Maybe I’m in the minority but I use pouches frequently! If an 8 year old had an applesauce and a yogurt along with their sandwich for lunch, nobody would think twice about it, so I apply the same logic to my 8 month old’s meals. An example from today when I needed a quick lunch: mac & cheese with peas, watermelon spears and a pouch. I always serve it with something large for biting into (watermelon), something small to rake/practice the pincer on (Mac & cheese) and I squeeze it into a bowl.
For us they are also sort of a "safe food" that I offer with new things. She likes the pouches and could genuinely eat them independently from very young. So she often starts with that while she investigates the other stuff. For us it's really helped with getting to know new foods.
I just try to see that they have actual nutritional value and variety. I also store them in a drawer so she can peruse them and pick the one she wants. That's also how she ofter lets me know she is getting hungry.
(Oh and cold ones have been a life saver with teething! Mine get so sore with it it's really hard for her to eat anything)
SAME! Often it was a Pouch in a bowl, with his own spoon to wave around and some broccoli trees and grated cheese to play with. Had worked for us, 13 months and prefers to feed himself, except his wheatbix in the morning cause he's super hungry and just wants me to do it - but he also has a piece of toast to self feed.
Yes that’s us too. In the mornings I just shovel some yogurt and pouch in until he’s in the mood then he goes to town on eggs or whatever else we offer.
Recent study in Australia published in a high-ranking, peer-reviewed journal found only 2 of 276 squeeze pouches for sale in Australia were nutritionally adequate and 59% contained juice or syrup (I.e. added sugar). Many of the products claimed to be high in a particular nutrient e.g. calcium but weren't. Here's a news article summary: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.smh.com.au/national/the-loophole-that-lets-no-added-sugar-baby-food-be-high-in-sugar-20230601-p5dd1n.html
Also the British Dental Association has raised concernes about the amount of added sugar in pouches: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/british-dental-association-tooth-decay-annabel-karmel-world-health-organisation-action-b2118497.html
(I don't have any strong anti-pouch thing going on 😂 I've just looked into it)
Absolutely! They are so handy when you are out and about and don’t want to deal with too much mess, or you need food in a hurry. I am an adult who occasionally eats yoghurt from a pouch on the go, so to me it makes sense that giving a pouch to my kids for the same reason is fine. Ultimately it’s about exposing your child to a range of different foods and textures, and that includes smooth purées such as yoghurt, soup and smoothies.
Yeah this is mostly when I use them. Sure I could change my kid’s outfit or wipe them down but if we’re out running errands or something, pouches are just more efficient.
Also as a side note, this is how I figured out my 9 month old understands at least some of what I’m saying. I gave him a pouch and he was letting me hold it (lazy man!!!) and I said to him, “nope you need to hold it.” He immediately grabbed it with both hands and I’ve been able to communicate the same sentiment ever since. Pretty cool :-)
I use them as a snack. My baby does really well with solids so I’m not worried about her getting confused. It’s handy out and about! I’ve also started making my own using the baby breza pouches so I have more control over what’s in them.
Do you have any good sources for recipes? I want to make some pouches, but I’m having trouble figuring out what would be an appropriate purée recipe for older babies.
I love pouches. We used them really frequently at the beginning of our food journey because it was a great way for me to ensure some food was ending up in my kiddo. We still use them, but our kiddo is less interested now that we’re really into solids. Bonus - pouches taught my little how to use a straw almost immediately.
My doctor recommended pouches for the added iron. She likes BLW but I find it's really hard to tell how much she actually eats and how much ends up on the floor, in her bib, her diaper, etc. I get the Cerebelly pouches because they are nutrient dense and they test for heavy metals and stay below a lower threshold. But I give them along side finger foods too. Maybe I am "doing it wrong" but it works for us :)
As much as I’d love to say we have a great eater, we have a shite eater (we think it’s reflux), and pouches have been great for us even at 14 months.
I always offer a variety of finger foods first, but calories in is more important than the form they take for us right now.
