Before you know it, your youngster is six months old. You’ve had wonderful memories with your baby while breastfeeding him. It’s been a great time bonding with your little munchkin. However, recently, your eagerness has overgrown your patience, and you cannot wait to start the process of weaning your munchkin. You want him to now taste the various foods this world has to offer.
Filled with both joy and anxiety, you get started with your newly acquired
food maker. It only takes a few minutes of meticulous preparation to make something delicious. Your culinary skills are of the highest degree, of course. So, in a few minutes, you have something yummy for your little one, and you can now begin feeding him. The transition is rather messy, but the joy of seeing your child eating real food for the first time overshadows this. Everything seems to be alright, and both you and your baby are pleased.
However, after a few weeks, you notice something wrong with the baby. His face, usually covered with a broad smile, is looking rather gloomy. His pestering cries are the normal order of the day. The typically adventure-filled
baby playpen is silent. Your little one becomes emaciated. Worried, you take him to the doctor. Upon examination, the physician informs you that your child is suffering from malnutrition. The food he has been eating has not been helpful to his metabolism, hence the lack of activity.
Just like every other diagnosis, the doctor gives you a list of recommendations needed to cure the condition. Apart from medicines, the doctor will most likely endorse baby food. This should not come as a surprise as many experts have approved of these meals along with
baby formulas as the alternative to breast milk in providing the nutrients necessary for a child’s growth. Thus, they are vital if you want your baby to remain healthy and active.
Currently, the market is filled with numerous options of baby foods, which makes it difficult for parents, especially first-timers, to make a decision when purchasing. To make this process easier, we scoured through the market, selecting the top performers. After reading this guide, you will get a lowdown regarding what the market offers and what to look for when purchasing baby food.
Price
By now, you are probably wondering how much it will cost you to keep your little one healthy. Well, the good news is baby foods are in close proximity when it comes to pricing. The main factor for the difference is the quantity. Sets that come with several pieces per package cost more. While cost mainly depends on quantity, the type of food does play a small part. Oatmeal-based foods are usually around $3 and are the cheapest. Purees are probably the highest priced as they can cost up to $20. That being said, you really don’t have to break the bank to have your baby well fed.
The cheap baby foods do have their shortcomings, such as being low on nutrients and additives as compared to the more costly variants. You probably shouldn’t get them for your child as they may not offer all the nutrients necessary for healthy growth. Furthermore, you work so hard to give your kid the best care you can, so why not spend a little more on high-quality food?
Features
What your baby ingests is certainly a matter of concern to you. Therefore, it goes without saying that you should be well aware of the contents of your baby’s food.
When buying baby food, you should evaluate the following before making the final decision:
- Type-Baby food can come in the form of puffs, puree, or oatmeal.li>
- Quantity-This is the number of packets available in one set.
- Size-This refers to the amount of food in one serving.
- Flavors–A good baby food should come in several flavors.
- Age range-Different baby foods are suitable to different ages.li>
Construction and Design
The primary function of food is to provide nutrients necessary for growth and development. Several brands put this in consideration, so you are unlikely to experience a shortage of such while shopping. The commonly fortified vitamins are A, B, C, and D and are all crucial in one way or another. Besides vitamins, you should look out for minerals and salts included as they are equally vital in keeping your baby healthy.
As the name suggests, baby food is meant for the young ones. Their digestive system is not fully developed; hence the food they take should be considerably soft. The introduction of solid foods ought to be gradual because it will give the baby’s digestive tract time to acclimatize with the new environment. For this reason, the foods are usually divided into stages. Softer variants like puree and puffs should be introduced first and then followed with oatmeal after some time.
Performance and Ease of Use
Babies like delectable meals, so the baby food of choice should have an added flavor. When it comes to this, the market offers tons of options. Nearly all of the featured brands come with different flavors, ensuring that your munchkin never gets bored with his food.
Foods are the primary source of nutrients, as mentioned above. However, if mishandled they can become poisonous. Moreover, they can be a catalyst for allergic reactions. A significant majority of foods offer organic preservatives, as they are less likely to cause allergic reactions and can reduce the chances of food poisoning. They are also free of bisphenol A (BPA), which has been identified as a cause of adverse health effects.
Well there you have it! Now you know what some of the keys things you need to consider are before purchasing your baby food, you should be about ready to take a look at our five picks.
By now you should have a better understanding about what types of baby food products are available to you as well as what each brand has to offer. If you aren’t a fan of the particular product we have featured, then don’t panic; all our brands have HUGE ranges to choose from, so simply browse through their other products to find the perfect meal for your little one!
