Jilted Buy Baby Food or Make Baby Food Debate
Why do most people buy baby food when they can make their own baby food? It is so easy and healthier for the baby. Sure, I know there is a convenience issue but a can of baby food costs between $0.50 and $0.70. Why buy baby food when you can just buy a sweet potato or another
vegetable and make yourself 5 cans of baby food for like $1? Also, it hasn’t been processed so it is much healthier for the baby, right? How about buying a meat grinder and making a meat based baby food that has protein in it? What are your thoughts?
I’m not trying to start a flame war by saying that parents that buy baby food are hurting their babies. I just want to know what your thoughts are on making your own baby food versus buying it.
Sure it costs more to buy baby food jars; however, the serving size is correct. Also, baby food has almost no sodium. Further, the processed baby food is actually healthier because you know that harmful bacteria has been killed in the food processing process. If you really don’t want the processed kind, which I think is silly, then you can buy organic baby food. I think organic baby food is sort of a scam to get you to pay even more money for baby food but that’s just my opinion.
As to your idea about grinding your own meat, that is not good. Meat can contain harmful organisms and so I wouldn’t trust doing that.
I think it is a good investment to buy baby food already made in jars. You know it is safe that way.
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I think the main reason is that it’s just easier.
I always feed my babies what we are eating for dinner. It we’re eating something too spicey, I make it bland. Baby food tastes awful and costs too much.
Most people buy baby food because they don’t realize that they can just make their own. Like you said, convenience is the main reason. Most people are more than willing to pay the extra $0.20 cents a can to have it already made. Remember, time is our most valuable commodity for time is the stuff life is made of. The baby food you buy is more processed, but it’s still healthy.
Gimme a break already! Most mothers have to work full time now. If it was 50 years ago back in the Leave It To Beave days, then maybe your argument would have merit. Today, no way. Parents have to work full time and who has the time to make baby food at home every night? No thank you and have a nice day.
BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE BABY FOOD
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cuz people dont know how to make there own, and its even easier to go to the store grab it off the shelf open it and feed it to your newborn. ever think maybe "hey! thats why they buy baby food!"
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It is a bit more time consuming, but so worth it. I raised 4 kids, and have 2 grandchildren, I don't now, nor have I ever bought baby food, with the exception of formula for one child who could not tolerate breast milk. Its a huge savings for the budget.
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yes, it is very expensive to buy baby food jars. However- it has a correct serving, very little, if any sodium. and usually is processed so you get the good stuff. If you buy organic, you know it is unprocessed. I don't trust cutting up your own meat.
It is a good investment to buy baby food ready to go, You know it is safe and good for your precious babe.
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For our last location-we couldn't buy fresh produce and lived in a remote area-we were lucky if we could find good frozen produce. Now thankfully we have moved from that forsaken place and can eat a healthy balance of food not from a jar!
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I won't buy my babies the baby food. Have you tasted that stuff? What's it really made of anyways? Real food is definitely the better way to go.
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It was just easier and still healthy for the baby..also the baby could have an assortment of choices..face it ..its a pain to buy the fruits the meats and the vegetables and ground them up all really fine..cause first you have to boil them…and stop and shop was the only store close to me when my daughter was little and they were very expensive..most of the time she hated alot of the baby foods and would stick with sweet potatoes and things like that. I was also working full time…cooking cleaning balancing the money paying the bills packing lunches ironing and laundry …
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It's hard to know how the food has been grown unless you grow it yourself. I'm sure that deters a lot of people since baby food is generally hormone/pesticide free. If I can't grow it, I buy certified organic.
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I think that you are expressing an opinion rather than asking a question. I do happen to agree with you though. I had a hand baby food grinder from Sears 16 years ago. It worked perfectly.
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Sorry but who has time to make their own baby food!! I don't think there is any thing wrong with the jared baby food. I have 3 kids and they all ate it and they are all doing just fine.
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Why does it matter which way we feed them as long as they are getting fed? My son prefers the baby food over adult foods. If he's happy then so am I. And he is perfectly healthy so I am not going to waste the time chopping, grinding, and smashing up his food when i could be using that time to play with him.
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good question! i think it comes down to being lazy. but then again — i am one of the laziest people i know, and i made baby food myself. of course, i am also one of the cheapest!! sweet potatoes are so easy to do – i would just cut one in half and stick a half in the microwave for a bit. then just scoop out the guts and mash it, and add a little breastmilk or formula to thin it out a bit. And if I ever made big batches of foods, things like fruit or meat that I pureed, I would freeze it all in ice cube trays. Then you can just take a couple cubes and put them in the microwave. doesnt get any easier! only prop i can give the canned baby food — much easier to take if you are going out, as homemade would have to be kept cold.
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they buy it cuz they dont feel like makin it
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cause its yummy.
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How long have you had a baby? Do you work? The "little" time it takes to make, can seem like a lot of time, if you have "no" time. Especially if you have a screaming baby waiting for you to do it. If you travel with your child, or even just spend part of the day out with your child, freshly made baby food can spoil on a hot day.(so you have a cooler, but you get stuck somehow with a brokendown car, for example, and the ice melts………etc. life happens——More power to you if you have time and never take a chance on spoiled food, BUT there can also be insecticides on some fresh foods……..SO there are pros and cons
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Never thought about making it myself…. I guess it's just like buying dog food as well… some people make that on there own as well….. time consuming…. but being a stay at home Mom now I might enjoy coming up with fun things to make for my son when he is old enough to start trying foods….
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its not as healthy but it lasts longer.
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Convinience is all it is.
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I made my own baby food. … once….
I buy baby food because it takes something like 0.001 of **my time** (and energy – in short supply these days) to prep it and clean up the resulting mess, plus I don't have to thaw it out. Convenience is not a small incidental issue for a new parent. The extra cost seems totally worth it. Even though the food processor I bought would have paid for itself by now. I am fortunate enough that I can indulge.
It also probably uses less energy (the manufacturer cooking and processing it in mass quantities versus me in my inefficient kitchen). Baby food from a jar is really not significantly different from what I made in the kitchen, anyway; I couldn't taste a difference in the sweet potatoes and I thought the pears were a better texture than what I made. Processed is processed no matter who does it where, and baby needs purees.
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youre very right
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I agree. I mashed bananas, oatmeal, soggy cereal, etc. I got one of those really small food processors and did fruits and veggies. Look at the back of one of those little jars. There are all kinds of additives in it. I always gave my kids stuff of my plate, what I ate they ate. I think it makes you eat healthier and they get a variety of food in their diets.
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My sister worked full time and still had time to make her own baby food. But she wanted to use organic food and sometimes there just wasn't an option for food. Or the food wasn't as suitable to grind up, like peas. So she bought some jars of baby food. And sometimes she just needed it for the convience.
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Cooking your own baby food can be time consuming though I agree it is healthier (no additives or preservatives)
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I see what you're saying. I breastfeed all 3 of my kids because I thought it was healthier and cheaper than formula. It was! I did buy baby food though for a few months until I realized that I could just smash up my food and feed her that. My 3rd child never had baby food. It is more time consuming but if you have the time and don't have the extra money, you do what you gotta do.
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I make my son’s baby food for many reasons. I think it’s much better for him. We have a garden, so we have many fresh veggies already available right here at home. Also, it does save money in the long run. I do buy applesauce (baby food), though, because he LOVES it. I think it’s a lot better for parents to make baby food at home, but I don’t think it makes them a bad parent or anything if they don’t. We all do what we have to do to survive. So many moms are having to work now that some may simply not have the time to make baby food. They probably want to spend all their free time with their child/children. Which is just as important as what you feed them.