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Choosing the right baby food for your child can be a challenge, especially with so many options on the shelves! There's organic vs. non organic, pouches, pre-made food, dried baby food, and so many conflicting opinions on what's best! Read on to learn more about the best powdered baby food and one of the best overall baby food brands on the market today: Amara organic baby food. You'll learn more about this brand, what makes it unique, and whether it might be a good fit for your baby!
After trying countless baby food brands and products, I am eager to announce that I've finally found the best organic powdered baby food around.
Amara baby food has received glowing reviews from new parents as one of the best powdered formulas on the market. In this comprehensive guide to Amara organic baby food, I'll be covering everything you need to know about this powdered baby food brand that has taken the parenting world by storm!
What Are The Different Types Of Pre-Made Baby Food?
Pre made baby food is a terrific option for busy parents who are looking for convenient ways to feed their little ones. However, with so many different baby food products to choose from, it can be hard to know which one is best for your child. To make things easier on you, here's a breakdown of the different types of pre-made baby food being sold on grocery shelves today.
- Powdered Baby Food: Powdered baby food comes in packages and is shelf stable. From an economical standpoint, food that comes in powder form is going to get you the most bang for your buck. All you have to do is mix it with tap water or breast milk before feeding it to your baby.
- Baby Food Pouches: Infant formula that comes in pouches or jars (sometimes known as bag-in-box packaging) provides a solution that guarantees your child's food withstands a long shelf-life. This ready-to-use food is rich and thick, however, it isn't always as nutritious as manufacturers lead us to believe, and often has too much sugar and may contain preservatives. There are some healthy baby food pouches on the market, but it can be one of the more expensive formula options.
- Chunky Baby Food: This type of food often comes in jars, and isn't completely pureed, so your baby learns to enjoy different textures. Often chunkier foods will have different spices or multiple ingredients included to simulate "real" food.
- "Made To Order" Baby Food: There are a few companies who are creating mini meals for babies and toddlers that they will ship to your house! This is a convenient option that's usually organic and preservative-free, but can become expensive fast!
Is Store-Bought Baby Food Healthy?
Many new parents wonder whether store-bought baby food has the same nutritional value as homemade food. The answer is - it depends! Both store-bought and homemade baby food can be perfectly healthy options for your little one, it all depends on the brand and the ingredients included in the store bought baby food.
The main differences between homemade and store-bought baby food is product packaging, shelf life, and control over the ingredients (with homemade food, you can control how much sugar and the quantities of each ingredient in the food!). The good news is, many commercial baby food brands are healthy, organic and made with minimal ingredients, much like the kind you're making at home.
Is It Better To Buy Or Make Baby Food?
Whether it's better to buy or make your own baby food depends entirely on your family and your lifestyle. Store-bought baby food is more convenient, has a longer shelf-life, and doesn't require a food processor, but is also the more expensive option. On the flip side, making your own baby food requires your time. The right path simply depends on what works best for your family.
(If you're interested in making your own baby food, check out these delicious, DIY baby food recipes!)
What To Look For In Store-Bought Baby Food
If you're interested in buying pre-made baby food, here's what to look for:
- Wholesome, Simple Ingredients. If you are buying a jar of fruits or vegetables -like sweet potatoes, for example- then you want sweet potatoes to be your main (preferably, only) ingredient. Always check the label before buying baby food so you know what you're really getting.
- Fewer Ingredients. Don't buy baby food that is loaded with added sugar, salt, margarine, butter, or fillers (like corn or rice). Instead, stick to minimally-processed brands that contain primarily whole foods.
- Organic. Whether or not parents choose to buy organic depends on factors like availability, texture, taste, price, and personal values. Personally, I like organic baby food because I know it is free from artificial pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides.
What To Avoid In Store-Bought Baby Food
Avoid buying commercial baby food that is full of salt, sugar, additives, butter, fillers, or margarine. Instead, look for low-sugar baby food that is composed mostly of solid foods (either fruits or veggies) and an amount of water. When it comes to commercial baby food, the fewer ingredients the better.
What Is Amara Organic Baby Food?
