Starting solid food with your baby can feel completely overwhelming. I know when I first started solids with my baby, I had no clue where to start when it came to grocery shopping for a baby. We knew we wanted to try baby led weaning but I didn’t know what foods were best and what serving sizes to give my baby. I have always done our grocery shopping at Aldi and after a few months of trial and error, I have found the best Aldi baby food for baby led weaning.
First, a small disclaimer. I am NO doctor. Just a mama who has found what works for her baby and is sharing what I’ve learned. There’s about 100 different books and articles that will tell you how to feed your baby but the reality is, you have to find what works best for you and your child. Some babies are ready to start solids at six months and some aren’t until seven or eight months. There are some babies who love gobbling up steamed vegetables and teething biscuits right away while others prefer purees. Talk to your doctor and read your baby’s signs to decide how and when to begin. After all, no one knows your baby better than you.
As I said before, we wanted to start solids by trying baby led weaning. In short, baby led weaning is where you give your child solid food that is cooked and cut into easy to mash and grab pieces. It fine tunes their motor skills and helps teach your baby portion control since they are in charge of feeding themselves. I will be sharing more about our experience with baby led weaning in a future post. For now, I have put together a grocery list for the best Aldi baby food for baby led weaning in hopes to help all of the moms who need some baby food ideas on a budget.
The Perfect Starter for Solid Food
My absolute favorite Aldi baby food are these Simply Nature vegetable bites. These were the best starter food for baby led weaning. They’re made out of simple ingredients: vegetables and a few spices. Plus, these bites take only seconds to microwave which makes them great for when you are trying to throw dinner together for the whole family. A HUGE time saver.
Once cooked, they have a firm enough consistency for baby to grab them but will mush between their fingers and in their mouths. When we first started giving our baby these, she would eat maybe half but loved playing with them and getting used to the texture of food. After a few weeks she was eating two bites at meal time!
The Simply Nature bites taste good, are full of nutrients, and are easy for baby to eat. I even love eating her leftovers. It makes for the PERFECT starter baby food. I have recommended these to every one of my mom friends because my baby simply can’t get enough of them.
Find them in the frozen section at Aldi.
Easy Baby Food for on the Go
Although my baby preferred solid foods to start out, she now loves these puree pouches. If your baby prefers purees, these will be perfect for you. At first I would squeeze them into her mouth but at only eight months old she has learned how to hold her own pouch and suck out the contents. I know these aren’t exactly “baby led weaning” but they are such an easy and convenient baby food for when you are on the go and can’t let your baby get messy.
Spoon Fed Aldi Baby Food Favorites
It may not seem like the obvious baby food choice, but Aldi has great potato and chicken salad. My baby loves both of these and it’s a great way to sneak in flavorful protein and dairy. Also, don’t forget the bib, this one will get MESSY. My favorite types of bibs are sleeved and washable like this one. They keep the mess off of the baby and they’re easy to clean. Plus, when your child gets older they can be used for painting and messy craft projects too!
Quick and Nutrient Dense Aldi Baby Food
The most important part of your babies diet is vegetables. However, it can be a giant pain (and super time consuming) to cut, peel, and cook raw vegetables. To save time, I get the steam-able packs in the frozen section at Aldi. They are good grabbing size for baby led weaning. I got lucky and my baby LOVES broccoli so she eats a lot of that at our house. One bag can last 3-4 meals (even for our broccoli loving baby) making it well worth the money for the convenience of the steam-able bag.
Dry Snacks
Once your baby gets more comfortable eating solid food, these are great snack options to throw in the diaper bag. The puffs are a popular baby food and Aldi has their own version in strawberry apple and blueberry. If you don’t mind letting your baby have some salt, I also recommend veggie straws or vegetable crisps. They all melt down as the baby gums or chews on them and the straws are easier for younger babies to grab than the tiny puffs.
I wish you the best of luck, mama! Remember to be patient, keep trying new things, and most importantly, trust your instincts.
Have you started solids yet? Tell me what works for you or what your baby has loved.
Check out my other favorite products for being successful at starting solids:
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