Baby foods, the time has come for your mini-me to have his/her first taste of your delectable cooking. Just kidding! It's time for baby cereal, or for some parents some vegetables!
Baby Cereal, what's the deal?
Infant cereals are a popular first food for babies. I guarantee that you can walk into any drug store and grocery store and find some infant cereal. Two common kinds are infant rice cereal, and infant oatmeal. Most doctors recommend baby cereal and argue that it is a wholesome, gentle, and easily digestible first food, but due to some recent research in infant cereal (http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/fda-wants-arsenic-limits-baby-rice-cereal-n549361) some articles have surfaced (http://www.foodrenegade.com/why-ditch-infant-cereals/) in hopes to discourage parents from using infant cereals as a first food or a food period to feed infants. Some argue that any amount of arsenic should not be fed to babies whether it's a small amount or not. I am not here to tell you the right or wrong answer but to offer sources and discuss what I currently do with my daughter. I did not introduce rice cereal as a first food, instead I made my own baby food by pureeing some avocado and breast milk. I did end up giving Ella some rice cereal later but it is not a daily food, just something I give a few times a week (by the doctor's recommendation) to increase caloric intake. I use Earth's Best Organic Rice Cereal:
So what is the difference between terms natural and organic? Natural is a label slapped on to many food items as a gimmick to attract healthier shoppers. It would be reasonable to assume that natural products are less processed, and have little to no hormones, right? Wrong, there are no FDA or USDA regulations to control what qualifies as "natural". This misleading labeling is a way for manufacturers to appeal to organic shoppers without following organic standards. The organic food industry is the most heavily regulated industry of all three food industries (regular, natural, and organic). Only organic guarantees no toxic synthetic pesticides, toxic synthetic herbicides, or chemical NPK fertilizers are used in production, and no antibiotics or growth hormones are given to animals (http://www.organicitsworthit.org/natural/natural-vs-organic).
However, many people still trust the FDA and the USDA regulations on food enough to give their infants the regular baby foods and that's okay! It is a parent's choice to choose what brand of food is given. I personally choose to use organic and natural ONLY when necessary (the store is out of the organic flavor, it's late and can't go anywhere else, etc.). I personally feel that if I can't make homemade organic is the best option due to the organic food system's heavy regulations. I personally taste all of my daughter's foods before giving them to her, and I can definitely taste a difference when natural is used versus organic.
I also make Ella's baby food when I can. The basic recipe I have learned (from baby bullet and several other books) is to puree the vegetable/fruit of choosing with 1/4 cup of breastmilk/formula. You puree the food until its smooth and can either refrigerate it from up to a week, or freeze it for a month. It's very important to make sure everything stays very clean when making baby food, it is very easy to taint a batch and risk having your child get exposed to a bacteria from a kitchen counter or cutting board. Stay clean when making baby food! I wash my hands a lot through the process. When in doubt rewash your utensils with hot water and soap.
Below I'm going to share a 4 reviews of my favorite baby foods for Ella.
Plum Organics
Source: http://www.plumorganics.com/products/just-veggies-butternut-squash/
So far Ella eats avocado, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and carrots. Butternut squash is her favorite, but not just any butternut squash! Plum organics has the best tasting butternut squash (mom approves), it has cinnamon which offers a little kick but perfect for developing baby's taste buds. Plum organics is my first choice for it's puree quality (nice and creamy, never chunky) and it's taste (like it was made at home). Their packaging is also non-BPA and child-safe which is nice!
Earth's Best
Source: https://earthsbest.com/en/products/category/infant-foods/jars
Earth's Best has been around for 30 years (1985) and has been advocating for sustainable farming since the company's birth. Their jars are recyclable and easy to clean for your own DIY projects at home. I personally have only been able to purchase some locally once but Ella enjoyed her carrots. Earth's Best also has food pouches too which can be convenient for moms on the go! They also have starter packs which can be helpful when introducing baby's first foods!
Beech-Nut
Source: http://www.beechnut.com/foods/stage-1/
Beech-Nut is a more popular baby food company and it has a "natural" line and a line that is certified organic. I had a horrible experience with the naturals line due to its horrible tasting butternut squash. It did not taste anything like Plum Organic's butternut squash and just tasted watered down. However, Ella does enjoy the organic sweet potatoes and I am interested in obtaining some organic pumpkin for her to try. However the consistency of their purees are very chunky and not as smooth as Plum Organics. Although, this might seem more "natural" to consumers, it's very uncomfortable for a baby to try to swallow for a first food. Beech-Nut is another green company that actually has green buildings!
Gerber Organic
Source: https://www.gerber.com/products/organic#
Gerber has jumped on the bandwagon and now has a growing organic line of over 50 foods. Gerber has been around since 1928 and has been a very successful baby food company overall. The quality is average and the puree is smooth, but for a company that has been around for so long I am disappointed for how long it has taken them to grow organically. That was meant to be a pun and a serious statement.
So here are four different brands of organic baby foods to try!
Hi! Stopping by from Mom Bloggers Club. Great blog!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day!