Related: 9 healthy, frozen teething snacks to cut down on sugar.
Pure Spoon
When I make baby food from scratch, almost all of the fruits and veggies require some form of heat to make them blendable (lest I serve my son a 100% mashed banana diet). So I was intrigued to hear about Pure Spoon, a new cold pressed baby food option. Cold pressed means that they use a hydraulic press to purée the produce without any heat, which some say helps preserve nutrients that are typically lost during the boiling or steaming process. Pure Spoon purées keep it simple in their combinations -- think sweet potato and apples -- but my son gave them two very sticky thumbs up. Price: $2.90/meal Subscription: You make a one-time purchase or subscribe to save 10% on each delivery box. Choice: You can create your own pack of 10 or 20, or choose one of their pre-selected sampler boxes. Shipping: Purées arrive ready-to-eat in plastic containers kept cool in an insulated delivery box.Related: Superfoods for babies and toddlers: The 10 best foods for your beginner eater.
Raised Real
My son has a serious sweet tooth (no idea where he got that), so I'm always getting creative to persuade him to eat more veggies. For example, I end up mixing apple sauce into most of the savory stuff. So imagine how shocked I was when he happily ate a serving of cauliflower, quinoa, and green bean blend from Raised Real. Whoa. Of all the brands that we tried, Raised Real offered the healthiest and most balanced options, although depending on your kids' preferences and what you've been feeding them so far, you might have to introduce the foods a few times to get your little one used to these super healthy flavors. A Raised Real subscription comes with its own steamer-blender and two weeks' worth of food packets; just know that you'll have to allow 20-30 minutes of steaming time and 10-20 minutes of cooling before it's ready to serve. Price: $4.75/meal Subscription: Yes, these meals are only available through membership, but you can cancel or pause at any time. Choice: 20 meals chosen by Raised Real dietician show up at your door every two weeks. Shipping: Meals arrive diced and frozen in an insulated delivery box. You just need to steam and puree.Related: Storing baby food just got way easier.



