Gerber Baby Food Vs. Gerber Organic

Types

• Babies usually start out on single-grain cereals when they're just beginning solid foods. Gerber offers these in both organic and non-organic varieties. Once she's gotten the hang of cereal, your baby can move on to the fruits and vegetables.

  Both Gerber baby food and Gerber Organic baby food come in three stages. In general, "1st Foods" are for babies who can sit up if supported. Feed babies who can sit by themselves "2nd Foods," and "3rd Foods" are for crawlers.

  You can choose from a variety of fruits, vegetables and meals. Those for the youngest babies are pureed, while "3rd Foods" are chunkier. There also are varieties for toddlers and preschoolers.

Significance

• Baby food labeled "USDA Organic" must meet United States Department of Agriculture standards and be at least 95 percent organic. According to Consumer Reports, this means " ... all but 5 percent of the content was produced without conventional pesticides and fertilizers."

  A 2002 study published in the Food Additives and Contaminants Journal found that organically grown foods contain a third as many pesticide residues as those grown conventionally. Many parents choose organic baby food for this reason.

Considerations

• Gerber Organic baby food typically costs more than regular Gerber baby food. Stores sometimes offer more varieties of non-organic Gerber baby food than they do organic.

Benefits

• According to the Environmental Protection Agency, children and infants " ... may be especially sensitive to health risks posed by pesticides."

  Elizabeth Knapp, a pediatrician with Austin Regional Clinic Far West, has said organic baby food can be beneficial to babies, particularly before age two. During the first two years, babies' brains are developing quickly, and their organs might be more sensitive to exposure to harmful substances, according to GoodHealth.com. If this concerns you, and you are trying to keep the pesticides your baby ingests to a minimum, you might feel that the benefits of buying Gerber Organic outweigh any extra cost.

Prevention/Solution

• Whether you decide to go with Gerber baby food or Gerber Organic, you can save money by clipping coupons and shopping when the food is on sale. If you use a frequent shopper card at stores such as Kroger or Giant Eagle when purchasing Gerber or Gerber Organic baby food, you may receive coupons for the products.

  Gerber also offers coupons on its website if you register as a member. If you want your baby to have some organic food but can't afford to buy it all the time, or you want a greater variety of foods, you could consider feeding your baby a mixture of non-organic and organic Gerber baby foods.