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Teething rusks

Is your little teether chewing on everything in sight? It's time to break out the teething rusks! We tried the top four brands on the market.

Rusks shouldn't be offered to babies until they are at least six months old, and some babies have a hard time figuring out what to do with a rusk at first, as they're a different texture than what they're used to

Babynat Organic Teething Biscuits
$9.50 from www.naturebaby.co.nz
24 rusks (40c per rusk)
Ingredients: Wheat flour, whole egg, cane sugar, wheat starch, baking powder, ammonium hydrogen carbonate (a raising agent), sweet orange essential oil, vitamin B1 (thiamin)
Suitable from: 8 months
Wrapped in: Packs of 4
Made in France, these mildly sweet, slightly orange-flavoured teething rusks look like miniature ladyfingers (you know, the kind of biscuits you use to make a trifle or a tiramisu). They're organic and contain no GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
The good bits: They taste absolutely lovely, and our eight-month-old baby taste-tester didn't hesitate to reach out for another one when the first one was gone. We think they'd be quite nice for grownups with with a cup of tea. Seriously.
The tricky bits: They're not too hard, which isn't really a bad thing, it just means they don't last as long as the traditional hard-as-a-rock teething rusk. They're wrapped in packets of four, which seemed a bit excessive - how many babies are going to eat four rusks in one sitting? - requiring you to wrap up any leftovers.
Bottom line: A delicious organic rusk that parents won't mind snacking on either. They're the priciest of the bunch we tried, but not by much, so worth the few extra cents if you prefer organic.

Baby Mum-Mum Original Premium Rice Rusks
RRP$2.99 from Countdown, Foodtown, and Woolworths throughout New Zealand and selected New World and Pak'nSave in the Auckland area
18 rusks (16c per rusk)
Ingredients: Rice, potato starch, sugar, skim milk powder, salt
Suitable from: 12 months
Wrapped in: Packs of 2
These surfboard-shaped rusks taste like rice crackers, but without the crunchy texture. They're easy for babies to hold, and come in three flavours - Original (which is slightly sweet - tasting like rice bubbles cereal) as well as Organic and Banana, which are launching shortly. They came to New Zealand last year so are the newest rusk on the market.
The good bits: Gluten-free and manufactured in a nut-free environment, these are a perfect option for babies with allergies. They're very light-tasting and aren't as long-lasting as traditional rusks, but are a great snack. The two-packs they're wrapped in are easy to pop into your nappy bag for a snack on the go, and parents won't mind nibbling on them either. You can also crush them and mix them with a tiny bit of milk or water to make a creamy cereal, which you can feed to your baby on a teaspoon.
The tricky bits: They're suitable from 12 months, which means you can't start your baby on them right from the time they start teething.
Bottom line: A great price - they're the least expensive of the rusks we tried - great texture, and a great new entry to the market. Visit www.babymummum.com.au for more information.

Only Organic Teething Rusks
RRP$4.49 from supermarkets
12 rusks (37c per rusk)
Ingredients: Wheat flour, skim milk powder, wheatgerm, yeast, salt, mineral (iron)
Suitable from: 6 months
Wrapped in: Packs of 2
The Kiwi brand Only Organic has really expanded their product range in the last few years, and these rusks are an excellent choice for parents who want to go organic.
The good bits: No added sugar and iron enriched, which is important because recent research has shown Kiwi children to be low in iron. With no added favourings or colourings, they taste a bit like a cracker, but are very hard and won't splinter. Suitable from six months, these are a very good option for parents who want to feed their baby an organic diet.
The tricky bits: The box says, "Discard rusk if broken or chewed." We're pretty sure they're talking about what to do with the rusk once your baby is done with it, because hey, they're meant to be chewed...
Bottom line: A great homegrown brand you can pick up at the supermarket, with certified organic ingredients.

Farex Teething Rusks
RRP$4.15 from supermarkets
12 rusks (35c per rusk)
Ingredients: Wheat flour, wheat germ, skim milk powder, yeast, salt, mineral (iron)
Suitable from: 6 months
Wrapped in: Packs of 2
Classic teething biscuits that will keep your baby busy for ages as they're hard as rocks. They taste a little bit like stale breadsticks, with no added flavourings, so they're nice and neutral for babies whose taste buds aren't accustomed to anything too exotic. They are virtually unbreakable, so excellent to toss into your handbag or nappy bag for a day out. Excellent for soothing teething babies as they can gnaw on them until they get tired - and get some nutrients in there too!
The good bits: The hard texture is meant to encourage chewing, which aids in healthy tooth and gum development. You can offer them from six months, which is the age when you're meant to start offering solids anyway, so will slot in perfectly with your baby's mealtimes. Also they're enriched with iron, which is a bonus.
The tricky bits: The taste and texture are definitely geared toward babies, so parents won't be likely to grab these to snack on. Your little one might find them a challenge to chew, so keep offering them as your child gets older.
Bottom line: Widely available from supermarkets nationwide, they're a classic.