Baby food puree storage containers

Buying Guide 2023: Best Baby Food Storage (6 expert tips)

The Best Baby Food Storage Containers for storing and freezing homemade baby food. Plus – 6 expert tips on how to store baby food, as well as a how-to guide on freezing and thawing your own baby food, FAQs, pros and cons and so much more!

Medically reviewed and co-written by Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Best Baby Food Storage Containers

Want to make your own homemade baby food, but are not sure the best way to store it?

Then this post is for you!

Regardless if you are making homemade purees or going with the baby-led weaning approach to feeding your baby, you will need some small fridge and freezer-safe containers to store your baby’s food in.

Below you will find my tried-and-true storage containers at all price points, along with my guide on how to freeze and thaw baby food purees., FAQs, pros and cons of each container, as well as 6 tips on the best way to store baby food.

How to Make Baby Food Video

Watch this video to see how easy it is to make and store your own baby food!

Top Baby Food Freezer Storage Containers

If you just want to cut straight to the chase – these are our absolute favorite storage containers for baby food.

Baby Food Trays

WEESPROUT Silicone Baby Food Freezer Tray – great 10-sectioned baby food tray that holds 1.5oz each, but has a 1 oz fill line for smaller portions. Is made out of premium food-grade silicone and has a plastic lid for easy stacking. These trays or worth their price and we would recommend getting a couple of their fun color trays so you can easily stock up on your homemade baby food.

4 Pack of Silicone Ice Cube Molds Tray with Lid – This is a newer purchase for us and so far the quality has been great and you can’t beat the price for 4 trays! The trays are made out of food-grade silicone and BPA-free plastic and each cube gives you 1oz of baby food.

Glass Baby Food Storage

WEESPROUT Glass Baby Food Storage Containers – We absolutely love these jars! You get 12 colorful glass jars that hold 4oz each. Great for storing baby food purees as well as yogurts, overnight oats, chia seed pudding for toddlers and kids. While the price is a little high, you will get many years worth out of these jars. Well worth the investment in our opinion.

Babymoov Glass Food Storage Containers – I love that this set comes with two different sizes of containers – 4oz and 8oz. This is great if you have a baby that is a bigger eater and needs more than an ounce or two of purees at each meal.

Plastic Baby Food Containers

WEESPROUT Leakproof Baby Food Storage – just as amazing as their glass jars, just with a smaller price tag! This set comes with 12 colorful 4oz jars made out of BPA free high-quality polypropylene plastic. I also love that this plastic version is easier (and lighter) to toss into your diaper bag for a quick baby meal on the run.

OXO Tot Baby Blocks Freezer Storage Containers – a great smaller set that contains 4 – 4oz PVC, BPA, and phthalate-free jars and a storage tray. Great space-saver system that helps keep your jars of baby purees organized and tidy. Plus, you can easily stack more trays on top of each other if you need a bigger freezer stash.

Full Review of each Container: for our full reviews on each of the above products, including pros and cons, go to the end of this guide.

Other Helpful Tools

Stasher Bags – these silicone reusable bags can hold your frozen cubes of baby food purees.
ZipLock Bags – another option for storing your frozen purees in.

How to Freeze Baby Food

When making homemade baby food purees, your freezer is about to become your best friend, allowing you to keep several weeks’ worth of baby purees at the ready.

For more information on how to make your own baby food, check out my Ultimate Guide on Making Your Own Baby Food!

After making your puree, let it cool until just warm.
Spoon the puree into your choice of baby food storage container.
Cover your container with a lid or plastic wrap, and place in the freezer.
Let the puree freeze completely before you crack the purees out of the tray and place the cubes into a plastic freezer zip-lock or stasher bag. If using jars, the frozen purees would stay in the jars.
Label each bag or jar with the name of the puree and the date you made it.

How to Thaw Baby Food

Thawing may seem like a no-brainer, but it never hurts to know your options. There are three different ways to thaw purees:

Microwave

Take the frozen puree cubes that you want to serve out of your freezer, place them in a glass container, and microwave in 20-second increments, stirring every time. The puree is ready when it is just warm to your touch.

Grab two clean spoons, one for you and one for your baby, and test your puree before serving.

Some infants like their puree cold, warm, or really warm, and some will devour it no matter the temperature. You will get to know your baby’s personal preferences as the two of you bond over food.

Fridge

This one takes the longest time, but it is a great alternative to using a microwave.

Take the frozen puree cubes you want to serve out of your freezer, and place them in glass containers with airtight lids and leave in the fridge for 12 to 16 hours. Do not leave the puree in the container to thaw on the counter or anywhere out of the fridge, as bacteria will start to grow at a rapid rate – which is definitely not good.

The puree will be cold but thawed, so if your baby likes her puree warmed, you’ll have to finish the job using the microwave or stovetop method.

Stovetop

In the smallest saucepan, you can find, place the frozen puree cubes you want to serve, and gently thaw them on medium-low heat until warm, stirring occasionally.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can you store homemade baby food?

You can store homemade purees in the fridge for up to 5 days or up to 4 months in the freezer. For small finger foods, depending on the item, you can store those in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Is it better to store baby food in glass or plastic?

You can do either! Just make sure to use plastic containers that are BPA-free and container no scratches or dents. To keep the plastic in tact, be sure to wash the containers by hand and do not place in the microwave.

