homemade baby food v manufactured baby food (from shops)

[laetitia85]

My sister says that babies should eat more homemade food than manufactured baby foods. I thought it was safe to give 'bought food' everyday. Do you make your own baby food everyday or do you give your baby manufactured food everyday? or do you alterate?

 

[Sammystar]

I always did a bit of both. I try to pre-cook and freeze some stuff, but when we're out and about I'm happy to give the shop bought stuff. I'm a fan of Hipp baby foods....

 

[Nicola]

When LO is onto solids I'll be feeding him more or less what we have just blended up for him. I'd rather he eat the healthy fresh organic produces that we eat rather than baby food from a shop that contains preservatives and additives etc - check the food jar it will have a use by date on the lid (if bought today) of early next year...how many adult foods can you say that about? Not the fresh, nice stuff anyway that's for sure...things like tinned corned beef perhaps but that's just all mush shoved together anyway so no wonder it lasts 2 years in a can!! We don't eat rubbish and I wouldn't expect LO to eat it either. Even the organic varieties if you read the ingredients and check the dates don't come across as that appealing to me. Homemade baby food all the way.

 

[AllieW]

My friends make up their own. Apparently jars of baby food are full of salt and all sorts. Plus, they prefer that baby is eating some element of what they're eating so that they can get into the habit of family meal times. I intend to do the same, if I can possibly manage it. Plus, it's cheaper.

 

[Natural mamma]

I Always made my own food up...Just carry a wee bowl and a fork a banana& avocado. Mash it up and hey presto instant fresh baby food when out and about. There is no excuse for jarred food. Squash butternut, onion, pumpkin also all make wonderful baby foods they mash up really well. I think it is important to teach babies that fresh is best...not get their taste buds used to all kinds of processed crap. If i were ever in a desparate situation and had no bowl or fork and needed food i would go for a organic fruit puree in a jar.

 

[Sammystar]

When LO is onto solids I'll be feeding him more or less what we have just blended up for him. I'd rather he eat the healthy fresh organic produces that we eat rather than baby food from a shop that contains preservatives and additives etc - check the food jar it will have a use by date on the lid (if bought today) of early next year...how many adult foods can you say that about? Not the fresh, nice stuff anyway that's for sure...things like tinned corned beef perhaps but that's just all mush shoved together anyway so no wonder it lasts 2 years in a can!! We don't eat rubbish and I wouldn't expect LO to eat it either. Even the organic varieties if you read the ingredients and check the dates don't come across as that appealing to me. Homemade baby food all the way.

Crikey, reading that I'm amazed my kids ever manged to become healthy toddlers after I fed them all that rubbish!!

Seriously, I spent a lot of time cooking and blending food, and as they get older it gets easier because you can just blend the stuff you're cooking for yourself. But they won't come to any harm on the odd tin of baby food.

 

[Nicky_Jones]

I make most of our food but I do use jars occasionally especially when we are out or if I am in a rush and haven't allowed enough time to heat through the frozen food and then let it cool down.

I use the Hipp Organic ones and the ingredients look fine to me.

 

[SarahH]

When Arianna first started weaning I precooked and froze for her but she only really had "mush" for a few weeks and then I went on to BLW - she eats anything now usually whatever we have.
I have only gave her tinned food once and she screwed her face up at it!!

 

[mrs_tommo22]

I did both and got him on the cow and gate organoc range so if we went out for the day he could have something straight out of the jar and it didnt need heating up.
But when we was at home i gave him blended veg, his fasv was sweet potatoe and chicken!

 

[jenni32]

Think it depends on individual circumstances, to be honest. When Jude is weaned Ill probably try and do both, but have to be realistic and say I'll be back in a demanding full time job by then so will just have to see how it goes. Certainly don't agree that all ready made baby food is crap! I know lots of babies who have thrived on bought food.

 

[Hells]

I'm afraid I fed my dd with only jarred baby food and finger food to gum at. She loved it and had a much wider variety of fruit, veg and pulses than if I'd tried to do it myself.

I thought that baby food was under really strict rules and wasn't allowed to have high levels of salt or sugar. My dd certainly never came to harm from what she ate. I applaud anyone who can cook all their baby food themselves, but you shouldn't beat yourself up if you do use ready made.

 

[mrs_tommo22]

I chave to admit im not much of a cook when it comes to baby food and with a toddler this time who regulary eats bought itwms iwill prob feed my DD when shes born jarred food as well as i cant see myself having the time to steam and cook homemade grub.
I agree with yoiu hells.

 

[Adele]

Crikey I'm surprised Chloe isn't dead by now then! As we dont drive yet and are not in walking distance to any decent shops its hard to get fresh stuff in, so she mainly lives off of the cow and gate jars which i might add she loves. I think it is down to personal circumstance, and no one should be made to think that they're not doing whats best for their LO's just because they don't make them fresh foods everyday. Chloe is healthy, lively and doing fine, this just goes back to the breast/formula debate.

Sorry if any of this has sounded harsh but why should parents be frowned upon for feeding their babys formula or jarred food?

 

[Gemma & Jake]

I feed Jake both jars and fresh foods. I must admit that he does have jars quite a lot but if we are having a meal that he can also have then I will mash or puree that and give it to him. The jars don't contain high levels of salt or anything bad as they wouldn't be allowed to. If you look on the back of the jars you will see that the ingredients are absolutely fine to give to your LO. I have posted a link below from the Hipp Organic site.

Tell me where the crap and artificial stuff is in this jar for example?

http://www.hipp.co.uk/products/2_Cottage_Pie.html

 

[Nic'n'Keeley]

I feed keeley a bit of both.... she has jars when we are going out for the day and home-made food when we are at home

I think jarred baby food is good to use... they wouldn't make it if it wasn't healthy

 

[Sammystar]

When they're really young it's tough to get the homemade food to the right consistancy. I'm not a great cook, but was always determined with my first baby that I would cook as much as possible. One afternoon I had a 'cook-in' and made two huge pans, one of pasta and veggies, the other was shepards pie.

All my good intentions went down the drain when I got the pasta/potato ratio all wrong, and ended up with a gooey stodgy mess! I had to chuck it all in the bin and reach for the jar of perfect consistancy Hipp Pasta Bambini (which my DD LOVED!)

 

[Tasha20]

I do both, in actual fact jar food can be safer than homecooked as the food is tested and they make sure there are no pesticides. Unlike some fresh veg etc.

I use hipp oraganic as they have

Certified organic ingredients
No harmful pesticides
No GM ingredients
No artificial colours or preservatives
No antibiotics or growth-promoting hormones

And Oli loves them

 

[Tina & Gabs]

I do a bit if both also. I use Hipp organic and the ingredients seem fine.

 

[Princess_Puddles]

Apparently jars of baby food are full of salt and all sorts.

I don't know where you got that from babies can't have salt and all manufacturers know that and don't include it in their jars

 

[*saulino*]

Hi

I did for the first while i found you can make alot more ofr less and more variety .
Katrina