Apple compote for babies is a healthy drink. Especially if you grow your own fruit in the garden in the summer. This drink will provide the baby’s body with vitamins and microelements. The compote will also help to adjust the chair. In this article we will figure out at what age apple compote is allowed for babies. You will find the recipes in this article and you will understand that there is nothing complicated in this process.
Age and proper feeding
It is believed that up to six months a baby can survive entirely on breast milk. This applies to children who have enough breast milk and are breastfed. It is also important that the mother gives the baby breasts on demand. If a child is fed by the hour or supplemented with formula, then the baby simply needs clean water.
Previously, pediatricians advised giving children compotes and juices starting from three months. Today, the norms of pediatrics have changed. Now any complementary foods should be introduced no earlier than 6 months. Apple compote can be introduced into a baby's diet at the age of 6 months to a year.
How to choose suitable dried fruits?
For dried fruit compote that a baby will drink, it is important to choose natural and high-quality ingredients. It is unacceptable for a small child to cook compote from a product containing flavorings, preservatives or dyes. So you need to buy dried fruits from a trusted seller, or it is better to prepare dried fruits yourself.
Dried fruits that will go into your baby’s compote should not have any defects or mold damage. When choosing dried apples or pears, make sure that such raw materials for children's compote are not overdried. You should dry apples and pears for compote yourself, not in the oven, but in the air.
When buying dried apricots for your little ones, choose dried apricots that are firm to the touch and dull in color and have no spots. Do not buy soft and bright fruits for your child, as they are treated with chemicals to make them look more presentable.
Remember that dried fruits should not be stored in plastic or glass containers. It is best to put such fruits in linen bags that will lie in a dark and dry place.
For older children, you can cook compote from any fruit that does not cause allergies or other side effects
The benefits of apples
An apple is a fruit that is 80% water, or more precisely, a liquid rich in vitamins and minerals. The pulp of the fruit contains pectins, which have a good effect on the baby's stool. Apple increases appetite and promotes proper digestion. It has a choleretic and mild laxative effect.
The fruit is included in the menu for problems with the kidneys, liver, and obesity. It heals the microflora in the intestines. Increases iron levels in the blood. For colds such as laryngitis, tracheitis, when hoarseness appears in the voice, warm apple compote is indicated. It relieves spasm of the vocal cords.
Apple compote for a baby who has trouble sleeping can become a mild sleeping pill. The fact is that these fruits are high in vitamin B6. They are also rich in potassium and magnesium. All these substances have a positive effect on the nervous system and promote healthy, sound sleep.
Apple lowers blood sugar levels, eases breathing and promotes general relaxation. In addition, scientists have found that people who consume this fruit daily are less likely to suffer from heart disease.
Most pediatricians advise giving children freshly squeezed diluted fruit juices until they are one year old. Apple compote for babies is no worse if the fruit is not subjected to intense heat treatment. This drink contains no less vitamins, but the liquid is more tolerant to children's stomachs. Compote does not contain fruit acids, which can cause trouble. You will learn below how to properly brew a healthy drink for your baby.
What is the benefit of apple compote for babies and when to introduce it into a child’s diet?
Hello, dear readers! Together with you, I continue to monitor the growth and development of your little ones, treat their illnesses, solve their small (and not so small) problems, give you advice, support you and reassure you in your fears and worries. I’ve already told you so many useful things! Today I have equally useful information: we will discuss apple compote for babies. What will he give to the baby, when can he be introduced to this type of drinking, etc.
Many mothers doubt whether they should give their baby such a drink if he already drinks mother’s milk, juices (water, tea...)? For me, there is no need to doubt it, it’s worth giving such a drink to a baby! Here are a few reasons why:
- Compote contains many vitamins necessary for a small organism;
- It helps strengthen the immune system;
- It has a beneficial effect on digestion in those children who experience problems with bowel movements (especially if prunes, raisins or dried apricots are added to apples);
- If you prepare a compote with pulp, it will become an additional source of fiber for the toddler’s digestion;
- In case of fever, diarrhea or extreme heat, compote can be an excellent alternative to plain water to replenish moisture lost by a small organism. After all, not all children like to drink plain water. The compote here serves as such an unobtrusive “yummy”. Especially if you lightly “season” it with a pinch of fructose (such “fruit sugar” in powder, which can be bought at any pharmacy, we will return to it later).
