UPFs, prepared baby foods and the issues

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From The Guardian and a recommended read for all parentshttps://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/15/ultra-processed-babies-are-toddler-snacks-one-of-the-great-food-scandals-of-our-time#comments

Thankfully we have a choice . Using formula worked well for our family. You aren’t a better parent by breast feeding.

Never said I was? But I put my child above my own feelings, I thought that’s what good parenting meant but again different strokes for diff folks :)

I do think there is a weird idea that children need special children food. My child literally never had any baby food from a jar or a pouch, the idea of shelf stable spaghetti bolognese from a jar is so obviously gross to me. They can just eat normal food. We did loads of raisins though which I now know are a terrible choice for teeth so it's not like I got it all correct.

Really important article. I’m a middle class professional, I bf both kids to 2yo as did everyone around me, I did baby led weaning and mostly fed the kids what we ate, with very limited upf.

BUT I also bought them quite a few packs of veggie straws and baby rice cakes and tbh assumed they were fine. Totally agree that the branding and the price creates a false sense of security. Apart from anything else these things are so expensive for what they are and it’s especially concerning if people on low incomes are buying them in the mistaken belief that they are good for their kids.

And the way some people feed with them as well. It's one thing to squeeze each mouthful onto a spoon to feed but you see some children sucking straight from the pouch in their buggy (presumably given it to keep them quiet). So they're not seeing the food they're eating, which takes away a huge part of the eating experience. If that is happening often then what is that doing to the child's relationship with food?

I did think after I posted that dried fruit and shreddies are probably categorised as UPF and therefore akin to feeding the little darlings arsenic 😁

I object to the snackification culture that these kiddy snacks and food promote, and how far they are from normal food. But I do think parents have a responsibility to understand that all of those companies want to make money out of parents and the nutrition of their products is at best secondary to their motives. And we should be more skeptical of any claims they make re: health, and that “all natural” covers a multitude of sins.

That is a delightful bit of passive aggression. Well done. Bravo!

Oh yes a woman is entirely entitled to do what they want with their body. I’m not questioning that. I’m questioning what sort of person chooses to have a child then chooses to feed that child exclusively on UPF because they don’t want to breastfeed.

If they don’t want to breastfeed, surely that’s a woman “doing what they want with their body” so it seems you are very much questioning that.

Also, lots of women choose not to breastfeed. I was, luckily (that’s what it often comes down to), able to breastfeed for a fairly long time relatively speaking but I think it’s completely up to a mother if they do or not and they don’t absolutely have to try it.

I found breastfeeding one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, if not the hardest. It definitely impacted my postnatal experience - more than anything else - and there were times when my behaviour was really quite concerning for my loved ones and I even worried myself I was developing symptoms of psychosis. I am about to give birth again. This time, I’ll have a newborn and a toddler to be a present, healthy and mentally well mother to. That’s more important than “UPFs” in the form of formula.

I think women feel terrible enough about having to use formula (when they really wanted to breastfeed) without it being labelled as a UPF. The lack of support means this is far more common than is ideal - everyone knows that.

Didn't you read the article? The article is about toddler food specifically.

Formula for under 12m is more tightly regulated. It is also, let's face it, needed by babies whose mums either can't or don't wish to breastfeed.

@carrotsandtomatoes are you so dogmatic about everything?
I am interested to know if you have children and if so, how old they ?are

Exactly this. How much damage have I done to my children by using formula? I mean, they seem fine, but based on your level of hysteria I assume they are going to drop dead any day now.

You could say that for all UPFs though?

Except there are differences between a child who has been breastfed and one who has been formula fed. They are well documented. You might not be able to tell by just looking at them, but it doesn’t mean it’s not true.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding/benefits/#:~:text=Health%20benefits%20of%20breastfeeding%20for,cardiovascular%20disease%20in%20adulthood

Anyway, I don’t think demonising formula is helpful considering breastfeeding isn’t always an option. The real issue here is that the baby/toddler food market is severely lacking in regulation and companies are getting away with marketing things as healthy which really aren’t.

Those lowered risks etc are on a population level and impossible to prove at an individual level.

