Food pouches are good snacks for kids, but aren’t meal replacements | Opinion

I spent a good part of my career as a pediatric dietitian. And now that I’m living with the cutest little toddler (my great nephew), I see that the world of baby and toddler food has changed. And as with so many things in the food space, there is good and there is marketing and sometimes both meet in the same product.

Pouches are popular. These are the squeezable containers that hold a puréed blend of fruits and vegetables. And many contain an amazing assortment of super nutritious foods like quinoa, kale, beans and spinach.

They are a convenient portable snack and I totally understand why parents love them. And I don’t discourage them as snacks, but I don’t want to see them used as meals.

First, they don’t advance chewing skills. Pouches are drinkable. And as a toddler grows, you want them to be able to eat a spoonful of beans and a spoonful of quinoa, and enjoy the flavor of squash. They don’t become familiar with flavors when everything is blended together.

And it goes without saying you don’t want to buy a pouch that has added sugar. The inclusion of fruits provides enough naturally occurring sugar to sweeten the taste.

I also saw some pouches that said they were for children over 4. They stated this was because they had more fiber and protein. I found it confusing since the pouch had 3 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein.

If a 3-year-old ate 1 ounce of chicken with a cup of strawberries, they would get 7 ounces of protein and 3 g of fiber. You would also find 3 grams of fiber in a medium apple or banana or half a cup of carrots.

So if your toddler can chew food, probably any pouch would be appropriate as a snack.

Many parents today are choosing non-dairy milk alternatives. I don’t see a problem with that. What I strongly advise is not to buy a non-dairy milk with added sugar. We don’t add sugar to dairy milk, so why add it to pea, oat or almond milk. A baby that appreciates all flavors will be a healthy toddler.

Sheah Rarback is a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Miami.