Baby Food Brands That Don't Have Heavy Metals

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Verywell / Chloe Jeong

Over the past few years, the practice of organic eating has become widely accepted in homes across the country and around the world. Before we dive into organic food for children, let's first define organic.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified organic foods are grown and processed according to federal guidelines that monitor soil quality, animal raising practices, pest and weed control, use of additives, and other measures.

For animal-based foods, this means food is produced without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones. For plant-based produce, organic foods are free of conventional pesticides, fertilizers with synthetic ingredients, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation.

Pesticides and antibiotics are used to extend shelf life in the grocery store, reduce plant spoilage and mutation, and prevent illness in livestock. They are "Generally Recognized as Safe" or GRAS to consume by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). With that said, not a lot is known about how these pesticides and antibiotics affect the human body, making those of us within the nutrition community encourage purchasing organic when and if available.

Now, what does this mean for our children? If organic foods are available to your family, purchasing them over conventional items is advisable but not essential. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasizes the importance and value of a diverse intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins for your little ones regardless of organic status.

Now that we have spent some time understanding organics and how they fit into our lives, let's review the best options on the market today. Here, the best organic baby food brands:

Our Top Picks

Ella's products come in a mixture of pouches, single-serving dishes, and finger foods.

They have been around for years and still continue to provide accessible organic options to families.

They produce strictly vegetarian, organic, farm-fresh baby foods.

The brand is known for its storybook style, organic blends, and commitment to no added sugars, no dairy, no preservatives or GMOs.

The company provides organic, pre-packaged, balanced meals with built-in spoons, all delivered to your front door.

They have the traditional flavors as well as some more daring blends.

This company has eight stages of baby foods ranging from single-ingredient purees to multi-ingredient bites.

Known for their meat purees, their protein products truly stand out in the crowded baby food market.

Ella's Kitchen is an all-around wonderful organic product line coming out of the UK. With over 200 food items, starting from introductory foods all the way through early adolescence, you will be sure to find products not just for your young feeders but really the whole family.

Their 4 to 6-month products include single and multi-ingredient purees packed with fruits and veggies as well as rice cereals. Flavors include a savory pumpkin, broccoli, and sweetcorn puree, a tropical banana and coconut puree, and pear and apple baby rice. The premixed recipes make it easy to introduce new flavors to your little one without making yourself crazy in the kitchen.

As your kids grow up, they may show interest in some of Ella's yogurts, puffs, snack foods, and ready-made meals such as bolognese and paella. Ella's products come in a mixture of pouches, single-serving dishes, and finger foods. The company encourages safe heating and plating of age-appropriate foods to continue to develop feeding skills, such as utilizing silverware and a healthy visual relationship with food.

Finally, Ella's Kitchen is committed to reducing environmental waste. You can read their statement and environmental practices here.

If you are looking for a readily accessible, affordable, safe, and simple organic option for your family, look no further than Earth's Best Organics. Earth's Best Organics provides first foods, such as infant formula and baby cereals, dissolvable soft solids, purees, and even snack foods and smoothies for your toddlers.

The organic brand has stage 1, 2, and 3 purees in simple and delicious flavors, including sweet potato and apricot purée, and apple cinnamon oatmeal. The products come in a variety of packages, including glass jars and pouches. Their toddler breakfast line includes frozen pancakes, which can even double as teething support for your little one's sore gums.

If you're looking for a trusted brand, Earth's Best Organics has been around for years and continues to provide an accessible organic option to families.

Cerebelly is a very special company that produces strictly vegetarian, organic, farm-fresh baby foods. They are selective about the farmers they work with, focusing on local farms in California, Washington, and Oregon to ensure the quality of their recipes.

Cerebelly was developed by a practicing neurosurgeon who wanted to create baby food that focused on high nutrient density ingredients and optimal neurodevelopment. As a result, the products follow the basic principles of the Mediterranean Diet, focusing on natural sources of plant-based proteins, fibers, and omega-3 fatty acids to support neurodevelopment.

While their product line is certainly smaller when compared with other companies, they are producing quality foods with evidence-based research. Cerebelly is also committed to supporting their community with their Baby2Baby initiative as well as encouraging their consumers to reuse their pouches through their Recycling Program.

In the mood for some Peter Banana Pumpkin Eater? If the names don't get you hooked on Once Upon a Farm, the recipes certainly will. Once Upon a Farm is known for its storybook style, organic blends, and commitment to no added sugars, no dairy, no preservatives, or GMOs.

Once Upon a Farm is unique in that it has a subscription and delivery service that allows you to select specific food blends and frequency of orders. Their pouches include fruit and veggie blends, dairy-free yogurt and smoothies, and overnight oats.

Once Upon a Farm makes a huge commitment to their community with green initiatives, a partnership with Save the Children, and, perhaps most importantly, their products are now WIC-approved.

Little Spoon's mission is to "make parents' lives easier," and it's not hard to argue that they have met that goal. The company provides organic, pre-packaged, balanced meals with built-in spoons, all delivered to your front door.

Their products are broken down into three categories—BabyBlends, Plates, and Boosters. Starting with their BabyBlend purees, you can find 28 blends (stages one to three) for your infant and toddler, including single-ingredient products as well as more advanced purees such as Strawberry-Basil-Beet-Pear-Chia. All purees come with the infamous "little spoon," making the whole experience seem more like a stop at your local gelateria.

