Sprout Organic Baby Food Review

I got on a health kick about a year ago as I was hearing more and more about how bad processed foods were for us. Namely, processed flour and refined sugars. They seem to be a culprit in so many health woes to include obesity. Coupled with that are all the concerns with preservatives and colorings and how they had possible long term implications. Once I started educating myself on the benefits of organic food, I became interested in organic baby food. I was also concerned given the alarming number of news events surrounding various baby products.

At my local Publix, they did have organic baby food much to my surprise. My little one loved it but it was not so convenient as it's frozen. It's nice that they did offer divided portions in little sections but it's hard to try to cut them apart to thaw out. I had little options until now.

I was given the opportunity on The Product Review Place, to try Sprout Organic Baby Food in five different varieties:

1. Roasted Bananas & Mango - my daughter loved this and the aroma was appealing. The texture was consistent with other baby foods but tasted much better. The mixture of different foods enhances the appeal.
2. Peas - I can't really judge this as neither one of us like peas.
3. Sweet Baby Carrots, Apples & Mango - she loves this one and again, the taste and smell was amazing. I had to try it too :)
4. Oatmeal with Roasted Cinnamon Applesauce - I'm an oatmeal fan along with cinnamon applesauce so this was another winner with both of us. I'm very pleased how Sprout takes a number of ingredients to make one great, healthy dish.
5. Baked Sweet Potatoes - again, great! She loved it.

Sprout was co-created by chef and father, Tyler Florence. With his culinary experiences and knowledge, he was able to create recipes that included multiple ingredients to offer a delicious complimentary combination.

What I like more about Sprout, is they set their standards based on Healthy Child Healthy World:

Products must:

• Not be chronically toxic – including not carcinogenic, not reproductive toxic, not endocrine disrupting, not neurotoxic, and not teratogenic
• Not contain toxic dyes
• Not contain health compromising chemicals - including alkylphenols, polyurethane, petroleum distillates, phosphates, chlorine, chlorinated or brominated solvents, petroleum-derived or petrochemical fragrances, parabens, sulfur oxides, organohalides, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (Perc), dioxins and furans, hexavalent chromium, organophosphate pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), 2,4, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4, D).
• Not contain sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, propylene glycol, artificial colors and synthetic fragrances, synthetic preservatives, petroleum-based ingredients, formaldehyde donors.
• Not contain PVC.
• Not contain bisphenol-A (BPA), PFCs, PBDE (polybrominated diphenyl ethers)
• Not contain heavy metals – including lead, mercury, cobalt, chromium, nickel, beryllium, arsenic, and cadmium
• Not tested on animals
• Not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

"Most people want to consider the health and environmental effects of the products they buy, but lack the time to research high-quality, non-toxic options." Healthy Child Healthy World

Pro's:

1. Great tasting and healthy.
2. Convenient packaging as they are in pouches that allows you to serve what you need and place it in the refrigerator for later.
3. Catered to children 6 months and older.
4. Not frozen so readily available to use.
5. Pouches that are environmentally friendly (less waste) and less costs to produce.
6. Free shipping on orders of $75 or more.
7. Free Sprout Club membership where the more you buy, the more you save by automatic shipments.
8. Many products are available on Sprout such as food, baby products, books and items for moms.
9. A nice breakdown of common chemicals found in baby products are listed on their website.
10. Created based on year's of research and development.

Con's:

1. Limited availability in stores (select H.E.B., Publix and Central Market) but they are expanding and you can purchase online.
2. A little costly but most organic foods are since you are ensuring your children are digesting healthier, chemical/pesticide free products ($16.65 for 12 pouches).
3. Not available for toddlers.

In summary, I definitely prefer this over any other baby food. I would love to see foods at the toddler stage.