🍼When did commercial baby food become an option? 🍼

Ah, baby food. That little jar (or squeeze pouch, depending on your era) of mysterious, slightly pastel-colored mush that somehow smells like both nostalgia and regret. But how did we get here? How did pureed peas and mashed bananas go from homemade spoon-fed delights to an industrialized, billion-dollar industry?

Let’s take a little time-traveling adventure into the history of baby food—because, believe it or not, there was a time before Gerber. 👶

🌱 The Pre-Puree Era: What Did Babies Eat Before Jars?

For most of human history, babies were:

• 🍼 Breastfed (or wet-nursed) for as long as possible

• 🍞 Given softened grains, meats, or fruits when ready

• 🤢 Fed pre-chewed food (yes, pre-chewed) by caregivers

Moms and caregivers mashed food using whatever they had—mortar and pestles, grinding stones, or good old-fashioned hands.

🏭 The Birth of Commercial Baby Food: Who Bottled the Mush?

• 📆 1920s: Harold Clapp developed Clapp’s Baby Food after making soft meals for his sickly infant

• 🏪 1927: Dorothy Gerber, frustrated with hand-straining food, suggested their canning company do the work

• 🏆 1928: Gerber Baby Food hit store shelves, changing the game forever

By the 1940s, Gerber became the king of baby food, with its iconic chubby-cheeked baby grinning from store shelves nationwide.

🍎 The Golden Age of Purees: When Did Baby Food Take Over?

1950s-70s: The era of mass-marketed baby food 🏆

• 👶 Pediatricians encouraged starting solids as early as 4 weeks old (yikes!)

• 🥄 Spoon-feeding purees became the only way babies were introduced to solids

• 🍖 Some questionable flavors emerged (beef liver puree, anyone?)

🚼 The Rise of Baby-Led Weaning: The Backlash Against Purees

Late 20th century - Present: Parents began to rethink early purees ❌🥄

• 🧠 Research showed waiting until 6 months was better for digestion and development

• 👶 Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) gained popularity (aka letting babies self-feed soft solids)

• 💡 BLW may help with self-regulation, chewing skills, and reducing picky eating

💰 Baby Food Sales Today: Where Do We Stand?

The baby food industry is still massive, but shifting trends include:

• 📉 Declining sales of traditional jarred baby food

• 🍏 Rise of organic brands like Earth’s Best & Plum Organics

• 🍐 Popularity of squeeze pouches for on-the-go feeding

• 📦 Subscription services like Yumi & Little Spoon cater to modern parents

💸 The global baby food market is valued at $50+ billion and still growing! 📈

🔮 The Future of Baby Food: What's Next?

With parents demanding healthier, fresher, and eco-friendly options, the industry is evolving:

• 🌱 More plant-based baby foods

• 🥑 Fresh, refrigerated purees over processed ones

• 🧪 Even lab-grown protein baby food in the works! (Yes, really 😳)

One thing’s for sure: whether you’re pro-puree or all-in on BLW, babies will keep eating—one adorable, messy bite at a time. 🥄😄

Stay fresh, have a laugh & join the club!

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