Baby Talk

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A lot has changed as a parent the second time around with baby #2. In the last 6 years with a huge rise in concern over the effect of pesticides and toxins on young infants there are many more natural products available. Honestly though, I was raised to look at price tags and not ingredients (I think it’s a generational thing, were you raised the same?). Now though, being a parent in the age of Internet information at our fingertips, coupled with living in San Francisco and surrounded by so many healthier-food movements has forced me to re-evaluate my decisions I make as a parent and mother. Price tags still play a role in how I make household decisions, but I have noticed a shift lately in how I think about the products and food I buy for my family, and especially a sweet new baby.

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I’m working with Target on a series of challenges around the Made to Matter, Handpicked by Target™ collection: a grouping of all the better for you products at Target in one place. I’ll be focusing on incorporating some of these products in my daily routine caring for this cute baby over the next few weeks. When I first heard about the program, I was surprised there wasn’t a collection of these like-minded brands together at Target. It’s a really inspiring group of companies you and I already love like method, Plum Organics, Burts Bees and so on. Target has brilliantly grouped them all together,  located at one place on the site.teething8

So, how cool is this: A few weeks ago I had the chance to chat with Neil Grimmer, President of Plum Organics. They pioneered the baby food pouch that now has become a staple in so many diaper bags of moms I know. When I was pregnant and first asked some mom friends about what the biggest innovation has been since having Henry 6 years ago, they mentioned this brand, Plum Organics. I’ve been excited to try it out, and super stoked to be able to interview Neil…

This post is sponsored by Target. The Made To Matter line has been handpicked by Target to bring you brands that make things better for your you, your family, and the place we all call home.

Photography by Liz Stanley

 

When we spoke, Neil talked a lot about how proud he was to be part of Made to Matter. These are brands that you find in almost everyone’s home. Better products for the home and for your life. All the brands are good friends  (I love this video of them sharing a meal here) and partnership and collaboration are at the core of this program.

He sees his mission at CEO of Plum Organics to change the way kids eat in the first few months of their life. I love thinking about food in that way. Henry is a picky eater, and I often wonder if I had exposed Henry to more interesting flavor combinations and spices at a young age if he would have carried those tastes on as he transitioned from infant to toddler and then childhood. The flavor combination at Plum Organics is above and beyond anything I fed Henry. Neil describes them as just pureed and organic versions of the food you’re already eating as a family (on a good day!) like quinoa, kale, pumpkin and greek yogurt. Why not? Why do babies have to eat boring food? Why can’t their first experiences be richer?

It’s difficult as parents to make those decisions about buying organic and natural versus cheap when you’re on a budget. Organic food costs more. Plum Organics and other brands have tried to make it as accessible as possible, but it’s still a big step for parents used to looking only at price tags. Baby food has suffered by that drive for lowest price point. It’s a different process from the jar to the pouch full of veggies and quinoa and yogurt.
Neil talked about his experience as a young parent. Both he and his wife were working and spending so much time making their own baby food because they weren’t satisfied with the offerings of baby food on the shelf, both in variety and quality. “There has to be a better way,” he said. So, Plum Organics was formed. “We weren’t just making baby food but we were shaping a course of health for their life.” “Organic from the first bite.” What a great mission behind a healthy product and company.
I’m excited to give this challenge a try, here are a few products in the program:

 

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What do you think- is natural products important to you when caring for baby? Has your attitude shifted over recent years at all? How does your family make these kind of decisions?

Comments

So interested to see this challenge play out. I’ve started to replace many items in our household with organic and natural products but it’s always a struggle to find that balance between balance, convenience and health

What a great partnership and I love the idea behind Made To Matter. Nice work Target + Say Yes!

I became way more conscious of good and product with my baby as well. They’re just so fresh and new!

Love all these brands too! Excited to see what comes on this challenge…

I was raised similarly – what does it cost? I’m still frugal, but I’ve learned that making our family’s health a priority will likely mean fewer health bills over all. Additionally, I try to buy organic fabrics, and make what I can when it comes to mine and my toddlers clothing (organic clothing is not affordable for us-$90 for a simple tee?!) Organic Baby University is an excellent Facebook page I would highly recommend you join. Unfortunately, I do not think Plum organics is quality brand by any means. The best baby food is whole (look into baby led weaning) this ensures that the food hasn’t been packaged in lead laced pouches, shipped from who knows where, and is truly fresh and filled with any many vitamins and nutrients as is possible. Once foods are cooked, packaged, stored, and filled with preservatives they loose so much of the health benefits that Mother Earth intends or our food to have and in turn our bodies to reap the benefits of.

Interesting, I’ll have to look into that. Also, I like your mentality of spending a little more now to save on medical bills later!

Gosh, our first lived on those plum packets. Although expensive, I felt good about what I was giving him and he is happy and healthy. I started with just the veggie ones first and then graduated him to the fruit based ones. Now, he melts my heart every time he chows down on broccoli and spinach.

Although the price tag affects my decision as well, am always open to learning about and trying out new brands . A thanks Target for making it easy for us!

Liz, I want that rug, please tell!!!

I agree, a higher price point but seems worth it! Isn’t it great that Target has made it so easy for us to find everything together?

I don’t think it’s a generational thing about checking price first. I think it’s a question of how much money one makes. Some people don’t have a choice and really do just need to get what is cheap.

Certainly I thin that’s true but I think this generation is making good quality food more of a priority, even on limited budgets with all the information out there on toxins and pesticides. I think also our parents (at least my parents) were raised by parents (our grandparents) that were products of the Great Depression and they were raised to live much more frugally.

Those packets are amazing. Such a great innovation. Love the idea behind made to matter

My family and I are Australian, and when our daughter was 9 months old we traveled around the US quite a bit (before eventually settling here when she was 10 months). During that time we really relied on pouch food for her, as we were constantly on the road and didn’t always have access to healthy options for her.
We were both amazed at the quality of brands like Plum Organics – we actually found the price to be similar to back in Australia, but the ingredients were of such better quality! I was surprised to only see actual FOOD in the list of ingredients – if the pouch said it had quinoa and pumpkin in it, that’s all there was – quinoa and pumpkin (or chickpeas or yoghurt), no additives or colors or ingredients you didn’t recognize. It made us feel so much better about the fact she couldn’t have fresh foods as often as we’d like during our travels.

The older she gets (she is nearly 4 now) the more conscious I am about making the right choices for her. I don’t need all of her food to be organic, but we try hard to make sure she eats a variety of things and tries everything at least once, and that she knows where her food comes from (for example, that the chicken she is eating was actually once a real chicken).

I love looking at labels and seeing all things I recognize and can pronounce as well! I’m trying hard on the variety factor too. Yesterday Edie ate saag paneer!

Oh I love these sweet images of you two. I too feel like I’m more aware of the products in my home. I started eating more organic fruit as a start, but think about making a lot of switches all the time

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