So when can you give your toddler such a drink? In general, pediatricians recommend introducing compotes into a baby’s diet only after he has tried juices and purees from fresh apples and other fruits. That is, not earlier than the baby turns 6 months old.
It is better to start with apples because this is the least allergenic fruit that grows in our area (doctors are against starting complementary feeding with mangoes and other exotics that are alien to the baby’s digestive system). They begin to introduce new food as usual, little by little - from half a teaspoon, gradually increasing the volume if the baby likes the drink.
What kind of apples and how to cook compote for a baby? It's better to adapt to the season. That is, if you turn six months old in the summer or autumn, give preference to fresh apples, preferably “local” ones, which did not endure a long journey and were not treated for long-term storage with any chemical filth. I think you can tell the difference between normal fruit and one loaded with preservatives.
Well, if you start with compote in winter or early spring, when fresh apples have already lost most of their nutrients, stop at dried fruits. Then pay attention that they also do not look too “appetizing” - polished, selected, shiny. Such dried fruits are also treated with all sorts of compounds to improve their appearance so that they can be bought faster. It is better to buy “dried” apples at the grandmother’s market, choosing those that have been dried in the sun, not in the oven, and those that are not too dry - they will taste bitter.
There is nothing complicated in preparing a healthy drink for babies:
- Take one medium-sized green apple (greens are less allergenic if your pet is prone to such reactions) and wash it thoroughly, rinsing it several times.
- Cut the fruit into small pieces, after cutting out the core with seeds (there is no need to peel the peel, it contains a lot of useful substances).
- Dip the pieces into clean (preferably filtered) water - you'll need a glass - and put it on the fire.
- After boiling, the apple should boil for no more than half a minute. After this, the compote needs to be turned off and covered with a lid for about an hour so that the apple slices give all the benefits to the water. With this method of preparation, the maximum amount of vitamins will be preserved in the broth.
- Let the drink cool and you can treat your little one.
- If you decide to make compote with pulp, then after it has steeped, first chop the slices of boiled apples in a blender, then add the remaining liquid. This drink is also filling.
You will have to tinker a little with dried fruits, because all the moisture has been removed from them, they are quite hard, and in order to get to all the useful things, the dry pulp needs to be thoroughly softened. But there is nothing tricky about this either:
- Take a handful of dried apple fruits (about 20 grams), rinse thoroughly (you can use a special brush). Make sure that the slices are not too stale, wormy or blackened. Rinse several times to make sure everything is clean.
- Then soak the dried apple pieces in warm water for 20-30 minutes so that they swell properly.
- Pour a glass of water (250 ml) into an enamel saucepan, put the drying agent in it and bring it to a boil.
- You will have to boil dried apple fruits for 15-20 minutes so that all the benefits from them are transferred into the decoction.
- Next, let the broth brew in the same way for about 40 minutes. Bon appetit to your baby!
By the way, I want to return to the issue of sweetening baby food, which we have already touched upon. It is extremely undesirable to add sugar, and even more so honey, to food for infants. The first product is completely refined, the second is considered natural and healthy. But at the same time, both of them are terribly allergenic.
So if your baby has a pronounced sweet tooth, sweeten his porridge and compotes with a small amount of fructose. It can be taken even by children who are allergic to regular sugar.
To prevent your baby from getting bored with the compote, you can add other seasonal fruits or berries to it. But at the same time, take into account, for example, the following nuances:
- - strawberries or raspberries can cause allergies;
- - dried apricots, raisins and prunes, as well as fresh plums and apricots, have a laxative effect, so it is useful to add them to compotes for children suffering from constipation. This is especially true for artificial babies - their food is in any case more coarse and difficult to digest than mother’s milk;
- - after eating compote, for example, with prunes or black currants, the baby’s stool may turn dark, this is normal;
- - You can give pears to babies, but this should be done very limitedly, since it happens that this fruit has a strengthening effect on the small, still fragile intestines. Therefore, compote with pears can be introduced into a toddler’s diet no earlier than 7 months: carefully and gradually, monitoring the baby’s condition.
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Which apples to choose?
