6 Best Baby Food Brands for Sustainable Parents

Your

baby may not be able to put words to its first bites of food, but we all know that quality matters. And while making your own baby food is appealing in regard to nutrition, finances, and

sustainability, lack of time (and energy) may mean that it's not a sustainable solution for you. Thankfully, some of the best baby food brands are working to prioritize the planet along with your baby's health, meaning that you can stock up on pre-made options in good conscious.

Going organic may not cut down on the reported

600 jars of food consumed by the average American baby by age one, but supporting brands that are committed to actions like sourcing clean ingredients, regenerative farming, reduced (or net zero) emissions, and reusable packaging is a sizable step in the right direction.

Here, six of the best baby food brands keeping sustainability in mind.

A favorite among the parental set, Beech-Nut's organic baby food was the first U.S. baby food to be packaged in an infinitely recyclable glass jar. The brand started making baby food in the 1930s, and now centers USDA Organic, Non-GMO ingredients, cooked gently to preserve nutrients.

Beech-Nut is also a member of WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children), helping to ensure the accessibility of nutritionally-sound food.

Everyone knows Gerber—the brand has

been around since the 1930s when it revolutionized the at-home baby food industry.

These days, Gerber offers a selection of organic options for babies and is striving to be open about its

environmental impact and improvement plans, with goals of increased regenerative farming and 100% carbon neutrality by 2035.

With food and purees for infants and beyond, Earth's Best Organic aims to be a part of your child's ongoing food journey. The brand is Non-GMO Project Verified and avoids artificial sweeteners, flavors, and additional starches. Plus, the brand is working to offer more Kosher options for maximum inclusion.

Earth's Best is also open about

its growers and their styles of farming so parents can be sure that the food is grown using proper agricultural (and environmental) practices.

Happy Family Organics believes that organic ingredients free of GMOs and pesticides are the building blocks of health. It also champions accessibility, with food available through WIC and donations.

The brand features

the sort of transparency that we (and all parents) love to see. Happy Family is moving toward net zero emissions by 2030, focusing on organic and regenerative ingredients, educational investment,

solar and other renewable energy, and shipping, with a goal of 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.

Plum Organics aims to expand your baby's palette while prioritizing nutrition. All of its products are USDA Organic certified and made with whole food and without GMOs. Find

baby food for stages 1-3 along with teethers and snacks for toddlers and kids.

Plum Organics baby food is currently offered in a

non-recyclable pouch tapped by a recyclable cap. While the brand is exploring the possibilities of a pouch that's food-safe and recyclable, it notes that food pouches (as compared to glass jars) enjoy a smaller footprint overall due to reduced production and shipping emissions.

This California-based brand is all about sourcing clean, whole, nutritional ingredients. Once Upon a Farm is certified Pesticide-Free by the

Clean Label Project, from whom they've also received awards and additional certs. The cold-pressed food is so fresh, in fact, that it required refrigeration.

The brand makes no mention of its packaging, but see above for Plum Organics' argument in favor of plastic pouches.