6 Expert Tips on Storing Baby Food

Do Not Overfill: it’s important not to overfill any baby food storage container as the purees will expand slightly when freezing.
Label Purees: in order to know what you are feeding baby, it’s important to label your purees while they are freezing in the storage containers and when they are stored in freezer bags. Make sure you put the name of the puree as well as the date you made it on. Putting the date on it helps you remember when the puree will expire.
Keep Some/Freeze Some: whenever you make a puree, put several ounces in the fridge for your little one to enjoy that week, then freeze the rest of the batch for her to finish up at a later date.
Dedicate Space in Freezer: I found it helpful to dedicate a certain space in the freezer (a shelf or drawer) just for your homemade baby food purees. That way you don’t have to go rummaging around your freezer trying to find a puree when your baby is already hungry for dinner. I also found this helpful so that I could take a quick look in my freezer to know exactly how much purees we had on hand and when I would need to make some more.
Have Multiple Storage Containers on Hand: while not cheap, having multiple storage containers on hand is really needed to be able to have a good freezer stash of your own baby food. I usually recommend having at least 4 storage trays or 2 sets of jars. This way you can make and store a good amount of purees for the weeks ahead. With the trays, you will freeze the purees in them and then once frozen you can pop out the cubes and place them into a freezer bag, thus leaving you with more trays to work with. For the baby food jars, you will freeze the purees in the jars but they do not pop out, you have to thaw and serve the purees in order to get the jar ready for the next round of food. Either work great, just depends on how you work in your kitchen.
What to Look For: regardless of which jars or trays you go with, look for a freezer-safe and dish-washer-safe brand, cuz I know you have better things to do than handwash dishes!

More Resources

Here are some more in-depth guides that will help you feed your baby!

Best Spoons for Baby
12 Best High Chairs for Baby
Best Sippy Cups for Baby
Best Baby Cereals
Beaba Babycook Neo Review

Key Features

Includes 10 sections that hold 1. 5 ounce each, with a 1-ounce fill line for smaller portions
100% food-grade silicone
Reinforced bottom with a sturdy build for stacking multiple trays
Non-stick for easy food removal
Easy clip-on lid provides coverage
Dishwasher safe
Available in a variety of fun colors

Why Our Experts Love it

No more time spent looking for lost container lids! We love this compact, all-in-one baby food storage design. It’s ultra-durable, unbreakable, and made with 100% food-grade silicone, which means no harmful chemicals contacting your baby’s food.

Pros/Cons

Pros

Multiple sections make it possible to mix and match flavors for a balanced meal
100% food-grade silicone
Sturdy design makes it easy to stack multiple trays at once
Comes with easy clip-on lid
Dishwasher safe

Cons

Lid is made of plastic, although contact with baby food is minimal to none, depending on how full you decide to fill containers

Parent’s Review

I’m really pleased with the baby food cube trays. I’ve now been using them for 2 weeks to do my batch cooking for my baby boy. They’re fantastic, good portion sizes, easy to remove and clean, great clip-on lid to prevent food from spilling out before frozen. I will most likely invest in a couple more trays in the near future.
-Jenni

WEESPROUT Silicone Baby Food Freezer Tray

No more making baby food every day or cleaning multiple containers throughout the week! Batch prep baby food, purees, breastmilk, and more – then store your food in the tray or transfer to a Ziploc bag for easy meals.

Amazon

Walmart

Key Features

Food grade silicone
Comes with removeable lid
Easy to stack and store in the freezer
Dishwasher safe

Why Our Experts Love it

The quality is great and you can’t beat the price for 4 trays! Each cube gives you 1 ounce of baby food for perfect portion sizing to help minimize waste.

Pros/Cons

Pros

Great price
Each tray has 14 small sections, giving you plenty of space for different baby food flavor combinations
Small portion size can be useful for other items, such has freezing bone broth, fresh herbs in olive oil or candy molds

Cons

Not made with the same high-qualilty materials as the trays marketed for baby food – which may not last as long.

Parent’s Review

I bought the trays to freeze my homemade baby food (thanks to COVID-19, I needed to save money and had the extra time). These trays are AMAZING! The lids made for easy stacking in the freezer. The cubes were very easy to pop out, definitely more sturdy than they feel, easy to clean, great colors, and can’t beat the price for he quality. I highly recommend this product!! Thank you!!
-Lacey

4 Pack of Silicone Ice Cube Molds Tray with Lid

These silicone ice cube molds are quite the bargain! The flexible silicone material shapes the bottom well, making it easy to release baby food.

Amazon

Key Features

Set of 12 glass baby food storage containers with lids
4-ounce capacity jars with measurement markings
Made of food-grade glass
Airtight, twist-on lids
Microwave, freezer and dishwasher friendly
Also available in 8-ounce capacity

Why Our Experts Love it

We love these colorful, eco-friendly glass jars. They are great for storing baby food purees as well as yogurts, overnight oats, and chia seed pudding for toddlers and kids. They also come in a BPA-Free plastic version – WEESPROUT Leakproof Baby Food Storage.

