Why do so many people use jared baby food and dried and don't bother to make there own?

Question

for my baby i worried about the adatives don't you think steemed veg and stewed fruit then table food is more healthy for your baby?

cassandra some people have to use formula due to ilness breast cancer ect it sometimes is the only option with food its a choice

i'm in the uk i don't know what gerber food is

i'm not judging just asking cause i started using jared organic food but was always beeing told by health visitors that it's not as good as homemade so i made myself make homemade when my daughter was in bed so i did'nt miss time with her.

Answer 1

As soon as my babies get old enough to eat the foods the rest of my family eats (esp. the fruits and vegetables) I switch them to that. I think that you're right, that it is probably better for them. However I must confess that before they are good at eating table food I rely heavily on the jarred. It is just so much easier. It's crazy enough around here just trying to fix one dinner from scratch without having to put much effort into the baby's meal. And I don't think the stuff in the jarred baby food can be too bad - I'm sure it goes through rigorous testing.

More power to you if you have the energy to make fresh!

Answer 2

Well, I for one used Gerber because a) that was what my Mom used for me, b) it doesn't have the additives that you think it has and c) I'm a full time employee AND a full time Mom - it's a convenience thing. And by the time my nugget was 6 months old, he was eating whatever we had for dinner (and we all KNOW the additives in the food that we prepare for ourselves). Gerber or Beechnut can't be all that bad with the number of children that have been raised on it. And to reiterate what another poster said, Gerber does make a line of organic baby food if you are interested in it. I don't know if it actually makes a difference; I do know, however, that it is more expensive. So, is it actually better for baby or just a cool marketing strategy in this day and age of "green grocers?" That's up to the individual to decide.
And as for Cassandra's answer - baby food and formula does not lead to a lower IQ; good grief where do you get your information from? Yes, I get that "breast is best" however, that is not an option for everyone and to be quite honest, I've never been interested in breast feeding. And by the way, neither did my mom or my husband's mom and we didn't suffer any horrific side effects from formula. And food allergies are genetics! It has NOTHING to do with formula or jarred baby food vs breast feeding and "homemade" baby food. Even the Academy of Pediatric Medicine can't conclusively agree on this point (read your medical journals!). And I've ranted, ad nauseum, on other posts about the virtues of day care and the fact that for most families it is a necessity. Children require food and clothing. Food and clothing hasn't gotten cheaper and costs money. We need to work to make money. Ergo, the child is in day care. I would love to stay home with my son; the reality is, I can't.
So, to get back to the original question, I can agree that if you can steam/thouroughly cook/puree all of your own baby food, that really is commendable. However, I don't think that the majority of people have the time or the ambition to do that, especially when there is an equally acceptable alternative out there.
And when it comes right down to it, the time saved using jarred baby food vs making my own means I get more playtime with my son or we can read 3 books before bed rather than 2. So, if it's a question of quality over quantity, I'll take the extra time with my kid anyday.

Edit: Well, because you can "google" it, therefore it must be true! Formula fed babies do not have lower IQ's because they were on formula. Your IQ is something that changes over time based on environment, experiences, age, etc. If you took an IQ test today, the results would be vastly different from an IQ test taken when you were 4. Again, for every article that can be posted that shows a negative side effect from formula or jarred baby food or daycare and kids, another can be brought up to refute it. And just as the media is known to "under report" things, they equally "over report" and "hype" stories as well. At the end of the day, their job is to sell newspapers or magazines. Again, read a peer reviewed Journal if you want actual facts and test results and hypotheses that are proved or disproved (and the "peer reviewed" part is important - journals that are not "peer reviewed" are typically funded by the company that is doing the testing, hence, a biased article)

And Ms. Cin - I didn't realize you were in the UK. Gerber and Beechnut are the better known brands of jarred baby food here in the States. There are others, but those are the 2 biggies.

Answer 3

I just simply didn't have the energy to do that. Now, I don't have the time. In the US we are lucky to have so many companies to help us with good food, some even organic, that is packaged for our children. Some of the brands even add AHA/DHA to the baby food to get more for their brain and growth. I was lucky to be able to stay at home for over a year. I breastfed my son until he was six months old and needed LOTS more milk than I could produce. As soon as I could safely teach him, he started on "real" food and now eats the steamed veggies and lean meats I cook for the whole family.


To the lady who thinks daycare is a nightmare, if you send your child to the right center, like I do my son, it is a positive experience. Although he is happy to see us when we pick him up, he has a BLAST at "school". We chose a place with caring people who try to teach at any opportunity. Sometimes, he is having so much fun with the others, he doesn't want to leave. He goes 2-3 days a week while we work. I feel good about him going and neither of us has ever cried over him going. He was lonely for some playmates at home. If staying at home was best for all kids, no one would ever go to elementary school. There are some terrible (cheap) places that people send their kids, but if you do your research, a wonderful one can be found. We can't all stay home forever, and I don't want to stay home anymore, anyway.

Answer 4

I suppose they see it as convenient. Nothing beats fresh, home made food for a baby. It can all be pureed and only costs a fraction of the price of that tinned and dried rubbish. How many times have the companies re-called the jars and tins because of glass fragments and foreign objects being found in the contents? PS...GERBER makes baby food and is well known in the UK

Answer 5

I lived in a remote area where I couldn't buy produce-so I mostly had to use jarred food. The only frozen produce that was sold there was corn, peas, green beans, and for fruit-they just had melons. Fortunately, I've moved so I plan on making my own for the next baby-I've got that magic bullet mixer

Answer 6

When I had babies that young I used jarred baby food because I had enough to do without making all seperate meals for the baby. How dare you judge other parents! Most baby food have no additives, no preservatives, no sugar, no salt, just the food and some water to help it stay together. That's why I didn't worry about it, because there was nothing a jar of baby peas but peas and water.

Answer 7

I agree with you that homemade baby food is definately a healthier option, I just wanted to add a comment about Cassandras APPAULING statement. Cassandra, without formula my 3 sons would have died of starvation. Formula is not always a CHOICE but a necessity when breastfeeding is not achievable. You should think harder before writing such stupid comments.

Answer 8

gerber baby food doesnt have additives.. some people don't have the kind of time it takes to make thier own. I have enough to do between a baby, taking care of the house and working. I was fed jarred baby food and i'm still alive so it cant be like rat posion or anything.

Answer 9

because its convienient and some brands dont use addatives, read the back of the jars. theres a whole line of organic baby foods and gerber has no addatives

Answer 10

well, why do so many people put their infants and toddlers in day care, even tho the research is clear (tho never clearly explained in the media) that day care is an absolute night mare for kids?

Why do so many parents use formula, which lowers the iq, increases risk for diabetes, cancer, and allergies? because people do what they're told (by advertising), because people can't think for themselves, because people don't trust themselves, because people are sheep, because they want 'convenience' and the child be damned.

The Daily Show had a funny skit just last night about encouraging people to scrape the sugary goo out of their baby's cake treat and fill it with jarred peas, to help improve baby nutrition.

p.s. it's hardly relevant to note illness makes some people use formula. yes, sometimes people have very good reasons for doing things. don't you think having certain illnesses makes other people use jarred baby food? I would assume your question only addresses people capable of doing what your asking about, or we could ask why people without hands don't hold their babies' bottles. sheesh.

or did someone here use that foul formula on their babe and then try to feel superior because they make their own baby food?