So, I mentioned that Amara Organic Baby Food is one of my favorites. Why? Well, that's easy. In addition to being made with wholesome ingredients, Amara has a wide variety of baby food flavors that your little one is guaranteed to love.
- Applesauce With Maqui Berry: The apple maqui berry flavor supports a healthy gut by combining antioxidant-rich super berry with naturally sweet, crisp apples.
- Banana: Their one-ingredient organic banana baby food is packed with potassium, irresistibly sweet, and has a perfectly mushy texture.
- Black Bean And Sweet Corn: This flavor gets babies started on plant-based protein from a young age, setting up their palates for future veggie endeavors.
- Kale Potato Veggie Mash: Kale potato mash eases your baby into leafy greens by combining them with banana and potato.
- Oats n' Berries: This flavor resembles a big, comforting bowl of oatmeal. Just like the real thing, it is a great way to support digestion and your little one's developing gut.
- Oats, Mango n' Strawberry (Ancient Grain Cereal): Because they are full of protein and iron, yet gentle on your baby's digestive system, organic amaranth and oats are the ideal grains for your baby's food.
- Pumpkin And Pear: Babies love pumpkin-regardless of the season. Not only is it bursting with iron and protein, but pumpkin is rich in vitamin A, making it a terrific option for vision and bone health.
- Sweet Potato Raspberry: Many baby cereals use sweet potato, and they do so for good reason! Sweet potatoes have tons of antioxidants (as they're full of beta carotene) and are still gentle on a baby's digestive system. Combined with fresh raspberry, this flavor offers a drool-worthy combination of sweet and tart.
- Tropical Mango: Tropical mango is just about the tastiest way to ensure your baby gets their fix of vitamin C! Not only that, but it helps to ward off colds and infections by strengthening your little one's immune system.
Amara foods also make one of the healthiest yogurt melts I've found - they're whole food based and have zero grams of added sugar - way better than most of the other yogurt melts and puffs brands out there! (more on that below).
What Makes Amara Different From Other Baby Food Brands?
Wondering what separates Amara baby food from all the other brands out there? Well, the answer is quite a bit! First off, Amara organic foods are made with your whole family in mind. Their fresh, homemade meals are healthy, affordable, and easy to make, ensuring that both the parents and the baby are happy.
At Amara, every recipe is designed by Chef Vicki Johnson and features real food that is individually sourced, certified organic, and picked at peak harvest. Aside from being completely delicious, its proprietary technology ensures that Amara's products retain all the nutrients from the whole foods that were used to make them.
Additionally, Amara foods take your baby beyond the standard fare. Say goodbye to plain peas, carrots, and applesauce because Amara flavors are bursting with unique and exciting food pairings like the ones I mentioned above.
Amara's lightweight powder also allows for meals that are easy to store and customizable, making them perfect for on-the-go lifestyles and picky eaters alike.
How Is Amara Powdered Baby Food Made?
Traditionally, baby food is made by heating, mixing, and reheating pre-made purees (like applesauce). This standard formula of high-heat processing can sometimes strip foods of some of their natural, nourishing qualities. However, that's not how things are done at Amara. Thanks to their dehydration technology, Amara organics products are designed to deliver the taste, smell, and nourishment of homemade meals at the ease and convenience of packaged food.
How do they do that? Well, their process starts and ends with real food (meaning: no added sugars, preservatives, free-flow agents, etc.), and their ingredients are all individually sourced and prepared. Their patented nutrient protection technology also locks in foods' natural flavors, textures, and nutrients, so they aren't depleted.
Instead of a simple puree, the actual results are freeze dried baby foods that come in powdered form. All you have to do is add liquid to transform Amara powder back into the colorful, flavorful food that it once was. That's it!
How Do You Prepare It?
Not only do babies find that Amara organic food tastes delicious, but it is incredibly easy for parents to prepare. To serve Amara baby food, simply mix the powdered baby food blend with breast milk, formula, or warm water (or cold water, up to you) until the desired consistency is reached.
Because of this customizability, the Amara blend will allow you to make a seamless transition to solid foods as babies grow into older children.
What Are Amara Smoothie Melts?
