Ready made meals or make your own?

karlahi

Over the past few years there has been controversy over ready made baby food jars containing things they shouldn't etc but has this put anyone off? I have to admit I was working full time when my boys were tiny so it was a form of massive convenience for me. I made the effort of choosing organic. Nonetheless it has left me feeling a little guilty that I should have made my own!

kacelle

mullenem:

Nope, if you look at the ingredient lists, most baby foods, even non-organic only contain the fruit or veggie, maybe water, then a citris (usually) based stabilizer.  None of which is going to hurt LO.  I did make my own purees when it was convenient but I bought a lot too, both organic and not.

Now that she's eating table foods, it's nice to have a reason to put more of an effort to eat healthier as a whole family since it's just more convenient for her to be able to eat what we're eating.

No, but the BPA in the organic baby food jars could.

We buy organic baby food pouches for DD, but stopped buying jars like Earth's Best when we discovered the lids were still made containing BPA.  DD prefers store bought baby food to any pur?e I've made for her, so that's what we've done!  She also gets homemade table food and fresh fruits and such.

belladonna11307

I make my own for the most part because I feel that it's less expensive.  As to the "non food items" that are often talked about - if you worry about those then no one in your family should eat anything processed or go to a restaurant.  People often like to site that the government has set limits to how much stuff can go into your food.  The thing is, it's a limit, not a requirement.  There is nothing saying that your food will have stuff in it, just that it might and it is being monitored to keep below a health risk.  As to the BPA - I try to not expose LO to it, but at the same time I can't keep her from everything that might hurt her.  I don't think the occassional exposure from the little bit on a jar lid is going to be that bad.  I know others will disagree, but that's why we all get to make our own choices  So, I guess in summary - Don't feel guilty about your choices!  You're doing the best you can for your children.  Besides, if we look at what our mothers did, it's amazing we survived infancy!  

vigurl

I make my own b/c I find it both cheap and easy.  I LO has had jared babby food at DC once or twice when he was extra hungy after eating both lunch and what I sent.  I don't have a problem with jared food per say but for us I find it unnecessary.  I like to make purees and its cheaper to make them.

clineak

We do a mix--I make all the fruits and veggies, but decided to buy the meat purees. Now we are doing a lot more finger foods, and they're mostly things I have to prepare (cook, cut up, etc.).

google123

I do both.

 

Sometimes jars when I'm busy and don't have time, and I don't feel guilty about.  All they contain are ascorbic acid...which is just a form of vitamin C used as a preservative.  Everything has some "scary" scientific name, and just because it sounds scientific, doesn't mean it's toxic and going to cause cancer.  Ascorbic acid is found in all kinds of fruits like oranges for example.  If someone is suffering from a Vitamin C deficiency, they are prescribed ascorbic acid.

 

I just  buy bpa-free jars.

klv

I made most of LOs food. She had a few containers of peaches when we were traveling and one container of prunes when she was backed up. I did it mostly for the cost benefit 

akayf

The ready made meals that I refuse to buy are the things like the gerber graduates meals.   Yuck.

As for jarred food, I also never bought meat.   The thought of meat in a jar grossed me out.   I did buy jarred fruit and veggies at times but made most of my own purees because it was cheaper.