Preferably, of course, homemade. These fruits can be used whole for cooking compote or making baby puree. Do not remove the peel or throw away the seeds. They contain the maximum amount of vitamins and microelements.
However, if there is no opportunity to eat homemade fruits, then store-bought or purchased at the market will do. When cooking, the peel of such apples is cut off, since it is usually treated with special compounds to ensure that the product is stored longer.
If you are choosing apples for your baby in winter, then pay attention to Antonovka. This variety retains its beneficial properties better than others. Many may be confused by the fact that the fruit is quite sour. This indicates a high content of vitamin C. If necessary, you can sweeten the Antonovka compote quite a bit.
What is the recipe for compote for kids made from fresh apples?
There is nothing complicated in preparing a healthy drink for babies:
- Take one medium-sized green apple (greens are less allergenic if your pet is prone to such reactions) and wash it thoroughly, rinsing it several times.
- Cut the fruit into small pieces, after cutting out the core with seeds (there is no need to peel the peel, it contains a lot of useful substances).
- Dip the pieces into clean (preferably filtered) water - you'll need a glass - and put it on the fire.
- After boiling, the apple should boil for no more than half a minute. After this, the compote needs to be turned off and covered with a lid for about an hour so that the apple slices give all the benefits to the water. With this method of preparation, the maximum amount of vitamins will be preserved in the broth.
- Let the drink cool and you can treat your little one.
- If you decide to make compote with pulp, then after it has steeped, first chop the slices of boiled apples in a blender, then add the remaining liquid. This drink is also filling.
Features of using compote
Apple compote, like any other complementary food, should be introduced gradually. At first, dilute the drink with boiled water. When the child’s body gets used to it, it will be possible not to add excess liquid.
The baby should be given compote between meals to quench thirst. But doctors do not recommend drinking any liquid while eating. Drinks reduce the concentration of gastric juice and digestive problems begin. If the child is not used to the bottle and does not suck the pacifier, then the compote can be given from a spoon or small cup.
How to give a baby compote
- The first time you can give compote to a baby is at 6-7 months of age. Dilute the drink with boiled water (one part compote – two parts water). Start feeding your baby with a few teaspoons. Then gradually reduce the concentration of water and increase the dosage;
- Give the drink only warm. Hot juice or compote can burn the intestines, and cold juice will not bring as much benefit as warm juice;
- For the first two weeks after introducing compote, give drinks from the same fruit. It’s better to start with a dry apple or pear. Then you can add dried apricots, prunes and raisins;
- It is better to give mixed drinks from several dried fruits to a baby no earlier than 10-11 months. In this case, you need to cook from ingredients that are already included in the diet;
- When introducing a new product, carefully monitor your baby's reaction so that food allergies do not appear. If you experience symptoms of allergy or poisoning, deterioration in health, or digestive problems, immediately eliminate the drink from your diet and contact your pediatrician;
- If you discover an allergy or poisoning, do not give your child medications without consulting a doctor!;
- If the reaction is normal, compote can be given to the baby no more than once a day. The maximum daily norm is 180 ml;
- Choose your dried fruits carefully before cooking. They should be a natural, not too bright color. It is better to take packaged rather than loose products. Better yet, dry fruits at home;
- Do not buy ready-made compotes and juices, but prepare them yourself. Store-bought products often contain preservative E202 and other harmful substances that are dangerous for an infant;
- Before cooking, carefully select, wash and soak dried fruits for a while;
- For each drink, it is better to brew a new compote, so take a small amount of dried fruit for cooking.
Cooking fresh apple compote for babies
This drink is prepared in minutes. If you buy apples at a market or in a supermarket, then choose the most inconspicuous fruits. If you see slight damage or wormholes on them, then this is very good. Such flaws indicate that the fruit was not treated with chemicals. Glossy large apples, just like in the picture, are also smooth to the touch, as if smeared with wax, most likely, they were treated with special means for their storage and transportation.
To prepare one small portion you will need: a glass of water and 1 apple. The fruit must be washed well. Peel the skin (if purchased from the market). Remove the core. Place the cut apple in a saucepan and add 250 g of cold, clean water. The liquid should boil.
After boiling, boil the fruit for another 30 seconds. We do not put sugar in drinks for young children. If there is a need to sweeten very sour fruits, it is better to add fructose. Do you know for sure that your child is not allergic to honey? Then you can replace it with a natural beekeeping product. Honey also needs to be chosen carefully, because it may contain chemical impurities. It is advisable to purchase honey from familiar beekeepers.