Pros/Cons

Pros

Ultra-durable glass jars
Airtight twist-on lids helps keep food fresh
Convenient measurement markings lets you control the portion size
Jars are stackable for space saving

Cons

More expensive than other storage containers, although many reviewers feel their durability makes the investment well worth it

Parent’s Review

I’m thrilled at this product. I was looking for non-toxic, non-plastic container options to store baby food and to take to daycare. This has been an awesome solution! I love that I can store in freezer, write on lid, and thaw food in warmer without worrying about heating up plastic. The glass is sturdy, they look great, and I can reuse for more than just baby food. I’m really happy with this purchase. The package came safe with thoughtful minimal packaging. Love this eco-friendly, zero waste baby product. Wee Sprout has been excellent to work with and offers amazing customer service.
-Michelle

WeeSprout Glass Baby Food Storage Containers

WeeSprout Baby Food Storage Containers make batch preparing baby food quick and easy. Airtight lids keep food fresh, nutritious, and delicious longer.

Amazon

Walmart

Key Features

Set of 8 glass containers and lids (four, 4 ounce and four, 8 ounce containers)
Measurement markings on the jars
Leak proof lids
Made of environmentally-friendly glass, BPA and Phtalate free
Microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe

Why Our Experts Love it

We love that this set comes with two different sizes of containers – 4 ounce and 8 ounce. This is great if you have a baby that is a bigger eater and needs more than an ounce or two of purees at each meal.

Pros/Cons

Pros

Multi size pack provides convenience
Airtight screw top keeps food fresh
Stain resistant and free from harmful components
Stackable for easy storage

Cons

More expensive than other storage containers, although many reviewers feel their durability makes the investment well worth it

Parent’s Review

I bought a set to test out as reusable containers for my breast milk and I am not disappointed!! I love that they’re able to hold a good quantity of milk even more so than the baggies and the main reason I got them is because I can easily just wash them and reuse them…. they fit perfectly fine and could be easily stacked so I’d say they’re the perfect size!! The lid is a twist on so you don’t have to worry about leaks at all which was another important thing for me very easy to use clean and reuse… the best part is I can use them for this now and later on when needed I can use them for other things so I’ll be getting my money’s worth with them.
-Adriana

Babymoov Glass Food Storage Containers

Provides a healthy and easy way to store your baby’s meals, in addition to preserving the taste of food for longer. Stackable for easy storage and microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe.

Amazon

Walmart

Key Features

Set includes four, 4-ounce containers and stackable tray
Leak-proof seal
Measurement markings indicate portion sizes
BPA free
Microwave and dishwasher safe
Also available in 2-ounce capacity

Why Our Experts Love it

The OXO Tot Baby Blocks are a great smaller set if you don’t plan on making a lot of baby food or only making baby food occasionally. The space-saver system helps keep your jars of baby purees organized and tidy.

Pros/Cons

Pros

Airtight, watertight, leak-proof seal prevents spills in freezer or diaper bag
Stackable tray keeps containers stable and organized in the freezer
Measurement markings make portioning simple

Cons

Some reviewers find that taking apart 3 pieces to wash can be tiresome, but does allow for a thorough cleaning

Parent’s Review

The quality of these containers is definitely much superior than the other cheap ones we see here on Amazon. Why buy a cheaper thing to your baby if you will be using these containers over an over again? Also they are beautiful and very easy to clean. They are so good that I decided to buy more sets, I have 2 of 4 oz containers and 2 of the 6 oz containers. For now, that my baby is 8 months old his meals are 4 oz but might improve in the future so I decided have those bigger ones and fill with whatever quantity I want now.
– Renata

OXO Tot Baby Blocks Freezer Storage Containers

Baby Blocks are airtight, watertight and leakproof for safe storage and spill-free outings. Blocks fit into the freezing tray, and multiple trays can be stacked to save space in the freezer.

Amazon

Walmart

Target

15 Best Baby Food Storage Containers for 2023

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Best Glass for Heat and Cold

WECK 0.25 Liter Mold Jars with Lids

Best Glass for Heat and Cold

WECK 0.25 Liter Mold Jars with Lids

Now 14% Off

$30 at Amazon

Pros

Freezes well and opens easily when frozen
Company has been making jars for 123 years, they've perfected them
Classic style
Useful long after baby is eating purees

Cons

Notoriously pricey, but they last forever

Are you a jar hoarder? Do you save every glass container that makes its way into your home, thinking, “I will use it again”? We have the solution for you.

These are very similar to traditional baby food jars, but they’re completely sterilizable, they can take high, high heat, and they’re easier to stack. They are also completely plastic-free, which loads of parents prefer. They’re made of sustainable glass and natural rubber. And, unlike many glass jars, these are great for the freezer because the rubber ring pops open easily.

My Weck jars are from my grandmother, and they're still as wonderful now as they were when she was using them for jelly 50 years ago. (I have replaced the rings and clamps.) I used them for baby food, and now I use them for dressings, jams, and sauces.

(And can we mention the aesthetic?)

More: The Best and Cutest High Chairs for Baby

Key Specs

Size	12.5 ounces
Materials	Glass, rubber, steel
Portable	Not really
Dishwasher-Safe?	Lid and jar, not rings or clamps
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

Best Silicone Freezer Tray

WeeSprout Silicone Baby Food Freezer Tray

Best Silicone Freezer Tray

WeeSprout Silicone Baby Food Freezer Tray

$15 at weesprout. com

Pros

Easy to clean
Can be boiled for sterilization
Great for batch-cooking

Cons

Can leak if it gets tilted

Frozen baby food pops out of the WeeSprout like a dream. The smooth silicone molds mean that food never sticks, and that's a big deal when you're tired and you just want to heat up some soup for your toddler. The pods of frozen purees can be easily popped into Stasher bags, freeing up space for more cooking.

