older babies or toddlers.

bedazzler350

USA

When my daughter went from eating baby food to eating solid foods Gerber Graduates Lil' Sticks-Chicken were one of her favorites. They were one of mine to. They were affordable for a single parent like me and they were so accessible. The thing I didn't care for was the packaging of these sticks in a baby food jar. They weren't very easy for me to get out with my adult hands. Now for my daughter she easily got them out with her child hands. It was okay it just made it a little less convenient when we were out somewhere and I wanted to give her a quick snack. These are not to good for travel. But overall my daughter loved these Gerber Graduates Lil' Sticks- Chicken. Quality of Ingredients The ingredients in this product were great for my baby. They were not high in salt or sugar like the regular brands. They were healthy and non-harming to my baby. She loved the chicken flavor. Safety My daughter had a bad stomach and would easily get sick after eating certain foods, but these sticks were so gentle to her stomach she could enjoy eating them and keeping them down.

Momintx

USA

At first glance these are very reminiscent of Vienna Sausages but don't let that be the reason you avoid letting them be a part of your little ones diet. I assure you that they have much much better ingredients than Vienna sausages and thankfully both smell and taste better. The sausage shape is easy for older babies and toddlers to grip and feed themselves. Since they are a Gerber product they are from a brand that I trust I know that the ingredients are of good quality. I wish Gerber would sell them in varying sized packages. Some babies eat more than others and for a couple that I have fed these too I have noticed that are wanting more when the jars empty. Overall this is a product that I feel comfortable feeding the children in my care, not on a daily basis but they are good enough for an addition to a lunch or to keep in the diaper bag for feedings when out and about.

ifish42

USA

My son likes food, plain and simple. People think he does not like to eat because he does not eat very much at meals. At breakfast, lunch, or dinner, he will take a few bites of each serving, drink his beverage, and then be off running to the next activity. A few hours later he will have a few bites of a snack, then an hour or so bites of his meal, and so on, etc. He just nibbles throughout the day. But, boy does he love food. His eyes light up when he sees his favorite dishes. He absolutely loves pizza, pasta, green beans, peas, chocolate, and carrots just to name a few. However, I am a working parent and do not have a lot of time on the weekdays to make meals for us. So a few times a month I feed him Gerber graduate meals. he especially loves the vegetables and pastas placed together. He is not a big meat eater, but I thought I would buy the Gerber graduates Lil' Chicken Sticks so he could try. He took one bite and then placed it down. I then tried one. I realized it is just like a vienna sausage that you can buy for a very low price in those small cans. Hence, why should one pay a much higher price for Gerber Graduates when one can just buy approximately three cans of little vienna sausages for the same price? That seems pretty silly to me to buy the Gerber brand. However, my son did not like it. yet, I could see other children liking the taste because it was meaty and they would be able to chew it. But I would not pay that price.

mjorsn

Alton, IL

We bought them, gave them a chance but hated them.  First, they are extremely stinky.  My thought is that if I am gagging by the smell, how can I expect my daughter to eat them?  Second, they are expensive.   the smell is similar to wet cat food

crazyeasyjoy

Canton, MI

I felt like my son was ready for a heartier meal that just jarred baby food so I decided to buy the **Gerber Graduates Lil' Sticks** for him.  They sell chicken, [chicken & carrot][1] , turkey and meat.  Meat is made up of beef, pork & turkey.  I bought the chicken variety. The chicken sticks are very soft and can be mashed if necessary.  When my son got his first bite, he wasn't sure what to do with a solid object in his mouth instead of mush.  He pulled faces and cracked me up laughing.  I am sure it had nothing to do with the chicken sticks themselves and everything to do with the texture of them.  I tried a bite of one to know what I am feeding my son and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.  After all, these are little meat sticks packed in a jar with water - it could be scary!  They seem a little salty and mushy, but my son eats them, so that good. **Ingredients**: ground chicken, water, whey protein concentrate, salt, canola oil, sugar, natural flavor, onion and garlic powders, caramel color. **Features**:  - 2.5 oz jar includes 7-8 meat sticks - No preservatives - No artificial flavors or colors **The Scoop!** I would rather buy an organic meat stick for my son but I can't seem to find any. Since Gerber Graduates are the only meat sticks I can find besides the ones with the potted meat and Spam in the grocery isle, I guess I will have to stick with them.  Hopefully Earth's Best will come out with some soon. [1]: http://www.viewpoints.com/review/edit/Gerber-Graduates-Lil-Sticks-Chicken-amp-Carrot-review-48d57

this2shallpass19

Camp Lejeune, NC