This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprout Organic Foods for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
When it comes to food I am very picky about what I let my baby eat. Babies’ bodies are very sensitive to foods and their digestive system is still in development so we should always give them the best and healthiest options.
Before I had my kids I thought that anything that was “made for babies” was safe. However, I’ve come to learn that this is not true. The only way to find out if what you’re buying is healthy and safe for your baby is by reading the label. Not only the front part of the package but also the back of it, where you can find the nutritional content and ingredients.
When you read the ingredient list you will find that the ingredients are listed according to the amount on the package. That means that the first listed ingredient is what the manufacturer used the most of. This is important to know because some companies will end up using more of an ingredient that’s not listed in the front of the package. This is also how you’ll know if food contains preservatives, artificial flavors or ingredients you don’t approve of.
When buying baby food you have to look out for the following:
- Make sure the ingredients made out of real foods: if you can’t pronounce or understand what you’re reading on the ingredient list you’re better off not buying it.
- Buy products made with organic ingredients: even if you can’t afford a full organic diet for your family, it should be a priority for your developing baby.
- Make sure there aren’t any preservatives or additives, such as ascorbic acid.
- Avoid products with sugar or forms of it, like high fructose corn syrup. When it has added sugar it will be stated in the ingredient list.
- Avoid GMO’s (genetically modified organism): products that don’t use GMO ingredients will state in their packaging. You can learn more about non-GMO products here.
I encourage you that before you buy any food, especially for your kids, you read the labels. That’s the only way you can assure that your baby is eating something healthy and that you approve of. A good rule of thumb is that the ingredients should be the same as what you would use at home to make a meal.
How I discovered food pouches and which is my top choice:
When I had my first baby I was set on making my own baby food and that worked really well when I was at home but we went out almost daily and sometimes we were out for many hours. It became clear to me that I would have to find something I could feed my baby that wouldn’t spoil easily. That’s when I came across food pouches but I was hesitant at first since most of them had ingredients I didn’t like.
If I was going to buy something pre-made for my baby it had to be organic, Non-GMO and made without preservatives nor artificial ingredients, basically it had to be made from real foods that I would actually use for our own meals. That’s when I came across Sprout Organic Baby Food – “Keep it Honest, Make it Real”.
Their Mission & Values really spoke to me because they are in line with what I look for when it comes to baby products:
We procure ingredients from only certified-organic growers and will not accept harvested ingredients with any preservatives. We rigorously source these special ingredients to ensure the cleanest recipes are delivered to your family. Our organic blends are minimally processed and made only with ingredients you’d find in your own kitchen: whole fruits, vegetables, and grains, never preservatives or anything artificial. Just real, honest and pure recipes.
However, I’m very picky with what my baby eats so I started reading all of their labels before deciding if we would use this brand and was very happy to find out that their ingredients are exactly what they say they are. Sprout honestly labels their products so flavor names match the primary order of ingredients inside. This way I know I EXACTLY what I’m feeding my babies. For example their spinach, banana and apple food pouch only contains those ingredients and nothing else.
I also love the variety of vegetables they use in their food pouches. Research has shown that babies that are introduced to different flavors and foods earlier develop healthy eating habits for life so veggies are a must in my kid’s diet. The great thing about Sprout is that they are committed to providing the best nutrition and use only certified-organic, non-GMO ingredients like whole fruits, vegetables and grains.
Unlike leading competitors that primarily focus on two flavors (apple or pear); Sprout offers delicious blends of whole fruits, vegetables, and grains giving babies greater exposure to wholesome foods.
Now that I’m a mom of two I find that it has become even more challenging to prepare food for my second baby because I’m constantly busy taking care of both kids so Sprout Organic Baby Food has become a staple in my home. I usually order ours from Amazon but you can find out here Where to Buy yours.
I always carry a couple pouches in my diaper bag (because my 3 year old usually wants one when she sees the baby eating it). They don’t take up a lot of space and they come well sealed, which is very important because there have been many times my baby has gotten into my bag and squeezed them really hard.
I also use them during meal time in our home when I didn’t have enough time to prepare something for the baby.
Sprout has recently come up with new flavors that are worth trying: Mango, Spinach Banana Apple, Blueberry Banana Oatmeal, and Pear Spinach Prune. My personal favorite is Mango – yes, I tried it! My toddler’s favorite is the Pear Spinach Prune one and my baby loves all of them.
They even share the recipes if you want to make some of these combinations at home.
I love this brand so much and I’m so passionate about their mission that I’ve partner with them for this blog post so that you can try their new Sprout Pouch flavors. Download these Sprout Coupons and let me know what you think.
If there’s one thing that I really encourage you to do when it comes to food for your kids is to read the labels, they will say if what you’re buying is really organic and what ingredients are used. I am happy I came across Sprout and that we have better options for our kids today.
Have you tried Sprout Organic Baby Food? What did you think of it?
ejuno says
Great article.
Thanks for sharing.