I was surprised at how easy it was to clean the lid, as it's a more sturdy plastic, and the elevated rings that sit in the divots feel like a great place for food to get stuck, but it doesn't.

Key Specs

Size	Ten 1.5-ounce portions
Materials	Silicone and BPA-free plastic
Portable	No
Dishwasher-Safe?	Top rack
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

Best Bag Option

Stasher Reusable Silicone Food Bag (Set of 2)

Best Bag Option

Stasher Reusable Silicone Food Bag (Set of 2)

$26 at Amazon

Pros

Virtually indestructible
Multipurpose storage
Easy to close

Cons

Can leak if you don't seal it properly
On the higher end, cost-wise

These are a gift and a wonder. You can use them to store frozen pods of food from your other containers. You can freeze whole bananas when they've gone off. You can use them in the fridge or the pantry. You can even use them to sous vide, if you're fancy.

They are as close to indestructible as you can get, and worth every penny. The best part? They don't stain. Not with tomato soup, not with Flamin' Hot Cheetos.

Mine are used daily for everything from the aforementioned Cheetos to my daughter’s colored pencils. They’ve taken a beating, and they’re still holding up.

Key Specs

Size	28 ounces
Materials	Medical-grade silicone
Portable	Yes, but for dry goods
Dishwasher-Safe?	Yes
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

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Best For Small Spaces

OXO Tot 12-Piece Baby Blocks Set

Best For Small Spaces

OXO Tot 12-Piece Baby Blocks Set

$22 at Amazon$26 at Walmart$22 at Macy's

Pros

Stays sealed even when hurled by a toddler at a wall
Perfect size for individual portions
Cleans up well

Cons

Cannot open them one-handed, which is a bit of a pain

These are stackable wonders. The set comes with six 2-ounce containers, four 4-ounce containers, and two trays. It's incredibly neat and convenient. It's all BPA- and phthalate-free, and leakproof.

I filled these puppies up with the broccoli and the yogurt, as well as ranch dressing, and took them on the road. One of them — the ranch dressing, of course — was flung at the wall when it was discovered that it did not contain vegetable dip — and it remained closed. Another, the broccoli this time, was left quite by accident — and definitely not because I forgot about it — in the car for several days. While it did start to get disgusting, it did not retain any of the smell, nor did it stain.

Key Specs

Size	Six 2-oz. containers, and six, four-ounce containers
Materials	BPA-free plastic
Portable	Very
Dishwasher-Safe?	Top rack
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

Best Oven-Safe

Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Storage (Set of 8)

Best Oven-Safe

Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Storage (Set of 8)

$57 at Amazon$57 at Walmart

Pros

Extremely versatile
They don't leak, even liquids
Oven-safe for easy prep

Cons

They're a bit on the heavy side
Not shatterproof

There is one major advantage of these containers — they are oven-safe. That means you can make your child’s roasted veggies right in these glass containers, and then once it is cool to touch, you can shove that puppy right in the freezer or fridge. It's best for batches, but they are just so useful you'll find yourself buying them over and over.

They’re fantastic as lunch boxes, too, even if a bit heavy, because they’re microwave-safe and don’t leak. I use these every single day in my house. In my opinion, they’re indispensable.

Key Specs

Size	8 containers, various sizes
Materials	Glass, BPA-free plastic
Portable	Yes
Dishwasher-Safe?	Yes
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

Best Thermos Style

b.box Insulated Food Jar with Spork for Toddlers

Best Thermos Style

b.box Insulated Food Jar with Spork for Toddlers

$24 at Amazon

Pros

Keeps food hot for hours
A manageable main portion size for toddlers and babies
Easy to open and close
Removable handles

Cons

It's a bit heavier than you may like

My daughter has used this in her lunch every day for a few weeks. Yes, this means I’ve been forced to make more matzoh ball soup than any one mom should ever need make in two weeks, but she just loves this container that much. My baby nephew is quite the fan as well.

An 11-ounce, spill- and leakproof insulated jar, the b.box is everything you want in a baby food storage container that doubles as a thermos. It does have an attached spoon, but we don’t find it necessary.

Key Specs

Size	11 ounces
Materials	Stainless steel, BPA-free plastic
Portable	Yes
Dishwasher-Safe?	Yes
Freezer-Safe?	Yes, but not designed for that

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Easiest Pop Out Freezer Tray

OXO Baby Food Freezer Tray - 2 Pack Updated Teal

Easiest Pop Out Freezer Tray

OXO Baby Food Freezer Tray - 2 Pack Updated Teal

$12 at Amazon$12 at Home Depot$12 at Walmart

Pros

Easy to pop out portions
Easy to clean
Very affordable

Cons

Not leakproof

What I liked about this one is that you can slide out just a few portions at a time, instead of popping them all out at once like you have to do with the WeeSprout. The design is also easy to pop out just one, if you push them with a spoon or finger.

They're not totally leakproof, but it does wash easily by hand or on the top rack of the dishwasher. It also makes nice regular ice as well.

