Friday, December 20, 2013

Baby Food Revisited-Part 2


            Hello again! I'm not going to lie: This was supposed to be included in part 1 of this post, but felt it would have turned into a short novel if I hadn't split it up. I know, I know. I'm too long-winded for my own good and, as you can probably guess, a horrible storyteller. Onward, before I get sidetracked even more...
            If you didn't read the prelude to this post, you can read it HERE. Today we really ARE going to talk about baby food, I promise! As I mentioned, Myka is and has been eating purees for what feels like FOR-EV-ER. Other than making our own, we try to only buy the ones that have no unnecessary extras. Here are my 3 favorites...
            It seems as if almost everyone has heard of PeterRabbit Organics these days, which is great because they are my favorite (and Myka's, I'm pretty sure). Reasons:
1) Simply fruits and veggies. Guess what the Raspberry, Banana, and Blueberry one has in it. You guessed it. (To be fair, it DOES also have organic lemon juice concentrate, but I'd MUCH rather have that than fake ascorbic acid. I don't understand why companies do that. Just add some kind of citrus juice to it instead. But that's a whole other story.)
2) The texture/consistency is perfect. It's not too thick, it's not too thin. That's just my opinion, of course.
3) Yummy blends. Peter Rabbit's mixes really appeal to babies (and adults. The Mango, Banana, and Orange is freaking amazing!)
            Ella's Kitchen is probably my second favorite, although I will admit I prefer these to Peter Rabbit Organics for older babies because...
1) They are thicker and chunkier, which helps get older babies used to eating more solid of food.
2) They come in a wider variety that includes meats. If you had seen Myka's face when we gave her bites of turkey on Thanksgiving, you would understand why this is important to me.
3) Also no unnecessary extras that I can remember being in any of the ones we've gotten for her.
            Sprout is also a good option, especially for younger babies who are just being introduced to "regular food". Why?
1) Sprout pouches (at least the level 2's and under) are very runny. This is actually the main thing I DON'T like about them. Mealtime can already be messy enough. I don't need any help in that department.
2) Interesting combinations. Even for the level 1's, there are some interesting combos with veggies you don't usually see in baby food very often (at least I haven't), such as zucchini, white beans, and potatoes. Variety is good.
3) The levels are pretty accurate for age. Although I complained about the 1's being runny, it makes sense since babies will just be learning to eat food at that stage so you obviously don't want to be giving them something that is super thick or chunky. The 3's aren't NEARLY as bad, so they're acceptable for older babies.
            I think it is great that healthier options for store bought baby food are becoming more readily available. Whether you're a fan of Gerber baby food or not (I think it goes without saying that I am NOT), let's be honest: They have had a monopoly over the commercial baby food industry for quite awhile. In fact, aren't they the ones who started mass producing baby food? Regardless, it's nice to see other (healthier) companies taking away at least some of their business. ;)
            What is your (or you baby's!) favorite brand of baby food?

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