With simple homemade baby food suggestions, novelty baby meal subscription services, and all the baby food jars and bags that fill the aisles of the grocery store, there are now plenty of healthy and nutritious options to feed your baby. Console! But figuring out which baby food is best for your baby is still a daunting task. If you need help buying baby food from the store, don’t hesitate any longer! Here’s our guide to buying the best store baby food for your child.
How to Choose Store-Bought Baby Food
Unlike infant formula, baby food is not subject to any Special Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. Of course, manufacturers need to follow the rules that govern all food products, but there are currently no baby-specific specifications to follow. (See below for more information.) This means that it’s important to read labels when feeding your baby food that your baby buys from the store.
Baby Food Buying Guide Tip #1: Know About Heavy Metals in Baby Food
It’s scary to read headlines about heavy metals found in store-bought baby food. Thankfully, the Infant Food Safety Act was introduced in Congress in 2021, and the bill requires baby food manufacturers to reduce the amount of certain heavy metals in non-grain foods. At the same time, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has demonstrated that baby food contains low levels of heavy metals. A 2022 study concluded that heavy metals in baby food are unlikely to endanger your baby’s health. Still, no one wants to feed their children with pureed peas and carrots along with mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic!
To reduce your baby’s risk of exposure to too many heavy metals, be sure to provide a variety of foods and avoid giving your baby rice noodles. Not only are rice products usually high in arsenic, but there is practically no need to feed your baby this classic first food. There are many other grains that are low in heavy metals and high in fiber that are better for babies than rice flour, such as barley, quinoa, and oatmeal.
Baby Food Buying Guide Tip #2: Familiarize Yourself with Baby Food Labels
Reading baby food labels is a crucial step in deciding which baby food to buy for your baby. Here are some basics to look out for on each label:
- Check the first ingredient: If you’re looking to buy pumpkin puree, make sure the pumpkin is the first ingredient on the list. All food labels list ingredients in order of content, from highest to least.
- Ditch foods with “masking agents”: When you introduce your baby to new vegetables, choose store-bought baby foods that don’t mask natural flavors and contain a lot of sweet ingredients. For example, studies have shown that dark green vegan baby food is often mixed with fruit to sweeten meals. This ensures that your child won’t actually experience the true taste of the vegetables, which won’t help them choose leafy greens later.
- Whole foods over juice: Make sure you see more whole food ingredients than juice on baby food labels.
- Seek sugar-free: Many foods contain natural sugars, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, added sugars should be avoided. Look for store-bought baby food labeled “no added sugar.” (PST: A 2019 study in the journal Nutrients found that baby food, bagged baby food, was more likely to contain added sugars than canned baby food.)
- Find Stages/Months: Baby food is categorized by stage or month, depending on factors such as the number of ingredients and texture of the baby food. For example, the first stage of baby food is suitable for babies between 4 and 6 months old. These are smooth purees with a single ingredient. Stage 2 is suitable for babies aged 6 to 8 months, is slightly thicker than purees, and contains a variety of flavors. Stage 3 is suitable for older babies and even thicker.
Baby Food Buying Guide Tip #3: Understand Baby Food Terminology
All the abbreviations on baby food cans are a real headache. Here’s how to help with all your problems.
- USDA Organic Certification: The USDA Certified Organic label means that baby food meets specific standards for crop cultivation, additive use, and pest and weed control. In addition, USDA-certified organic baby food must not contain artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors. Currently, no studies have found that organic baby food is more nutritious than non-organic baby food. However, giving your baby organic baby food will reduce their exposure to chemicals and pesticides.
- Non-GMOs: Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are lab-produced living organisms that are genetically altered to allow them to grow faster in a variety of climates. According to the FDA, genetically modified foods undergo careful safety studies before they are sold to the public, and there is no evidence that they can negatively affect your health. You know, if baby food is USDA Organic, then it’s already GMO-free.
- BPA-free: BPA, which stands for Bisphenol A, is a harmful chemical found in plastic packaging that is especially harmful to infants, but this chemical is still used in some food and beverage containers. The FDA has banned the use of BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups for children and children. though
Baby Food Buying Guide Tip #4: Check the Expiration Date
While we often hear that there is wiggle room for the shelf life of food products, there is no wiggle room for baby food, according to the USDA. It’s always a good idea to throw away old, expired baby food. Check the expiration date of baby food in cupboards and stores. Sometimes, stores fail to remove expired baby food from the shelves, which can lead to unexpected purchases. (PS: Cans usually stay fresh longer than bagged food.)
Baby Food Buying Guide Tip #5: Consider the Jar Above the Bag
There are more baby food bags than ever before. Yes, they promote self-feeding, and they’re super portable… But relying solely on baby food bags can cause harm to your baby. Smoking puree through a bag limits your child’s ability to hone the healthy oral motor development needed to eat effectively. On the other hand, spoon feeding helps to strengthen their oral muscles. If you already have a baby food pouch in stock, consider removing the contents and spooning them to your baby, and saving the squeezed ones for separate use when eating out.
Baby Food Buying Guide Tip #6: Eat Store-Bought Baby Food Safely
Well, it’s not about buying baby food, but this advice applies 100% to store-bought baby food: it’s important to avoid feeding your baby directly from the baby food jar. If you save the baby food jar for the next feeding, bacteria in the baby food can grow inside the baby food jar. To reduce the risk of these harmful bacteria, be sure to pour baby food into a separate baby-safe container before spooning it.
Benefits of Store-Bought Baby Food
There are many benefits to making your own baby food, but there are also many benefits to choosing the store-bought way, like…
Store-bought baby food is convenient. Although more expensive than homemade baby food, ready-made baby food can save a lot of time. (No steaming, cutting, or mixing required.) Also, when going to the doctor, on a family road trip, going to the park… Store-bought baby food is easy to pack in a diaper bag before anything!
Store-bought baby food has the right consistency. With store-bought baby food, you don’t need to doubt your mixing and mashing skills afterwards or if the sweet potatoes are smooth enough for your little one. Store-bought baby food always has the right consistency, no matter what stage you buy it in.
Store-bought baby food has a longer shelf life. Another benefit of buying baby food in the store is that it has a longer shelf life and is able to keep it for a long time. It’s helpful to have store-bought baby food on hand, especially in the event of a food-related shortage or emergency.
As with making your own baby food and breastfeeding, none of this needs to be all or nothing! You can choose one of them or you can combine the two. Whatever you choose, your baby is sure to be loved and well fed, so do what’s best for your baby and your family – don’t feel guilty!