Is Homemade Baby Food Safe?

Earlier this week we received an e-mail from a concerned parent who was worried that homemade baby food would not be as safe for her little one as the jarred variety. We have received similar questions in the past and it set us to thinking about why parents might perceive it risky – or less desirable –  to prepare baby food at home.

Firstly – there is nothing that makes commercially prepared baby food superior to the homemade variety.

Quite the opposite, in our opinion!

Jarred baby food may contain preservatives, additives, thickeners and even artificial colours. The food itself is invariably cooked at very high temperatures – yes, this may kill bacteria, but it also destroys valuable nutrients. The flavour of many brands of jarred baby food can be very bland (parents who’ve actually tasted it tend to be the ones who switch to making their own!).

Yes, commercially prepared baby food is convenient…

But, really, preparing your own baby food is not as time consuming as many parents believe. After all, on most days you will be cooking for the rest of the family – it is very  easy to set aside a portion of unsalted vegetables and/or meat from the main meal to create a dish just for your baby.

Foods such as sweet potato require no more effort than baking in the oven in their skins… you can simply mashed the cooked flesh in a bowl and dinner is served! Nutritious foods such as avocado and banana don’t even need cooking – baby food doesn’t come much more convenient than that!

It may surprise you to learn that some brands of jarred baby food – and particularly baby yogurt – contain sugar or other sweeteners. Many parents neglect to check the ingredients in a jar of baby food, assuming that – if it’s specifically made for babies – then it must be both safe (and good) for them. Unfortunately, this is a dangerous assumption.

Quite aside from the nutritional aspect, preparing homemade baby food gives you the security of knowing EXACTLY what is in your baby’s food. They may not be an every-day occurrence, but recalls including baby food products due to fears of contamination or mislabelling DO happen. When they do, they can cause immense worry to parents who have given their babies those foods.

Any ‘dangers’ associated with making baby food at home  really do – in our opinion – pale in comparison with the negative aspects of using jarred baby food.

The only serious hazard involved in cooking meals for your baby is failing to observe standard safety practices of food hygiene, preparation and storage. Whilst unsafe practices in your kitchen may have adverse affects on other family members, your baby is – of course – particularly vulnerable.

We provide lots of information to help you prepare your baby’s food safely on the following pages…

• Basic baby food storage and preparation guidelines
• How to safely prepare baby food
• Storing baby food in the refrigerator and freezer
• Guidelines for heating baby food

The other issue that may prompt parents to select jarred baby food over homemade is that of nitrates. As we have discussed in previous posts, parents in the US are often advised to delay the introduction of certain vegetables, due to the potential risk of nitrates. Jarred baby food may be screened for the presence of nitrates – however, the American Academy of Pediatrics states that

Infants fed commercially prepared infant foods generally are not at risk of nitrate poisoning. However, home-prepared infant foods from vegetables (eg, spinach, beets, green beans, squash, carrots) should be avoided until infants are 3 months or older, although there is no nutritional indication to add complementary foods to the diet of the healthy term infant before 4 to 6 months of age.

Therefore – provided you are preparing these foods for your baby after the recommended age for the introduction of solids (6 months+) – then these vegetables should be safe for home preparation. As an added precaution, discard the water in which you cook them – this is because nitrates may leach into the liquid during the cooking process. Throwing this water away – rather than incorporating it back into the food for thinning – is preferable and keeps any risk to a minimum.

And one final thought in the homemade baby food vs. jarred baby food debate…

The homemade variety is infinitely cheaper!

This may not be a primary concern when it comes to feeding your little one… but, given the long list of benefits associated with cooking your baby’s food yourself, it’s certainly a welcome bonus!

What do YOU think? Have you ever used jarred baby food? If your little one has tried both the jarred and homemade varieties, which does he prefer? Have you ever recommended homemade baby food to a friend who was previously using store-bought?

We’d love to hear your comments!