Baby food pouches might be one of the best creations for modern parents. They’re perfect for on-the-go eating, packing for snacks, or even getting your baby or toddler to eat vegetables on a day when they’re less than willing. Ideally, babies and toddlers have more homemade baby food than anything because it contains more holistic and nutritious ingredients, but that doesn’t mean that store-bought baby food pouches can’t be good for your baby when given on occasion too. It’s all about which ones you choose - and this is where knowing how to quickly analyze the ingredients label for added sugars or preservatives comes in handy!

First, let’s address a major concern for moms: Are baby food pouches healthy?

If you’ve spent any time reading about baby food pouches, then you know that most pediatric nutritionists don’t necessarily recommend them - at least not frequent use - because they believe it effects the development of healthy eating habits. While I do agree that aggressive use of baby food pouches can cause feeding issues and food refusal, I think they can be healthy, safe, and practical when we choose the healthiest baby food pouches.

When choosing baby food pouches, look for these things;

Don’t laugh, but I developed an acronym to remember this (albeit long) checklist. My 91-year-old grandmother has a sharper memory than me, so here it is:

SCALLION (think rapscallion - like some food companies, don’t you think?), which stands for Sugars, Concentrate, Acids, Long List, Isolate, Organic, Nutrition label

1. Added sugars - Some pouches will add cane sugar or a sugar substitute. Your baby or toddler doesn’t need this excess sugar, not to mention that babies already lean towards sweeter tasting foods. Too much sweetness, and we jeopardize their ability to acquire the taste of grainy, bland, or rich foods - like meats and vegetables. Any baby food pouches containing more than 10g of sugar is too much, but the less the better!

2. Ingredients “from concentrate” - You can expect to see the word “puree,” but if there are a bunch of added juices from concentrate, you’re looking at a higher sugar content. Carrot juice concentrate? Apple juice concentrate? Nope, next!

3. Too much acid - The healthiest baby food pouches will use water or lemon juice concentrate as preservatives. Some healthy pouches may contain citric or ascorbic acid, but the less of this the better. The stomach is already acidic, so we don’t need to add too many acidic products to baby’s diet. The amount of these acids found in baby food pouches is fairly trivial, but it can add up.)

4. A long list of ingredients or an ingredient you’ve never heard of - If there are funky-sounding ingredients in the pouch, it likely indicates preservatives, added sugars, or fillers. The best baby food pouches will only contain the foods themselves and a preservative like lemon juice concentrate. See gelatin? Coloring? Natural flavors? Not needed! Most of the time, “natural flavors” just means more sugar.

5. Any protein pouch with the word “isolate” - As mentioned in this post about baby formula, an “isolate” means that the protein has been processed out of the main food source, be it soybean or dairy, and may be easier to digest but is not as nutritious.

6. Go organic - Of course, we all know that organic is the way to go when it comes to most fruits and vegetables (check out this dirty dozen list by the EWG). But buyer beware - organic does not necessarily mean that it will not contain added sugars or unnecessary ingredients.

7. When in doubt, read the nutrition label - If you glance at the label and see 15g of sugar but only 1g of fiber, there’s a problem. Again, anything more than 10g of sugar is too much. We want a higher fiber content and lower sugar content. Whereas protein is also important for your growing toddler, protein pouches usually contain milk, nonfat milk, processed quinoa or coconut milk, etc. A little is fine, but these are best provided in their pure forms.

There are some other mishaps we’ll want to avoid when it comes to choosing the best baby food pouches. For one, the packaging is misleading (as it is with every food these days, c’est la vie)! A pouch may claim “all my veggies” or “super greens” or “fiber and protein” but contain more fruit than anything else. As you probably already know, your toddler doesn’t need to adjust to the delicious, sweet taste of fruit - they need to develop taste buds for vegetables!

Some fruit in a baby food pouch is not a bad thing. In fact, it may encourage your baby to eat and at the same time become familiar with the taste of kale or broccoli. But the argument that any fruit in a vegetable pouch will lead your baby to reject vegetables altogether is a little overboard. Think of it like this: Do you like the taste of broccoli? Kale? Spinach? Carrots? Squash? Brussel sprouts? Your answer is probably yes to some and no to others. Our kids are the same!

