Confession: I love baby food! While babysitting on the weekends, babies gobble down their food like it’s the most delicious thing in the world. So, I decided to taste it. And baby food is bussing. I set out to find out if I’m the only one who thinks that baby food should be marketed for all ages.

From crunchy baby puffs to baby fruit bars and crackers to pureed fruits and vegetables in convenient pouches, baby food should not be made for just babies but branded for all people.  With new packaging and minor adjustments, what we now know as baby food could be enjoyed by anyone.

Eighth-grader Kameron Sills agreed. “Babies should not be the only ones who enjoy baby food.”

Baby food is actually healthier than eating normal foods. It doesn’t have all the added preservatives that normal foods have and it’s even healthier when made at home. Some people even use baby food in recipes to bake and cook.

Due to its pureed form, baby food may not look appetizing or filling, but it is easier to digest and packs more nutrients in a denser form. It contains the same amount of calories as the whole foods, too.

Just because it doesn’t look good doesn’t mean it’s bad. 

I had students blindly try baby food without telling them what it was to see if people would eat it and like it if they didn’t know what it was. Students tried prunes, green beans, and even pureed chicken and rice. Only 46.7% of people said they knew what it was after trying it. 22.4% of the students who tried it liked it and thought that baby food should be for all ages.

Fruit flavored puree and baby puffs and yogurt melts seem to be the most liked type of baby food amongst teens and adults. 

The real question is, would people actually sit down and eat baby food as a snack or meal. 50% of people who surveyed the baby food said that it would depend mostly on what it is.

Sydney Bruan said, “Baby food can be good depending on what it is and what flavor.” Another student Evan Mansour also said, “I think certain baby food should be for all ages, like different kinds of puffs or yogurt drops. On the other hand, liquid baby food is designed and meant for babies so they can easily eat them.”  But considering the popularity of bottled yogurt drinks and smoothies, it seems that it might be more the “baby” label that deters adults. Juicing is a growing trend as well, but pureed fruits and veggies offer similar if not better nutrition and are more filling because of more fiber.

I think that certain baby food should be re-branded and marketed to all people, especially items like puffs, yogurt melts, and fruit and veggie pouches.  We should normalize all ages eating what we now call baby food; after all it’s still food and conveniently offers nutrients to your body in an easy to eat, no-prep package.