Baby food isn't the only thing on the menu at Amara Organic Foods. The company also produces Amara Smoothie Melts as a part of their ' toddler snacks ' line. These yogurt melts are delicious, colorful treats for your little ones and also happen to be totally healthy.
Made with 100% organic veggies and fruit and no added sugar, Amara yogurt melts are a treat you can feel good about. Instead of using additives, Amara harnesses the natural properties of fruits and veggies to capture that melt-in-your-mouth goodness that your toddlers will love.
Amara organic smoothie melts are conveniently packaged in a resealable bag, making them perfect for cars, parks, or anywhere else your kiddo needs a snack. Not only that, but there are a wide variety of flavors to choose from (think: Mango Carrot, Beets n' Berries, and Carrot Raspberry - yum!).
Is Amara Baby Food Healthy?
Amara is all about quality without compromise. Their patented nutrient protection technology (NPT) preserves whole food ingredients so they retain their flavor, texture, and nutritional profile. While other traditional big-box retailers use high-heat processes that strip baby food of its nutrients, the Amara team works hard to ensure those nutrients are well-preserved.
Furthermore, Amara organic baby food contains no additives, preservatives, binding agents, or added sugars. Amara's team believes that if future generations eat good food now, then they will eat healthier, think clearer, and feel better for the rest of their lives.
Pros: What I Like About Amara Baby Food
What would a baby food review be without a little pros and cons list? Here are my favorite things about Amara Baby Food:
- Unique dehydration technique. Amara's dehydrated baby food doesn't use high heat, which produces a difference you can both smell and taste.
- Long shelf life and easy storage. Aside from a prolonged shelf life (12-18 months, to be exact), Amara products are lightweight and easy to carry, making them perfect to slip into your purse or diaper bag.
- The taste (and appearance!). There's no denying that Amara products look scrumptious. Because of its patented protection technology, the ingredients in their food retain all the same colors, flavors, and textures as the real food they originally came from. This creates an end result that looks and tastes just like a delicious, homemade meal.
- Convenience. Busy moms understand just how convenient packaged food really is. Amara products have all the expected benefits of pre-made food (traveling, keeping some at grandma's house, for babysitters, etc.), but without sacrificing taste or nutrition. It truly is the best of both worlds!
- Toddler snacks and recipes. If you have toddlers, you'll love knowing that each box of Amara food comes with a neat "toddler recipe" that is simple enough for a toddler to work on independently, like pancakes or a smoothie.
- Free shipping. If you place a domestic order over $75, you are eligible for free shipping.
Cons: Other Things To Consider
Although Amara organic freeze-dried baby food is one of my favorites, there are a few things to consider before purchasing:
- Cost. When it comes to baby food, you get what you pay for. For this reason, Amara is a bit more expensive than regular jarred baby food. Pouches average at about $2.50 per large serving, whereas jars are normally $1.00 per serving.
- It can be clumpy. Some customers report Amara products to be a bit too clumpy for their liking. While this wasn't the case for me, purchasing Amara in stores (as opposed to online) might help to alleviate this problem.
- No returns. Because of the nature of the product, Amara is unable to accept returns. Instead, they will issue a credit for items that arrive damaged. The process is easy if you simply want a new, in-tact product. However, issuing credit doesn't do much if your baby dislikes the taste.
Is Amara Baby Food Right For My Child?
Like so many decisions we make as parents, the decision of whether Amara baby food is right for your child is different for everyone. If you are a busy parent who is looking for an easy and convenient way to ensure your baby's healthy eating, then Amara is a fantastic option to try out.
Powdered Baby Food FAQs
Below you will find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about powdered baby food:
More Helpful Guides!
If you liked this review, check out my blog's Best For Kids section! From diaper reviews to DIY baby recipes, I've got your parenting needs covered. Here are a few related posts you may enjoy:
Final Thoughts
Well, that concludes my review of Amara baby food! I hope this guide helped to answer your questions about powdered formula and determine whether Amara baby food is a good fit for your family. If you found this guide helpful or have a question, feel free to leave a comment below. I love talking about all-things healthy eating and motherhood, so I will get back to you as quickly as I can - and I always respond to every question I get!