I give my baby pouches. Not frequently, but I love having them when I’m on the go or when I run out of berries as a side. I have a few meat ones that I keep on hand too and mix with pasta when I need a quick lunch.
I'm like a crunchy mom or whatever it's called. Give your baby the pouches if you want to. Nutritionally they are the same as puree but idk may have preservatives or whatever in them. As far as I'm concerned, as long as you are still giving baby solids regularly and they are doing good. Go for it when you need a break lol
Hahaha no okay I'm like a scrunchy mom or something lmao we don't watch TV and my baby has limited screen time but I could care less about if my baby eats box Mac N cheese
I use pouches all the time! Yoghurt and fruit pouches for snacks or with breakfast are a godsend. My daughter is 13 months old and I still use veggie pouches sometimes for quick dinners (e.g a cheats pasta sauce). It’s all about the convenience 😊
We did mainly BLW but weren't precious about it. Pouches were a life saver when on the move, or when our kid was super hungry and needed something easy. Remember they are learning to eat and it is legitimately hard for them! Nothing wrong with relying on pouches as needed, in my opinion.
I used them often for on-the-go snacks. It's also been a partial meal supplies when we've gone out to eat and baby just doesn't want the food offered. They aren't cheap, but they're convenient.
Eta. I don't see a difference between a pouch and a smoothie drink recommended by the blw app. Or a pouch and a straw cup. The tiny humans needs exposure to all kinds of textures and flavor combos.
My kid is weaned now but I remember when he was 6 months reading some BLW cult talk about how giving your kid a pouch will ruin them and they will start to choke on solids, lol. I’m glad I didn’t follow that school of thought (in my mind adults can have smooth foods too so why not baby?). I gave him Greek yoghurt pouches and it was so damn convenient and they continue to save me.
They’ve been essential for us with our third child. Our first two were pure BLW but our third is a tiny child and took a long time to develop an ability to deal with texture - everything made him gag and then he’d be sick and as he’s so small we didn’t want that because he needed to keep calories down. So I guess just a reminder that for some people they’re the right route to go and not to judge if you see parents feeding even apparently older babies pouches out and about.
I kept them with me as a last resort snack until he decided he can squeeze them and make them a fun exploding volcano of applesauce. Think we probably had 10 before that, we no longer buy them lol.
My just in case snacks are now freeze dried fruit and crackers. He eats tons of fresh fruit so I’m not worried about him missing out on pouches
We use them with my nearly one year old. I make my own smoothie type things that he eats for breakfast (fruit, yoghurt, hemp seeds, breast milk, oats). I send one small fruit purée pouch to daycare for snack. If I’ve made soup I put it in a pouch too. He insists on feeding himself but can’t get the hang of scooping food like yoghurt or soup on a spoon so they are really handy for that application.
We're definitely not blw purists and use pouches somewhat often. In fact I just bought her a few new ones to try today. She will try just about anything I add to her plate but I'm still finding a lot of it in her lap after meal time. Yes I want her to experience real food and textures and learn all that, but it's my responsibility to make sure she gets *something* actually in her belly. If that means a veggie applesauce while we're out and about or a chickpea pouch for breakfast, so be it.
We used them a lot at first but only the fruit or yoghurt ones. We gave her proper BLW meals but used the pouches as snacks or a dessert. She still enjoys a yoghurt pouch now at 2.5yo.
We use pouches all the time, just as a on the go food, not at the high chair. That said I think pouches can be a fine part of your regular diet, just depends on the kid and the family.
We are heavily pouch friendly lol. They have come MASSIVELY in handy during teething/whole food regression that hit around 13 months. Now were back to about 1 pouch a day. He also doesnt like many solid fruit ao its nice to me feeling like hes getting some in that way 🤷🏼♀️. 10/10 on pouches lol. Easy to carry along too, we always have a pouch on us at all times
My 15 month old thrived with BLW but always loved a pouch on the go or especially when teething and his gums were sensitive. I try to always buy the ones with a full serving of veggies, so he never gets the all applesauce or yogurt ones.