Key Specs

Size	2 trays with 14 one-ounce portions
Materials	BPA-free plastic
Portable	No
Dishwasher-Safe	Top rack
Freezer-Safe	Yes

Best Lid Color Options

KeaBabies 12-Pack Glass Baby Food Containers

Best Lid Color Options

KeaBabies 12-Pack Glass Baby Food Containers

Now 33% Off

$27 at Amazon

Pros

Just the right size
Very durable
Microwave-safe for fast heating
Writable lids for easy date-keeping

Cons

Plastic, not glass or silicone lid

KeaBabies makes a lot of great stuff, and their baby food storage containers are no exception. They're durable, just the right size at four ounces. They don't leak, they don't shatter without serious effort, and they're microwave-safe.

I like that you can choose different colors for the lids, silly as that may be, because if they're going to be in open-storage, it's nice to get something that fits better with your decor.

Key Specs

Size	Twelve 4-oz. containers
Materials	Glass and BPA-free plastic
Portable	Yes
Dishwasher-Safe?	Yes
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

Best Stainless Steel Baby Food Container

WeeSprout Stainless Steel Food Containers

Best Stainless Steel Baby Food Container

WeeSprout Stainless Steel Food Containers

$21 at weesprout.com

Pros

Tight seal for great leak protection
Lighter than most steel bowls
Less pricey than many other stainless options
Totally free of plastic

Cons

Hard to close
Need to open using both hands unless you want your wall painted with baby food

I could not have been more dubious about this product when I first saw it. I mean, stainless steel bowls with a silicone lid that claims to be leakproof? I didn't think it was possible.

It turns out it's entirely possible. But, what I will say about the lids is that they aren't that easy to get on or off because of how tightly they have to fit over the lid. Have you ever pulled a balloon over a hose to fill it with water? It's about like that. It ensures a great seal, but you have to take care in closing and opening it.

Key Specs

Size	Large (400 ml), medium (200 ml), and mini (150 ml)
Materials	Stainless steel and silicone
Portable	Yes
Dishwasher-Safe?	Yes
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

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Best Snack Box

b.box Snackbox for Toddlers

Best Snack Box

b.box Snackbox for Toddlers

$12 at Amazon

Pros

Perfect size for snacks
Leakproof for your bag, and keeping one side from the other

Cons

The latch can be a bit finicky

Goldfish crackers, Cheerios, puffs, yogurt drops—all of them need their own space, and with the b. box snack box, they won't go flying everywhere.

If you're feeling fruity, the stretchy silicone lid expands to fit an entire piece of fruit like an apple, orange, or pear. (I tried all three, got my niece to successfully eat just one of them.) It's light, easy to clean, and just the right size for snacking.

It's completely leakproof, as proven when that last fruit, the pear, started getting a bit beaten up and juicy.

Key Specs

Size	12 ounces total fluid
Materials	BPA-free plastic and silicone
Portable	Yes
Dishwasher-Safe?	Top rack
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

Best Stacking Lids

Beaba Clip Containers

Best Stacking Lids

Beaba Clip Containers

$19 at Amazon

Pros

Easy to fill
Clips together for easy stacking
Multiple size choices

Cons

They can stain under the right circumstances

I love having options, and this kit from Beaba has that in spadeswith 3-, 5- and 8-ounce containers, you can pick and choose based on type of food, or, more honestly, baby's preference. (Anyone else's kid go through a "will only eat avocado" phase?)

The lids are easy to get on and off, and they "clip" together for easy, stable stacking. The Beaba baby food storage containers can be used with any sort of food prep you like, but they espouse that it works especially well with their baby food maker, which happens to be a favorite of Best Products.

Key Specs

Size	2 x 3oz., 2 x 5oz., 2 x 8.5oz.
Materials	BPA-free plastic
Portable	Yes
Dishwasher-Safe?	Yes
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

Best Pouches

Baby Brezza Reusable Baby Food Storage Pouches

Best Pouches

Baby Brezza Reusable Baby Food Storage Pouches

$11 at Amazon$20 at Walmart

Pros

Easy to fill
Funnel included
Great lids stay put

Cons

I wish they had more sizes

Pouches are my favorite for on-the-go feeding. Half the time, your baby just sucks it right out of the pouch. (OK, more than half of the time.)

These Baby Brezza pouches are my favorite for a few reasons: first, it comes with the funnel, and the side opening makes things easy. Second, the lid stays put. Third, no leaking.

Did I mention they’re dishwasher-safe?

Key Specs

Size	7 oz.
Materials	BPA-free plastic
Portable	Very
Dishwasher-Safe?	Yes
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

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Best Silicone Pouches

haakaa Silicone Food Pouches

Best Silicone Pouches

haakaa Silicone Food Pouches

$25 at Amazon

Pros

Plastic-free pouch option
Can really take a licking
Doubles as a straw cup

Cons

The lid isn't my favorite
Not the easiest to fill
Pricier than other pouches

I like these almost as much as I like the Brezza, but they're just slightly harder to fill, and the caps aren't quite as stay-put. But the Haakaa pouches are completely plastic-free. They are 100% medical-grade silicone, which makes them far more durable than the Brezza. They are thick, soft, and you can use and abuse them, and they'll come back for more.

It also doubles as a toddler straw cup, because you can screw in the included straw to the interior of the lid, making these double-duty pouches.

