Shopping for Organic Baby Food

Organic foods for your baby can be found in many sections of your favorite grocery stores. This article explores the different types of baby foods available as well as the pros and cons of each.

Refrigerated Section

In the fresh refrigerated section you can find freshly pureed, baby food for sale.

HomeMade Baby is the innovator in the US market. Their certified organic and kosher meals come in resealable, plastic jars.

The food is delivered to the stores and stays fresh for a few weeks at a time due to a Fresh Chill™ Cooking Method.

Another option is to find a gourmet baby food company in your city and have organic baby food delivered. You will of course pay a premium for this option, but the concept is catching on from coast to coast. Bohemian Baby in Los Angeles and Pomme Bebe in Newport, California are examples of this.

Freshly made baby food can be the most expensive type to purchase and/or have shipped. To get the most for your money, serve small amounts at a time to your baby and promptly store the excess in the refrigerator or freezer. Once you put saliva from your baby's spoon back into the jar, you risk bacteria growth. You can also offset the costs by making some of your baby's food at home.

Freezer Section

Frozen organic baby food takes convenience one step further and freezes it for you.

You thaw out the serving amount as you need it so there is less waste.

Other benefits include more exotic or mature flavors than traditional jarred food. However, you and your baby should do some taste tests before buying too many of one brand or flavor.

Are you worried about losing nutrients in frozen organic baby food? Companies such as HappyBaby, say freezing (a natural preservative) actually locks in nutrients and natural pigments of the food.

Other emerging frozen organic baby food brands include Petite Palate, Tastybaby, which are all shipped nationally and Maddy's Organic Meals of Illinois and Jack's Harvest of Georgia.

Click here to learn more about the extra nutrients in organic food.

The Shelves

Jarred organic food is still the most popular option and in many cases the least expensive. However, it requires the most scrutiny.

Read the labels and make sure the baby food has no added sugar, salt, preservatives, food starch and other fillers. Remember the first ingredients make up the highest percentage of the jar.

Also note that the extremely high heat under pressure required to jar the food, robs it of some of its nutrients.

You should also check the food to water ratio, the more water in the jar, the less nutrients your baby is actually getting. This increases as you go up to higher stages of baby food.

Do comparisons amongst the jars of baby food. Organic labeled jars may look different when you start reading the nutrition labels. Choose the one with the most calories (i.e. more food per unit weight)

Carefully look at the expiration date, grocers sometimes leave items on the shelf longer than they should. The lack of preservatives makes this date a critical factor in food safety.

Popular brands of jarred foods and organic baby cereals include Dr. Susanna's World Baby Foods, LLC, based in Washington state, Earth's Best, Gerber®, Healthy Times, and HiPP, a European based-brand.

An alternative to jars is also emerging in the form of packaged baby foods and snacks. Manufacturers promise preservative-free, nutrient-rich, freshness packaged in non-toxic wrapping.

Examples include Plum Organics, Sprout, Ella's Kitchen and Peter Rabbit Organics. Most of these brands also make snacks for toddlers, further expanding your choices in the organic food market. As you would with all foods, check the labels for excessive amounts of sugar and compare the amounts of nutrients. We recommend any form of shelf food be used in combination with other types of food or as a supplement rather than as sole source of your baby and toddler's nutrition.

Produce Section

Don't forget about the produce section. If you are up to making organic baby food at home you can buy organic food, puree and freeze it for significant savings (70 - 80%).

When your baby gets used to solids, fresh fruits make a hassle-free snack. Unless he is allergic, he will probably love mushed organic bananas, strawberries or oranges as part of his diet.

Narrow Down the Choices

Do you need help deciding which baby foods to start feeding your baby? Our Free e-book can help you decide which type is best for your preferences.

The Organic Baby Food Guide profiles 35 of the leading brands of baby food around the world so you don't have to go out hunting for nutritious, organic options. Instead, we tell you where to find the foods in your area so you can comparison shop without leaving your home.

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Bohemian Baby™
Dr. Susanna's
Earth's Best
Gerber®
HappyBaby™
Healthy Times
HiPP
Homemade Baby
Jack's Harvest
Maddy's Organic Meals
Petite Palate
Plum Organics
Pomme BeBe
Tastybaby
A Product Review of Homemade Baby Organic Baby Food
Plum Organics Tots Featured Review
HAPPYBABY Featured Review

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