Baby Food: Jars, Pouches, or Both?

Many parents choose certified USDA organic food for their little ones to ensure they enjoy nourishment without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Organic foods are grown without the use of potentially harmful pesticides and genetically modified organisms. As a parent, you’ve probably thought a lot about the food you give your child. But have you thought much about the container it comes in? You’ve probably noticed the proliferation of baby food products in pouches. Maybe it’s got you wondering whether pouches are better than jars. As it happens, each has benefits when it comes to helping your child learn good eating habits. Here’s the story:

Jars

Baby food has been sold in jars since 1931, so it has a long tradition. Economic and eco-friendly jars are great at home and jarred baby food comes in a wider variety of flavors and textures than food sold in pouches. In addition, baby food packaged in jars has a longer shelf-life (around 2 years) than in pouches (approximately 1 year). That makes stocking up during sales a good idea. And of course, glass jars allow you (and your child) to see what’s inside.

Feeding your baby food that’s packaged in a jar means using a spoon, and that’s important for your child to learn! Eating meals together as a family also helps your child learn and build good table manners and social skills.

Earth’s Best® brand jarred food blends are made with only the freshest organic fruits and vegetables, plus whole grains in numerous varieties. It is the first complete line of organic infant nutrition, with over 30 jar varieties.

Pouches

Light and travel-friendly, pouches offer great convenience. You can tote them along almost anywhere, and because they’re re-sealable, you can stow any unused portions in the fridge for the next time you are on the go. Pouches also allow your little ones to feed themselves by squeezing directly from the pouch— which can help develop dexterity and independence. Little ones love to play with pouch caps, so when it comes to self-feeding be sure to supervise your children and keep them from playing with pouch caps and putting them in their mouths. Additionally, pouches also offer a great way to continue giving wholesome fruits and vegetables to your little ones as they move into those potentially picky toddler years as their independence grows.

The Earth’s Best® brand is the first complete line of organic infant nutrition, with over 35 pouch varieties.

Food Safety Note: Spoon baby’s meal portion from the jar or squeeze from the pouch into a bowl and serve from the bowl. Promptly refrigerate any food left in the original container. If you have fed your baby directly from a jar or pouch, discard any remaining food after the meal, as bacteria from the baby’s mouth may cause the food to spoil.