Discover Biostime Toddler with Nicola Cross
Rosie was just shy of 15 months when we started exploring Toddler Milk Drinks. With so many options for fussy toddlers I wasn’t sure what step to take next and so many conflicting views and opinions on the internet, in books and amongst friends. Rosie rarely took a bottle and she was yet to try cow’s milk.
Just as Rosie began to explore solid foods, an opportunity arose to travel to France with Biostime Toddler. How’s the timing!? The trip would last for 4 days where I would explore the picturesque regions of France and delve further into the importance of the Normandy region in Biostime SN-2 BIO PLUS Premium Organic Toddler Milk Drink. I was eager to come along and before I knew it I was eating croissants at a buffet breakfast in my favourite elastic pants.
We started off the trip at Biostime Toddler head office which had an indoor plant selection better than a greenhouse, a balcony with a view of the Eiffel Tower and catering which included mud cake that came in a cute reusable jar. Chocolate cake is usually a foolproof way to win me over, but I wanted to be stronger than this, I was there on a mission to learn about the Biostime SN-2 BIO PLUS Premium Organic Toddler Milk Drink product and no cake-coma was going to blur my judgment. We went off to the boardroom where the lovely French Biostime Toddler Team gave a warm welcome and briefed us about the week ahead. There was a mention of cuddling cows and that was where my excitement rose.
We took a bus through the jaw dropping French countryside pit stopping to try local cheese and cider, although we were learning about a toddler milk drink a bit of adult drinking never hurt nobody, am I right?
The next day we were invited to see the factory where the Biostime SN-2 BIO PLUS Premium Organic Toddler Milk Drink is produced. I would describe it as the most pristine and thorough building I have ever entered. We were stripped of jewellery and phones and given speciality suits and hairnets to prevent any contamination entering the building. I have never washed my hands so much and that’s saying a lot as a mum of a mud loving toddler who still insists on having a white couch. I was pretty mind blown by the systematic technology but it was the passion of the factory employees about childhood nutrition that I was more impressed by. We were given a behind the scenes look of how the toddler milk drink begins from the finest nutrient rich pastures to the regions unique specialised Normande cows to where journey ends with the final seal of the tin and there was no question they could not answer confidently and more importantly, sincerely.
The following morning, we were handed gumboots, which is code for FUN FARM DAY. One of the local farmers of Normandy had invited us to his home to meet his lovely moo-ing ladies. Upon entering the picturesque gates, we were greeted with the warmest smile I ever did see on the face of a very proud farmer, Pierre standing alongside his sons. With the help of a translator we were given a tour of his organic farm. The grass is watered by the rain and fertilised by the cow’s own manure, using only what the land provides him. Normandy has an amazing ecosystem and climate for dairy cows, and this creates some of the finest nutrient rich pastures for cows to graze on.
On our final day we were off to learn about probiotics. Prior to this trip I had never taken a probiotic, or a daily vitamin for that matter. I was always of the belief that barefoot walking; a daily serving of spinach and a Tim Tam would keep my wellbeing in top condition— how wrong I was. It was here that I was introduced to the importance of your microbiome. A scientific slideshow is not usually a topic to captivate me and while I admit my mind did wander back to that mud cake from day one, I can truly say it was not only interesting and informative but has definitely impacted the way I now live.
My week in France with Biostime Toddler will go down as a true travel highlight. I was taken to see places I never would had ventured to, I met people from all over the world, I tried a range of incredible (often cheesy) foods and the friendships made were just the cherry on top. Biostime Toddler is leading in children’s nutrition and through science and nature they have created a toddler milk drink product that is rich in integrity. The co-op of family run farms comes together to form an organic team where each member is valued and passionate about their area of expertise. I am not one to plug too many things, but I can honestly say I am aligned with a company I truly back. Thanks for having me, thanks for teaching me and thanks in advanced for the mud cake recipe!
Click here to learn more about our Organic Dairy Farms, located in the heart of Normandy, France.
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*To be consumed as part of a healthy and varied diet when energy and nutrient intakes may be inadequate. Nicola Cross is a paid ambassador.