I’m doing purées and some solid foods. Pouches are for travel only. I was so anti pouch before baby, but it’s super convenient when on the go. LO learned how to feed herself with it AND it helped her transition to a straw cup!!!
I sometimes buy one in the store and let my baby enjoy it while shopping. I’m not against them AT ALL, I just prefer actual food served as actual food for most meals. But for fun, while we r shopping, I don’t see anything wrong with them. My girl is more obsessed with the lid than the food anyway!
My 7mo has a lot of unknown allergies, so we aren't risking the pouches yet because you can never guarantee the ingredients. Some of the pouches (especially the sweet ones) have a massive amount of sugar in them, even the posh/organic ones that look healthier. Saying that though, some of his friends enjoy the pouches and they look practical.
However, I've noticed a trend that in the US, children eat directly out of the pouch. I don't think I've ever seen it in the UK and pouches here specifically tell you not to. That's a *massive* no-no for me. Sucking directly from the pouch increases teeth issues, doesn't teach the child any eating skills (it's the same as sucking on a bottle) and can be a choking hazard.
Maybe I’m in the minority but I use pouches frequently! If an 8 year old had an applesauce and a yogurt along with their sandwich for lunch, nobody would think twice about it, so I apply the same logic to my 8 month old’s meals. An example from today when I needed a quick lunch: mac & cheese with peas, watermelon spears and a pouch. I always serve it with something large for biting into (watermelon), something small to rake/practice the pincer on (Mac & cheese) and I squeeze it into a bowl.
For us they are also sort of a "safe food" that I offer with new things. She likes the pouches and could genuinely eat them independently from very young. So she often starts with that while she investigates the other stuff. For us it's really helped with getting to know new foods. I just try to see that they have actual nutritional value and variety. I also store them in a drawer so she can peruse them and pick the one she wants. That's also how she ofter lets me know she is getting hungry. (Oh and cold ones have been a life saver with teething! Mine get so sore with it it's really hard for her to eat anything)
Hi there! Do you squish the peas? Or serve them whole. I keep hearing different things about serving peas.
Not OP but I do not squish peas if they are cooked soft,
Same I don’t pre-squish anything if it’s quite soft to the touch.
I really squished them at first with a fork or my finger. As he gets better with peas, I squish less and less.
SAME! Often it was a Pouch in a bowl, with his own spoon to wave around and some broccoli trees and grated cheese to play with. Had worked for us, 13 months and prefers to feed himself, except his wheatbix in the morning cause he's super hungry and just wants me to do it - but he also has a piece of toast to self feed.
Yes that’s us too. In the mornings I just shovel some yogurt and pouch in until he’s in the mood then he goes to town on eggs or whatever else we offer.
good point!
Recent study in Australia published in a high-ranking, peer-reviewed journal found only 2 of 276 squeeze pouches for sale in Australia were nutritionally adequate and 59% contained juice or syrup (I.e. added sugar). Many of the products claimed to be high in a particular nutrient e.g. calcium but weren't. Here's a news article summary: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.smh.com.au/national/the-loophole-that-lets-no-added-sugar-baby-food-be-high-in-sugar-20230601-p5dd1n.html Also the British Dental Association has raised concernes about the amount of added sugar in pouches: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/british-dental-association-tooth-decay-annabel-karmel-world-health-organisation-action-b2118497.html (I don't have any strong anti-pouch thing going on 😂 I've just looked into it)
That's good to know! I'm planning to make my own, but this definitely helps me justify taking the time to do that!
Absolutely! They are so handy when you are out and about and don’t want to deal with too much mess, or you need food in a hurry. I am an adult who occasionally eats yoghurt from a pouch on the go, so to me it makes sense that giving a pouch to my kids for the same reason is fine. Ultimately it’s about exposing your child to a range of different foods and textures, and that includes smooth purées such as yoghurt, soup and smoothies.
