Jar baby food: which brand? Any that are better or worse?

[MrsClark24]

Although I intend on making home made food for DD I will carry around a jar of baby food for emergencies!

Anyone got any info on the baby food brands and if any are better or worse?

Thanks!

 

[MrsClark24]

Just found this:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24013437

Maybe il avoid them at all costs!

 

[sue_88]

Yes I would absolutely avoid.

When 'cottage pie' is bright yellow (along with everything else sitting with it ) - surely alarm bells need to be ringing VERY loudly.

 

[Becky61]

In the 4 months my LO has been eating solids, I have given him 4 Ellas Kitchen pouches.

They are 100% organic and contain no added anything.

Although they DO NOT have the nutrients of a home cooked meal, I don't see how one a month can effect his growth and well being.

Just be certain to use it in only emergency situations. My friend uses hers every time she goes out for a meal etc. whereas I don't see this as an emergency. I take home made purees, all pubs/restaurants etc. are obliged to heat up home made purees by setting it in its tupperware in warm water.

x

 

[Indi84]

I like the Ella kitchen ones, and plum baby. My lo has eaten *gasp* hipp jars too ;-) yes he's had lots of home made food too, and he's very happy and healthy.
I don't like the cow and gate ones, and Heinz due to extra ingredients but that's just me.

 

[GracieGoo]

I wouldnt necessarily avoid them at all costs, they can be handy as one offs. I iked the Ellas kitchen with ds, and he loved them. We do blw with dd so she has never had pouches/jars but I dont think they are totally evil once in a while.

They saved our skin a few times when ds would just not eat anything with the teeniest lump in, they are just so pureed its unreal!!

 

[Peggy O]

I read the label. I get ones that are only a single fruit or veg and water. I don't use the mixed up noodle/meat/veg kind or anything like that. We are just using veggies and fruits. I use an equal amount of homemade and jarred. She likes them both now. In the very beginning (started around 7 months old) she preferred jarred, and rejected my home made stuff I was sad. I bought all this stuff to make and store food, and I love to cook. I thought she would hate it forever, but she didn't It was a texture thing I think. She eats home made happily now, even though it is slightly chunkier.

 

[Noodlebear]

Some people only feed their babies jars and they're perfectly healthy. I think the problems start when parents don't bother reading what's actually in them!

 

[cat lover]

Dd cant stand jars and will only eat one or 2 of the heinz pouches. She hates plum and ellas kitchen, its a pita

 

[LDC]

I'm not going to lie, when I started weaning all I used were jars. It was handy for me to know what textures to use as I had no idea and they helped me know when to introduce new textures and lumps etc.

My baby hasn't suffered from having jarred foods, I think people feel the need to justify why they're eating jars and not homemade. Now I feel more confident, I am giving her homemade foods and she tends to eat whatever we're having for dinner.

X

 

[lozzy21]

On the rare occasions we used ready made we used Ella's kitchen pouches. They dident have that strange texture that some others do

 

[summer rain]

I would only use Ella's Kitchen as they seem quite sound both nutritionally and ethically. I am not keen on any of the other major producers of jars/pouches as they are all unethical companies especially when it comes to misleading advice on the right age to start solids, and all they care about is making profit. I would include plum in this sadly as they were giving out very alarming weaning advice on their website saying if babies haven't tried absolutely everything by six months then they would be at risk of allergies and being fussier eaters so it 'makes sense' to start as soon after 17 weeks as possible

https://www.plum-baby.co.uk/our-advice/our-weaning-research/

After reading this crap I never bought any plum products again, we BLW anyway but I used to buy the baby biscuits etc xx

 

[sue_88]

I would only use Ella's Kitchen as they seem quite sound both nutritionally and ethically. I am not keen on any of the other major producers of jars/pouches as they are all unethical companies especially when it comes to misleading advice on the right age to start solids, and all they care about is making profit. I would include plum in this sadly as they were giving out very alarming weaning advice on their website saying if babies haven't tried absolutely everything by six months then they would be at risk of allergies and being fussier eaters so it 'makes sense' to start as soon after 17 weeks as possible

https://www.plum-baby.co.uk/our-advice/our-weaning-research/

After reading this crap I never bought any plum products again, we BLW anyway but I used to buy the baby biscuits etc xx

Wow....if a heap of horse shit was turned into words.....that's the link.

I studied Food Science & Nutrition for 4 years (inc children's nutrition) and articles like that in the public domain make my blood boil

 

[cupcaker]

I'm just wondering this myself. I have been working on weaning for a couple of weeks now. I've made my own food overall (fruit purees and veg purees.... enough in the freezer to feed the five thousand). I use cow and gate porridges and baby rice at the moment.

When I very first started, I tried a bit of fruit with breakfast porridge, I used a Hipp fruit pot, apple and pear. I think I had a mad sense of security that 'Hipp organic' must be better than others. It's stupid. I'm sure it's no better or no worse than others. Anyway, Once I saw that he liked it and could cope with a bit of pureed food, I did my own apple and pear pots. He has since had shop bought fruit pots here and there but the majority have deffo been home made.

I think I am willing to continue occasionally using fruit pots/pouches, but not so sure on anything else...It's more the savoury ones that I'm less keen to try (I dont know why I feel this way). He hasn't had any savoury jars or pots.

I received lots of vouchers pre-weaning through the post, rushed out and spent them on some jars, many of them free..but I now look at them and think ..hmm! I've also been given some from a work colleague, savoury "meals". It's the thought of jars containing meat etc too I find difficult.

I would never look at someone using jarred food though and think they are doing something wrong. It's a personal choice, personal circumstances affect choices too. It's up to the mother and as long as the baby's growing and progressing well each to their own. I've calmed down on these things since I had to formula feed when I wanted to breastfeed. Life goes on and the world didn't end because I no longer breastfed. So much silly pressure, a lot of that pressure put on by myself too.

 

[Peggy O]

So much silly pressure,

I totally agree.

 

[eulmh82]

Personally and this is just me I've never used jars. He's always had our dinners. We eat a healthy diet Abd I wouldn't feed myself jarred meat so I won't feed it my son. That's just my opinion And everybody is entitled to theirs. Ella's kitchen bars we've used as snacks and they seem full of goodness