Baby Food Jars – Ultimate Guide
Baby food jars are storage containers for your baby’s food. They are available in different shapes, sizes, and designs.
If you want to know what exactly makes baby jars so good and how effective they are in food storage, this article is for you. We will take a look at the benefits of using baby food jars and what to consider before getting one for your baby.
Baby food jars – the best solution for your baby
Tips for Using Baby Food Jars
The following tips will prove helpful when using a baby jar for food storage:
Avoid Overfilling
When using a baby jar, ensure you do not overfill it. Even though most baby jars are leak-proof, overfilling them will make the food expand a little bit when freezing.
Label the Food
Most baby jars come as a set of six or more jars, but only a few come with labels for highlighting the type of food and the expiry date. Ensure you label your baby foods before freezing them so you do not get things mixed up.
Get Multiple Storage Jars
Getting a set of baby food jars is not exactly cheap, but it is totally worth it in the long run. If you have one baby, get at least three baby jars, so you can freeze some and keep some for your baby to eat in the meantime. Parents with two or more babies have at least six baby jars.
Bear in mind that if the purees are frozen, it would be very difficult to pop them out of the jars. So, you have to thaw them out and serve your baby.
Keep the Baby Food Jars Together
If one or two of your baby food jars are missing, it will affect your cooking schedule. Also, a baby jar may become almost useless if the lid is missing. So, you should keep all your food jars together, whether you are storing them in the freezer or not.
Most high-quality baby jars come with a tray for keeping all the jars together. If your food jars do not come with a tray, you can use just about any tray in storing them together.
Types of Baby Food Jars
There are two types of baby jars: glass and plastic jars. Let us shed more light on them:
Glass Baby Food Jars
As the name implies, glass baby jars are made of glass. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends this type of baby jar for storing meals for babies. The great thing about baby jars made of glass is that they do not contain harmful chemicals, phthalates are usually found in plastic baby jars. Also, glass baby jars are recyclable. So, if you care about the environment, you should opt for a baby jar made of glass.
However, there are some downsides to using glass baby jars. For one, they are heavier than plastic baby jars. Also, glass baby jars are easily broken. So, if you do not feel comfortable carrying a heavy set of jars that have a high risk of breakage, do not consider glass baby jars.
Read more: Glass baby bottles
Plastic Baby Food Jars
This type of baby jar is made of plastics. The good thing about plastic baby jars is that they are lighter than glass jars. Also, they can be recycled just like glass jars and are less likely to break.
The major downside of using baby jars made of plastics is that they contain toxic chemicals like BPA and phthalates. If these chemicals find their way into your baby’s food, they will lead to serious health problems.
Another drawback of using plastic baby jars is that they are mostly not safe for microwaves.
What to Consider When Buying Baby Food Jars
There are tons of baby jars in the market, and so choosing the right one can be pretty difficult. Here are some things to consider when getting a baby jar:
Weight
Plastic baby food jars are generally lighter than glass baby food jars. But then, some glass jars are still pretty portable, so you might want to consider the actual weight of the baby jars you are buying instead of just ruling out glass jars.
Any baby jar weighing between 1 – 2 pounds is portable enough for you to carry anywhere.
Production Materials
Before settling for a baby jar, it is important to check if the product is labeled as “phthalate-free”, “BPA-free” and “lead-free”. If the product does not have those labels, it would be in your best interest to steer clear of it.
If BPA (Bisphenol A) gets into your baby’s meal from the jar, it can cause stunted growth and affect hormonal and reproductive functions.
Similarly, phthalates have been linked to health conditions including breast cancer, autism spectrum disorders, asthma, and fertility issues.
You should avoid baby jars made with lead because it is particularly harmful to kids. Lead poisoning affects vital organs such as the brain, bones, liver, and kidney. You do not want your child to be battling with such severe health conditions, especially at a young age when chances of survival are pretty minimal.
Safety
You should also consider before getting a baby jar if it is dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe. These kitchen appliances are designed to make life easier for you. They save your time and energy. As a parent running a business or pursuing a career, you want to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen.
But then, bear in mind that baby jars that are dishwasher, freezer, and microwave safe a bit more expensive than those that are not.
Leak-Proof
As a parent that is always on the go, ensure you get a baby jar that is leak-proof to prevent your baby’s meal from spilling out of the storage jar. Check the product packaging to see if it is labeled as “leak-proof” before buying.
In Conclusion
Baby jars come in handy for storing all types of baby foods. Most of them are calibrated to ensure you do not cook in excess.
While many baby food makers come with a set of jars, you can get the jars separately at your local or online store.
