If you don’t make homemade purees for your baby, store-bought, organic frozen baby food is the next best thing. Frozen baby food has a higher nutrient-content than shelf-stable food (such as purees in jars or pouches), and the flavor is generally superior as well.
What Happened to All the Organic Frozen Baby Food?
Despite the superiority of organic frozen baby food, there are no longer many options available. Several brands of organic frozen baby foods have been discontinued (such as Petite Palate and Tasty Baby).
It seems that most people–myself included–are still going for jarred purees. The ubiquitous pouches of baby food, which Gimme the Good Stuff has also reviewed, are so convenient and portable, which is of course the major drawback to frozen food–you can’t prepare and serve it while riding the subway or at the playground.
Where Can I Buy FRESH Baby Food?
In 2005 and 2006, there were a dozen or so fresh baby food brands on the market, but now almost all of them have been discontinued. You may be able to find local companies making fresh baby food in your community, however. Surprisingly, New York City options are limited–Evie’s Organic Edibles delivers baby food that’s made to order at predictably outrageous prices.
The Good Stuff: Organic Frozen Baby Food
Bambino’s Organic Frozen Baby Food
Bambinos was created by Zoi Maroudas, a mom with a medical background who wanted to create better baby food. She uses fresh, organic ingredients, and she has an eye toward allergy prevention.
The Good
Bambino’s offers a wide variety of baby and toddler foods. They have frozen purees, including some with grains, fish, and meat, and Zoi also created these cool peanut cookies geared toward preventing peanut allergies–as the mom of one peanut-allergic kid, this is especially intriguing to me. I like that when her blends contain oil, it’s extra virgin olive, not soy or canola.
The Bad
You will have to purchase Bambino products online. They aren’t available yet in stores, but your can request that your local Whole Foods or Sprouts Farmers Market stocks Bambino’s in the future!
How to Get Some
You can purchase Bambino’s online. Zoi has kindly offered my readers a free gift–just use coupon code GIMMEGOODS to receive it with your purchase.
Happy Baby Organic Frozen Baby Food
(Read our review of Happy Baby pouches, too!)
The Good
The cardboard box contains 40% recycled content and is recyclable, as are the plastic trays, which are made of BPA-free polypropylene. Happy Baby offers more varieties than other brands, and I like the inclusion of whole grains in many of their meals.
The Bad
I’m skeptical of all plastics, so I’d remove the cubes from the tray before heating in the microwave.
How to Get Some
Happy Baby frozen purees are available in select grocery stores.
Yummy Spoonfuls Organic Frozen Baby Food
Update: Yummy Spoonfuls Stage 3 has been discontinued.
The Good
Certain flavors–banana, blueberries, papaya, mango–are raw, and the rest are heated minimally. The BPA-free plastic that Yummy Spoonfuls uses for their cups is recyclable. I’ve been in touch with their founder, Agatha, and she is genuinely concerned with the health of babies and kids. She’s happy to share her recipes with parents who are motivated to make their own.
The Bad
The cups are made of polypropylene, and I try to avoid plastic of all kinds when possible (it often isn’t). Yummy Spoonfuls founder Agatha says: “As a mother I personally don’t heat anything in plastic, even though Yummy Spoonfuls cups are microwavable safe.”
How to Get Some
Available at Whole Foods, Dean & Deluca, and on Amazon.
Note: Agatha sent me samples of Yummy Spoonfuls, but this did not affect my review.
Square One Organic Baby Food
The Good
Square One Organics frozen baby food is made from organic fruits, vegetables, and grains. Their products contain no added sugar, are dairy and soy-free, gluten-free, GMO-free, and are made in a nut-free facility. The packaging is BPA-free. The website is a great resource for parents.
The Bad
The cups are made of #5 polypropylene, which is recyclable and considered non-toxic, but still plastic!
How to Get Some
Available on Amazon.
The Bad Stuff
Happily, I haven’t been able to identify any Bad Stuff!
The Sneaky Stuff
Happily, I haven’t been able to identify any Sneaky frozen baby food!
Why Should I Get Organic Frozen Baby Food?
I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir here, but feeding your kids organic food is important. Babies and children consume more calories per unit of body weight than do adults, and research shows that children have twice the pesticide levels (measured in urine) as adults eating a similar diet. Kids’ have developing organs and immature filtering systems (as the immune system is not fully formed). Finally, some types of organic produce and dairy has been shown to be higher in antioxidants and other nutrients than food that’s been sprayed with pesticides. Oh, and then there is the major benefit to the environment and farm workers, too.
Fred Ventre says
Hi there!
I’m Fred, the Founder and CEO of Yooji, a French small company that produces organic frozen baby food grade purées in very convenient pouches. We also produce small portions (10g) of MSC-labellized flaked cod, organic chicken, and soon salmon and organic beef. 100%. No bone certified.
We have started selling our products in hyper- and supermarkets in France in 2013 and recently started exporting them to Western Europe and United Arabic Emirates.
We hope some US retailers could be interested in our products before long.
More details at http://www.yooji.fr (to be translated in English soon)
Best regards
Seattle Mom says
Square One Organics are no longer available on Amazon. A search there finds nothing.
Maia James says
Thanks for the heads up. I’m reaching out to the company to see if they’ve gone out of business.
Stephanie New says
Hi there! I am Stephanie New, Founder of Happy Haddie 🙂 We are just getting things spun up, but we would love to have you try some of our samples and get added to your list. We make all homemade Farm to High Chair Baby Food with ingredients purchased at our local Farmers Market here in Oklahoma City. Check out our website and let us know your thoughts. Contact us any time with questions you may have 🙂 I am currently working with a company to get our shipping contents all recyclable. We hope to get those kinks ironed out in the coming weeks.
http://www.happyhaddie.com
Lisa R says
How about Yummy Spoonful frozen stage 3 for 12 months+. Is it really grass fed beef and organic??? My IV is a big time eater and while I’m at work I try my best to have everything prepare with real food. I recently discovered this brand and wanted to make sure you approve before I go and buy! Thanks in advance.
Maia James says
Yes, as stated in this guide, we consider Yummy Spoonfuls to be Good Stuff.
Stacy says
I was just notified by Target that Yummy Spoonfuls Stage 3 foods have been discontinued.
Maia James says
Hi Stacy! Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I’ll update the guide accordingly.:)
Brie says
My daughter is about to start solids. What are your thoughts on cereals or oatmeal? Thank you so much.
Maia James says
We blogged about this here: https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/rice-cereal/
Jenn says
Hello, Is there any packaging that you recommend for mother’s making homemade foods and freezing them?
Lauren says
Just stumbled upon a baby/tot/etc delivery service called Nurture Life and was hoping it could be added to a future list for review 🙂
Sophia says
What do you think about Earth’s Best products?
Cas says
Is little spoons brand safe baby food?
Olivia says
Little Spoon uses high pressure processing to keep their food fresh and safe, a process used on a lot of the popular organic cold pressed juice brands. It is a perishable product though, so it needs to remain refrigerated at all times. It comes shipped in an insulated box with ice packs. My LO has tried several of their meals and loves them.
Patricia Kissam says
Hi,
I was wondering how you would rate Beechnut Naturals?
thanks,
Patty