Key Specs

Size	4.5 oz.
Materials	100% silicone
Portable	Yes
Dishwasher-Safe?	Yes
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

Best Bowls

Wee Sprout Silicone Suction Bowls

Best Bowls

Wee Sprout Silicone Suction Bowls

$20 at weesprout.com

Pros

Tip-proof for clean eating
Lid is easy to deal with
Good size for meals

Cons

They can stain

We have established that babies like to throw their meals, right? Get one step ahead of them with a bowl that sticks to the table or high chair tray. The suction cup on these are strong. They're so strong, it's entertaining.

You know that almost vulpine look babies get right before they start flinging food? It goes away quickly when they can't lift the bowl from the table to throw it or turn it upside-down on their head.

The lid seals up tightly, and to my great relief, isn't that hard to put on or remove. It's a genius product, great for fruit bites, oatmeal, pasta, whatever your baby loves.

Key Specs

Size	11 oz.
Materials	BPA-free plastic
Portable	No
Dishwasher-Safe?	Yes
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

Best Tray

OXO Tot Glass Baby Blocks Food Storage Containers, Teal, 4 oz

Best Tray

OXO Tot Glass Baby Blocks Food Storage Containers, Teal, 4 oz

$22 at Amazon$22 at Home Depot

Pros

Great, leakproof, locking lids
Tray keeps things stable

Cons

They're pretty heavy

The OXO Tot glass baby food storage containers are a fan favorite. You get four, 4-oz. glass containers, four locking lids, and a tray that holds them.

From my experience with these, the standout features are the lid and the tray. The containers are fairly standard, with nice measuring lines on the side, but the locking lids are stellar, very much like the Rubbermaid containers, and the tray? So convenient.

Key Specs

Size	4 oz.
Materials	Glass and BPA-free plastic
Portable	Yes
Dishwasher-Safe?	Yes
Freezer-Safe?	Yes

Cat Bowen

Parenting Editor

Cat Bowen has been writing about all things parenting for well over a decade. She spends her days researching, reviewing, and testing everything from strollers to breast pumps to changing tables. Her work has been featured in Romper, Bustle, and franchised across dozens of media outlets. In her spare time she loves volunteering at her kids' schools, reading everything she can get her hands on, running, and cooking for her family.

Baby food storage: containers, terms and regulations

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Publication date: 05/18/2015. Article updated: May 14, 2021 But as long as the child is breastfed, he is more protected from aggressive environmental factors. The situation becomes more complicated when it is time for the first complementary foods. By this time, it is important for mom to learn everything about the proper storage of baby food.

Photo: depositphotos.com. Author: Petunya.

Contents

Breast milk
Accessories
- Avent containers
- Other sets
Why is this important?
Frozen food
- Requirements
- What do you need?
- Freezer
- Preparation
Shelf life
- After opening
- Dry mix
Tips

Breast milk

Almost all mothers who breastfeed their babies face the problem of storing it. Sometimes a mother needs to be away on important matters, and therefore the responsibility to feed the baby is assigned to another family member.

What you need to know about the safety of expressed milk?

The best containers are either reusable containers or sterile disposable bags with a measuring scale, for example: Lansinoh, Medela, Dr. Brown’s or Pigeon. They can be found in specialized children's stores or pharmacies in the city.
Milk from different pumping times must not be poured into the same container.
If you are going to defrost milk, do not rush to heat it up. First, let the ice completely melt and only then start heating - either in a water bath or in a heater.

Accessories

Avent Containers

Philips Gourmet VIA Avent Sterilized Container Set is a convenient and thoughtful system for storing baby food, including mother's milk. Such containers can be used repeatedly, there are several of them in the set, but they should be thrown away immediately if the view becomes unusable.

System advantages:

is a convenient novelty for storing, transporting mother's milk/formula and feeding the baby;
containers are easy to care for;
thanks to the sterility of VIA Avent "Gourmet", there is no need to shift the contents during feeding;
you can use the handy spoon included in the set;
containers are quite stable and do not take up much space during storage, if desired, they can be stacked on top of each other;
The milk preparation time is easy to write directly on the surface of the VIA Avent container.

Other sets

In addition to the undisputed market leader - the manufacturer VIA Avent, you can find containers for storing baby food of other brands:

Babymoove (France). The main advantage is the presence of not only plastic containers, but also sets made of food grade silicone.
BabyOno (Poland) - a line of plastic containers that do not contain bisphenol-A harmful to the child; a special spoon-shaped dispenser is built into the lid of the container. Also on sale you can find a set of magic silicone molds, a distinctive feature of which is a hermetically sealed lid with four locks, which excludes leakage.
Beaba (France) boasts not only multi-portion silicone containers, but also special containers for cooking cereals. This is good news for parents who are starting to feed their baby with homemade cereals.
Brother Max (UK) makes cube-shaped baby food freezer sets that snap together easily.
Infantino (USA) - their products are distinguished by a professional approach to business. Now moms and dads have the opportunity to get a real station for packaging baby food.

All modern baby food storage kits are dishwasher, freezer and microwave safe.

Why is this important?

It should not be forgotten that small children cannot eat large amounts of food at one meal. If you want to save time for activities with the child, food for him can be prepared in advance for several feedings.

