Kids slurping down food pouches; is it a good trend?

The food pouches are convenient for busy parents but doctors fear they can cause nutritiion and development problems if they're overused. Image (c) ConsumerAffairs

Doctors say overusing the pouches could affect dental health and even speech

Sales of baby food pouches—soft bags with plastic spouts that make eating easy—have skyrocketed by 900% since 2010, now surpassing jarred purees as the top choice for baby food.

Typically, parents spoon-feed purees to babies for a few months when introducing solid foods, but pouches, especially those marketed to parents of toddlers and older children, have extended the use of pureed foods for years.

While using pouches occasionally is fine, doctors and nutritionists are worried that relying too much on them could affect a child's nutrition, long-term food preferences, dental health, and even speech and language development. The marketing of pouches can also confuse parents about what’s actually inside.

"Pouches are highly processed foods," said Dr. Steven Abrams, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austinin a recent Los Angeles Times report. "They’re convenient as a quick snack, but they shouldn’t make up too much of a toddler’s diet. Kids need to learn to chew and eat whole foods like meat, fruits, and vegetables."

The contents of pouches vary widely. Some have only fruit, while others include vegetables, grains, yogurt, or even meat. Many pouches feature sweet fruits like apple or pear as the main ingredient, unlike traditional jarred foods, which often contain single items like peas or carrots.

A 2019 study found that pouches had significantly more sugar per serving than other types of packaging.

Smooth, sweet texture

Although most children don’t have problems chewing, Dr. Mark Corkins, a pediatric gastroenterologist, says that some kids get so used to the smooth, sweet texture of pouches that they develop aversions to regular fruits and vegetables. "In the long run, we’re going to pay for it," he said.

Pouches are popular because they’re convenient. They don’t break like glass jars, and toddlers can eat from them without help. 

However, Dr. Tanya Altmann, a pediatrician, pointed out in the Times article that not all pouches are created equal. She emphasized that while pouches can be part of a family’s nutrition, they shouldn’t be a main food source. Pouches without added sugar or salt can be better than other processed snacks, but parents should focus on what's inside.

Pouch labels like "all natural" or "organic" can mislead parents. A pouch advertised as broccoli-pear might mostly be pear puree, or a "turkey dinner" pouch might be mostly applesauce with only a hint of turkey. 

Parents of picky eaters are especially vulnerable to this kind of marketing, as they want to make sure their children are getting proper nutrition. However, Martinez admits that the real appeal is the convenience. She thinks of pouches as being similar to smoothies or yogurt but in an easier-to-go form.