Why does baby food exist?

[Whatthefluff]

As far as I know, you can purée fruits and vegetables with a blender or food processor for the same effect. Why do people buy jars/plastics of baby food when they can make it at home for much cheaper? Puffs and things like that, as you can see in the picture, have preservatives, dyes, and added sugar. No baby needs added sugar! Give them banana slices or avocado.

While I’m here, why in the hell do we think kids should have juice all the damn time?
Why are we getting kids hooked on added sugar before they can even talk?

Am I crazy for thinking this isn’t ideal?

[Lliam]

1. Marketing. Just like the way they push baby formula over breast milk.
2. Laziness or lack of time.
3. Ignorance. The same ignorance that allows parents to give their kids McDonald's kid's meals or any fast food. None of that is nutritious.

I'm 100% with you on this. Thank you for trying to share important information.

Part of the challenge, though, is getting fresh, nutritious produce. Many of them are GMO. All of them are treated with toxic chemicals. Most are grown in sterile soil and fed artificial fertilizers, so the veggies do not take up many nutrients.
Of course, that will be the case with canned baby food, too.
So, ideally, a person would have to have a source for naturally grown veggies and fruit.

Also, you wouldn't be able to store it very long, even in the frig, for fear of spoilage or mold.

And fruit juice. It's all made from concentrate, which means that it is nothing but flavored sugar and contains no nutrients other than possibly added vitamins.

[BadApple69]

There was a time before baby food, and being that we all are here reading this would strongly suggest that our ancestors survived without Gerbers baby food.
The reason baby food exists is because it’s fast and easy. Stay at home mothers are a thing of the past so moms making food for their babies died off like the dodo bird.
Is it better for babies… I’d say no. I have been in many food production plants… never a baby food plant but I can’t believe it’s much different then the plants I’ve been in. Some are very scary but that’s all I’m going to say about that.

[purplepoppy]

A big problem is parents have little understanding of the nutritional needs of babies. For example it's very common for them to give babies a low fat diet which is very dangerous as babies need a greater percentage of dietary fat than adults. Many also put them on silly fad diets like vegan.

Commercial baby food isn't great but it's better than the crap many parents would make. When you consider so many school children can't even recognise basic vegetables I don't think we can trust parents to make puree.

[NotInterestedSorry]

Kids under 2 who have juice have it watered down. Meaning they are mostly only tasting the water and not the juice itself. Regarding premade baby food. I brought my baby some because I have a very tiny kitchen with almost no space to store anything. So it's not exactly possible for me to buy a blender when I don't have the space to keep it. Sadly

[MrOracle]

Because everyone wants ultimate convenience. My mother had a baby food grinder and made all her baby food from real fruits and vegetables. It took an extra 2 minutes to grind and clean, but that's more than people want to invest today. Plus, it's viewed as a "poor" thing to do, and social status is a huge deal with the Instagram influence.

[Whatthefluff]

Why in the world would people choose plastic waste and money waste over being “poor” for buying Whole Foods. Lol.

[NotInterestedSorry]

For me it's not about convenience but rather me having a tiny kitchen with almost no bench or counter top space and I only have a few cupboards so I have no way to store or even place a blender if I did I would definitely be making my own baby food

[MrOracle]

The grinder/mill takes up less space than a large McDonald's soda cup...

[hahahmm]

How else are corporations going to make money, if people don't get dependent on them for survival items? Although, there's going to be some massive consequences one day when the corporations/government flip the switch and turn off access to all of the goodies.

[AviatorTom]

Marketing. Sure, parents could prepare food for their newborn, but it's much easier (and safer they tell us) to buy prepared baby food at the store.

Besides, those babyfood jars are great at holding nuts and bolts and other small things in my workroom. Nail the screw-on/off lid under the shelf and you've got easy access to what you need.

[davidyoungflyer]

I am not a Doctor or a expert on baby food or it's nutritional value but I'm assuming here that there is a highly important need for baby food and it's importance to the health of a babies development.

Now making it at home I'm sure the baby will survive and grow but once again I'm almost positive there's not a conspiracy in the baby food industry and if there is then we are in major trouble?

[JeffersonA]

One is time parents have no time! If they make food then the older kids eat it. but they don't eat the baby food.

Mostly cause no time just grab the jar and feed the baby with the million other things to do!

[slatyb]

No, you are absolutely right. They don't need baby food. They survived just fine before baby food was sold.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

I think parents need to sit down and talk to a good pediatrician or family doctor (who sees infants too) and talk with them on their dietary foods, and I agree a bunch of sugar is no good for a baby.

[SnowedIn]

It's easier and faster with less clean up. The typical modern focus on convenience. I'm not saying that's right or justifying it just my opinion on why it exists.

[Jessica405]

Good question. Probably just pure laziness or lack of knowledge.

[OlderAndWiser]

Parents purchase baby food for the convenience. No work necessary, and it is also in a portable form when you need to take baby somewhere.

[AmandaYVR]

$$$$$$ to be made.

[sheikalana]

Some people have hectic busy lives and do not always have the time to prep food.

[SawerBrown]

No sodium or added sugar in most quality baby foods

[AlexEfron]

Imagine a parent feeding honey to their newborn. It's not a solid, the baby can digest it 🙂. That's the problem

[msc545]

Baby food is more convenient. Sugar is necessary for proper metabolism and it is not poison nor does too much of it cause diabetes.

[Anonymous]

usually parents are too busy to do all of the pureeing themselves, thus...

[Anonymous]

Probably for the same reason you can by pre-sliced vegetables.

[gothbxtch]

for babies?

[Whatthefluff]

Go to sleep kiddo

[Littlejugs99]

Convenience I guess

[Agape93]

Because people are lazy and companies are greedy.

[Anonymous]

Convenience or sheer laziness

[Imsmurter1]

Good points