Leave the drink to cool. Let the pieces of fruit infuse and release all their beneficial substances. If your child suffers from constipation, then you can help him with this beneficial liquid. Remove the slices and puree them using a blender.
If you don’t have such a unit in your kitchen, then a regular sieve will do. Place fruit slices in it and rub with a spoon. Mix the resulting pulp with liquid. This drink is rich in pectins, which will help the child empty his intestines easily. In addition, eating fruit pulp is a prevention of dysbacteriosis.
Benefit
- The drink, which is made from dried fruits, contains a large dose of vitamins. In particular, it contains B vitamins, as well as vitamin A.
- There are a lot of minerals in this compote. Dried fruit compote can serve as a source of sodium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium.
- Eating dried fruit compote helps strengthen the immune system.
- If such a compote contains prunes, the drink will help with constipation.
- Compotes are a source of additional liquid for a small child in hot weather.
- Thanks to the fructose content, the compote will be sweet and will be a source of energy for the baby.
- The use of dried fruit compote is recommended for diarrhea and vomiting, as one of the sources of replenishing lost fluid and minerals.
Compote of their dried apples for babies
When the baby is one year old, you can start making compote from dried apples. Your baby should love this fragrant drink. There is no need to add sugar during cooking. These fruits contain quite a bit of natural sweetness. In addition, the child’s body is not yet accustomed to eating sweets. The later such addiction occurs, the better for the child’s health.
How to properly prepare compote for babies
The preparation of dried fruits is of great importance during cooking. The ingredients are thoroughly washed, and stalks, leaves and other debris are removed. Then soak for 10-20 minutes in hot water and then rinse again in clean water.
Dried fruits are placed only in boiling water. For two liters take 0.5 kg of products. Frozen foods are not defrosted, but added directly to a pan of water. When cooking, do not use spices and use a minimal amount of sugar. A large amount negatively affects weight and digestive function, the condition of the blood and teeth. Sugar provokes diabetes and diathesis. Until one year, it is better not to use sugar at all or replace it with fructose.
It is important not to overcook the compote, otherwise the dried fruits will lose their beneficial properties and vitamins. How long to cook dried fruit compote depends on the type of product. After soaking, dried apples and pears are cooked for 30 minutes; the rest of the fruits need only be cooked for 15-20 minutes. For more information about the properties and preparation of each type of dried fruit, see.
When the dried fruits are cooked, remove the compote from the heat, cover the pan with a towel and leave for an hour. The ingredients will steam completely, and the drink will acquire a pleasant aroma. Many people add a slice of orange or lemon when cooking. Pediatricians do not recommend doing this, since citrus fruits are the most allergenic and dangerous for babies. Next, we offer a step-by-step recipe on how to cook dried fruit compote.
Recipe
Don’t know how to cook dried apple compote for babies? It's easy to do. Below is a step-by-step recipe for apple compote for babies. Before cooking, you should prepare the ingredients. Pour clean cold water over the fruit mixture and let it brew for at least half an hour (more is possible). During this time, all debris and dust will sink to the bottom, and the fruits will swell. Boil a glass of clean water in a small container. At the point of boiling, pour the fruit into the liquid. Dried apple compote takes 20 minutes to prepare.
Cooking recipes
Traditional method: take a medium-sized apple and wash it. Peel it from the peel and seeds, fill it with boiled water - about two glasses. Boil over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Add fructose - sugar can cause bloating, and honey is contraindicated for infants.
For children's compote, it is better to choose green apples, since such fruits should not cause allergies in the child
Try brewing a drink in a thermos:
The drink should not be hot. Before offering the drink to your baby, cool to room temperature and strain.
Compote in a thermos
There is another option for preparing apple compote for babies. Try both recipes and eventually decide which one is more convenient for you.
Pour a handful of drying powder into a thermos. Pour boiling water over the dried fruit and close the container. Leave the liquid to infuse overnight. In the morning, dried apple compote for babies will be completely ready for consumption. This heat treatment option is more preferable, since more vitamins are retained in dried fruits. But you should prepare this recipe only from clean drying, preferably at home. After all, the boiling process is omitted here, which means that pathogenic microflora may remain.
