Most parents would agree that baby pouches and pre-packaged snacks can be a lifesaver when your little one needs a quick pick-me-up on the go. But while pouches, melts and finger foods offer convenience, an over-reliance on these products could be doing more harm than good to your child’s long-term health.
A recent survey has uncovered a startling truth: more than half of all baby food products contain added sugars. Even more surprising? Some of the best-selling brands pack in as much sugar as your average sweet shop treat. By the age of two to five, the average UK toddler is getting 61% of their energy from ultra-processed foods, and in a bid to reduce the sugar and salt content in baby foods, the UK government has rolled out a new set of guidelines urging manufacturers to raise their game when it comes to infant nutrition. The initiative focuses on clearer labelling, stricter marketing rules, and a renewed emphasis on what actually constitutes a healthy diet for babies and toddlers so that parents can navigate the supermarket aisles making more informed and healthy choices.
Babies and toddlers need nutrient-rich, energy-dense foods packed with essential vitamins and minerals to fuel healthy growth and development, but much of the baby food available in the supermarkets are ultra-processed products that masquerade as healthy options. The truth is, homemade meals are always the gold standard to aim for, but in reality, making meals from scratch isn’t always possible. The best way forward is to treat packaged baby foods not as meal replacements, but as a convenient complement to a balanced diet.
So, what should you be looking for when stocking your cupboards? And what should you leave firmly on the shelf? With all this in mind, we've rounded up the best and worst baby foods on the market right now in order to help you navigate your child’s nutritional journey with confidence and clarity.
10 of the best baby and toddler foods
1 Little Yeo’s Organic Greek Style Natural Yoghurt Pouch Made from plain organic yoghurt with no added sugar or unnecessary ingredients, this is a simple and nutritious option for little ones. £0.90, sainsburys.co.uk
2 Holle Organic Spelt Baby Cereal Made from organic spelt, an ancient grain naturally rich in fibre and B vitamins, this breakfast cereal is suitable from 6 months as part of a varied weaning diet. £3.50, planetorganic.com
3 Biotiful Gut Health Kefir Drink Original This unflavoured fermented dairy drink is packed with live cultures to support little tummies and offers a helping of calcium for children aged 12 months and up. £3.50, asda.com
4 Ella’s Kitchen Vegetable + Lentil Bake A finely mashed meal made with five vegetables and lentils to encourage varied tastes and support healthy eating habits early on. £1.95, waitrose.com
5 Clearspring Organic Rice Cakes
Whilst not marketed specifically for children, these rice cakes are made from organic brown rice and nothing else to keep little tastebuds happy. £1.79, clearspring.co.uk
6 Ella’s Kitchen Organic Mushroom Stroganoff This chunky vegetable mash includes four different veggies plus haricot beans, offering protein and flavour for babies ready for more texture. £1.80, ocado.com
7 Piccolo Sweet Potato & Beef Meatballs Best used after your baby’s palate has become accustomed to savoury flavours, this nutritionist-approved pouch is rich in protein and fibre. £3, waitrose.com
8 HiPP Organic Baby Rice With its smooth texture and single ingredient, this baby rice is a gentle and ideal first food for introducing solids. £1.95, waitrose.com
9 Little Freddie Chickpeas & Carrot with Pumpkin Seed Butter Packed with plant-based goodness, this pouch contains 40% carrot and over a third chickpeas, offering protein, fibre, and key vitamins. £1.35, ocado.com
10 Ella’s Kitchen Prunes Whilst fruit pouches should generally be used as a one off rather than everyday staple, this 100% prune purée can be a useful aid to relieve constipation, which is a common side effect of babies starting solids. £0.90, ocado.com
10 of the worst baby and toddler foods
1 Heinz Fruity Banana Custard Despite sounding delicious, a staggering 71% of this dessert’s calories come from sugar, and it’s low in key nutrients. £2.30, sansburys.co.uk
2 Ella’s Kitchen Pear + Peach Baby Rice Deceptively healthy-looking, this pouch is 60% sugar by calorie and contains just 3% actual rice. £1.20, tesco.com
3 Heinz Banana Oat Porridge
Often seen as a weaning staple, this breakfast porridge is filled with added sweeteners like maltodextrin, offering more sugar than substance. £3.35, boots.com
4 Aldi Mamia Pears Pouch A whopping 92% of the energy in this fruity pouch comes from sugar, making it one of the highest-sugar baby pouches on the market. 45p, aldi.co.uk
5 Ella’s Kitchen Banana Puree This single fruit puree pouch is packed with 19.5g of sugar per 100g - which is more than some fizzy drinks. 90p, Sainsbury’s.co.uk
6 Piccolo Pure Mango Pouch At 15g sugar per 100g, it rivals the sugar content of a soft drink, with little protein or fibre. £1, mylittlepiccolo.com
7 Organix Banana Soft Oaty Bars Whilst the bars are marketed as healthy, they are sweetened with fruit juice concentrate which is an unnecessary source of sugar. £3.30, organix.com
8 Heinz Farley’s Mini Rusks Original
Just one serving packs in 8.7g of sugar which is roughly the equivalent to two teaspoons. £1, sainsbury’s.co.uk
9 Kiddylicious Juicy Fruit Bars (Pineapple, Coconut & Mango) Advertised as a snack that encourages self-feeding, these bars contain over 30% sugar (that’s 30.7g per 100g).
10 Kiddylicious Veggie Straws Sour Cream & Chives
These melt-in-the-mouth snacks offer very little veg, mostly starch with low nutritional value. £2.70, tesco.com
