Hidden Foods at a glance
Hidden Foods Co. makes family pantry staples with pureed vegetables hidden inside, including pancake mixes, slow-cooked pasta sauces and hot cocoa. Its products have no sugar added, with sweetness coming from fruits and vegetables. The brand was founded in Encinitas, California by Kendra Vallone Matthews, a former professional golfer and mom of picky eaters.
- Founded by
- Kendra Vallone Matthews
- Based in
- Encinitas, CA
- Known for
- Pancake mixes and pasta sauces with hidden vegetables and no sugar added
- Key ingredients
- Pureed vegetables like spinach, beets, carrots and kidney beans; monk fruit
- Flavors
- Homestyle and Blueberry pancake mix, Slow Cooked Italian Marinara
- Pack size
- 2-packs, from $15.99
Our take
“At LMGF, we think Hidden Foods works best when it is framed as a smart, modern family food brand rather than just a hidden veggies novelty. The real value is the mix of convenience, kid appeal, and nutrition-forward formulation, all wrapped in branding that feels cheerful, accessible, and commercially shelf-ready.”
The LMGF team
Why we love it
Veggies, hidden
Pureed vegetables like spinach, beets and carrots are blended into kid-favorite foods.
No sugar added
Sweetness comes from fruits, vegetables, monk fruit and erythritol, not added sugar.
Built with dietitians
Recipes were developed with pediatric dietitians for growing kids.
Mom-made in California
Started in Kendra Matthews' kitchen in Encinitas for her own picky eaters.
All Hidden Foods(3)
Hidden Foods FAQ
Straight answers to what our community asks most.
What is your natural flavoring and why do you use it?
Some people are scared of the word natural flavoring…and we get it. Sometimes these ingredients have hidden properties (like gluten). But there are a lot of technical ingredients found in nature that really are natural. First off, we use a natural flavoring in our pancake mix to bring out more of a vanilla-ish flavor that provides a little more of a sweet sensation. It’s derived from a beet/potato combo with additional proprietary vegetation ingredients. For those wondering, it DOES not contain gluten so it’s safe for all of our celiac friends out there.
What do you use instead of sugar?
We worked with Pediatric Dietitians to determine the best ingredients for our kid friendly foods. Instead of sugar, we found the magic of Monk Fruit and Erythritol. Monk Fruit was first cultivated by Buddhist Monks in South East Asia in the 13th Century. It has been used for centuries in Eastern medicine as both a cold and digestive aid. Because Monk Fruit is so sweet, it’s usually mixed with another natural sweetener, Erythritol.
What is Erythritol?
A healthier alternative to sugar
Erythritol is naturally found in foods like grapes and watermelon. It’s absorbed quickly by the small intestine and gets it out of your body through urine within 24 hours. This means erythritol doesn't have a chance to "metabolize"—turn into energy in your body.
As a health benefit, Erythritol has no effect on your glucose or insulin levels—unlike other sweeteners like sugar and agave. For decades, it's been a favorite sweetener for those with diabetes. Erythritol also helps inhibit the growth of oral bacteria making it a popular sugar substitute with dentists!
Erythritol is naturally found in foods like grapes and watermelon. It’s absorbed quickly by the small intestine and gets it out of your body through urine within 24 hours. This means erythritol doesn't have a chance to "metabolize"—turn into energy in your body.
As a health benefit, Erythritol has no effect on your glucose or insulin levels—unlike other sweeteners like sugar and agave. For decades, it's been a favorite sweetener for those with diabetes. Erythritol also helps inhibit the growth of oral bacteria making it a popular sugar substitute with dentists!
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