We used ‘children’s food’ in weaning DT’s on jars and pouches. And yes we always use jar sauces. Life is busy. When you’ve worked a very long day and the other parent is still at work, you want something quick and easy after nursery pick up. Some people say do batch cooking at the weekend - no - weekends are precious family time.
DT’s have grown up eating everything and anything so it’s been a positive the approach we used.

We’re all capable of reading the ingredients on a food product and deciding if that’s ok for our DC’s.

But on a societal level, we’re doing a shocking job of deciding what to feed our children, so we’re not actually capable of it, are we?

When my 4 were born they didn't have all these snacks. It's ridiculous that people can afford to buy them. It doesn't take long to mash up a banana or cooked veg to start with. Then they just ate the same as us.

I never fed DS pouches or those baby snack things, puffs etc, PIL used to think I was a bit fussy I think. Last year FIL said to me he'd read a big article about UPFs and how marvellous it was that I already knew about this with DS. I told him I didn't really it just didn't seem instinctively right to give a very young child very processed food. He's 6 now has the occasional wotsit at a kids party, eats well and doesn't have a sweet tooth. I was largely raised on Turkey twizzlers, fish in sauce boil in the bag, findus pancakes and tinned meatballs. It's all stuff I avoid now but I eat things I know are good for me and fight my sweet tooth cravings.

I've also never bought a jarred sauce in my life, having also grown up on dolmio and chicken tonight type jars, they're not even nice and even as a student on a budget cooking from scratch was always cheaper than jars

What? When literally no other food is available? When does that happen?

Tight regulation is meaningless because formula is an UPF by definition. It's impossible to make a shelf stable food that isn't UPF in some way. Of course, formula is vital in many situations but it has to be accepted that, objectively and scientifically proven, it is not the healthiest option out of all the options for feeding infants.

The problem is when people start bending scientific facts to suit their own emotions. It's very strange because many adults don't have this cognitive dissonance with other areas such as overeating, alcohol, etc. Everyone is aware excessive eating is unhealthy yet they "own" the decision that they eat too much. Everyone knows alcohol is unhealthy yet most adults happily drink and enjoy their wine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, it's human nature.

The problem is that some cannot accept the fact that choosing to formula feed is also a decision that isn't necessarily the best choice, but it works for you then it's totally ok. Banging on about how formula is scientifically not harmful and just as good as breast milk is where it becomes dangerous. If something causes long term consequences then you just have to deal with them as they come. Lots of drinkers and smokers will end up with cancer they are aware of this while making the choice to put a substance in their body.

Exactly, it's a clear case of manipulating consumer behaviour. The formula companies know that parents who are accustomed to feeling their babies out of a brightly coloured box, are the prime targets for "follow up" milks and snacks sold under the same branding. There are other factors at play which could include parents who choose convenience foods are those who lack the time or finances to prepare fresh foods.

One thing about BLW or making fresh purees is that it's very expensive with a lot of waste. We're not talking about mashed carrots, but those puree recipes with meat and veggies. There are recipes that require fresh chicken, salmon, beef etc. Babies rarely eat a full portion every meal and many batches get wasted even if you're freezing them. Fresh fruit and snacks aren't as predictable in taste and texture so kids are more likely to leave them uneaten. Packaged snacks are cheap and shelf stable. If uneaten, they can often be kept for the next day too.

How can you say you agree and then follow it up with ''but give it a go''.

In that case, you clearly don't agree. Women don't have to give anything a go involving their bodies if they don't want to for whatever reason.

Same is true of upfs in some cases. Children with autism/arfid sometimes can’t eat a range of freshly prepared foods. The dull consistency is all they can cope with. I think one of my children would have grown less and/or I’d have bullied him into an eating disorder, had chicken nuggets, fishfingers, potato waffles etc not been options when he was younger. They’re still useful now, especially in the context of real life/time/budget pressures, even though he’s able to eat more now (lucky him/us: it doesn’t always go this way, and many children worry about their own diet without being able to expand it).

How?

Toddlers and children are capable of eating food, all kinds of food.

A newborn needs milk and only milk. If breast milk isn't an option then formula is the only option to keep that newborn alive.