Best branded baby food

Ella's Kitchen is the most talked about, and most loved, shop-bought baby food by BabyCentre mums and dads. With a wide range of organic products going from the start of weaning to pre-school age, as both meals and snacks, it's easy to see why.

Parents love that the products aren't bulked out with apple pulp or water, and feel they're healthy options for their growing babies.

Parents say

"I like that they only contain the veg, as some baby food is full of apple as well as other very sweet foods."

"I have some stocked up for days when time has run away with me or I've not managed to sort home cooked food."

"I use them all the time. They're organic and tell you all the ingredients on the back. Preserved with a bit of lemon juice and that's it. My little man is nearly seven months and loves all the sachets."

"I like the variety of Ella's Kitchen, and trust that it's all organic and there's no additives. But one thing I don't like is that the packaging isn't easily recyclable, which I hate. They are also pricey."

With a wide range of flavours (creamy porridge, berry multigrain, banana, fruity wholegrainOpens a new window) and no added sugar, Cow & Gate porridge is a winner with parents for one of their baby's first meals. It's value for money, as well as often being on offer, so has become a firm fave when weaning.

Cow & Gate's product range not only includes baby breakfasts, but there are also jars and pouches for first tastes of puréed fruit and veg, as well as meals for an easy go-to option when feeding your baby at home or out and about.

Parents say

"I give my baby the porridge. I'm breastfeeding so I just mix in some expressed milk. My baby really likes it."

"My little one eats quite a lot of the Cow & Gate porridge. She goes mental if I don't make enough."

"My son loves the Cow & Gate brekkie, as well as their other meals. There's actual chunks of veg and pasta that he has to chew. And there's flavours like pork and tuna."

Not only does HiPP Organic meet the required standards to carry the organic label, they claim to go even further by testing the soil where crops are grown. They use natural pesticides and only accept food sources that are up to their standards.

The result is a range of baby food for parents who prefer to buy organic.

The range includes cereals, meals and snacks for babies. BabyCentre parents love them.

Parents say

"The only baby snacks that I tend to buy are baby crisps. I really like the HiPP ones. They actually have flavour. I like the fact that they have less salt in than many snacks."

Aldi continues to win fans with its value-for-money products, and this includes baby food. With a range of snacks, meals and fruit pots at a bargain price, the Aldi Mamia products are also organic.

Like all baby food ranges, they're labelled according to age, with stage one being mainly fruit or yoghurts, and the meals suitable from 7 months labelled for stage 2.

With a lower price point than some other branded baby foods, it also means parents may be able to give their little one more options to try.


Parents say

"The Aldi ones are really good. My little boy loves them. We do try and give him finger foods too, but with jars and pouches I know he's going to eat them."

"They are some of the only lumpy ones my little one will eat! She loves all the Aldi ones, but can be quite picky with others."

"Can't see any difference between these and others, myself. I would buy the pouches again for sure."

With a wide range of baby rice, porridge, meals, fruit pouches, snacks and drinks, Heinz has a lot of options when you start weaning. If your baby isn't keen on one of the Heinz flavours, there's bound to be one they like.

Parents say

"I buy Heinz naturals because they are in glass jars, so can be recycled. And they are value for money. I like Heinz as it's a bit lumpy for my eight-month-old, so I feel it helps get her used to chewing. The variety isn't the best. I wish they'd do more flavours."

"My son prefers Heinz baby porridge and the fruity jars/pouches to my puréed veggies! I give him some soft finger food and he just looks at me."

Weaning food basics

What you need to know

When starting solids with your baby, there may be times when making it all from scratch and fresh is just one thing too many to fit into your day. Or maybe you have no plans to ever home cook, and shop-bought baby foods have been a great option for your weaning baby.

Whatever your approach – whether it's purées, baby-led or some of both – there may be times when buying a ready-made meal for your growing baby is what works best for you. How you approach weaning really is your choice, or it may become your baby's choice if they prefer finger foods or purées more.

Although your little one may have taken an eager interest in your food before they reach six months, it's not until then that the guidance advises you start weaning. Your baby should have a milk-only diet up to this point – even if some of the shop-bought options say they're fine for your baby from four months old.

Weaning doesn't mean they should stop drinking either breastmilk or formula milk. In fact, they should carry on with one of these until they're a year old, while they are gradually moved onto more solid foods.

There are some foods that you shouldn't give to a child under one. Salt, honey and whole nuts are the main ones. We have more on BabyCentre about these and other foods that aren't advised for babies.

How can I choose which shop-bought baby food to buy?

Sarah Almond BushellOpens a new window, registered dietitian and children's nutritionist, gave us her three top tips for choosing shop-bought baby food:

‘There is an array of flavours, tastes and textures in the baby food aisle. Weaning is a way for your little one to learn and like all sorts of new things. Choose flavours that you are likely to eat as a family. I see lots of parents who offer foods like papaya, which is packed full of flavour but isn’t part of their usual diet. Likewise, if a family favourite is chicken curry, try to find baby food that contains those spices, so your baby learns to like them before they start sharing that meal with you.

Look for food that has been fortified with iron. This is a nutrient that babies are often lacking because their needs are so high, and iron levels can affect baby’s energy, immunity and all sorts!

Finally, avoid those pouches that look like savoury meals but contain mainly fruit. Babies have very mature sweet taste buds, so are likely to love them. But their taste buds for bitter foods (like veggies) are less developed, so these foods are often the ones that result in them pulling a funny face and rejecting. We have to teach our little ones to like those bitter flavours. We used to say it took 10 exposures, but now the research is showing it could take as many as 100 attempts in some children. Keep trying!’

We've taken a look at some of the best shop-bought branded baby food on the market.

Seen something you like? Don't forget to add it to your Amazon baby wishlistOpens a new window.

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