Do I Need To Make All my Baby’s Food From Scratch?
My Top Tips For Choosing Baby Jars or Pouches
By Laura Carbery of Hungry Munchkins
Homemade baby food is generally more nutritious and tastier than commercially processed foods if it is fresh and made from whole foods and nothing else. It’s also cheaper to make home cooked food than buying commercially made baby pouches and jars.
But in reality, life can be really busy and we can’t feel guilty or under pressure to cook home made baby food 100% of the time. Baby food pouches can certainly be used occasionally. Just don’t rely on them for every meal.
Here are my tips for choosing baby pouches or jars:
Choose a jar or a pouch with the highest quantity of meat, fish, lentils / beans. Some brands are better than others so read the ingredients list at the back of the pack and choose the one with the highest quantity.
Choose a pouch / jar that is low in sugar - less than 5g of sugar per 100g.
Look to see if the ingredient listed on the front of the pack is the first ingredient listed on the back of the pack. If you’re buying “Carrots, Peas & Pears” it’s likely the pears are the dominant flavour which means the food is higher in free sugars. Marketing of baby foods can be misleading.
Empty the contents of the pouch / jar into a bowl and feed off a spoon. Allowing babies feed directly from the pouch isn’t a good idea for their teeth or oral development. Little ones can also learn very quickly that they only like a particular colour / type of pouch so it’s best to remove brightly coloured food packaging from view.
Go up a stage. Often baby pouches marketed for 7+ have little to no texture. If your baby is 8 months, choose a pouch for 10 months + . This will ensure your baby is eating food with a texture relevant to their weaning stage.
Serve alongside finger foods.
Want to learn more?
Sign up to my Baby Weaning Workshop Today!
Option 1: Purchase & Watch the Baby Weaning Class in your own time.
Option 2: Attend a Live Online Baby Weaning Class with Laura.
Are you starting your baby on solid foods and finding it hard to know where to begin? It can be minefield with so much information out there.
My baby weaning class is designed to lay the foundations for healthy and happy eating. I will provide you with the latest evidence based information and lots of cooking tips to help during this important time.
You will leave the class feeling confident and prepared for feeding your baby from first tastes right up to feeding a toddler. This should be a fun time so I hope I can help you relax and enjoy the experience.
What’s included:
2 - 2.5 hour class with Laura
Detailed PDF Notes with advice, tips and recipes
Meal Planner
Cookery demonstration - showing easily family meals, finger foods and how to adapt meals for baby
Email support after the class
