Why do people buy jars?

[beth_terri]

This is a genuine question not to cause drama. But why do some people spend a fortune buying jarred baby food when you can just blend up some veggies or baby led wean and give your baby what you eat?

I spend 70 odd pounds a week on food shopping. No way could I justify then buying a load of jars as well!

 

[weejenb]

Convenience I'd imagine! Plus I also guess some babies will only eat certain foods, and that may be the jars. I'm planning on making food for my son when the time comes, but if we're out and about I don't see the harm in the odd jar. They are extortionate compared to making your own though!

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Maybe its just easier to some, I dont really care what others do tbh.

 

[ellie27]

Dont know either

I have a 3 yr old and a 17 month old and have never bought a jar or any 'baby' food stuffs. There is no need and it is so over-priced for a start. I have been given vouchers for freebies which I have got and somehow lasagne tastes same as chicken casserole which tastes the same as spag bolognese........they are all so bland that I woudnt eat them so I wouldnt offer them to my kids!

I can see how someone could use a couple jars a week for the nights when they are perhaps having a curry and dont want to offer them that and have no time to cook.

I batch cook everything - pastas, soups, casseroles......

 

[becks1981]

I have no idea either. Since I started weaning LO I have always done homemade. However because I had a voucher for a free jar of hipp organic I thought I wud get one to see what it was like. Well I am glad I never paid for it. It was watery and had absolutely no taste whatsoever, and this was the stage 2 jars, so wud have thought it wud have a bit more taste. No offence to anyone who feeds their babies jar food, but I can honestly see why some babies can become fussy eaters when introduced to flavoursome food after being on bland jar food.

 

[Sapphire83]

Definitely convenience. We're currently making our own purées but will introduce jars as well so LO can have those when we're traveling/out and about.

 

[weejenb]

With regards to those who said jars are tasteless - babies have multiple times the amount of tastebuds we have, so it would probably be tastier for them than it is for us

 

[babydust1990]

Beth you drama queen

Convenience I presume. I BLW but add around £5-10 a week on LO's extras (baby crisps, yoghurts, extra fruit ect.) so couldn't imagine buying loads of jars too!

 

[cmarie33]

Convenience. I make lo's food. But last week needed to do a big food shop and needed to blitz some more food for her. I was back at work last week and just didn't have time so I bought a couple of jars. The chocolate pudding is yum!

 

[ellie27]

With regards to those who said jars are tasteless - babies have multiple times the amount of tastebuds we have, so it would probably be tastier for them than it is for us

maybe, but if something tastes crap to me I wouldnt offer it to anyone else!

 

[bbkf]

I get what your saying but someone who buys jars could easily say why on earth would you cook and blend ect when you can buy it already done. I guess it's the same as ready meals for adults instead of cooking your own meal. I don't think it matters either way really as long as baby eats and is happy there not going to care whether It's a jar of blended carrots or ones that you personally peeled and cut and b boiled and blended.

 

[bubbles123]

I do a bit of everything- I batch cook homemade food and freeze it, give her our meals sometimes and she has jars a few times a week. I use the jars for several reasons. Firstly, when out and about they can just be put in your bag with no issues as to storing home made food or finding somewhere to stop that will have food she can have. Secondly, if I'm having a bad day and just do beans on toast or cook something unhealthy/too salty then a jar is a better option for the baby and finally they are good to have in the cupboard as a standby. I offer our meals several times a week but she often refuses them and a jar is a good back up. Last thing is both my son and daughter love Cow and Gate cauliflower cheese so much, far more than any of my homemade versions, that if they are ill or grumpy I know serving them a jar of that mixed with pasta will lead to happy children so it's more than worth 70p!
Jars, like all premade food, have their place.

 

[hulagirl]

I do both. Jar or pouches are handy as lo will eat them cold but not homemade food and depending on where you go some places won't heat up baby food and trying to put a pot of homemade food in a jug of water to heat up is not always practical.

Lo eats mostly the same as us now but I still have to do mushed stuff as our hv was worried about him not putting on weight, as he is so active.
I tend to buy jars etc whenthey are on offer or online as it is mostly cheaper.

 

[Keyval]

It's not convenience for some . I made up a big batch of food myself when lily-Mae started food . It was all dinner I would eat myself just blended but she wouldn't eat any of it so I had to buy pouches . Pouches was a last resort because I couldn't really afford it anyway but I had to feed her. I only now she's started to eat my dinners thank god .so I suppose it's not a choice for some people .

 

[Sapphire83]

Beth you drama queen

Honestly...

 

[helen_beee]

It's personal choice, and I don't really see what it has to do with anyone else, at least baby is being fed! I do a mix of my own purees and finger foods but when we go to family they buy him jars. I know this thread wasn't meant to be judgemental but to me it comes across that way, parents should be able to make choices for their own kids without coming under scrutiny from others, so sad.

 

[Keyval]

It's personal choice, and I don't really see what it has to do with anyone else, at least baby is being fed! I do a mix of my own purees and finger foods but when we go to family they buy him jars. I know this thread wasn't meant to be judgemental but to me it comes across that way, parents should be able to make choices for their own kids without coming under scrutiny from others, so sad.

Yes it does seems a bit judgemental to me too . The only reason I posted was because I felt I nearly had to defend people who do buy pouches or jars because its all their babies eat . Everyone here seems to think we just do it for convienence .people probably do but not everyone I dunno why it matters anyway

 

[candyem]

I reluctantly buy jars but it was kind of a last resort!

I will openly admit to being a bit of a jar snob when LO was tiny. We planned to do BLW, bought the book, both read it and started the week before LO turned 6 months. It initially went well. LO would taste lots of food and knew just what to do. However, he wasn't actually eating anything and was gagging ad making himself sick quite often. We continued as I read this could happen.

At 8 months he still hasn't eaten anything and had totally gone off milk. He was only having 12oz of formula a day (at a push most days!) and was losing weight, so HV recommended spoon feeding with lots of finger foods.

I spent every night for a week preparing foods. I tried starting at the beginning with a single flavour (sweet potatoe, butternut squash, pear etc) but he continued to refuse and gag. I tried making 'meals' (chicken stew, baby pasta) he refused this. At 9 months he lost weight again. I was told to take him weekly to have him weighed as HV/gp was quite concerned. Out of desperation I bought a smooth jar and he ate it first time!

After this he began eating yoghurt too as well as my homemade fruit purées, however he still would eat any of the savoury meals I prepared. I stick to jars for a few weeks, but continued to give him lots of finger foods and homemade mashed foods like avocado ad banana.

Now at almost one he finally tolerates my homemade meals (I think it was the consistency before?) and does well feeding himself lots of finger foods. I still occasionally but jars because that is the only way I know he will eat something while I am at work.

Long story but that is my reasoning behind spending a fortune on jars of baby food.

 

[candyem]

It's not convenience for some . I made up a big batch of food myself when lily-Mae started food . It was all dinner I would eat myself just blended but she wouldn't eat any of it so I had to buy pouches . Pouches was a last resort because I couldn't really afford it anyway but I had to feed her. I only now she's started to eat my dinners thank god .so I suppose it's not a choice for some people .

Same situation

 

[MrsKyliePaton]

I buy Ella kitchen smooth pouches because lo likes them, I don't see what's the problem, she eats mostly what we eat but if she can't have what we have they are there, they don't seem to have any 'crap' in them and if lo is happy I'm happy so hey ho