We have already figured out how to cook apple compote for babies. In addition to drinks made from fresh and dried apples, it is useful for children to give uzvars made from prunes and raisins. Such compotes can be offered to babies closer to one year.
The benefits of compote
There is almost no vitamin C in the drink - it was destroyed due to heat treatment. However, other vitamins, pectins, minerals, antioxidants, and the same fiber remain.
In winter and spring, there are practically no useful substances left in apples, so it is better to replace them with dried fruits and make a decoction of them. It’s good if they are dried not in the oven, but in the air, in the shade. Then there are more vitamins left in them, and the fruits will not dry out. Over-dried dried fruits give a bitter taste, which is unlikely to please the baby. You should drink compote made from dried fruits in the same volume as from fresh fruits. However, there are situations when drinking a lot is especially necessary, for example, in extreme heat or when a child is sick.
At this time, compote instead of water is given only to those children who are already accustomed to it. Then they will not refuse to drink it.
Step-by-step recommendations
Pour a handful of raisins, dried apricots and prunes (200 g) with cold water. Let the fruits brew for half an hour. Drain the water. Now wash the softened dried fruits thoroughly. Dust may still remain on their surface, since the fruits are very sweet and attract it like a magnet.
Pour dried apricots and prunes into a saucepan and fill with hot water. If you give your child sugar, then at this stage you need to pour it into the container where the compote will be cooked. Raisins should be added last, when the water boils. Boil the fruits for 20 minutes. This drink should be diluted in a 2:1 ratio before giving to the child. If you see sediment in the drink, then the liquid needs to be strained.
Now you know how to cook apple compote for babies. Kids will definitely love this tasty and aromatic drink. This liquid is also useful for nursing mothers. All vitamins and microelements will enter the baby’s body along with breast milk.
What kind of compotes can you cook?
Now that you know at what age you can give your toddler compote, let’s look at the possible range.
First of all, apple ones. This is the best option for a baby. The first compote for a child under one year old should be made from green apples to prevent allergic rashes or diathesis.
Fruit decoctions from pears, quinces, and apricots are good. They are aromatic and very tasty. Children drink them with great pleasure.
You need to be careful with plums, as they are very weak, so plum compote for babies can cause digestive upset.
Dried fruit compote is also very useful for an infant. Just no exotics! Use the standard set - the same apples, pears, dried apricots, prunes, raisins. In this case, you first need to brew the so-called monocompote, that is, a drink based on one type of dried fruit (berries). And only when you are sure that none of the components causes allergies, you can safely brew compote from a set of dried fruits.
Many mothers believe that the healthiest thing is berry compote. Indeed, berry decoctions are rich in vitamins, including vitamin C. But cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants, cherry plums, and cranberries are strong allergens for the infant’s fragile digestive system. Therefore, in order not to provoke hives, it is better to cook berry compotes for a child aged one and a half to two years.
Best Recipes
- From dried apples:
Take 100 g of dried apples per liter of water. Rinse the raw materials well and soak in warm water so that the apples swell slightly. Cook the compote over low heat for 25-30 minutes and cool. There is no need to add sugar to this drink. - From dried apricots:
Take about 100 g of dried apricots for compote from one liter of water. Rinse the dried fruits and let them soak in water for 5 minutes, then cut into quarters, place in boiling water and boil for 15 minutes. - From raisins:
Take 2 tablespoons of raisins, rinse and pour a liter of boiling water. Leave overnight or boil for ten minutes and strain after cooling. - From prunes:
Wash several prunes and cut into halves. When the water boils, add the prunes to the pan and let them simmer for about 10 minutes. This drink needs to be steeped for 30 minutes, after which it will be strained and can be given to the baby. - From a mixture of dried fruits:
After washing a few pieces of dried apricots and prunes, as well as some raisins, soak the fruit in water for a more thorough cleaning. Place the raw materials in a pan of boiling water. You need to cook this compote for about 15 minutes. - From dried and fresh fruits:
Take dried apricots, several prunes, as well as sliced fresh pear and apple. After peeling and washing the fruits, place them in boiling water, then cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Leaving the drink for 1 hour, then you need to strain it and give it to the baby.