Until about three years old, the child's immunity is not yet fully developed, so it is difficult for him to fight viruses and microbes. In turn, good nutrition can strengthen the immune system of the crumbs. For this reason, it is so important to store baby products properly. This is especially true of frozen vegetables, fruits and berries, because in the cold season they will become an indispensable source of trace elements and vitamins.

Such preparations can be used in winter to make wonderful healthy puree, kissels, compotes, soups and much more. Ready-made dishes are served separately or become an excellent addition to cereals that are not always loved by children.

Frozen foods

Requirements

A set of basic rules for freezing foods for children:

Use only undamaged vegetables or fruits.
They can only be frozen once, so before sending them to the freezer, pack them into small portions and arrange them in bags. This also applies to meat.
Frozen products retain their useful properties for no more than two months. After this period, the taste deteriorates, and the amount of vitamins and minerals contained in them drops dramatically.
Use local products, and best of all - grown in your own garden. Imported vegetables and fruits are not suitable for the preparation of baby food for the future.

What do you need?

Simple ice cube trays are perfect for storing baby food. You can spread freshly prepared mashed potatoes in them, cover it with a special cling film and place it in the freezer. The main condition is a sufficiently low storage temperature.

You can also use several pre-lined baking trays. Divide cooked baby food into single servings, and distribute them evenly among trays.

Thanks to one of these techniques, in the future you will be able to separate the set of products needed for one feeding, and you will not have to deal with vegetables stuck together in a lump.

Frozen storage foil is not recommended.

Send to freezer

Your baby's food is ready, now it's time to freeze it. To do this, you first need to cool the food to room temperature.

Before sending food for the baby to the freezer, it is necessary to check it for the presence of unpleasant odors: it is necessary to exclude the possibility of freon leakage - a refrigerant gas that has a specific smell.

To prevent the growth of bacteria in food, set the temperature in the freezer to no higher than -18 degrees.

Frozen food in molds can be transferred to cellophane, releasing all air from it. Each package should be signed, indicating the date of preparation. In this form, products can be stored for no longer than two weeks.

Preparation

To prepare frozen puree, it must first be thawed properly. To do this, take the amount of food that the child can eat at one time. There are several options:

Move the puree from the freezer to the refrigerator, after a while the product will melt itself.
Transfer the portion to an enamel bowl and place over low heat. Here you need to make sure that the product does not burn.
Another option that modern mothers often use is defrosting in the microwave. Although the safety of this method raises doubts among some experts.

Never thaw baby food at room temperature. This causes the reproduction of microorganisms in the products that can harm the child.

The nutrition packs in the first and third cases must not be opened until the contents have completely thawed.

Shelf life

As soon as you open any baby food, its shelf life is significantly reduced. So, milk adapted mixtures or cereals should be stored in the open for no more than three weeks. If we are talking about fermented milk products, then they can be stored exclusively in the refrigerator, and they should be on a separate shelf.

Milk, kefir, cottage cheese and yogurt are kept open for no more than a day, otherwise you can poison your baby. Before you give your baby fermented milk products from the refrigerator, be sure to try it yourself first. This will help you personally make sure that the products are not sour. If milk turns sour before a full day, your refrigerator may be faulty or the temperature is incorrectly set.

If you prepare food for your child yourself, it is generally not recommended to store it. Homemade cereals or already diluted mixtures will only be suitable for two hours from the moment of preparation, vegetable or fruit puree will quickly darken, and the juices will begin to oxidize. What your baby did not eat on time should either be thrown away or eaten by yourself.

After opening

Most baby purees quickly lose their useful properties after opening. In addition, the expiration dates are not always found on jars. For children, intestinal infections are very dangerous, and therefore open mashed potatoes should not be stored for more than two days.

Much also depends on the refrigerator: one freezes more, the other less. Never put baby food in the refrigerator door, it is better to place it on the top shelf.

Please note: if you preheat the jar, the shelf life of the product in it will be greatly reduced compared to the data on the label.

The shelf life also depends on the room temperature. If it is +20 degrees or more, then the product is suitable for only 5-6 hours.

Dry sweep

The safe storage time for infant formula is clearly stated on the packaging. As soon as the pack is opened, the period of use will be reduced significantly. The fact is that dangerous microorganisms quickly develop in a dry powder. Keep an open pack in the refrigerator, and prepare the product itself immediately before feeding. It is not necessary to breed more than the baby will eat at one time. When traveling, place the bottle of formula in a thermos for baby bottles or a cooler bag. In this case, baby food will remain fresh for some time.

Tips

Before buying any product, you should study all information contained on its packaging from the manufacturer. Pay attention to the production time - suddenly the jar stood in the warehouse for a long time.
Baby food spoils rather quickly after opening and should not be refrigerated for more than two days. If necessary, heat up the portion calculated for one dose, and not the whole jar, otherwise its shelf life will be reduced to one day.
The maximum recommended storage temperature for sealed jars of baby puree is 12 degrees, and for opened jars only 4 degrees (standard temperature inside the refrigerator). The shelf life of open products without a refrigerator is reduced to 6 hours at temperatures below 20 degrees and, accordingly, 4 hours at higher air temperatures.
If you have the slightest doubt about the quality, immediately throw the yogurt or puree into the waste bin. There is no shortage of baby food in stores, it will always be possible to buy more, and the health of the baby is much more valuable than a few jars thrown away.
It is unlikely that you will be able to know for sure how the food was stored in the warehouse. But always pay attention to compliance with storage conditions at points of sale. You can be calm at the sight of refrigerated shelves and products with a normal expiration date. At the same time, jars laid out on ordinary racks at a temperature of about 30 degrees should alert you.