Their toddler plates, which are relatively new to the Little Spoon market, are pretty impressive as well. All 15 products are free of preservatives, antibiotics, and hormones. The plates are, of course, organic with hidden veggies, such as the "Mac and Three Cheese with invisible butternut squash and carrots."

Finally, they have their Booster products which include a powdered food-based multivitamin and a probiotic. Both of these items can be added to other foods or beverages. All products can be put on a regular subscription, so at the very least, you can check that off your ever-growing to-do list.

Happy Family is a staple in any organic baby food discussion. With products for babies, toddlers, kids, and even mama's—this brand is a great selection for anyone interested in organic eating.

As a company that focuses on feeding children, they really do cover all areas. They have baby formula, baby cereals, purees, table foods, dissolvable soft solids, snack foods, meal plates, and even teething biscuits. What's nice about Happy Family is that they have the traditional flavors as well as some more daring blends, so you can be adventurous while still having your tried-and-true options.

Think your kid might have a refined palate? Yumi is the organic baby food brand for you. Yumi has eight stages of baby foods on their menu, starting with single-ingredient purees, advancing to multi-ingredient purees, puddings, "pinchables," bites, and dissolvable soft solids. Their products are organic and Kosher when noted.

The flavors of Yumi products can be both simple and advanced. So, if you think your little one might be craving Dragon Fruit Chia Pudding or Sweet Potato Cheesecake, then look no further. For added convenience, Yumi uses a subscription plan that sends a menu out weekly to families interested in regular delivery options.

Pureed chicken doesn't always sound appealing. Anecdotally, pureed meats are the number one food parents say their infants and toddlers will push away. Serenity Kids is trying to change that stigma. While they provide far more than just meat purees, it is their protein products that truly stand out in the crowded market of baby foods.

You can start introducing solid, iron-rich foods at six months, so selecting any of their meat purees, including Free Range Chicken With Peas and Carrots, Grass-Fed Bison with Organic Kabocha Squash and Spinach, or Wild-Caught Salmon With Organic Butternut Squash and Beet may be appealing.

As your kids grow up, they may become more interested in the amino-acid rich bone broth meat purees including Beef Pot Roast, Turkey Bolognese, and Turmeric Chicken.

Final Verdict

Ella's Kitchen (view at British Corner Shop) has a massive collection of organic baby, toddler, and kids foods that are sure to please your growing little ones.

What to Look for in Organic Baby Food Brands

Taste:

I know it's hard, but try not to let branding win you over. Look for flavors and tastes that you think your little one will enjoy. When in doubt, taste the product yourself.

USDA Certified Organic Label:

Using some organic foods does not mean the product is fully organic. Make sure you are checking for the official USDA organic symbol.

Temperature Safety of Packaging:

Not all pouches are created equal, and not all pouches are microwave and freezer-safe. Be sure you look into this before exposing the pouches to extreme temperatures.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is organic baby food really healthier?

  I don't like to say healthier; I prefer to say cleaner. Locally sourced, organic foods are inherently free of certain preservatives and antibiotics. The AAP reinforces that eating a variety of nutrient-dense food is always going to be the priority versus only picking organic.

  With that in mind, I always direct folks towards the dirty dozen if they are hoping to prioritize which foods to purchase organic. These are foods that are most likely to contain the highest level of non-organic materials and are recommended to be purchased organic when and if available.

• Do organic baby foods contain toxic heavy metals?

  Yes. All foods, to a certain extent, contain toxic heavy metals. This is actually an issue with our global food supply. Low levels of toxic heavy metals have been present in the global food supply forever, as they are naturally present in water and soil. Factors such as growth conditions, industrialization, and farming practices can increase heavy metals concentration in plant-based foods. That means that organic baby foods do not necessarily reduce the risk or presence of these metals in your food. As always, the recommendation remains to provide your family with a variety of foods from a variety of sources as well as purchasing from companies that are committed to testing their foods to ensure safe levels of these metals.

• What does stage 1, 2, and 3 mean?

  The "stages" of baby foods refer to your child's feeding level. Stage 1 foods are often single-ingredient purees, with stage 2 being multi-ingredient purees, and stage 3 often containing multiple ingredients and a bit of texture and complexity. That may be something like overnight oats. As your child's oral skills advance, so will their feeding stage.

What Experts Say

"Organic food can be a part of a healthy diet to help your children grow and develop into healthy adults. Making this choice for your child is one of many essential parts to ensuring health and wellness." —Ryan Holton, MD

Why Trust Verywell Family?

To write this article, Lauren Cohen, MS, RD, LDN consulted with trusted peers in the pediatric healthcare system and referenced multiple studies and papers. She looked to the AAP for infant and pediatric feeding guidelines and recommendations and the FDA, EPA, and CDC for updates on food handling and practices. She used her experience in clinical practice to inform her category-specific choices and furthered her education on organic baby food by diving deeper into published clinical research.

Baby Food Brands That Don't Have Heavy Metals

Source: https://www.verywellfamily.com/top-organic-baby-food-brands-293888

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