How to properly prepare dried fruit compote, see the “Eating at Home” program at the culinary school.
- Cook compote for your baby without adding sugar. If you want to sweeten the drink, you can use fructose or grape sugar.
- For compote intended for a child, use only clean filtered water. The best choice would be special purified water for baby food.
- It is best to cook fresh compote for your baby every day. The prepared drink should not be stored for longer than a day, as the beneficial substances in it will be destroyed. In this case, the compote should be kept in the refrigerator, especially if it contains raisins.
However, it is worth remembering that the needs of all children are individual, and in some cases giving a child something to drink is simply necessary. Such cases include fever in the baby and hot weather. If your child has diarrhea, triple the amount of fluid they drink to avoid dehydration. When mixed and artificial feeding, it is necessary to give the baby water.
In the first month of life, only well-filtered boiled water at room temperature can be offered to the baby as a drink. If the baby refuses to drink, it is permissible to use a 5% glucose solution as a sweetener.
Starting from the age of one month, the child can be offered herbal tea made from chamomile or fennel. When purchasing them, it is better to give preference to special children's teas, which are widely represented on the baby food market. A three-month-old baby can try mono-component juice from green apples or pears. After this, peach and apricot juices are gradually introduced.
You can start giving a six-month-old baby homemade compotes.
Below are recipes for compotes for babies that will help young mothers diversify their baby’s diet with healthy and tasty drinks.
To prepare compote from dried apples
you need a handful of dried apples, fructose and water. Fructose is a natural fruit sugar that can be purchased at any pharmacy or supermarket. Apples must be soaked in warm water. After a few minutes, they will swell and the debris stuck to them will come off. Thoroughly washed apples are placed in boiling water, covered with a lid and cooked for about 15 minutes. After this, turn off the heat and let the compote brew a little. The finished compote should be strained through a fine strainer. You can add a little fructose to the cooled drink.
Prune compote
- a healthy drink that is especially suitable for infants prone to constipation. To prepare the drink you need several berries. Cut the thoroughly washed prunes into 2 halves, throw them into boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes. Then cover with a lid, let it brew and strain through a strainer. Prune compote is quite sweet, so you should not add fructose to it.
You can treat your baby to a compote of assorted dried fruits
. It is prepared like the above compotes.
In addition to dried fruits, compotes for children aged 6 months to 1 year may include fresh fruits and berries
. All compote ingredients are thoroughly washed, the fruit is cut into small pieces (the berries are placed whole), thrown into boiling water and cooked for about 10 minutes. The prepared compote is covered with a lid, allowed to brew, then filtered and, if necessary, sweetened with fructose or honey.
To prepare compotes, it is better to use seasonal fruits and berries that ripen in the area where the baby lives - apples, pears, black currants, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, and so on. You should avoid using exotic fruits and berries for making compotes - pineapple, mango, papaya and others.
Young mothers should not forget that any new product can cause an allergic reaction in the child, so complementary foods should be introduced in small doses, starting with half a teaspoon. The break between taking new products should be several days. If a child has a fever or is not feeling well, the introduction of new dishes, including compotes, should be delayed until the baby has fully recovered.
Although the most beneficial food for babies is mother's milk, nevertheless, it is still necessary to give the baby additional other drinks. Breast milk supplies the child's body with all the necessary substances that allow the baby to grow and develop. But if the summer is dry, the room is hot, or the baby has some difficulties with digestion, then it would be quite appropriate to cook a compote of dried fruits for the baby; such a drink can replace both fruit juices and even water.
A quarter of a century ago, the World Health Organization established rules according to which a baby should not be given any drink at all in the first four weeks of his life - only mother's milk. Although this product consists of 88% water, its energy value is nevertheless very high.
Breast milk for a baby is not so much a drink as it is food. But after 28 days, the newborn begins to need more fluid. And then we have to solve the issue of new drinks.
The rules here are:
- For the entire first month, the baby is fed exclusively with breast milk; no drinks should be given.
- Over the next month, you can start giving your child water, which must be filtered and boiled.
- In the third month, it is permissible to introduce tea into his diet, which can be prepared from chamomile or fennel.
- Weakly concentrated juices, made first from apples and later from pears or peaches, are introduced from the fourth month.
- When the child is six months old, it is the turn of light compotes.