Sometimes it is not easy to recognize a spoiled product, as it can retain its original appearance and smell for almost the entire shelf life. Take care of the health of your child, because no one will take care of this better than your mother.

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Author: Ekaterina Zaitseva

How to store baby puree correctly and for how long? The proper development of the child's body will depend on the quality of complementary foods. Therefore, you should buy only fresh products from time-tested manufacturers. Where and how to store baby food puree, you can read on the jars. But it will not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with the general rules for storing food for babies in order to prevent poisoning, indigestion and other negative consequences of eating low-quality or expired products.

How to choose

When buying baby puree for future use, you must strictly follow the storage rules specified by the manufacturer. But if after opening the jar there are doubts about the quality of the product, you should not give it to a child. Better to play it safe and go for fresh mashed potatoes than put the child at risk of poisoning.

Quality fruit or vegetable puree should not contain any additives other than water and, moreover, preservatives.

Making a choice in favor of one or another type of product, first of all, its useful qualities are evaluated. Exotic fruits, for example, will not bring as much benefit to the children's body as an apple or a pumpkin.

The fruits and vegetables best absorbed by a child are those grown in the area where he lives. Therefore, when choosing baby puree, preference is given to products of local manufacturers. More natural and useful for the digestive system of our child will be puree from ordinary carrots, apples, pears, zucchini than from mangoes, bananas and other exotic fruits.

There are three types of baby puree packages:

glass,
metal,
cardboard (Tetra Pak).

It is impossible to say exactly which package is better. Each of them has its own disadvantages and advantages.

In glass container the product can be stored without fear that this material will somehow change the composition of the baby puree. At the same time, the small volume of the jar (100 ml) allows you to use its contents without residue. And in this case, you no longer have to store baby puree.
In metal containers , baby puree will last longer. In addition, it will not break in case of careless handling.
Baby food in carton packs is the most budget option for low-income families. But this does not mean that the contents of the package are worse. Just monitor the safety of the product should be more carefully.

Purchased puree

Pre-sealed baby food containers can be stored even at room temperature. The manufacturer creates a vacuum environment inside each of them, which minimizes the development of harmful microorganisms. But if the storage of baby puree occurs without a refrigerator, the product is placed in a cool place, closed from sunlight. It should be understood that when heated, the contents of the containers will deteriorate faster than the period specified by the manufacturer.

Tetra Pak carton packs are as convenient as glass or metal packs. In it, the product can also be stored for a long time. Unlike a glass jar, cardboard does not let in sunlight and is cheaper.

The disadvantage of cartons is their relative fragility. They are easily deformed and may lose their tightness during transportation.

While still in the store, you need to read the information that is present on the container with baby food. First of all, pay attention to the date of release of the product, and its expiration date.

Homemade puree

At home, prepare baby puree immediately before use. Storage is contraindicated for it, since cooling and subsequent heating deprive the product of useful properties.

How long can homemade puree be kept when there is no other way out? No more than 24 hours in the refrigerator, and within 3 months in the freezer.

To freeze the product, it is laid out in ice molds and sent to the freezer. After solidification, the cubes are transferred to special freezer bags or food containers, after which the date must be indicated on them. Then the product is sent to the freezer for 3 months.

When preparing and freezing baby puree, use only sterile containers and cutlery.

Product can be defrosted on the refrigerator shelf or at room temperature.

Opened baby puree

The answer to the question of how long open baby puree can be stored can be found on the product packaging.

Most manufacturers do not recommend storing baby puree after opening in general . Or it allows it to be in the cold for no longer than 1 day. This will allow you to divide the product into 2 feedings, but you should not heat it directly in the jar. The necessary part of the puree is transferred to another container and heated. If you heat the entire jar, the shelf life of the baby puree that remains in it will be reduced to a few hours.

The temperature at which baby puree should be stored after opening should be between 0°C and +4°C. If you keep it in a warmer place, it will lose quality after 5 - 6 hours. The product cannot be kept on the refrigerator door due to constant temperature changes every time the door is opened.

When closed baby puree can be stored at a maximum temperature of +22°C
A after opening at a maximum of +4°C.

You can read the manufacturer's instructions for how long puree can be stored in the refrigerator, but if the jar is opened, it will not be possible to give the product to the child in a day.

Out of the refrigerator, opened baby food will retain its quality for up to 6 hours at temperatures up to +20°C, and no longer than 4 hours in an even warmer place.

Storage rules

If your baby consumes poor-quality products, it can lead to serious consequences, so you need to know how to store baby purees in jars (other packaging).

Closed baby food containers should be kept in dry, dark places. These are various closed cabinets, pantries, etc. There should not be heat sources nearby, otherwise bacteria will begin to actively develop even in closed packaging.
Arrange the jars so that those with the earliest expiration date are closest. Accordingly, they must be used first.
Lids on containers must always be tightly closed.

Do not feed your baby directly from the bottle if you plan to continue to store the contents. When children's saliva enters the container, the development of microorganisms occurs. Then the product becomes unusable.

If you leave an open jar right on the table, after 2 hours, bacteria dangerous to your baby's health will begin to develop in it.