Of course, you want to give your baby the best nutrition possible, and just as you are careful about the foods you eat, you are 10 times more careful with what your child will eat. When it comes to the decision of whether or not you will make your child’s food or purchase it from the store you want only the best of the best.
Some would naturally believe that homemade is the “only” way to go, while others feel that you can purchase organic baby food and still provide your baby with the nutrients it needs to properly grow and develop. Is there a right or wrong answer?

Does it make you a bad parent because you choose to buy food rather than make it? The answer is simply no. Just like with everything else in your child’s life there are choices and you as the parent have to do what is best for you and your child. As long as you are doing what you feel is in their best interest, nothing else should matter. But for those who are skeptical, there are a few differences between homemade and store brought baby food.

Ingredients

One of the biggest differences between homemade, store-bought, and organic foods are the ingredients. While most baby foods do not contain any added salt or go through a lot of processing, there are minor differences to review. Some store brought baby foods can contain some additives and preservatives to extend the shelf life of the product, to check the ingredients simply view the nutritional value label to find out what your child will be eating. In organic baby food, their main ingredients are the fruit or veggie and water meaning your baby is only eating nutrition. Of course with homemade food, you have the choice of incorporating whatever your child needs into their baby food. This doesn’t mean that anyone is better than the other; it simply means check the labels.

Price

Price is number two on the list. Buying your own fruits, veggies, and meats to create homemade baby food may be less expensive. Purchasing store brought baby food is usually a lot less expensive, they often have coupons and deals so that you can obtain more of what you need right then. Organic foods can be costly because companies take the time to create rich quality foods for your child is going to cost you a bit more than regular store brought food. If the price is not an object for you, then you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Convenience

Last but not least is convenience. If you’re a parent of multiple children or maintain a very busy schedule, then you may not have the time to cook and prepare the food for your child and find proper storage. Purchasing store brought foods saves time and money both of which may be hard to come by for new parents. Popping the top off of an organic baby food jar is a lot quicker than having to prepare it from scratch. Again, this is not to say that one is better than the other if you have time and money then convenience is not something you have to worry about.

Final thoughts From Mommy Formula

Given all the above factors the choice is still up to you. As long as you properly check labels for additives or foods that have not yet been introduced to your child you will be fine. Take a load off and do what’s best for your family, after all, there will be bigger life choices ahead of you as your little one gets older.