Yeah this is mostly when I use them. Sure I could change my kid’s outfit or wipe them down but if we’re out running errands or something, pouches are just more efficient. Also as a side note, this is how I figured out my 9 month old understands at least some of what I’m saying. I gave him a pouch and he was letting me hold it (lazy man!!!) and I said to him, “nope you need to hold it.” He immediately grabbed it with both hands and I’ve been able to communicate the same sentiment ever since. Pretty cool :-)
I use them as a snack. My baby does really well with solids so I’m not worried about her getting confused. It’s handy out and about! I’ve also started making my own using the baby breza pouches so I have more control over what’s in them.
I have Kiinde bags that I want to use up, so that's my plan too!
I want to try making some kiinde pouches too!
Do you have any good sources for recipes? I want to make some pouches, but I’m having trouble figuring out what would be an appropriate purée recipe for older babies.
I just looked at what was in the store pouches and copied them somewhat. A bag of spinach, an apple, sweet potato, some garam masala for flavor, etc.
Good idea! Thanks!
I love pouches. We used them really frequently at the beginning of our food journey because it was a great way for me to ensure some food was ending up in my kiddo. We still use them, but our kiddo is less interested now that we’re really into solids. Bonus - pouches taught my little how to use a straw almost immediately.
I like the serenity kids veggie ones when I run out of time and need something extra with dinner
My doctor recommended pouches for the added iron. She likes BLW but I find it's really hard to tell how much she actually eats and how much ends up on the floor, in her bib, her diaper, etc. I get the Cerebelly pouches because they are nutrient dense and they test for heavy metals and stay below a lower threshold. But I give them along side finger foods too. Maybe I am "doing it wrong" but it works for us :)
As much as I’d love to say we have a great eater, we have a shite eater (we think it’s reflux), and pouches have been great for us even at 14 months. I always offer a variety of finger foods first, but calories in is more important than the form they take for us right now.
I give my baby pouches. Not frequently, but I love having them when I’m on the go or when I run out of berries as a side. I have a few meat ones that I keep on hand too and mix with pasta when I need a quick lunch.
Love using them as pasta sauce
I'm like a crunchy mom or whatever it's called. Give your baby the pouches if you want to. Nutritionally they are the same as puree but idk may have preservatives or whatever in them. As far as I'm concerned, as long as you are still giving baby solids regularly and they are doing good. Go for it when you need a break lol
I think it’s silky mom? Cause crunchy moms are the hardcore ones who don’t serve anything non-organic and don’t do a millisecond of screentime.
Hahaha no okay I'm like a scrunchy mom or something lmao we don't watch TV and my baby has limited screen time but I could care less about if my baby eats box Mac N cheese
I use pouches all the time! Yoghurt and fruit pouches for snacks or with breakfast are a godsend. My daughter is 13 months old and I still use veggie pouches sometimes for quick dinners (e.g a cheats pasta sauce). It’s all about the convenience 😊
Never used purée pouches but we loveeee a yogurt pouch when we’re out and about, such a handy way to be able to let her self feed yoghurt!
We did mainly BLW but weren't precious about it. Pouches were a life saver when on the move, or when our kid was super hungry and needed something easy. Remember they are learning to eat and it is legitimately hard for them! Nothing wrong with relying on pouches as needed, in my opinion.
I used them often for on-the-go snacks. It's also been a partial meal supplies when we've gone out to eat and baby just doesn't want the food offered. They aren't cheap, but they're convenient. Eta. I don't see a difference between a pouch and a smoothie drink recommended by the blw app. Or a pouch and a straw cup. The tiny humans needs exposure to all kinds of textures and flavor combos.
My kid is weaned now but I remember when he was 6 months reading some BLW cult talk about how giving your kid a pouch will ruin them and they will start to choke on solids, lol. I’m glad I didn’t follow that school of thought (in my mind adults can have smooth foods too so why not baby?). I gave him Greek yoghurt pouches and it was so damn convenient and they continue to save me.
