I’m not going to pretend like you or I are only ever making homemade food for baby from scratch. In a perfect world? Totally. In my current reality as a single working mom? Absolutely not.
I still want the best for my child, though, and I’m sure you do too.
When I buy organic applesauce I make sure the ONLY ingredient is organic apples.
Thrive Market has made my life a lot easier, and they have some really great organic options for Baby. It’s an online grocery store that delivers straight to your door.
Pumpkin Tree/Peter Rabbit Organics seems to have the most variety and cleanest ingredients at the best price. (Example: Banana, Mango, Broccoli & Kale Pouch ingredients are Organic Banana Puree, Organic Mango Puree, Organic Broccoli Puree, Organic Kale Puree, and Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate at close to $2 per pouch)
Serenity Kids appears to be the best of the best, it’s just definitely more expensive at over $3 per pouch. (Example: Grass Fed Beef with Organic Kale and Sweet Potato Pouch ingredients are Organic Sweet Potato, Water, Grass Fed Beef, Organic Kale, Himalayan Sea Salt. I really wish the beef was also organic, but overall the ingredients are stellar.)
I will not buy anything for my child with weird looking ingredients. Additives, gums, preservatives, emulsifiers - not for by precious babe’s developing gut. Not for as long as I can help it - especially before Baby is 1!
As Baby gets older and eats more solid foods, I’ll have a little less control over what he eats. I’m going to feed him as best as I can for as long as I can.
If I can’t picture an ingredient I see listed as a whole food, I prefer not to give it to my child. So, another example is Serenity Kids does have puffs, BUT ingredients for their Bone Broth, Broccoli, & Spinach Grain Free Puffs include Dicalcium Phosphate and Calcium Carbonate so I’m like “ehhh….pass.”
I did accidentally happen upon some puffs for my baby though. I actually bought them for myself, but my son was eyeing them. I checked the ingredients and realized I was okay giving them to him so now it’s a favorite! They’re called Paleo Puffs and the ingredients are Organic Cassava Flour, Organic Coconut Oil, Tapioca Starch, Organic Coconut Flour, Sweet Potato Flour, Himalayan Salt. They’re available on Thrive Market but they’re actually even cheaper on Amazon.
Brown rice noodles are another food my baby loves, especially with red sauce. I get my red sauce from Thrive Market as well, and it’s organic with no garlic or onion!
The “no garlic or onion” is a “me thing." The “organic” is a total win because tomatoes have historically been on the dirty dozen list, and it’s not easy to find organic red sauce - especially in a recipe with no garlic or onion.
With these high standards in mind for my child’s food, you can bet your bottom dollar he didn’t have the usual sugar and dye filled birthday cake on his first birthday. Stay tuned next week for the recipe to “Healthy” Birthday Cake.
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