Infant Nutrition: The Benefits of Homemade Baby Food vs. Store-Bought Options
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Cooking vs. buying jars with baby food will always be a contentious topic, such as breastfeeding vs. formula feeding, even with the safest infant formula. In both cases, there will always be supporters and opponents. After all, each of us wants the best for our children. So, what choice should we make? Let’s look at the pros and cons of homemade food for babies and store-bought options.
Baby Purees in Jars
Since the launch of ready-made purees for babies on the market, many parents have breathed a sigh of relief. Thanks to such options, moms and dads do not have to cook for hours, especially since the purchased dishes have various certificates and guarantees of the highest quality. Such jars contain high-quality vegetables, meat, and fruit from organic farming. This means such purees have lots of vitamins and minerals critical for the proper development of a little human. Everything that goes into baby food is thoroughly tested and controlled. There is no question of any impurities, heavy metals, or fertilizers in the jar.
Everything seems great, but does baby food in jars have any disadvantages? Unfortunately, it does. Babies who eat exclusively food from jars do not have the chance to know the taste and smell of individual vegetables or fruits. Everything is thoroughly mixed, which causes the flavors to mix, and the baby cannot distinguish the ingredients from each other.
Babies like to see what they eat. They want to see a vegetable or fruit from all sides and try new flavors. It is important to allow your little one to develop a culinary taste. It is difficult to observe which ingredient did not taste good for a baby who ate a ready-made dish from a jar.
Homemade Dinners
Homemade food is the best food, as many of us believe. When preparing lunches, desserts, breakfasts, or dinners, we are always sure what is in them. When you give your baby fresh or cooked vegetables and fruits, it has a chance to learn their color, taste, smell, and shape. Thanks to this, the baby learns how different products taste. At the same time, you support your little one in learning to eat, bite, and chew on its own.
However, when cooking for the youngest, knowing the presence of each ingredient is not enough. A young body requires the healthiest vegetables, fruits, and meat. You may want to reach for proven organic products. Organic vegetables are those with a European certificate and a green leaf badge with twelve stars. Such plants are grown under certain conditions, e.g., far from roads and with the use of only certain fertilizers. Such crops are inspected and certified every year.
Still, you do not have to buy exclusively expensive products with a certificate. Sometimes, it is enough to look around, search, and ask around to find someone we trust who will sell you healthy products.
Expanding the diet is an important stage, but you should not limit yourself to only one option. Jars or homemade dinners? Use both options, and do not feel guilty if you have to give your baby food from the jar!
*This article is based on personal suggestions and/or experiences and is for informational purposes only. This should not be used as professional advice. Please consult a professional where applicable.