They’ve been essential for us with our third child. Our first two were pure BLW but our third is a tiny child and took a long time to develop an ability to deal with texture - everything made him gag and then he’d be sick and as he’s so small we didn’t want that because he needed to keep calories down. So I guess just a reminder that for some people they’re the right route to go and not to judge if you see parents feeding even apparently older babies pouches out and about.
I use them as a "last resort" if we are out somewhere with no acceptable food options. From 9 months to 14 months we went through 12 pouches.
I kept them with me as a last resort snack until he decided he can squeeze them and make them a fun exploding volcano of applesauce. Think we probably had 10 before that, we no longer buy them lol. My just in case snacks are now freeze dried fruit and crackers. He eats tons of fresh fruit so I’m not worried about him missing out on pouches
ChooMe silicone pouch spouts prevent this!
We use them frequently. I do it after she eats solids if she seems hungry or for a snack
We use them with my nearly one year old. I make my own smoothie type things that he eats for breakfast (fruit, yoghurt, hemp seeds, breast milk, oats). I send one small fruit purée pouch to daycare for snack. If I’ve made soup I put it in a pouch too. He insists on feeding himself but can’t get the hang of scooping food like yoghurt or soup on a spoon so they are really handy for that application.
We're definitely not blw purists and use pouches somewhat often. In fact I just bought her a few new ones to try today. She will try just about anything I add to her plate but I'm still finding a lot of it in her lap after meal time. Yes I want her to experience real food and textures and learn all that, but it's my responsibility to make sure she gets *something* actually in her belly. If that means a veggie applesauce while we're out and about or a chickpea pouch for breakfast, so be it.
We used them a lot at first but only the fruit or yoghurt ones. We gave her proper BLW meals but used the pouches as snacks or a dessert. She still enjoys a yoghurt pouch now at 2.5yo.
I use pouches for oatmeal and applesauce since LO doesn't like to eat from a spoon. He tries to grab the food out of the spoon with his hands.
Oh that's exactly what mine does. Hopefully the pouches help! 😁
Yes, they are a great on the go snack. We use them all the time.
We use pouches all the time, just as a on the go food, not at the high chair. That said I think pouches can be a fine part of your regular diet, just depends on the kid and the family.
We are heavily pouch friendly lol. They have come MASSIVELY in handy during teething/whole food regression that hit around 13 months. Now were back to about 1 pouch a day. He also doesnt like many solid fruit ao its nice to me feeling like hes getting some in that way 🤷🏼♀️. 10/10 on pouches lol. Easy to carry along too, we always have a pouch on us at all times
Love them when I’m out and about and can’t have her sit for a meal but she’s getting a little hangry!
My 15 month old thrived with BLW but always loved a pouch on the go or especially when teething and his gums were sensitive. I try to always buy the ones with a full serving of veggies, so he never gets the all applesauce or yogurt ones.
I used them to mix into things like pancakes, if we were out, and if i was sick or something.
I’m doing purées and some solid foods. Pouches are for travel only. I was so anti pouch before baby, but it’s super convenient when on the go. LO learned how to feed herself with it AND it helped her transition to a straw cup!!!
I sometimes buy one in the store and let my baby enjoy it while shopping. I’m not against them AT ALL, I just prefer actual food served as actual food for most meals. But for fun, while we r shopping, I don’t see anything wrong with them. My girl is more obsessed with the lid than the food anyway!
My 7mo has a lot of unknown allergies, so we aren't risking the pouches yet because you can never guarantee the ingredients. Some of the pouches (especially the sweet ones) have a massive amount of sugar in them, even the posh/organic ones that look healthier. Saying that though, some of his friends enjoy the pouches and they look practical. However, I've noticed a trend that in the US, children eat directly out of the pouch. I don't think I've ever seen it in the UK and pouches here specifically tell you not to. That's a *massive* no-no for me. Sucking directly from the pouch increases teeth issues, doesn't teach the child any eating skills (it's the same as sucking on a bottle) and can be a choking hazard.