Mom Made Food
This Washington, D.C.–based company prepares single-flavor stage-one purees with no added salt, sugar, additives, or preservatives.
Where to find it: Look for Mom Made Scoops in the freezer aisle of Whole Foods Market or Super Target.
Best for: Stage-one beginner babies, 6 months plus
What moms said: The simple and clean flavor of Mom Made Foods was a hit with our younger baby testers. "He was very happy with all of the flavors," said one of our New York City–based testers, whose son is 9 months old. Another mom noted that while the veggie options were fine, the fruit blends were watery and runny. "It kept running off the spoon!" she said. Another complaint? Individual servings were relatively large at 3.5 ounces, meaning unless you're dealing with a hearty eater, chances are, you'll have leftovers. Plus, the containers, which have a film top (think of a yogurt container) are difficult to reseal.
Rating:
Happy Baby
This frozen baby food comes packaged as cubes in disposable trays (think ice cubes), so you can pop out just what you need. The 14 flavors, some with added DHA, work well for children up through 9 months old.
Where to find it: Carried in grocery stores, nationally, and at Whole Foods Market, Babies R US and Target.
Best for: Midlevel eaters, 7 months plus
What moms said: Moms loved the idea of the small cubes, which allow for flexible portions, but were disappointed by the flavors of this brand. The Purer Pear seemed to be too tart for the younger babies, while the Yes Peas + Thank You Carrots seemed boring. The texture of the Sorta Chunky flavors, made for babies 9 months and older, was a hit, but the flavor failed to impress. "The texture was great for my 17-month-old—not too pureed," said one mom. "But he didn't finish the whole meal like he did with some of the other brands."
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Yummy Spoonfuls
The frozen, individually packaged foods contain no additives, fillers, hormones, pesticides, added sugar, or salt. The brand is delivered in packages of 12, and offers some of the most creative and texturally interesting flavors we've seen.
Where to find it: Ships nationally and available at some specialty stores.
Best for: All stages
What moms said: Yummy Spoonfuls earned the top spot among all of our testers and was the clear favorite out of all the brands. With 10 stage-one flavors, 11 stage-two flavors, and four creative stage-three flavors, testers felt they could find something to match their baby's palate. "We couldn't get enough of this!" said one mom. "He was done in a flash and begging for more, putting his fingers in the container to get more." Our moms loved the smell of the Apricot and Brown Rice cereal, which one described as "like cookie dough." Another raved about the Lentil and Carrot Porridge, saying, "It smelled homemade. It was on the table in five minutes, and I felt good about giving it to my baby."
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Next Page: Tasty Baby, Jack's Harvest, Healthy Times