Rather than acquiring the taste, I acquired the ability to make myself eat these foods because I know they are good for me. And while I eat them regularly with my meals, I also hide them away in smoothies, casseroles, and butter. So, it’s important to teach our children as they grow that vegetables are some of the healthiest foods they’ll ever eat while also having realistic expectations for them and finding creative ways to feed them the “yucky” stuff - just like grown-ups do! Of course, one of the best ways they’ll learn is modeling, so you’ll probably be eating healthier too!

I think we’ve covered it, but to recap:

• Baby food pouches are to be used in moderation, and there are healthy baby food pouches out there that do not contain added sugars and artificial preservatives.

• Homemade baby food is the most healthy choice, but there is no shame in supplementing your baby’s or toddler’s diet with healthy baby food pouches, especially ones containing vegetables that they are still learning to eat.

• Don’t trust the packaging promises or brand names on baby food pouches - read the ingredients list using the checklist above. There should be no more ingredients than the foods themselves and a natural preservative.

• Grown-ups hate vegetables, too - at least some of them. Have realistic expectations for toddler’s developing food preferences, and be gentle with both of you.

• Just because a baby food pouch is “organic” does not mean it will be the healthiest option. Run through the SCALLION acronym.

Before we jump into the best baby food pouches for a healthy family, let’s chat about some strategies for not becoming too dependent on the pouch.

Helpful tips:

1. Empty the baby food pouch into a bowl and let your baby eat with a spoon. This prevents too much sucking time as they become older (which is important for proper eating skills and language development).

2. Make sure they don’t get full meals from pouches. Offer some soft foods: meats, steamed vegetables, soft fruits, yogurt, cheese. Toddlers learn quickly, and we don’t want them to think that a pouch is equivalent to a meal. Mealtime is sacred and therefore something they should expect to do.

3. Try not to offer snacks when your child is upset. (I’m so guilty!) This teaches them that food is a way to comfort. (Many of us soothe ourselves with food, so we don’t notice when we do the same with our children. But we want food to be wholesome and healthy and unattached to emotional turmoil or stress.)

On to the list of the most trusted brands for healthy baby food pouches!

Found online only:

1. Ella’s Kitchen

What you should know:

• Must be kept refrigerated before and after opening

2. Serenity Kids

What you should know:

• Great option for pouches with meats

• Must be kept refrigerated before and after opening

Found online or in most grocery stores:

1. Once Upon A Farm

What you should know:

• Usually found in the cold food section

• Must be refrigerated

• Most flavors contain coconut milk

2. Peter Rabbit Organics

What you should know:

• Usually found in the produce section

• Most flavors contain 1-2 foods and lemon juice concentrate with water

3. Happy Baby Organics

What you should know:

• Read ingredient labels for each flavor combination to check for added sweetener, which has been found in a few flavors

4. Plum Organics

What you should know:

• May want to steer clear if your baby or toddler is on a grain-free diet as many Plum Organics pouches use grains like barley, millet, and rice

5. Earth’s Best Organic Baby Food

What you should know:

• This brand has been around a long-time and is a trusted brand for babies and toddlers

• Your baby will probably not enjoy the veggie pouches (they are not sweetened at all), so be ready!

• More options in baby food jars than pouches

6. Sprout Organic Baby Food

What you should know:

• Comes with stages for older babies and toddlers

7. Beechnut Organics

What you should know:

• Not many options if ordering online (ex. Amazon)

• More options in baby food jars than pouches

Remember that not every pouch from each brand will be what you are looking for in a healthy baby food pouch, but many of them will live up to the standards of our acronym for the best baby food pouches: SCALLION - low Sugar, no protein Concentrates, minimal Acid preservatives, avoid a Long List of ingredients, avoid Isolates, go Organic, and when in doubt read the Nutrition label (how many grams of sugar?). I know there’s a lot on your plate, mama (yes, pun intended), but I hope this information makes you feel more confident about selecting the healthiest baby food pouches for your baby or toddler. If you have any questions, we’re here to answer!