29 Mar Homemade vs. Store-Bought Baby Food
When it is time to start feeding your baby solid foods and weaning them off milk, there will be no shortage of different options out there for parents to consider. However, one of the biggest decisions that parents will need to make is whether or not they want to get their baby store-bought baby food, or if they want to try to make baby food on their own.
There is no one right answer on whether or not you should feed your baby store-bought or homemade baby food. There are, however, pros and cons that you should consider to help you make the best decision for your family and for your child.
Homemade Baby Food
Making homemade baby food is actually much easier than it seems. In fact, you can make almost anything that you are eating into healthy baby food. You just need to puree the food so that it is easy enough for babies to eat, and you will need to skip the extra salt, sugar or flavoring in the food.
Here are some of the “pros” of making your own baby food:
- You know exactly what is in the food. You can keep better tabs on your child’s diet and make sure they are eating healthy. It is also a great way to monitor for potential food allergies.
- Homemade baby food ends up being less expensive when compared to store bought baby food. You just need a blender!
- You can create your own food concoctions and blend your baby’s favorite things together without having to buy and open multiple jars of food.
However, there are some “cons” of this baby food as well. It doesn’t keep well as it doesn’t have any food preservatives and it isn’t pasteurized. Store bought pasteurized baby food on the other hand kills off any bacteria.
Store Bought Baby Food
One of the biggest benefits of store-bought baby food is, of course, convenience. There is no mess or prep with store-bought baby food and now more than ever, there are many brands that are making organic, safe and healthy foods for baby. Years ago, there were only a few options when it came to store bought baby food and most of this baby food was filled with sugar and other additives.
Today, there are plenty of organic and natural options out there that are healthy for baby, but while they may be convenient, these foods are also expensive. The benefit, however, is that they are professionally jarred and can stay fresh and safe much longer than homemade baby food.
Make sure to check the labels on store bought baby food to get the full rundown of ingredients and to make sure you are fully aware of what is actually inside the container.
If you have more questions on making your own baby food, or choosing the right store-bought baby food, contact the experts here at Continuum Pediatrics. We are here to answer all of your pediatric dietary questions. Give our office a call directly at 817-617-8600 to make an appointment. Our doctors are available to help answer all of your questions so you can keep your baby as healthy as possible.