Baby Food from a Jar

Kendra - posted on 01/31/2010

In different places baby food is more or less. Now fresh fruit and veggies in New York totally different prices and i wudnt dare get any produce from the supermarket. I normally go to whole foods and everything is expensive. especially since my son just started eating baby food and he will it sometimes and take only 2 spoonfuls the next. I wish i had more access to fresher produce like the farmers market which only comes between june-nov. They also have a baby food maker in babies r us that steams and purees the food but its almost $100 and kids dnt eat puree foods for long so pretty useless. As far as the previous post of cross contamination in baby food there are more diseases in regular food. the ecoli spread in spinach and tomatoes 2 yrs ago, mad cow disease, contaminated chicken, recalls on hamburgers. Im afraid to feed my kids anything.

Lindsay - posted on 01/31/2010

I too am a working mom and make all of my daughter's food from fresh food and then freeze it in ice cube trays. I will also feed her off my plate if we are out somewhere.
I did give my son quite a bit of jarred baby foods though since I thought that I wouldn't have the time to prepare my own, but once I realized how quick and easy it was for me, I switched him to just eating whatever we were eating.
I am on the fence about berries. Once they are back in season, I will probably start to let her have some. I would rather feed her local produce that is in season, than imported produce that I have to pay double the price for.

Elise - posted on 01/31/2010

I usually give my son what ever I am eating, and think that fresh is best. However, I am a full time working mom and a full time student, and I think that when you are out and about jar food is sometimes the best thing. How do you guys feel about berries?

Dawn - posted on 01/31/2010

There are times I use baby food in a jar, but ever since I got a food processor to help me mush things up, I love to make my son his food. Sheree, you are not alone. I usually make a big batch of food and freeze it so I know I have some on hand. For example, I have carrotts and yams in the freezer. I am going to be doing the apples and butternut squash later today.

My son actually seems to prefer the food I make for him. I also like that I can play with the food more when it comes to adding different spices and so forth.

Sheree - posted on 01/30/2010

My daughter (7.5 months) is now eating what we are most of the time, so i only have to make a little extra to put on her plate. When i was just making her food, it was costing me about $7.50 a week for all her lunch and dinner meals, to buys a jar over here is it about $1.10 and she could easily eat 2 jars in one sitting so really would be much more expensive as well as not being fresh.

Kendra - posted on 01/30/2010

I love the jar baby food. Im a SAHM as well and its too much work to do all the work i do around the house , errands, dr appts for both kids, helping my 9 year old wit homework, laundry and everything else and make homemade baby food. Idk how it is where u guys are from but here in New York baby food is affordable and healthy. I always read the ingredients on the back and if there are things that i dnt recognize i dnt buy it. My daughter was raised on it and she's perfectly healthy. Plus it cost so much to buy the food to make the baby food where as i can buy a meal for my son for 54 cents a jar.

Angela - posted on 01/26/2010

I love making my own baby food and freezing it in ice cube trays. However, I'm also a working mommy and keep a few jars of food in the cupboard for those times when I've run out of the good stuff or don't have time to make it! It will be nice when my son can eat what we're eating!

Samantha - posted on 01/24/2010

I am the same Sheree, I would much rather make it myself and know how it has been prepared and what is in it, also that its the best food he can have. I'm also in Australia and had not heard of it.

Catriona - posted on 01/24/2010

Fresh is best! Where we are I'm a "crazy tree-hugging hippie" for making our own food, breastfeeding, cloth diapering... it's so backwards :(

We do it because prepackaged baby food (especially Gerber) are commonly cross-contaminated with soy/gluten/dairy products that make my baby extremely ill (he has a condition called MPSI). Plus, it's also much cheaper to prepare your own versus paying a dollar for a jar of bananas.

Eleisha - posted on 01/24/2010

I agree Sheree it is quick, I make it up and freeze it in ice cube trays. But just like your little one, she now has mainly what we are eating, which is easier again!

Sheree - posted on 01/24/2010

Thank you both for your comments. I too an a SAHM but it only takes me 1/2 an hour to make enough meals for my daughter for 2 weeks and i freeze them. But most of the time she has what we are having for dinner as well. The other night she had meat loaf and vegies, apricot chicken was a hit and tonight she had pork and vegies. So when she is eating what we are, most nights i just cook a little extra to put on her plate :)

Eleisha - posted on 01/24/2010

I too am an Aussie and only ever do fresh stuff - my daughter has NEVER had jar food (I am lucky to be a SAHM though). Gerber is like Heinz over here. I agree with Shannon, YES fresh is best, but for those who aren't blessed like myself to be a SAHM, and have the time to make their own food they can be very helpful.

Shannon - posted on 01/23/2010

Gerber food in a jar is exactly the food it says it is. For instance carrots are carrots, they are just mashed up & have water add to preserve them. I am thankful for them since I sometimes work 14 hour days & don't have time to mash up fresh food. So far I have only feed vegetables but each different one only contains that vegetable plus water. I figure babies have survived on it for years so it is ok. My daughter has yet to have any problems what so ever. We have been truely blessed. Although we all know fresh is always best, just not as fast easy or convienent.