Baby Food Pouches

What's on tap at Whole Yoga & Wellness:

Our infant development classes start in July, Tuesday July 3rd through July 24th

Tummy Time:  Tuesday, July 3-24th, 4 classes at 9:30am
Infant Massage:  Tuesday, July 10-24th, 3 classes at 10:30am

You can buy a developmental pass for both classes and save some money!  Join us!

Read below for this week's blog on baby food and pouches

Baby food pouches are everywhere nowadays. It seems like a great idea because they are convenient, disposable, available in organic options and provide good nutrition with fruits and veggies which many kids don't get enough of.  Pouches now account for about 25% of all baby food purchases in the United States. So what's the issue? 

For young children, pouches can create the following problems: 

1.  Pouches are offered at a time when oral motor skills are just developing.  At 6 months, when food is being offered, the tongue can move side to side which is a prerequisite to chewing. If using drinkable food, chewing skills don't develop appropriately. Children need to chew and swallow to develop eating skills which also helps with speech development. 

2.  Pouches with veggies are flavored with a sweeter food such as apples, pears or carrots. The veggies might be in there and get consumed but the child never really learns to taste the actual veggie and learn to like that taste. Practicing with whole foods gives a child time to touch, taste and experiment with food. It can take 30-40 times of seeing a food before a child will like or accept a food. 

3.  Pouches have lower fiber content because the fiber is bulky and needs to be removed to get the fruits and veggies in the pouch. Fiber gives us the full feeling and helps to regulate our appetite. Drinking our food gives a quick burst of sweet energy but removes the cues of hunger and fullness. 

4.  Pouches generate a lot of waste and are not environmentally friendly. In addition, they may seem cheaper but in the long run, the whole fruit and veggie will always be less expensive. 

So, with pouches likely here to stay, use them judiciously because kids do love them and they do offer good nutrition compared to processed snacks.   

• They should be reserved for travel.
• Do not use pouches for soothing a child. 
• Family meal times should never have a pouch food available for a child ~ they should learn to eat what their family is eating and participate in the interactions of the dining table.  
• Pouches disengage parents from the feeding of children and social interaction with food is as important as the nutrition. 

Whole food, whole wellness.... creating a healthy lifestyle for a lifetime!